K. Lynn Lewis's Blog, page 3

Living the Dream

NWG 1980 Men’s Track Team: (Above, L-R, Kneeling) Don Moore, Tony Crisp, Alan Bolton, Jimmy Plumlee, Lynn Lewis, David Shelton, and Jimmy Wood. (Standing) Coach Gerald Beard, Rusty McBryar, Brian Smith, David Johnson, Wally Moore, Lewis Whited, Michael Long, and John Hammond.

Stella Henry took fifth place in the Girls 300 Meter Hurdles Class 2A Georgia High School Association 2021 State Championships. She might have won, but she tripped on landing after her first hurdle, executed a surprisingly clean forward roll in her lane, and valiantly finished what she started, barely missing fourth place. One of her teammates, Ian Byrd, finished third in the Pole Vault and set a 12’6” school record (“Byrd Earns Third…Henry Takes Fifth,” Dade County Sentinel, Eddie Gifford, 5/20/2021).

I’ve never met Stella or Ian, or any of their teammates, and they don’t know me. But their success brings me great pleasure because I selfishly helped start their high school’s track team. When I attended what is now Dade County High School, I realized at the end of my junior year that unless we had a track team my senior year, I would most likely never realize my Olympic-inspired hurdling, jumping, running dreams. Our principal, Jerry Bryan lived a block away and I lobbied him, quite unsuccessfully over the summer, to start a track team. By the time school started, he tried to end my annoying campaign by informing me that no one was interested. I agreed to stop badgering him if he would simply call an interest meeting. He reluctantly did so and, to his surprise, 60 students showed up. When he lamely declared that he appreciated our interest, but the school had no track coach, one brave soul stepped forward.

“I don’t know anything about track,” one of our coaches volunteered, “but I’ll coach ‘em.”

Ultimately, another coach offered to help, too, and Mr. Bryan ended up coaching the Cross Country team. That season, even though most of us had no track and field competition experience and our meets doubled as practice, several of my classmates performed well enough to compete in the state championships. Not a bad start for a rookie team.

Sometime thereafter, my school changed its name from Northwest Georgia Comprehensive Consolidated Vocational Technical High School (NWG) back to simply Dade County High School (DCHS). Over the years, the school has accumulated more than four decades of track practices; coaches coaching; hundreds of students competing, earning ribbons and medals, setting records, and attending banquets celebrating achievements; and annual “Track and Field” sections in yearbooks. But more than that, while literally running in circles, facing challenging competition, leaping hurdles, jumping high bars, faltering and sometimes making miraculous recoveries in order to finish what they started, students have not only been training for life, but living life, living the dream, even if only for one season. As for me, I will always appreciate everyone who helped make our novice endeavor possible, and I derive great pleasure knowing that our team is still up and running with stellar students performing at high levels.

 Similarly, I celebrate ten years this summer of working to help start The Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas with pioneering adventurers committed to establishing a Biblically-based, Christ-centered, vigorous, world-class educational institution that long outlasts us. I am thoroughly enjoying living this dream, too. While we focus on helping train people for life and ministry leadership, seminary is not just training, it IS life and ministry. All of it. From the dollars to the diplomas, people and projects, and tests to testimonies.

 I am extremely grateful for everyone who has helped make our adventurous endeavor a growing reality. And decades from now, I hope we all derive great pleasure hearing about TBS students training, competing, winning, setting records, overcoming challenges, and celebrating inspiring victories!

Published in The Sentinel, Summer 2021, and the Dade County Sentinel, July 14, 2021, p. 5.

K. Lynn Lewis serves as President of The Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas and is the founder and President of InspireUSA: Celebrating the Best of America®. A seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse professional background in business, education, and ministry, he is the author of Boss Like God: A Blueprint for Elite Workplace Performance (2018), Meat and Potatoes for the Soul (2013,2015), Plight (2015), and Christian Communication in the Twenty-first Century (2002), and producer of What a Dig and Shiloh Network News video series.

Facts and Opinion

Facts prepared as usual. She gathered, honed for accuracy and clarity, checked to make sure everything was in working order, and stored everything neatly and within easy reach. She assembled her team and reviewed policies, procedures, and protocol for every conceivable scenario. Opinion prepared herself. Clothes, shoes, hair, make-up, eyes – especially her eyes – and assessed her own thoughts and feelings. At the appointed time, Facts and Opinion met at the agreed upon time and place. Facts and her entourage stood at the ready, impressive in size and scope. Opinion came alone, with only a wand.

From all appearances, Facts seemed unbeatable, and Opinion a defeated foe. However, as their battle commenced and continued, something odd happened. Each time Facts brought forth a person, piece of information, or point, Opinion waved her wand and dismissed them.

“Disqualified!” she announced.  “You are dismissed.”

This bothered Facts, but did not worry. She had plenty of resources at her disposal and was willing to allow Opinion some leeway. After all, Opinion had only a wand.

She also had a strange method of communicating. When making statements, Opinion waved her wand around in the air, as if drawing pictures. Then, whenever Facts attempted to point at something somewhere in the air that Opinion had drawn, Opinion simply redrew, or withdrew, or waved her wand anew in a different place. Facts explained that pointing at nothing in the air was difficult to follow and impossible to confirm, but Opinion ridiculed her.

“You don’t see what I see?” she taunted.  “Are you blind?  You expect me to accept your vast alliance of congruencies without doubt, and, yet, you can’t grasp even my simplest assertion right here, right here, right here in front of your face!”

Even as Opinion claimed a single assertion and said, “right here” three times, she pointed in different places all three times. As their battle continued, Facts attempted to bring forth only things that were precisely relevant, but Opinion continued to dismiss them without regard.

Eventually, Facts stood alone, face to face with Opinion, who still wielded her wand. Opinion claimed victory. She thanked Facts for her shrewd courage and obvious commitment, then dismissed her mockingly with a wave of her wand, and returned merrily to her lair. Facts retreated to her throne room, reassembled her team, encouraged them, and began considering how to reorder her dismissed array, as well as pondering what she might add to her arsenal to better prepare for the next battle.

One time, Facts attempted to use a wand herself in battle. But, Opinion ridiculed her, and dismissed her attempt as vain, ludicrous, and unworthy of merit.

Occasionally, Facts wins a contest, but only when Opinion concedes her point blithely as if she does not really care and that particular match is insignificant.

Other times, Facts seems to have won, especially when the sheer enormity of her case is overwhelming and the net effect of Opinion’s wand waving seems vain. In these instances, Opinion tends to inflate herself, breathe fire, blow smoke, and scream incredulities, and then prance arrogantly away.

Left behind in the wake of the fray, Facts and her entourage appear victorious. But, really, they are singed, sticky, and stinky, and generally unwelcome company for anyone who might consider taking them out to dinner. No matter how clean they begin, battles with Opinion always leave them messy.

Facts always believes she can win by advocating unequivocal truth. Opinion always believes she can win by advocating her own personal perspectives branded as truth, and by questioning the validity of Fact’s actual truths.

Hence, their fights are rarely fair,
since Opinion’s “truths” are air.
With a wave of her wand, she can say, “Be gone!”
and too few seem to care.

Originally published in Meat and Potatoes for the Soul 2, 2015.

K. Lynn Lewis serves as President of The Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas and is the founder and President of InspireUSA: Celebrating the Best of America®. A seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse professional background in business, education, and ministry, he is the author of Boss Like God: A Blueprint for Elite Workplace Performance (2018), Meat and Potatoes for the Soul (2013,2015), Plight (2015), and Christian Communication in the Twenty-first Century (2002), and producer of What a Dig and Shiloh Network News video series.

Facts and Opinion

Facts prepared as usual. She gathered, honed for accuracy and clarity, checked to make sure everything was in working order, and stored everything neatly and within easy reach. She assembled her team and reviewed policies, procedures, and protocol for every conceivable scenario. Opinion prepared herself. Clothes, shoes, hair, make-up, eyes – especially her eyes – and assessed her own thoughts and feelings. At the appointed time, Facts and Opinion met at the agreed upon time and place. Facts and her entourage stood at the ready, impressive in size and scope. Opinion came alone, with only a wand.

From all appearances, Facts seemed unbeatable, and Opinion a defeated foe. However, as their battle commenced and continued, something odd happened. Each time Facts brought forth a person, piece of information, or point, Opinion waved her wand and dismissed them.

“Disqualified!” she announced.  “You are dismissed.”

This bothered Facts, but did not worry. She had plenty of resources at her disposal and was willing to allow Opinion some leeway. After all, Opinion had only a wand.

She also had a strange method of communicating. When making statements, Opinion waved her wand around in the air, as if drawing pictures. Then, whenever Facts attempted to point at something somewhere in the air that Opinion had drawn, Opinion simply redrew, or withdrew, or waved her wand anew in a different place. Facts explained that pointing at nothing in the air was difficult to follow and impossible to confirm, but Opinion ridiculed her.

“You don’t see what I see?” she taunted.  “Are you blind?  You expect me to accept your vast alliance of congruencies without doubt, and, yet, you can’t grasp even my simplest assertion right here, right here, right here in front of your face!”

Even as Opinion claimed a single assertion and said, “right here” three times, she pointed in different places all three times. As their battle continued, Facts attempted to bring forth only things that were precisely relevant, but Opinion continued to dismiss them without regard.

Eventually, Facts stood alone, face to face with Opinion, who still wielded her wand. Opinion claimed victory. She thanked Facts for her shrewd courage and obvious commitment, then dismissed her mockingly with a wave of her wand, and returned merrily to her lair. Facts retreated to her throne room, reassembled her team, encouraged them, and began considering how to reorder her dismissed array, as well as pondering what she might add to her arsenal to better prepare for the next battle.

One time, Facts attempted to use a wand herself in battle. But, Opinion ridiculed her, and dismissed her attempt as vain, ludicrous, and unworthy of merit.

Occasionally, Facts wins a contest, but only when Opinion concedes her point blithely as if she does not really care and that particular match is insignificant.

Other times, Facts seems to have won, especially when the sheer enormity of her case is overwhelming and the net effect of Opinion’s wand waving seems vain. In these instances, Opinion tends to inflate herself, breathe fire, blow smoke, and scream incredulities, and then prance arrogantly away.

Left behind in the wake of the fray, Facts and her entourage appear victorious. But, really, they are singed, sticky, and stinky, and generally unwelcome company for anyone who might consider taking them out to dinner. No matter how clean they begin, battles with Opinion always leave them messy.

Facts always believes she can win by advocating unequivocal truth. Opinion always believes she can win by advocating her own personal perspectives branded as truth, and by questioning the validity of Fact’s actual truths.

Hence, their fights are rarely fair, since Opinion’s “truths” are air. With a wave of her wand, she can say, “Be gone!” and too few seem to care.

Originally published in Meat and Potatoes for the Soul 2, 2015.

Maintaining the Integrity of the Gospel

Christmas Eve 2014 marked a significant transition point for a group of passionate pioneers who officially resettled in a historic land of opportunity, but in a new location, continuing an adventuresome ministry journey nearly three centuries old. Their unique story began on Thursday, February 12, 1733, when Anglican members of the Church of England landed at a high river bluff some 15 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean with a group of settlers and a charter from the King of England, and formally founded the city of Savannah and the colony of Georgia.

The following Sunday, General James Oglethorpe and his fellow Trustees met under a tent and held the first Anglican Christian worship service in the newest American colony.  Over the next 274 years, this Mother Church of Georgia and the longest continuous Christian congregation in the state faithfully proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that the Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word of God.

Their congregation’s historic ties include two leaders of the Great European and American Awakening – their third rector (i.e. “pastor”), Rev. John Wesley, and fourth rector, Rev. George Whitefield – as well as the founder of the Girl Scouts of America and lifetime church member, Juliette Gordon Low.

After selecting Savannah as the colonial capital of the newly established Royal Colony of Georgia in 1751, the Royal Council granted the congregation, known as Christ Church, full and legal ownership of its church building and cemetery.

Following the American Revolution, the newly established state of Georgia legislature confirmed the Christ Church parish in 1789 as a legal corporation defined, bound, and protected by the state and with clear title to its property. That same year, in order to withdraw from allegiance to the authority and supremacy of the King of England, a new denomination called “The Episcopal Church” formally constituted in the newly formed United States of America to distinguish itself from the Church of England.  The Episcopal Dioceses of Georgia formally constituted in 1823, and elected their first Episcopal bishop in Georgia in 1840.

Thus, the Christ Church congregation, along with their property, predated the formal existence of The Episcopal Church as a whole for 56 years, predated the formation of the state Diocese by 90 years, and predated the election of the first bishop in Georgia by 107 years.  At no point during the parish’s history did they take money from their church’s national denomination or agree to hold their property in trust for any other entity, including the state, national, or worldwide Episcopal Church or dioceses.

Eventually, after many years of exciting growth, faithful service, and fruitful mission in their historic location, the turn of 21st century brought with it a marked shift in behaviors and teachings by leaders among the larger body of churches collectively known as The Episcopal Church. In some cases, Episcopal rectors, and even bishops, denied traditionally historic fundamentals of the faith.  Some denominational leaders claimed the Bible was not God’s Word, and Jesus Christ was not the only way to salvation.

In 2002, the bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC proclaimed, “The story of Jesus’ bodily resurrection is, at best, conjectural…the resurrection accounts in the four Gospels are contradictory and confusing…the significance of Easter is not that Jesus returned to actual life but that even death itself could not end the power of his presence in the lives of the faithful.”

Other denominational leaders said about the Bible, “Men wrote it, men can change it.”

Jesus was explained as “an avenue to the divine” and “a Way, Truth, and Life,” but certainly not someone to be worshiped or believed in exclusive of other religions and religious leaders. Words such as “atonement,” “faith,” “resurrection,” “Gospel,” and even “Jesus Christ” became metaphors of religion instead of cornerstone truths of Christianity. Over time, Christ Church leaders began to believe that some of the leaders in their denomination were more interested in converting traditional theology to liberal interpretation than converting souls to Christ.

When the General Convention of The Episcopal Church elected their first openly gay, non-celibate bishop in 2003, the event served as a wake-up call to many Christ Church members.  The deepening divide between wider denominational associates and their own, local congregation suddenly became much clearer.

 After several years of study, prayer, and exploration, the rector and 13 church leaders (collectively called the “vestry” – the ruling body of the local congregation) voted unanimously to disaffiliate from The Episcopal Church.  Their reasons included to stand firm for the Gospel, to protect the pulpit of John Wesley and George Whitefield from heresy, and to bring awareness to others of dangerous theological trends. Two weeks later, the vestry offered their decision to the congregation for a vote, and on October 13, 2007, 87% of the members present agreed and voted to realign with another Anglican province of like-minded congregations in Uganda.

Within a few weeks, in November 2007, The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia filed suit against the Christ Church parish and personally against the rector and each of the vestry members. The national Episcopal Church joined the suit soon thereafter with a goal of obtaining control of Christ Church’s assets, which included $6.5 million in real estate and a $2.3 million endowment.

The state and national church based their claims on a denominational law adopted in 1979 entitled “The Dennis Canon,” which stated that parishes hold property in trust for their diocese.  The law – named after an attorney in New York named Walter Dennis who wrote and proposed it as a solution in response to Episcopal Church congregations who wanted to leave the denomination – stated, “All real and personal property held by or for the benefit of any Parish, Mission, or Congregation is held in trust for this Church [i.e., TEC] and the Diocese thereof in which such Parish, Mission or Congregation is located. The existence of this trust, however, shall in no way limit the power and authority of the Parish, Mission or Congregation otherwise existing over such property so long as the particular Parish, Mission or Congregation remains a part of, and subject to, this Church and its Constitution and Canons.”

In contrast, Christ Church leaders maintained that their battle was about maintaining the integrity of the Gospel, not about keeping brick and mortar.  They believed they had a call to stand firm for the Gospel in defense of the historic Christian faith, primarily because their denominational leaders, similar to some leaders in other denominations, were openly denying fundamentals of the faith.

“We are not fighting over the building, we are fighting over the Gospel,” noted Rev. Marc Robertson, Rector of Christ Church.  “This building was erected to be a platform from which the Gospel is proclaimed.”

Although local church leaders attempted to negotiate with the diocese and the denomination, the plaintiffs refused to negotiate in good faith or drop the personal lawsuits against the 14 individuals. The four-year legal journey cost the church nearly $1 million dollars.  Eventually, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled against Christ Church and in favor of the national Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia.

Shortly thereafter, on December 11, 2011, Christ Church held a final worship service in their main building located on one of Savannah’s 22 historic downtown squares.  At the close of that service, 400+ members of the congregation walked nearly 10 blocks south to Independent Presbyterian Church (IPC), founded in 1755, where they were welcomed by more than 600 IPC members.  When the Christ Church group arrived, IPC’s pastor, Rev. Terry Johnson, proclaimed, “Our faith is your faith and our buildings are your buildings!”

After the state ruling, in an attempt to help settle the matter once and for all – and perhaps serve as a representative case for the more than 100 other Episcopal churches and 3 dioceses also being sued by the national Episcopal Church at the time – Christ Church appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States. The appeal was filed in March 2012, and the Supreme Court notified the parties in June 2012 that they had decided to refuse to hear the case, thereby confirming the Georgia Supreme Court ruling.

In the meantime, in May 2012, Christ Church reached a settlement with The Episcopal Church that included dropping the $1.3 million dollar personal lawsuits against the 14 individuals, handing over claim to all property and financial assets, and changing the name of the now disassociated congregation to “Christ Church Anglican,” while still allowing historic claim to the church’s 1733 roots.

Since then, the state and national church have appropriated all of Christ Church’s former assets and now operate under the name “Christ Church Episcopal.” Christ Church Anglican, meanwhile, found themselves blessed by a coalition of other local congregations who expressed tangible support during their journey to secure a more permanent home.

 “To get the Scots and Brits working together is a miracle in and of itself,” noted one church leader, “and it has been even more exciting that we are united around a common, orthodox understanding of Scripture.”

Along the way, the congregation launched a new community foundation in a poverty stricken area of the city of Savannah, and also bought old church facilities in the area to renovate for their new home.  In conjunction with the Whitefield Foundation – organized to seek to “transform the heart of their city one life at a time” – Christ Church Anglican plans to continue their historic mission to “worship Jesus Christ and to preach, teach, and live the Gospel with integrity and fervor, seeking the welfare of the city of Savannah, the region and the world, to God’s glory.”

Although their journey proved difficult and fraught with potentially dangerous implications and harsh personal liabilities, Rector Robertson, notes, “When you get a chance to really live out what you believe in your heart, and it is no longer abstract and theoretical, boy, there’s something exciting about that!”

One of the lay leaders named in the suit summarizes, “We have realized that perhaps the real purpose of our journey was much bigger than winning a case or impacting a denomination, but about changing lives.  Our ministry is changing lives, and our lives have been changed because of what we have been through.”

Now, more than 280 years after their first worship service on a high bluff at the beginning of a pioneering adventure that helped birth a new nation and positively impact people and nations around the world, Christ Church Anglican has joyfully entered a new season of life and ministry as they continue to uphold the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God and faithfully proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Originally published in Meat and Potatoes for the Soul 2, 2015.

Maintaining the Integrity of the Gospel

Christmas Eve 2014 marked a significant transition point for a group of passionate pioneers who officially resettled in a historic land of opportunity, but in a new location, continuing an adventuresome ministry journey nearly three centuries old. Their unique story began on Thursday, February 12, 1733, when Anglican members of the Church of England landed at a high river bluff some 15 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean with a group of settlers and a charter from the King of England, and formally founded the city of Savannah and the colony of Georgia.

The following Sunday, General James Oglethorpe and his fellow Trustees met under a tent and held the first Anglican Christian worship service in the newest American colony.  Over the next 274 years, this Mother Church of Georgia and the longest continuous Christian congregation in the state faithfully proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that the Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word of God.

Their congregation’s historic ties include two leaders of the Great European and American Awakening – their third rector (i.e. “pastor”), Rev. John Wesley, and fourth rector, Rev. George Whitefield – as well as the founder of the Girl Scouts of America and lifetime church member, Juliette Gordon Low.

After selecting Savannah as the colonial capital of the newly established Royal Colony of Georgia in 1751, the Royal Council granted the congregation, known as Christ Church, full and legal ownership of its church building and cemetery.

Following the American Revolution, the newly established state of Georgia legislature confirmed the Christ Church parish in 1789 as a legal corporation defined, bound, and protected by the state and with clear title to its property. That same year, in order to withdraw from allegiance to the authority and supremacy of the King of England, a new denomination called “The Episcopal Church” formally constituted in the newly formed United States of America to distinguish itself from the Church of England.  The Episcopal Dioceses of Georgia formally constituted in 1823, and elected their first Episcopal bishop in Georgia in 1840.

Thus, the Christ Church congregation, along with their property, predated the formal existence of The Episcopal Church as a whole for 56 years, predated the formation of the state Diocese by 90 years, and predated the election of the first bishop in Georgia by 107 years.  At no point during the parish’s history did they take money from their church’s national denomination or agree to hold their property in trust for any other entity, including the state, national, or worldwide Episcopal Church or dioceses.

Eventually, after many years of exciting growth, faithful service, and fruitful mission in their historic location, the turn of 21st century brought with it a marked shift in behaviors and teachings by leaders among the larger body of churches collectively known as The Episcopal Church. In some cases, Episcopal rectors, and even bishops, denied traditionally historic fundamentals of the faith.  Some denominational leaders claimed the Bible was not God’s Word, and Jesus Christ was not the only way to salvation.

In 2002, the bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC proclaimed, “The story of Jesus’ bodily resurrection is, at best, conjectural…the resurrection accounts in the four Gospels are contradictory and confusing…the significance of Easter is not that Jesus returned to actual life but that even death itself could not end the power of his presence in the lives of the faithful.”

Other denominational leaders said about the Bible, “Men wrote it, men can change it.”

Jesus was explained as “an avenue to the divine” and “a Way, Truth, and Life,” but certainly not someone to be worshiped or believed in exclusive of other religions and religious leaders. Words such as “atonement,” “faith,” “resurrection,” “Gospel,” and even “Jesus Christ” became metaphors of religion instead of cornerstone truths of Christianity. Over time, Christ Church leaders began to believe that some of the leaders in their denomination were more interested in converting traditional theology to liberal interpretation than converting souls to Christ.

When the General Convention of The Episcopal Church elected their first openly gay, non-celibate bishop in 2003, the event served as a wake-up call to many Christ Church members.  The deepening divide between wider denominational associates and their own, local congregation suddenly became much clearer.

 After several years of study, prayer, and exploration, the rector and 13 church leaders (collectively called the “vestry” – the ruling body of the local congregation) voted unanimously to disaffiliate from The Episcopal Church.  Their reasons included to stand firm for the Gospel, to protect the pulpit of John Wesley and George Whitefield from heresy, and to bring awareness to others of dangerous theological trends. Two weeks later, the vestry offered their decision to the congregation for a vote, and on October 13, 2007, 87% of the members present agreed and voted to realign with another Anglican province of like-minded congregations in Uganda.

Within a few weeks, in November 2007, The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia filed suit against the Christ Church parish and personally against the rector and each of the vestry members. The national Episcopal Church joined the suit soon thereafter with a goal of obtaining control of Christ Church’s assets, which included $6.5 million in real estate and a $2.3 million endowment.

The state and national church based their claims on a denominational law adopted in 1979 entitled “The Dennis Canon,” which stated that parishes hold property in trust for their diocese.  The law – named after an attorney in New York named Walter Dennis who wrote and proposed it as a solution in response to Episcopal Church congregations who wanted to leave the denomination – stated, “All real and personal property held by or for the benefit of any Parish, Mission, or Congregation is held in trust for this Church [i.e., TEC] and the Diocese thereof in which such Parish, Mission or Congregation is located. The existence of this trust, however, shall in no way limit the power and authority of the Parish, Mission or Congregation otherwise existing over such property so long as the particular Parish, Mission or Congregation remains a part of, and subject to, this Church and its Constitution and Canons.”

In contrast, Christ Church leaders maintained that their battle was about maintaining the integrity of the Gospel, not about keeping brick and mortar.  They believed they had a call to stand firm for the Gospel in defense of the historic Christian faith, primarily because their denominational leaders, similar to some leaders in other denominations, were openly denying fundamentals of the faith.

“We are not fighting over the building, we are fighting over the Gospel,” noted Rev. Marc Robertson, Rector of Christ Church.  “This building was erected to be a platform from which the Gospel is proclaimed.”

Although local church leaders attempted to negotiate with the diocese and the denomination, the plaintiffs refused to negotiate in good faith or drop the personal lawsuits against the 14 individuals. The four-year legal journey cost the church nearly $1 million dollars.  Eventually, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled against Christ Church and in favor of the national Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia.

Shortly thereafter, on December 11, 2011, Christ Church held a final worship service in their main building located on one of Savannah’s 22 historic downtown squares.  At the close of that service, 400+ members of the congregation walked nearly 10 blocks south to Independent Presbyterian Church (IPC), founded in 1755, where they were welcomed by more than 600 IPC members.  When the Christ Church group arrived, IPC’s pastor, Rev. Terry Johnson, proclaimed, “Our faith is your faith and our buildings are your buildings!”

After the state ruling, in an attempt to help settle the matter once and for all – and perhaps serve as a representative case for the more than 100 other Episcopal churches and 3 dioceses also being sued by the national Episcopal Church at the time – Christ Church appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States. The appeal was filed in March 2012, and the Supreme Court notified the parties in June 2012 that they had decided to refuse to hear the case, thereby confirming the Georgia Supreme Court ruling.

In the meantime, in May 2012, Christ Church reached a settlement with The Episcopal Church that included dropping the $1.3 million dollar personal lawsuits against the 14 individuals, handing over claim to all property and financial assets, and changing the name of the now disassociated congregation to “Christ Church Anglican,” while still allowing historic claim to the church’s 1733 roots.

Since then, the state and national church have appropriated all of Christ Church’s former assets and now operate under the name “Christ Church Episcopal.” Christ Church Anglican, meanwhile, found themselves blessed by a coalition of other local congregations who expressed tangible support during their journey to secure a more permanent home.

 “To get the Scots and Brits working together is a miracle in and of itself,” noted one church leader, “and it has been even more exciting that we are united around a common, orthodox understanding of Scripture.”

Along the way, the congregation launched a new community foundation in a poverty stricken area of the city of Savannah, and also bought old church facilities in the area to renovate for their new home.  In conjunction with the Whitefield Foundation – organized to seek to “transform the heart of their city one life at a time” – Christ Church Anglican plans to continue their historic mission to “worship Jesus Christ and to preach, teach, and live the Gospel with integrity and fervor, seeking the welfare of the city of Savannah, the region and the world, to God’s glory.”

Although their journey proved difficult and fraught with potentially dangerous implications and harsh personal liabilities, Rector Robertson, notes, “When you get a chance to really live out what you believe in your heart, and it is no longer abstract and theoretical, boy, there’s something exciting about that!”

One of the lay leaders named in the suit summarizes, “We have realized that perhaps the real purpose of our journey was much bigger than winning a case or impacting a denomination, but about changing lives.  Our ministry is changing lives, and our lives have been changed because of what we have been through.”

Now, more than 280 years after their first worship service on a high bluff at the beginning of a pioneering adventure that helped birth a new nation and positively impact people and nations around the world, Christ Church Anglican has joyfully entered a new season of life and ministry as they continue to uphold the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God and faithfully proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Originally published in Meat and Potatoes for the Soul 2, 2015.

K. Lynn Lewis serves as President of The Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas and is the founder and President of InspireUSA: Celebrating the Best of America®. A seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse professional background in business, education, and ministry, he is the author of Boss Like God: A Blueprint for Elite Workplace Performance (2018), Meat and Potatoes for the Soul (2013,2015), Plight (2015), and Christian Communication in the Twenty-first Century (2002), and producer of What a Dig and Shiloh Network News video series.

Tainted Tallies Tell Tall Tales

Cheating and then claiming, “I won!” does not make a person a winner.  Fraud — whether organized or disorganized, isolated or widespread, individual or coordinated — disqualifies results.  When flags are thrown and violations confirmed, penalties are assessed and downs replayed.  Occasionally, violators may be rejected or time added back to the clock.  Confirmed chicanery requires vacated victories and reassignment of crowns.

Election totals fuel widespread declarations and serve as the basis for future ratified actions.  But if tallies are tainted, the claims are based on false data, and consequential actions are illegitimate.  The point of pursuing election integrity, in any election and at any and every level, is to indisputably confirm facts and incontestably dispel fiction.

Consider AP Washington Bureau chief Julie Pace’s widely shared unequivocal assertion that the 2020 presidential election is over.  She contends, “It is increasingly clear that there is no fact, no piece of evidence and no court ruling that will dissuade Trump from trying to mislead Americans about President-elect Joe Biden’s victory[.] … In reality, Biden won 306 Electoral College votes, the same number Trump carried four years ago in a victory he deemed a landslide.  Biden also outpaced Trump by more than 7 million votes nationwide.”

Pace’s postulations are clear, but are they factually accurate?  If so, the following statements lean true:

“The election is over.  Joe Biden is the president-elect,” and “What Joe Biden got in this election was a mandate.”  Nancy Pelosi, news briefings, 11/12/20 and 11/13/20.“The Donald Trump approach was repudiated.  The Joe Biden approach was embraced.”  Chuck Schumer, news briefing, 11/12/20.“The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history[.] … There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.”  Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council (GCC) Executive Committee joint statement, CISA.gov, 11/12/20.“The election is over.”  Paul Ryan, Virtual European Credit Conference, 11/24/20.“The election is over.”  Joe Biden, Twitter, 11/24/2020.“There is no evidence of fraud that would change the outcome of the election.”  Attorney General William Barr, Associated Press, 12/1/20.“I can tell you without shadow of a doubt, there was no hanky-panky with the recent election.”  Rob Pitts, chairman of Fulton County (Georgia) Board of Commissioners, news conference, 12/1/20.“The election is over.”  Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post, 12/8/20.“The election is over.”  Karl Rove, Fox Business, 12/8/20.“The election is over.”  Jeb Bush, Twitter, 12/10/2020.“The election fraud hoax will go down as one of the most embarrassing and dishonorable episodes in American political history.”  Michigan representative Justin Amash, Twitter, 12/11/20.

However, if the tallies prove tainted, as alleged by former New York mayor and current Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, the vast verbiage arguing otherwise will ultimately classify as filthy fiction.  Speaking on an episode of War Room: Pandemic, Giuliani asserted that the American people have not yet had the opportunity to examine evidence that appears to have corrupted some vote counts in key battleground states.

“Facts have been kept from them,” Giuliani declared.  “Not a single court decision has had a hearing yet.  They haven’t heard from a single witness.  They haven’t looked at a single tape.  They haven’t listened to a single recording.  There are thousands of them.”

Amber Athey voiced the sentiments of many when she wrote, “The media has been claiming since the election ended that President Trump’s claims of voter fraud are ‘baseless’ and ‘without evidence’.  That just is not true.  The President’s lawyer gave examples of [voter fraud.] … But everyone is too busy mocking him to pay attention.”

One version of the 2020 election story exalts characters who maintain no evidence of fraud, who argue that any and all allegations of deception have been disproven or are false, that the amount of so-called proof is insignificant, or that simply questioning the legitimacy of this election is dangerous.  Based on purported results and reported tabulations, many believe that the tale is told.  Good Character vanquished Art of the Deal in a landslide reset mandate poised to take Georgia, then change the world.

Some contend (and have taken actions to enforce their contentions) that any who believe otherwise are charlatans, conspiracy theorists, or kooks who should be banned from posting select viewpoints on social media and their accounts blocked or canceled.  Some elected leaders and candidates have advocated archiving lists of “Trump sycophants,” called for deprogramming millions of Trump supporters, incited violence against members and supporters of the opposing party, and called for beating other candidates so badly that they can never run again or show their faces in public.

Many of these same people sincerely believe that Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election; that Trump deserved impeachment based on hearsay from an unnamed whistleblower; and that Trump is such a bad person that vilification of the president and his family, administration, and supporters is justified.

But if the 2020 presidential tally is tainted as touted, “Biden won!” is a tall tale worthy of entry in the category of “Best Political Fiction.”  Currently, lawsuits in multiple states asseverate assorted illegalities.  Thousands of sworn affidavits by Republican, Democrat, and independent first-person observers claim fraud and cite physical evidence in election data, death records, residency and other official records, postal activities, videos, and voting equipment and software.  See the criminal complaint filed by Georgia State Republican chairman David Shafer and President Donald Trump for just one detailed list of alleged unlawful votes that easily exceed Biden’s ostensible margin of victory in Georgia.

A December 2020 Fox News national survey of registered voters found that 68% of Republicans, 26% of independents, and 10% of Democrats believe that the election was stolen from Trump.  A December 2020 Rasmussen Report concurs, reporting  that 62% of Republicans, 17% of Democrats, and 28% of independents think Democrats likely stole the election.  If true, there is a reason the seemingly frivolous dismissals by courts and others based on hatred of Trump, partisanship, or legal technicalities reek of irresponsibility and smell suspicious.  Even the high-profile December 11, 2020 Supreme Court’s 6-3 rejection of the Texas lawsuit hinged on purported lack of standing by the litigants, not a review of facts supporting the allegations.

As the account of this election continues to be written amid dramatically intense emotions and a cacophony of rival claims, the storyline includes genuine doubts about the integrity of this electoral contest.  The United States presidential elections and voting and election laws clearly have established legal parameters and appropriate due processes.  If these processes play out and ultimately prove any authentic fraud that could change the outcome, claims of victory not only ring hollow, but ring alarmingly false.  America is most beautiful when fact and fiction live on friendly terms across the street from each other, but don’t confuse one for another.

Originally published on AmericanThinker.com on 12/23/2020.

K. Lynn Lewis serves as President of The Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas and is the founder and President of InspireUSA: Celebrating the Best of America®. A seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse professional background in business, education, and ministry, he is the author of Boss Like God: A Blueprint for Elite Workplace Performance (2018), Meat and Potatoes for the Soul (2013,2015), Plight (2015), and Christian Communication in the Twenty-first Century (2002), and producer of What a Dig and Shiloh Network News video series.

Tainted Tallies Tell Tall Tales

Cheating and then claiming, “I won!” does not make a person a winner.  Fraud — whether organized or disorganized, isolated or widespread, individual or coordinated — disqualifies results.  When flags are thrown and violations confirmed, penalties are assessed and downs replayed.  Occasionally, violators may be rejected or time added back to the clock.  Confirmed chicanery requires vacated victories and reassignment of crowns.

Election totals fuel widespread declarations and serve as the basis for future ratified actions.  But if tallies are tainted, the claims are based on false data, and consequential actions are illegitimate.  The point of pursuing election integrity, in any election and at any and every level, is to indisputably confirm facts and incontestably dispel fiction.

Consider AP Washington Bureau chief Julie Pace’s widely shared unequivocal assertion that the 2020 presidential election is over.  She contends, “It is increasingly clear that there is no fact, no piece of evidence and no court ruling that will dissuade Trump from trying to mislead Americans about President-elect Joe Biden’s victory[.] … In reality, Biden won 306 Electoral College votes, the same number Trump carried four years ago in a victory he deemed a landslide.  Biden also outpaced Trump by more than 7 million votes nationwide.”

Pace’s postulations are clear, but are they factually accurate?  If so, the following statements lean true:

“The election is over.  Joe Biden is the president-elect,” and “What Joe Biden got in this election was a mandate.”  Nancy Pelosi, news briefings, 11/12/20 and 11/13/20.“The Donald Trump approach was repudiated.  The Joe Biden approach was embraced.”  Chuck Schumer, news briefing, 11/12/20.“The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history[.] … There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.”  Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council (GCC) Executive Committee joint statement, CISA.gov, 11/12/20.“The election is over.”  Paul Ryan, Virtual European Credit Conference, 11/24/20.“The election is over.”  Joe Biden, Twitter, 11/24/2020.“There is no evidence of fraud that would change the outcome of the election.”  Attorney General William Barr, Associated Press, 12/1/20.“I can tell you without shadow of a doubt, there was no hanky-panky with the recent election.”  Rob Pitts, chairman of Fulton County (Georgia) Board of Commissioners, news conference, 12/1/20.“The election is over.”  Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post, 12/8/20.“The election is over.”  Karl Rove, Fox Business, 12/8/20.“The election is over.”  Jeb Bush, Twitter, 12/10/2020.“The election fraud hoax will go down as one of the most embarrassing and dishonorable episodes in American political history.”  Michigan representative Justin Amash, Twitter, 12/11/20.

However, if the tallies prove tainted, as alleged by former New York mayor and current Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, the vast verbiage arguing otherwise will ultimately classify as filthy fiction.  Speaking on an episode of War Room: Pandemic, Giuliani asserted that the American people have not yet had the opportunity to examine evidence that appears to have corrupted some vote counts in key battleground states.

“Facts have been kept from them,” Giuliani declared.  “Not a single court decision has had a hearing yet.  They haven’t heard from a single witness.  They haven’t looked at a single tape.  They haven’t listened to a single recording.  There are thousands of them.”

Amber Athey voiced the sentiments of many when she wrote, “The media has been claiming since the election ended that President Trump’s claims of voter fraud are ‘baseless’ and ‘without evidence’.  That just is not true.  The President’s lawyer gave examples of [voter fraud.] … But everyone is too busy mocking him to pay attention.”

One version of the 2020 election story exalts characters who maintain no evidence of fraud, who argue that any and all allegations of deception have been disproven or are false, that the amount of so-called proof is insignificant, or that simply questioning the legitimacy of this election is dangerous.  Based on purported results and reported tabulations, many believe that the tale is told.  Good Character vanquished Art of the Deal in a landslide reset mandate poised to take Georgia, then change the world.

Some contend (and have taken actions to enforce their contentions) that any who believe otherwise are charlatans, conspiracy theorists, or kooks who should be banned from posting select viewpoints on social media and their accounts blocked or canceled.  Some elected leaders and candidates have advocated archiving lists of “Trump sycophants,” called for deprogramming millions of Trump supporters, incited violence against members and supporters of the opposing party, and called for beating other candidates so badly that they can never run again or show their faces in public.

Many of these same people sincerely believe that Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election; that Trump deserved impeachment based on hearsay from an unnamed whistleblower; and that Trump is such a bad person that vilification of the president and his family, administration, and supporters is justified.

But if the 2020 presidential tally is tainted as touted, “Biden won!” is a tall tale worthy of entry in the category of “Best Political Fiction.”  Currently, lawsuits in multiple states asseverate assorted illegalities.  Thousands of sworn affidavits by Republican, Democrat, and independent first-person observers claim fraud and cite physical evidence in election data, death records, residency and other official records, postal activities, videos, and voting equipment and software.  See the criminal complaint filed by Georgia State Republican chairman David Shafer and President Donald Trump for just one detailed list of alleged unlawful votes that easily exceed Biden’s ostensible margin of victory in Georgia.

A December 2020 Fox News national survey of registered voters found that 68% of Republicans, 26% of independents, and 10% of Democrats believe that the election was stolen from Trump.  A December 2020 Rasmussen Report concurs, reporting  that 62% of Republicans, 17% of Democrats, and 28% of independents think Democrats likely stole the election.  If true, there is a reason the seemingly frivolous dismissals by courts and others based on hatred of Trump, partisanship, or legal technicalities reek of irresponsibility and smell suspicious.  Even the high-profile December 11, 2020 Supreme Court’s 6-3 rejection of the Texas lawsuit hinged on purported lack of standing by the litigants, not a review of facts supporting the allegations.

As the account of this election continues to be written amid dramatically intense emotions and a cacophony of rival claims, the storyline includes genuine doubts about the integrity of this electoral contest.  The United States presidential elections and voting and election laws clearly have established legal parameters and appropriate due processes.  If these processes play out and ultimately prove any authentic fraud that could change the outcome, claims of victory not only ring hollow, but ring alarmingly false.  America is most beautiful when fact and fiction live on friendly terms across the street from each other, but don’t confuse one for another.

Originally published on AmericanThinker.com on 12/23/2020.

Great Conjunction 2020

Alignment of Jupiter and Saturn on Monday, December 21, 2020.

Election Justice for America and the Watching World

The ultimate outcome of the 2020 presidential election may have less to do with who wins than how he wins.  Some, if not all, of the unique characteristics that define the country symbolized by the statue of “Liberty enlightening the world” are themselves on trial, and the nation and a watching world await the verdict.

Millions of people do not agree with the allegations that the election is over, that a clear winner emerged, and that the vote totals delivered a convincing mandate.  The legal procedures for declaring the winner of a presidential election in the United States of America are still in process.  Players and officials are still on the field.  The game still has time on the clock.

Meanwhile, some individuals and their families have received alarming death threats (is there any other kind?).  Disparaging words and intimidating behaviors abound.  Fanatical partisans are promising retaliation for opponents seeking justice, upholding the law, voting for a different candidate from the one they support, or working with another party’s governmental administration.  Lawmakers advocate lawlessness, mass information media promote disinformation, and virulent strains of totalitarianism threaten some of the freedoms and opportunities Americans have long enjoyed and that serve as a beacon to citizens of other nations.

The following eight key fundamentals outline the path to achieving justice in any society, including determining the just outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Fundamentals of SocietyAuthority: A commonly agreed upon authority among group members sets the stage for any rational attempt to reach a just end.  The supreme law of America rests in the Constitution of the United States.  Claims based on any other authority — religion, opinion, mob actions or threats, military intervention, mass media, big tech, anarchy, or any other governing basis — will not reach the same conclusion.  The end will differ because the paths to justice diverge in the first step.  The reason so many people come to such widely differing opinions about what is just in any circumstance is because people base their original claims on differing authorities.Differentiation: The Constitution sets forth various essential distinctions, including governmental branches and territorial states, citizens and non-citizens, residents and non-residents, valid and invalid voting, and much more.  Again, departures from legally demarcated differentiations will lead to differing conclusions.Standards: State and federal election laws define specific rules and regulations that establish the framework for voting, certifications, processing challenges, and legally naming and installing the president of the United States.  Using different standards, or applying standards unequally, often leads to diverse conclusions that are sometimes diametrically opposed and mutually exclusive.Accountability: Designated lawmakers and law-keepers are supposed to help guide people and navigate the processes involved in achieving justice.  This is true in any society.  Without accountability, standards are not upheld, differentiations do not matter, and authority is not obeyed.  Corruption among this group often thwarts justice.

Normally, most societies attend to the above four fundamentals as part of their organizing constitution. Once these are set and agreed upon, revisiting them is not necessary.  However, when members of a family, business, community, or nation continually find themselves at odds, effective resolutions will often require determining and addressing discrepancies in these areas.

Fundamentals of JusticeBalance: Scales in the balance often depict the concept of justice.  Imbalance among any elements of the societal framework will tilt end results toward imbalance and, therefore, injustice.  For instance, one set of rules and allowances for Democrats and another set for Republicans — in any area — voids this fundamental.  Rules should apply equally to everyone everywhere within each system in accordance with the societal framework.Due Process: One distinct feature that has helped make America a beacon of hope and opportunity is the institution of due process as the design method for achieving just results in any circumstance.  Rather than military coups or other forced results through whichever methods and persons or groups are strongest at any moment, Americans have detailed processes for many things, including elections.  Departure from legal due process commonly hinders justice.  Our elected and appointed leaders owe it to the nation — and the world, if we aim to keep touting our model of a democratic republic — to prove that our system of due process works.Integrity: Justice always requires transparency.  Claimed integrity must be backed up by unambiguous, unmistakable, honest facts open for all to see and judge.  Anything less thwarts justice.  Where purported facts are in question, leaders with integrity will demand fair and open inquiry no matter the result.  Both Biden and Trump should be willing to stake their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor on a free, fair, and open election in which every single legal vote counts and zero illegal votes count.  Every American citizen who legally voted deserves to know that his local precinct received his vote and appropriately tallied it in accordance with his intent, and that his state’s totals accurately reflect the authentic vote of its citizenry.Recompense: Most people seeking justice jump straight to this concluding step without appropriately addressing the other fundamentals.  Yet the just and proper assignments of reward, retribution, or restitution (or a combination of these) require following the full path in any situation.  Without doing so, many reactions in the name of justice simply mask revenge while claiming virtue.  Vengeful actions will probably occur no matter who wins the 2020 presidential election, but America’s leaders could mitigate the scope of unjust responses if they lead the nation in following the appropriate path and come to the same, widely undisputed conclusion.

For the unscrupulous determined to win at all costs, appealing to honest adherence to the fundamentals of society and justice will probably fall on deaf ears.  But for those truly seeking justice in this or any future American election, a clear path exists that follows the Constitution, honors the rights and privileges of all Americans, and shines forth an encouraging light that reveals how a more perfect union seeks to establish justice and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

Originally published on AmericanThinker.com on 11/27/2020.

Election Justice for America and the Watching World

The ultimate outcome of the 2020 presidential election may have less to do with who wins than how he wins.  Some, if not all, of the unique characteristics that define the country symbolized by the statue of “Liberty enlightening the world” are themselves on trial, and the nation and a watching world await the verdict.

Millions of people do not agree with the allegations that the election is over, that a clear winner emerged, and that the vote totals delivered a convincing mandate.  The legal procedures for declaring the winner of a presidential election in the United States of America are still in process.  Players and officials are still on the field.  The game still has time on the clock.

Meanwhile, some individuals and their families have received alarming death threats (is there any other kind?).  Disparaging words and intimidating behaviors abound.  Fanatical partisans are promising retaliation for opponents seeking justice, upholding the law, voting for a different candidate from the one they support, or working with another party’s governmental administration.  Lawmakers advocate lawlessness, mass information media promote disinformation, and virulent strains of totalitarianism threaten some of the freedoms and opportunities Americans have long enjoyed and that serve as a beacon to citizens of other nations.

The following eight key fundamentals outline the path to achieving justice in any society, including determining the just outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Fundamentals of Society

Authority: A commonly agreed upon authority among group members sets the stage for any rational attempt to reach a just end.  The supreme law of America rests in the Constitution of the United States.  Claims based on any other authority — religion, opinion, mob actions or threats, military intervention, mass media, big tech, anarchy, or any other governing basis — will not reach the same conclusion.  The end will differ because the paths to justice diverge in the first step.  The reason so many people come to such widely differing opinions about what is just in any circumstance is because people base their original claims on differing authorities.Differentiation: The Constitution sets forth various essential distinctions, including governmental branches and territorial states, citizens and non-citizens, residents and non-residents, valid and invalid voting, and much more.  Again, departures from legally demarcated differentiations will lead to differing conclusions.Standards: State and federal election laws define specific rules and regulations that establish the framework for voting, certifications, processing challenges, and legally naming and installing the president of the United States.  Using different standards, or applying standards unequally, often leads to diverse conclusions that are sometimes diametrically opposed and mutually exclusive.Accountability: Designated lawmakers and law-keepers are supposed to help guide people and navigate the processes involved in achieving justice.  This is true in any society.  Without accountability, standards are not upheld, differentiations do not matter, and authority is not obeyed.  Corruption among this group often thwarts justice.

Normally, most societies attend to the above four fundamentals as part of their organizing constitution. Once these are set and agreed upon, revisiting them is not necessary.  However, when members of a family, business, community, or nation continually find themselves at odds, effective resolutions will often require determining and addressing discrepancies in these areas.

Fundamentals of Justice

Balance: Scales in the balance often depict the concept of justice.  Imbalance among any elements of the societal framework will tilt end results toward imbalance and, therefore, injustice.  For instance, one set of rules and allowances for Democrats and another set for Republicans — in any area — voids this fundamental.  Rules should apply equally to everyone everywhere within each system in accordance with the societal framework.Due Process: One distinct feature that has helped make America a beacon of hope and opportunity is the institution of due process as the design method for achieving just results in any circumstance.  Rather than military coups or other forced results through whichever methods and persons or groups are strongest at any moment, Americans have detailed processes for many things, including elections.  Departure from legal due process commonly hinders justice.  Our elected and appointed leaders owe it to the nation — and the world, if we aim to keep touting our model of a democratic republic — to prove that our system of due process works.Integrity: Justice always requires transparency.  Claimed integrity must be backed up by unambiguous, unmistakable, honest facts open for all to see and judge.  Anything less thwarts justice.  Where purported facts are in question, leaders with integrity will demand fair and open inquiry no matter the result.  Both Biden and Trump should be willing to stake their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor on a free, fair, and open election in which every single legal vote counts and zero illegal votes count.  Every American citizen who legally voted deserves to know that his local precinct received his vote and appropriately tallied it in accordance with his intent, and that his state’s totals accurately reflect the authentic vote of its citizenry.Recompense: Most people seeking justice jump straight to this concluding step without appropriately addressing the other fundamentals.  Yet the just and proper assignments of reward, retribution, or restitution (or a combination of these) require following the full path in any situation.  Without doing so, many reactions in the name of justice simply mask revenge while claiming virtue.  Vengeful actions will probably occur no matter who wins the 2020 presidential election, but America’s leaders could mitigate the scope of unjust responses if they lead the nation in following the appropriate path and come to the same, widely undisputed conclusion.

For the unscrupulous determined to win at all costs, appealing to honest adherence to the fundamentals of society and justice will probably fall on deaf ears.  But for those truly seeking justice in this or any future American election, a clear path exists that follows the Constitution, honors the rights and privileges of all Americans, and shines forth an encouraging light that reveals how a more perfect union seeks to establish justice and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

Originally published on AmericanThinker.com on 11/27/2020.

K. Lynn Lewis serves as President of The Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas and is the founder and President of InspireUSA: Celebrating the Best of America®. A seasoned entrepreneur with a diverse professional background in business, education, and ministry, he is the author of Boss Like God: A Blueprint for Elite Workplace Performance (2018), Meat and Potatoes for the Soul (2013,2015), Plight (2015), and Christian Communication in the Twenty-first Century (2002), and producer of What a Dig and Shiloh Network News video series.