n the summer of 1776, 56 men pledged their lives and their fortunes, on the idea that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. They believed that free people could govern themselves and that political authority need not come by force or royal decree.
They signed their names to a revolutionary document that seemingly had no chance of survival. These men were outgunned, outnumbered, and outmatched by the most powerful empire in the world. But God had his hand of protection on their endeavor and the British were defeated.
Today, the U.S. Constitution remains as the oldest working constitution in the world. No other republic or democracy can claim 250 years of uninterrupted constitutional governance. France is on its fifth republic. Russia’s new constitution is barely 30 years old. Canada and Mexico, America’s neighbors, are new by comparison.
It is also one of the shortest governing documents in the world. In just under 8,000 words (Brazil’s constitution is 64,488 while India’s is 146,385), the U.S. Constitution created a system that survived numerous challenges both at home and abroad.
America proved that it’s not the number of words that make these documents powerful but what those words are based on. Our constitution is based on the belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Through hard work and dedication our ancestors built America into a superpower. Twice in a generation, young men crossed oceans to challenge tyranny and defeat fascism. Then the United States financed the rebuilding of Europe. We won the Cold War, proving that free societies generate prosperity and innovation far better than any alternative systems.
In the years that followed, Americans stood firm against communism, and created the highest standard of living in world history, landed a man on the moon, invented personal computers and the internet. Extreme poverty declined dramatically across the world. In recent years alone, our foreign aid has saved millions of lives globally. American innovation has drastically improved global health.
But for all the good America has done we still have our flaws. The stain of slavery and racism, denying God’s declaration of equality, has only now begun to disappear from society. Even so, the scars remain and more work needs to be done to bring the American dream to our needy communities.
Today, our Constitution is under attack. There is massive corruption in our government and in the media. Our education system is a mess and “wokeness” threatens our most cherished beliefs.
And regretfully, many Americans are losing their patriotism. A mere 58 percent are “extremely” or “very” proud of America, the lowest since Gallup began polling in 2001. That decline is certainly related to pessimism about the country’s direction (down to 33 percent), but deeper issues emerge when we look more closely at party affiliation and trends over time.
The divide is heavily partisan, with 92% of Republicans feeling highly proud, compared to just 36% of Democrats and 53% of independents.
For many, national pride seems to fluctuate heavily depending on who occupies the White House. During Barack Obama’s presidency, as many as 85 percent of Democrats were “very proud” Americans. There are many reasons to be or not be proud of your country. Which political party controls the White House should not be the determining factor in whether a person is proud of their country.
Sadly, we are living in a time of partisan hypocrisy where both the Republicans and Democrats are quick to condemn misconduct of the opposing party while overlooking similar behavior on their own side.
So why am I proud to be an American?
Our democracy is still better than any other form of government in the history of the world. No other country has created so much wealth that it can give aid to those in need around the world. There are few if any other countries where you can literally start with nothing and rise to wealth and prosperity through hard work, ingenuity, and determination. America has freed more people from oppression of their own governments than any other country in the history of the world.
Some point to the poor and say, look what a failure America is for having poor. Jesus told us more than 2,000 years ago that the poor will always be with us. However, few if any other countries in the world have a standard of living afforded those on government assistance as those in America. Our welfare poor are in the wealthiest five percent in the world.
No other country has produced nearly as many innovations and technological advancements that have improved our standard of living. America’s generosity has provided food and other vital supplies to those in need around the world.
Ask virtually any oppressed or poor person the world over, where they would move if they could go anywhere in the world to live, and an overwhelming majority will say to America.
Pride in America does not mean ignoring the country’s flaws, but rather appreciating its core values and the ongoing, collective effort to improve society for future generations.
As we celebrate our 250th Anniversary, the core foundation of this great experiment is making a comeback. Recent polling shows Bible sales are up 40% since 2022. Christian app downloads are up 80% in the past year. Pew’s latest research shows faith’s long decline is reversing as church attendance, Bible reading, and baptism are all on the rise. For the first time in a decade, Christianity is seen as the answer and not the problem in America.
A new Gallup poll found that a large majority of Americans view religion as a positive force in society, with only about one-fourth saying greater religiosity would be harmful. Support for greater religiosity extends across all political groups, though it is strongest among those on the right: 94 percent of Republicans, 59 percent of independents, and 51 percent of Democrats view it as beneficial to society.
Christ is not finished with America, and America is not finished after 250 years. 2026 is a year of remembrance to refocus not only on our founding but our Christian faith that made America’s founding possible. It is also a time of recommitment where Christians must recognize the responsibility they bear as citizens of this great republic and strive to preserve and keep the freedoms we’ve been given. On this 250-year anniversary, may the church stand as witness to all that God has done and vow to never give up on America.
Despite all of it’s flaws and imperfections, we are a culture that runs deep with Christian values. With the increase of religious activity across our country I believe that we could be on the verge of another Great Awakening. I truly believe that today we are living in the greatest country in history. And despite being bombarded daily with negative news and partisan bickering, America will survive and thrive as it always has.
So yes, I am very proud to be an American!