(upbeat music)

- It's been said those who forget the past

are doomed to repeat it.

Pastor Alan Jackson says theconsequences are even worse.

He says if we forget our past,we could lose our freedoms.

Take a look.

- [Announcer] Alan Jackson, Senior Pastor

of World Outreach Churchin Greensboro, Tennessee

says as a nation, we're living

in the midst of adividing line in history.

He says the freedoms andliberties our country provides

were founded on biblical principles.

As a result, God hasconsistently blessed America.

In his book, " God Bless America Again,"

Alan encourages us toremember our nation's

Christian heritage so we can

continue to experience God's favor.

- And pastor Alan Jacksonjoins us now, via Skype.

Pastor Jackson, thank you for being here.

Can you hear us?

- Good morning.

It's privileged to be with you.

- Awesome, well you saythat America's heritage

from our legal system to ourculture is rooted in scripture.

Can you give us some examples?

- Sure, I mean, when WilliamBradford and the separatists,

the Puritans, came to this continent,

they were looking for anopportunity to worship God

without the interference ofa State church or the king

and they made tremendoussacrifices when they came

to our shores so that theywould have that freedom.

And from that place untiltoday, our legal system,

our educational systems were all founded

upon a Judeo-Christian worldview.

- You wouldn't know thatthough, would you? (chuckling)

Really, to--- No, we've lost

that perspective.

- Yeah, what are those, some of the ways

that God has blessed America?

- Well the liberties that we have

and the freedoms that we have, you know,

we are a nation of immigrants.

We're not bound togetherbecause we look the same

or we have the same accent,

or we share the same heritage.

We were bound together by an ideal.

I mean it's, Jeffersonstated in the beginning

of the Declaration of Independence

that all men are endowed by their Creator

with certain unalienable rights,

that we acknowledged that we had a Creator

and that He has put adignity within each of us.

And our nation was foundedwith the freedom to allow God

and what He put within usto be a part of our culture.

You know, I think today,we feel so powerless.

We want better politicians.

But we don't need better politicians,

we need a church that is more aware of the

Head of the church, and God'sperspective in our lives

and what it means to honor the Lord.

If the church will wake up,our nation will get healthy.

- Amen, well, how do you reconcile

our spiritual foundation with America's

troubled history with slavery?

- Well, you know, the fact thatwe have a Christian heritage

doesn't mean we're a perfect people.

We talk about slavery in our nation

as is if, somehow, weare a unique example.

But if we step back a bit and look

at the history of the world, you know,

people groups have oppressedother people groups

for as long as we'vehad organized society,

and slavery is reprehensible,there's no excuse for it.

But it's not a uniquely American malady.

And we have taken itand used it as a lever

to manipulate political gainsor economic opportunities

rather than repent ofour sin, forgive those

who oppressed us, and thenfind a way to live together

under the truth of Almighty God

to help one another sothat we can be stronger.

It's not a uniquely American problem.

It's a human problem.

You know, ultimately ourproblem isn't color of our skin,

it's the color of our hearts.

And if we will do something about that,

we will see God engage us

and expand our freedoms and liberties.

- You say the problems America faces

are not political, scientific, or medical.

So, what are they?

- Well, I think the root ofthe problem is spiritual.

The outcomes will be seenin the political arena

or the scientific arena,or the economic arena.

But if we don't have a heart change,

a politician or ascientist, or an economist,

isn't going to fix our problems.

You know, in 2 Timothy 3, it says

there'll be fierce times in the last days

and it doesn't describe climate change

or scientific, or economic problems,

it describes 18 attributesof the human character

that are going to deteriorate.

And that's not somethingbeyond the walls of the church;

that's happening within the church.

We've been asleep.

We need to listen, to allow the

Spirit of God to wake us up.

We've been uninvolved, unconcerned.

And if we will turn our hearts to the Lord

and humble ourselves,get our Bibles back out,

begin to read them again,teach the younger people.

We have an assignment toteach the next generation

the truth of God's word.

We've abandoned their moral development

to the schools or to thetelevision, or to the internet.

We have an assignment to do that,

not just the children in yourhome that share your DNA.

We have an assignment forthe younger generations

to help them learn to honor God,

to fear God, to respect God.

That's what made America great

and I believe God will bless America again

If we will turn our faces to Him.

- You know, there's that saying

as the church goes, so goes the nation

and right now, our nation is in turmoil.

We don't know which way it's going

with with the presidential election.

How should the church, whatrole can they play, right now?

- Well, I think we've gota powerful tool in prayer.

It's not our tool of last resort,

it is a powerful response.

We need the truth to be told,

what's being whispered in the shadows

to be shouted from the housetops,

what's been wrapped inthe cloaks of deception

to be made visible in the light,

and that the power to make that happen

resides in Almighty God.

We are not powerless.

If I could say one thing toanybody that's listening,

you may think your voice is small,

or maybe your resources are not great,

and nobody cares about your opinion,

but the Creator of theuniverse is listening to you.

And if you will speakto Him, cry out to Him,

ask for His mercy to let thetruth be told in our nation,

to let righteousness be exalted again,

I believe we will see God'shand intervene on our behalf.

- Amen, I do too, pastor.

And you can learn more bygetting Pastor Jackson's

latest book, it's called"God Bless America Again."

It's available nation wide.