Ranch dressing, the World Cup, and America250: What makes America unique, and what Americans need most

Article Description

As America’s 250th anniversary nears, patriotism is the order of the day. Amid stories celebrating our nation, one surprising symbol has emerged: ranch dressing, now beloved by visitors from around the world and described as “a face of the nation.” It’s a fitting picture of the “multicultural miracle” that is America. But today we consider how the same spirit of self-reliance that helped shape our nation can also keep us from God’s best, and why self-reliance may be popular religion but spiritual suicide.

About Denison Forum and The Daily Article

Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.

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Rescuers in Venezuela worked through the night Friday to save hundreds trapped in rubble and find thousands more missing in the aftermath of Wednesday’s earthquakes. What happened there could happen here: New research warns that stress on Southern California’s San Andreas and San Jacinto fault lines has reached the highest level in a thousand years, putting the region in a “critically loaded” state that could cause a large, multi-fault earthquake. Whether you and I live in an earthquake zone or not, we need hope that sustains our hearts in hazardous days. I found such encouragement recently in an unexpected place.

About Denison Forum and The Daily Article

Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.

NOTE: Denison Forum is a fully donor-funded nonprofit ministry. To support our calling, please donate today.

After America’s World Cup victory over Australia last Friday, Christian Pulisic shared a photo on Instagram showing several US players gathered in a circle on the field, their heads bowed in prayer. His teammate Mark McKenzie responded by referencing Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 and its reminder that “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (v. 12). However, such faith is no guarantee that Christians will not suffer and struggle as do others. If faith does not protect us from trials, what good is it? You may be facing challenges today for which your faith does not seem relevant. You may even be suffering because of your faith. If not today, perhaps tomorrow. Today, let’s respond with wisdom that leads to the hope our hearts need most.

About Denison Forum and The Daily Article

Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.

NOTE: Denison Forum is a fully donor-funded nonprofit ministry. To support our calling, please donate today.

According to a recent Gallup poll, 65 percent of US adults say it would be positive for society if more Americans were religious. With all the bad news in the news, including a “nightmare” shooting in Montreal, a deadly heat wave in Europe, and the rising threat of AI-fueled cyberattacks, surely being more religious would be good for humanity. But is this true? Clearly, while most Americans think “religion” is a good thing, this sentiment is true or false depending on the specific religion in view. Today, we explore the fact that if evangelical Christians are to persuade Americans that our religion is best for them, then we must first demonstrate that it is best for us.

About Denison Forum and The Daily Article

Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.

NOTE: Denison Forum is a fully donor-funded nonprofit ministry. To support our calling, please donate today.

At least five people have been arrested on vandalism charges related to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. It has been plagued with algae and peeling paint following a $16 million renovation. According to President Trump, the damage was the result of deliberate sabotage. If you’re thinking “only in America,” you’re mostly right. In a pluralistic society where all religions and speech acts that do not harm others are accorded freedom and protection, it’s easy to believe that all religions and speech acts are equivalent in value. But this cultural ethos is dangerous to our flourishing and our future.

About Denison Forum and The Daily Article

Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.

NOTE: Denison Forum is a fully donor-funded nonprofit ministry. To support our calling, please donate today.

British Prime Minister Kier Starmer announced this morning that he would resign from office after losing support within his own party. His departure highlights a fundamental flaw in democracy: what it takes to be elected is not necessarily what it takes to govern. Yet the alternative—unchecked power in the hands of unelected leaders—comes with its own dangers. Today, we consider why effective democracy depends on the reality that humanity is fallen, why no person can be trusted with unchecked power, and why the ultimate key to governing each other is allowing Jesus to govern us first.

About Denison Forum and The Daily Article

Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.

NOTE: Denison Forum is a fully donor-funded nonprofit ministry. To support our calling, please donate today.

Every June, twenty-nine Major League Baseball teams host an LGBTQ+ Pride Night, but last Friday’s San Francisco Giants game drew national attention when several pitchers wrote “Gen 9:12–16” on their themed caps, pointing to God’s covenant rather than the modern meaning of the rainbow. Today, we consider what it means to be “persecuted for righteousness’ sake,” why not all criticism qualifies as persecution, and how a life of daily dedication to Christ prepares us to endure slander and ridicule with righteousness and grace.

About Denison Forum and The Daily Article

Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.

NOTE: Denison Forum is a fully donor-funded nonprofit ministry. To support our calling, please donate today.

A tale of two women could have ended in a drastically different way. One mother’s decision to alert authorities helped stop an alleged attack on last Sunday’s UFC event at the White House, while another wife remained silent until the FBI arrived. Their stories lead us to a far more eternal question: What if people are not truly lost? Today, we wrestle with the urgency of evangelism, the difficult questions surrounding salvation, and why introducing others to Jesus may be “the greatest favor” we can do for them.

About Denison Forum and The Daily Article

Today's Daily Article was written by Dr. Jim Denison and narrated by Chris Elkins. You can read this article on our website. You may also receive it in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter.

NOTE: Denison Forum is a fully donor-funded nonprofit ministry. To support our calling, please donate today.