by Pastor Robb Brunansky | Nov 25, 2025 | Opinion
By Pastor Robb Brunansky |
Scripture is clear that all men are commanded to give God thanks. This command for gratitude for His goodness is not just one day each year but continuously. However, from the earliest days of this nation, Thanksgiving has been an important celebration.
The first Thanksgiving took place in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, as the Puritans held a feast to thank God for His blessings. Throughout our time as British colonies, we celebrated Thanksgiving at various times and for different reasons. The first national Thanksgiving Day was observed December 18, 1777, after the Americans won a significant battle against the British in Saratoga, New York. Similar proclamations were made annually through 1784.
After 1784, the next annual Thanksgiving Day was celebrated on Thursday, November 26, 1789, after the ratification of the Constitution. President George Washington issued a proclamation that Americans ought to give thanks to God for the blessings of the Almighty on this nation. The proclamation is truly a model future presidents and national leaders should follow. Read what Washington wrote:
By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation. Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor: And whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me ‘to recommend to the People of the United States, a Day of public Thanksgiving and Prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty GOD, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.” Now therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday the twenty-sixth day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these states, to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author or all the good that was, that is, or that will be: That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; – for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His Providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; – for the great degree of tranquility, union and plenty, which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general, for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us. And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; – to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually – to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed – to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord – To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us – and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789. George Washington
Thanksgiving, thus, was not to be simply a time of generic giving of thanks, but a true day of national acknowledgment for God’s many blessings and prayer for His continued care.
We find precedent for such a proclamation in Scripture, where Paul enjoins upon us to pray and give thanks for all people, including all rulers and governing authorities, that we might live a peaceable and quiet life in godliness (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
As I reflected on this magisterial document, I returned to something of infinitely greater significance than the formation of our nation. I reflected on our salvation in Christ and the many parallels we find in Scripture for those realities Washington wrote we should be grateful for in the establishment of our nation.
Here are a few things, then, to be grateful for as we contemplate the blessing of living in this country and, more importantly, the blessing of being a citizen of the heavenly country.
First, believers should be grateful for God’s care and protection prior to our coming to faith in Christ. Salvation is truly a marvelous work of the Lord because He called us while we had no care for Him and no thought of Him. We were in rebellion against Him and were His enemies. Yet, think how His Providence interposed in our lives to bring us to the point of hearing the Gospel, repenting of our sins, and believing in Jesus Christ! How can we take credit for any part of our salvation when we realize that every step of our lives has been governed by God, so even the very circumstances in which we found ourselves when we believed the Gospel were led by His providence and mercy (Titus 3:5)? Believers must never fail to thank God for His providence as He guides us in His most excellent wisdom.
Second, believers should be thankful for the peace and union we have enjoyed with God since our salvation (Romans 5:1). Paul says we have been joined to Christ, and we are now in Him, in union with Him – and His Spirit dwells in us (Romans 7:4, 8:9). Believers have peace with God, are united to Christ, and have fellowship and communion with our Creator and Redeemer. This is such a mystery we should have such intimacy with God.
Third, believers should be grateful for the new covenant established for our security and blessing. We no longer live under the old covenant, where God dwelled behind the veil. Now, we have the new covenant, founded on better promises, and ratified, not by the blood of bulls and goats, but by the blood of the Son of God. This covenant has been established for our security and blessing, giving us immediate access to God through Christ. The writer of Hebrews, in fact, reminds us that through the new covenant we know the Lord, and we come into the blessings of this eternal promise that can never be broken because Christ has kept it for us (Hebrews 8:11). Our relationship with God as His children is thus eternally secure because of this covenant.
Fourth, believers should be thankful for the liberty we have in Christ under the new covenant. With this covenant comes liberty (Galatians 5:1)! Christians are no longer bound by types and shadows of what is to come! Instead, we have freedom to serve one another in love through the Holy Spirit, who gives us true liberty (Galatians 5:13).
Finally, believers should be grateful for the unlimited blessings we have in Christ. Paul again tells us that we have those blessings now (Ephesians 1:3) and in the future (Ephesians 2:7).
God has established us as a holy nation, a people for His own possession. And our participation in that nation and covenant, with God as our King, is the greatest cause for thanksgiving. Let us rejoice in that marvelous truth this season!
Dr. Robb Brunansky is the Pastor-Teacher of Desert Hills Bible Church in Glendale, Arizona. Follow him on Twitter at @RobbBrunansky.
by Tiffany Benson | Oct 11, 2025 | Opinion
By Tiffany Benson |
After publishing this Substack, I came across this video of a young woman’s “detransition” story. I also learned that Texas Christian University canceled an event featuring Chloe Cole, another “detransitioner” who travels the nation sharing her testimony. The fight to protect the next generation from the evils of “transgenderism” is far from over.
This quote is from the young woman who lived as a “male” for eight years but now regrets having a double mastectomy, full hysterectomy, and genital reconstruction surgery:
“I’m so angry…and so sad. It’s like a virus, or something, that infected me. And it happened so quickly…I can’t have kids. I’ll never lose my virginity. It’s like I’m left to just accept the scraps of the life that I could have had…I don’t know how to be okay with that. I hate when people [say], ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ No, this didn’t happen for a reason. It’s just a tragedy. Call it what it is.”
In the video, you can see what appears to be mutilation scars on her left forearm. Skin grafts are typically taken from this area to construct “a penis, urethra, scrotum, and the obliteration of the vaginal cavity with closure,” an operation known as phalloplasty (or “bottom surgery”). While it is possible to correct genital deformities, the damage to her body is irreversible, and the trajectory of her future is permanently altered. She can recover some femininity, but her womanhood is gone forever.
This is the expected end of social “transitioning,” cross-dressing, and using alternative names and pronouns—all of which can be concealed by false interpretations of student privacy laws. Also, when K-12 district representatives and employees implement DEI policies, host rainbow celebrations, and defend “gender identity,” they are advocating for all of the above. No one is born in the wrong body, and anyone who supports sterilizing and castrating minors should not be trusted around children.
I always bring the “transgender” agenda back to government education because it’s an area where many parents are still asleep at the wheel. Public schools (and increasingly some private schools) are the battlefield as board members, administrators, teachers, and counselors position themselves as the enemy of parental rights. Thankfully, parents are winning in the courts, and thousands of children will never undergo “transgender” medical malpractice. Still, parents must remain vigilant in the ongoing war to assert moral authority over their children.
It’s also important to bring attention to another group that’s not doing enough to tackle the “transgender” problem. Sadly, many Christians are aiding and abetting the spread of LGBTQ ideologies and practices. Keep in mind that “Christian” is a relative term associated with thousands of denominations and cults, and can be interpreted to mean a “good person.”
On February 25, 2025, Pew Research published survey results showing that “57% [up from 54% in 2014] of U.S. Christians say homosexuality should be accepted by society; 55% [up from 44% in 2014] say same-sex marriage should be legal.” The report also reveals 29% of Christians believe greater acceptance of “transgender” individuals is “a change for the better.” The latter is a baseline number, as researchers did not ask this question in previous case studies.
Oddly enough, Barna’s 2025 study shows Millennials and Gen Z have increased their church attendance. The report says, “The typical Gen Z churchgoer now attends 1.9 weekends per month, while Millennial churchgoers average 1.8 times—a steady upward shift since the lows seen during the pandemic. These are easily the highest rates of church attendance among young Christians since they first hit Barna’s tracking.”
Before we celebrate, let’s consider that in 2004, 51% of American pastors held a biblical worldview. By 2022, just 37% of pastors had sustained a biblical worldview, while 62% held syncretistic beliefs (that is, blending Christianity with other religions). In 2023, only 36% of pastors were “very effective” in helping Christians grow their faith over time. A mere 10% were “very effective” in “growing new converts into mature Christians,” while 12% encouraged believers to share their faith, and a measly 6% reached out to non-Christians.
These are sobering statistics, and, according to Barna, the increase among Gen Z still equates to attending church “less than half the time” of older generations. So, while young people are seeking truth, many will join ministries led by compromised leaders. Gen Z’s faith might grow over time, but they won’t share it outside the church, and what they learn may not have a lasting effect. In short, the American Church produces converts without conviction and consumers without consecration, who master religious transactions without transformation.
My fellow believers, none of this is a sign of “revival.”
I have lost count of how many times we canceled Netflix, rebooked Disney vacations, and chose Walmart over Target. Jumping on a trend is not good enough. We can’t be so preoccupied with our regularly scheduled programming that we fail to address the spirit of the age that’s consuming present generations.
Are we too holy to associate with LGBTQ people because their sin looks different than ours? Are we so loving that we can’t confront sin at all? Have we settled for inviting the lost to hear watered-down preaching because we’re too biblically illiterate to usher them into the Kingdom directly? If we’re honest, most Christians wouldn’t know how to minister to that broken woman in the video. We would say, “Jesus loves you,” and hand her a flyer for the next church event.
I agreed when the woman said destroying her body didn’t happen for a reason, and she called it a tragedy. The expression, “Everything happens for a reason,” is typically what believers (and nonbelievers) say when they lack the capacity to produce genuine empathy. It’s on par with “God works in mysterious ways,” a favorite among those who cannot discern the difference between coincidence and divine appointment. Neither of these phrases is found in Scripture.
The truth is, everything does not happen for a reason. Some things—and I would argue, living in a fallen world, that most things—happen as a consequence. Our beliefs influence our actions, and actions dictate outcomes. We can only help the next generation by imitating the Berean Christians (Acts 17:11), speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), and investing time in young people beyond religious activities. Some sinners will never darken the doorway of your church, but they shouldn’t have to wait until Sunday to hear the gospel.
I challenge Christians to befriend an LGBTQ person, learn their story, and, when their heart is ready, preach the full gospel to them. Don’t stop at “Jesus loves you” and a church invitation. Tell them why He was crucified. Explain that He is not only our Friend—He is also our Judge. He extends mercy to those who repent and wrath to those who reject Him. Jesus came as a lamb, but He will return as a lion. Faith in His work on the cross is the only way to life, both now and for eternity.
Never separate love from truth.
Tiffany Benson is the Founder of Restore Parental Rights in Education. Her commentaries on education, politics, and Christian faith can be viewed at Parentspayattention.com and Bigviewsmallwindow.com. Follow her on socials @realtiffanyb.
by Staff Reporter | Oct 5, 2025 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Several Northern Arizona University (NAU) students were captured on film targeting a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) table with vandalization, theft, and threats of violence.
These incidents occurred in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the organization’s founder and former CEO. Kirk was assassinated last month during an open-air debate event at Utah Valley University.
Frontlines, the public awareness and news group associated with TPUSA, published footage of the incidents. The footage came from the field representative that advises the NAU chapter, Susie Sullivan.
In one video, a student pushed all the merchandise off the TPUSA chapter’s table before stealing a sign. In another video, a different student handed the table volunteers a note with a drawn depiction of Kirk’s assassination and an implied threat that those who share Kirk’s beliefs — or, Christians, which the individual characterized as “Nazis” — deserve death.
“A good Nazi is a dead one,” said the note. “Free speech!”
The wife of NAU President Joe Luis Cruz Rivera and professor at NAU’s honors college, Rima Brusi, called Kirk (alluded to as “person X”) “morally repugnant” and “a bad person” following his assassination and preceding his memorial service in Phoenix, while acknowledging that his murder was “morally wrong” in a Facebook post:
“I’m honestly perplexed (not surprised but perplexed) at how many don’t seem to get this bit of logic but for what it’s worth, here it goes: 1) Murdering (including murdering person X) is wrong and 2) person X was demonstrably and consistently a bad person—these two statements are NOT mutually exclusive and almost any human brain should be able to handle both at the same time. Saying that ‘those who say X was a bad person who did damage are celebrating his murder’ is propaganda, not a logical conclusion — except when ‘those’ are truly ‘rejoicing’ (not just pointing out basic facts showing that X was a bad human, or reminding us of facts such as ‘the murder of W and Z went unacknowledged’). Anyway — perhaps those intent in erasing history from our classrooms would be open to the idea of adding ‘intro to philosophy: logic’ to the the curriculum. As ‘objective’ (and classic) a subject as they come. Don’t obey in advance. Buy and protect books for later sharing. Take screenshots of news in case they ‘disappear’. Download the contents of science databases. Support your librarian. Make truth and fact-checking as habitual and natural as teeth-brushing and food. Because truth IS nourishment, its protection is healthy, and its friends (science, research, literature, and why not – Wikipedia!) are our friends. Truth and fact-checking are the new and real herd immunity.”
TPUSA has reported over 62,000 new chapter requests from high school and college students since Kirk’s assassination. There are around 27,000 high schools and around 4,000 degree-granting postsecondary institutions, according to data from the National Center for Educational Statistics.
In other words: the amount of requests received to establish TPUSA chapters, if all nonduplicative and approved, would cover every single high school and postsecondary institution in the nation.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 28, 2025 | Education, News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona State University history professor Alexander Aviña is at the center of controversy after social media posts highlighted comments he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk and Christianity.
The account Project Constitution posted on X that Aviña had referred to Kirk as “unimportant and hateful” and called Christians “blasphemous.” The post, which quickly spread online, accused the professor of mocking faith and using his position to disparage students’ beliefs.
A second post by Stu Smith also shared the clip from the podcast interview where Aviña continued to reflect on public mourning for Kirk. He compared the response to the aftermath of September 11, saying, “This feels even weirder than right after September 11th, much more intense.”
Aviña also described students whispering in his office out of concern for saying the wrong thing and criticized what he called the “fascistic revanchist right” for using the moment to “pummel the rest of us.”
In the same interview, Aviña ridiculed Kirk’s global influence, questioning whether “Kirk cultural or political spaces” might emerge in Latin America, and mocked online tributes depicting Kirk in heaven with Jesus.
“Gringo Christians are some of the most blasphemous, sacrilegious people,” he said, adding, “It is extremely bizarre… constant whiplash.”
The comments prompted backlash from voices online, who accused Aviña of disrespecting Christianity and dismissing the legacy of one of the right’s most prominent activists. Both Project Constitution and Stu Smith called on ASU to hold Aviña accountable, with Project Constitution urging followers to “cancel him.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daryl Groves | Sep 26, 2025 | Opinion
By Daryl Groves |
I had the privilege of attending Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, seated not far from the stage. To say that it was “moving”, would be an enormous understatement. Nearly 100,000 gathered in Arizona to grieve the loss of a husband, friend, and Christian leader who was gunned down in cold blood. The speeches were heartfelt. The tributes were moving. But the moment that shook the arena came when Erika Kirk, through tears, stood and forgave her husband’s killer.
The cameras captured her words — “I forgive him” — and then panned to the crowd. In that instant, as Erika spoke the hardest words a widow could speak and the audience along with millions of people watching online, witnessed a miracle of grace. (watch: Erika forgives Charlie’s murderer)
She went on to say: “Because that is what Christ did and what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love”.
Forgiveness in the Heart, Justice in the Courts
This is where many stumble and could fall into a ditch on either side of the road. Forgiveness, especially in the wake of horrendous crime, is often misunderstood. People confuse forgiveness in the heart with the duties of the civil magistrate. Some imagine that forgiveness means the courts should show leniency, or that the murderer should go free. Others, on the opposite extreme, think forgiveness is weak and that personal vengeance would be a fitting response to such evil.
The truth of Scripture is a narrow road between them.
- In the heart, the Christian lays down vengeance, refuses to be mastered by bitterness, and prays for the offender to repent and be reconciled to God.
- In the state, the magistrate must still do its God-given duty (Romans 13:4, 1 Peter 2:14) to punish evil proportionately and protect the innocent.
To collapse these callings into one is to miss God’s design. Magistrates are not commanded to forgive instead of punishing. And individuals are forbidden from taking vengeance into their own hands. Erika’s testimony showed the balance: forgiveness from the heart, while leaving justice to God and His appointed servants.
A Public Witness
When Erika forgave, she was not excusing the crime, nor was she calling for the courts to drop their duty. She was releasing vengeance into God’s hands while pointing to the cross of Christ, where all true forgiveness begins. It was not weakness. It was strength clothed in tears.
Fernando Rangel, a friend and member of our organization, was in the audience. The cameras caught him rising to his feet, emotion in his eyes as he applauded Erika’s words. As we rode home together that evening, he said, “That moment was the highlight of the entire memorial service.”
And it wasn’t only Erika. One after another, speakers pointed to Christ and the Bible that day — including members of the President’s cabinet. Fernando summed it up well: “I think we just witnessed something historical.”
As we reflected on that moment, we agreed that Erika’s forgiveness embodied the two greatest commandments — loving God by obeying His Word, and loving neighbor by pointing to the gospel. Her words reminded us why our organization has partnered with TPUSA Faith and TP Action: to impact the culture by pointing to Christ, while also urging lawmakers to uphold justice and protect the innocent. On that day, both truths stood side by side.
Erika’s act matters not just personally, but nationally. At a time when even Congress could not unite even to honor a slain American — Republicans voting unanimously YES, while 58 Democrats voted NO, and dozens more avoided making a choice — Erika’s testimony lifted the conversation above partisanship and into eternal truth.
The Hardest Thing
Ultimately, forgiveness requires a miracle. By nature, we want revenge. By instinct, we want the offender to hurt as much as we hurt. Erika’s words were not natural; they were supernatural. It is highly likely that the hardest thing she’s ever had to do was trust God in this tragic situation. But she knows that God will work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Forgiveness does not mean justice will not be done. Forgiveness means Erika refuses to let hatred master her heart. It means she entrusts vengeance to God, justice to the courts, and her husband’s legacy to Christ.
The Way Forward
America must learn again the difference between vengeance and justice, between forgiveness and excusing evil. If magistrates “forgive” by refusing to punish, they become unjust. If individuals take vengeance into their own hands, they usurp God’s role. But when a Christian forgives from the heart while still affirming the need for justice, the world sees something entirely different: God’s law and gospel on display.
Charlie Kirk spent his life calling people to truth and liberty. At his memorial, Erika Kirk showed the world the deepest truth and the highest liberty: the freedom of a heart released from vengeance because Christ has forgiven her.
In that moment, America witnessed something greater than politics — the power of the gospel to free sinners, heal wounds, and keep a soul anchored even in unspeakable loss.
Daryl Groves is the Vice President of Red State Reform.
