GLENDALE, Calif. — The KAIROS Company releases statements from Evangelical leaders Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Pastor Greg Laurie and Dr. Robert Jeffress reflecting on the significance of Memorial Day.
“As our nation comes together to remember the men and women who have have paid the ultimate price for our freedom, I’m reminded of the powerful words of Jesus in the Gospel of John: ‘Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.’ Love always precedes sacrifice. Because of this, we should remember that our fallen soldiers have given us much more than their lives: they have also given us their love. And that’s something that should touch our hearts deeply, overflowing with gratitude on this Memorial Day.”
— Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Senior Pastor of Cross Church, Immediate Past President of the Southern Baptist Convention
“In a time filled with strife, doubt, anxiety, and with the incessant compulsion to point fingers and blame each other, I cannot think of another holiday more fitting and needed for America than the one that calls us to remember our fallen soldiers. This Memorial Day, let us remember that the men and women who paid the ultimate price for freedom didn’t do so for a political party or agenda—they did it for America. They died so you and I—and anybody you might disagree with today—could live in a free country. Their sacrifice should jolt us out of any self-centered inclination to fight against our fellow American, and should instead spur us to be grateful and to fight for our fellow man and woman. Let us not squander the precious gift they’ve given us in petty fights—at least not today.”
— Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
“Today we celebrate Memorial Day, but I hope we remember why. With so much conflict, political turmoil, religious oppression and human tragedy all around the world we remember today that our nation was built on the solid bedrock of sacrifice for our fellow man and woman. Christ tells us that ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’ That is the very essence of what we celebrate today.
“We remember our fallen soldiers and the loved ones they’ve left behind. We also pray: we pray for our nation, that today their sacrifice would spur us on as a people to greater acts of love, service and generosity. We pray that we will always remain true to our American values, ever always honoring their sacrifice.”
— Pastor Greg Laurie, Senior Pastor, Harvest Christian Fellowship
“Of the countless blessings we enjoy in America, I can think of no other I’m more grateful for today than the honor of living in a land of heroes. The men and women whom we remember today have not only given their lives in service to the American people—they have gifted us the privilege of living in a place we can still call ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave.’ It is their sacrifice that has made American freedom the envy of the world. Today, they deserve far more than a passing thought. They deserve the full weight of our gratitude. On this Memorial Day, let us thank our heroes and thank our God that we live in this beautiful and free country. I call upon every Christian in America to find a military family to love, today.”
— Dr. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor First Dallas Baptist Church
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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church and the Immediate Past President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He serves on the board of directors of the Family Research Council. Follow him on Twitter @ronniefloyd.
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez is president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. He has been named by CNN and Fox News as “the leader of the Hispanic Evangelical movement” and TIME Magazine nominated him among the 100 most influential leaders in America.
Pastor Greg Laurie serves as the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, one of the largest churches in America; is the author of more than 70 books; hosts the nationally syndicated radio broadcast, A New Beginning; and is the founder of Harvest Crusades, a large-scale evangelistic ministry whose next event, Harvest America, will be held June 11 in Phoenix at the University of Phoenix Stadium and broadcast live nationwide. His next book “Steve McQueen: The Salvation of an American Icon” releases on June 13.
Dr. Robert Jeffress is a best-selling author of 24 books, a nationally and internationally syndicated TV and radio host and the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Dallas, one of the largest and most influential churches in America. Pathway to Victory, Dr. Jeffress’ broadcast ministry, airs daily nationwide on more than 900 radio stations and is broadcast live to 195 countries. His forthcoming book, “A Place Called Heaven: 10 Surprising Truths About Your Eternal Home,” will release September 2017. He is an evangelical advisor to the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
