Ventures for Christ

11/02/2026

The following article written by my dad was published back in 2020 in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. It's just as true now (if not more so) than it was then! (Karen McCarty Anderson)

‘Ver­ti­cal’ Path is So­lu­tion at the Polls

My first vote for pres­i­dent was as a col­lege stu­dent in 1952, and I haven’t missed since. My birth­day is Nov. 4, and the out­come of the pres­i­den­tial elec­tion al­ways added mildly to my joy or left me mildly dis­ap­pointed, de­pend­ing on my can­di­date win­ning or los­ing. I sensed most Amer­i­cans felt the same. Nev­er­the­less, we ad­justed and got on with life!

Yet, in all the elec­tions I have ex­pe­ri­enced, this 2020 event is ex­tra­or­di­nary and unique. In all my years I have never seen our coun­try so rad­i­cally di­vided, cit­i­zens more hos­tile or dep­re­cat­ing, ig­no­rant broadly of facts, push­ing twisted pro­pa­ganda and ly­ing ac­cu­sa­tions, vi­o­lence ig­nored in our streets and the threats of cheat­ing and steal­ing the elec­tion!

No, 2020 is vastly dif­fer­ent from all my pre­vi­ous elec­tions. Our na­tional po­lit­i­cal life has al­ways been “hard ball,” but this year, we seem to have the most il­le­gal and de­cep­tive pitches pos­si­ble. In the ma­jor­ity of our minds there are only two ob­vi­ous out­comes — de­liv­er­ance or dis­as­ter.

We are again at an im­pos­si­ble im­passe be­tween two fixed sources — con­ser­va­tive, rightwing pol­i­tics (orig­i­nal­ists) and lib­eral, left­wing pol­i­tics (pro­gres­sives) — with both groups hav­ing their share of ex­trem­ists.

I’m con­vinced our only hope is in a re­turn to a third pol­i­tics (spir­i­tu­al­ists) — “ver­ti­cal pol­i­tics” — that was in dom­i­nant abun­dance among our peo­ple in 1775-1795. This was the phi­los­o­phy of gov­ern­ment dis­played by our coun­try’s Founders: Let God con­trol our po­lit­i­cal ac­tions. Over­whelm­ing ev­i­dence proves this ideal.

This at­ti­tude of “ver­ti­cal­ity” at our be­gin­ning as a na­tion was the mind­set of our Founders and made clear in the doc­u­ments they left be­hind. Their def­i­ni­tion of “ver­ti­cal pol­i­tics” con­cludes the Dec­la­ra­tion of In­de­pen­dence, “with a firm re­liance on the pro­tec­tion of Di­vine Prov­i­dence.”

I owe this thought to my friend Mike Huck­abee. I was ex­cited by its truth the first time I heard him say it. He de­clared that what we des­per­ately need to save and bal­ance our gov­ern­ment is not lib­eral pol­i­tics or con­ser­va­tive pol­i­tics but ver­ti­cal pol­i­tics.

This means enough of our cit­i­zens need to make a dif­fer­ence by lead­ing out in “God im­pact” in or­der to stop or at least slow the ram­pant moral de­cline and sec­u­lar idol­a­try in Amer­ica’s “cul­ture war.” Too many of us have de­serted the high re­solve of our Dec­la­ra­tion and the spir­i­tual think­ing and in­tent of the Founders.

When­ever we vote, our ba­sic hope should be that the re­sult will give us lead­ers who will live and prac­tice “ver­ti­cal pol­i­tics.” We must re­store what we have lost and re­gain that “ver­ti­cal power” that made Amer­ica the freest, most pros­per­ous, most dis­ci­plined and most gen­er­ous na­tion in his­tory.

May the Creator an­swer us again! I’m pray­ing my vote will take us in that di­rec­tion. We vote not for a man, but for a gov­ern­ing pol­icy that is built on “ver­ti­cal prin­ci­ples.”

I know all “ver­ti­cal dis­ci­ples” will be blessed re­gard­less of this elec­tion’s out­come.

(H.D. McCarty pa­s­tored one of Fayet­teville’s largest churches for 39 years, served as the vol­un­teer chap­lain of the Ra­zor­backs for 30 years and is a re­tired pi­lot and chap­lain Air Force brigadier gen­eral.)

11/02/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 November 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲!

In this issue:

👉 Pastor McCarty concludes his two-part study on Christ as the Alpha and Omega with six “cross questions” drawn from Ephesians 3, and sets out three stages of spiritual growth (A-B-C, M-N-O-P, and X-Y-Z) found in 1 John 2 and Isaiah 40:31.

👉 With Thanksgiving tables in view, we look at John 6 and Jesus’ claim to be the bread of life. We ask why a full plate leaves a deeper hunger untouched, and what it means to come to the One who gave His own body to answer it.
.. and more!

Read the full newsletter here: https://venturesforchrist.com/newsletter/november-2026

Never miss an issue! Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox!

👉 https://venturesforchrist.com/subscribe/

10/28/2026

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝗮 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗯

In 1924, Eric Liddell was the best 100-meter sprinter Scotland had produced, and the 100 was scheduled for a Sunday. He wouldn’t run it. He entered the 200 and the 400 instead, took bronze in the first, and won gold in the second with a world-record 47.6. Twenty years later he was in a Japanese internment camp in China, where he died in February 1945. By then he had sent his wife and daughters to safety and chosen to stay with the people he served.

This week’s 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 uses Liddell to make a point about a single word. Faith is usually a noun, som**hing you have. Trust is a verb, som**hing you do with it. The reflection then turns to Psalm 121, a psalm that never asks God for anything and spends every verse describing who He is. That description is the reason trust makes sense.

“𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨; 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.” — Proverbs 3:5-6

Read “Trust Is a Verb” — 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 #𝟦𝟥 here:
👉 http://venturesforchrist.com/year-of-reflection/2026-reflection-43

10/25/2026

I am sharing this article Dad wrote in 2024, because the truth of it has not changed! Our dear country is at a critical crossroads--as Christ-followers, we must vote for the candidates who most closely stand for and believe in biblical values! Prayerfully exercise your right to vote--asking the Lord for HIS heart and wisdom! 🙏🏻🇺🇸🙏🏻❤️

A few weeks ago, Dad (HD McCarty) wrote this article for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. This wisdom is timely and important as we look ahead to the upcoming election and serves as a reminder of Who we ultimately trust with our lives!

"The current 2024 Presidential election holds incredible significance for our country. The contradictions and complexities in the two candidates and the two political options are enormous. How is a Christian to respond? It’s critical to remember that the elections of earth are only temporary side shows to the lasting elections already made by our sovereign Lord in heaven. It may take time before King Jesus appears for His inauguration, but preparations are underway, and the day is set! Seeing America’s 2024 election in the light of mankind’s history and God’s divine purpose will calm and comfort those who know and listen to His voice. The Lord continues to use history to tell His story, and all other stories, regardless of their greatness, are secondary, trivial, or ultimately irrelevant.

Regardless of Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, none of these realities can stop or replace the serious Christian’s pursuit after our Lord. He has already determined to fulfill and complete His vision and plan for the earth and its inhabitants despite demonic evil. He has and will continue to do this in His way, in His timing, for His glory, and by His sovereignty. Regardless of the confusion, chaos, and conflict that human beings create, people of God can live spiritually above it, triumphantly learn to go through it, increasingly understand it, and joyfully overcome it. Hence, the outcome of the election and its effects in America can do absolutely nothing to hinder the Believer.

Our times are NOT in the hands of America’s 2024 election. “Our times are in His hands” (Psalm 31:15). I confidently and calmly believe He will work out the future in His perfection. Many Christians in America are living with pounding hearts and trembling legs as they await the coming day of calamity for America. I love my country deeply, but I love the Kingdom more, and that allegiance gives profound security. In these days of crisis for our beloved America, which I have experienced as a vigorous patriot for over 91 years, I am seeking only the “God picture” for what I should think and do! I seek the Lord daily who keeps putting His eternity into my mind and heart! And when I seek Him, I find in 2024 AD what Habakkuk found in 600 BC: “I will rejoice in the Lord, my God and my Savior! He puts His strength into my life, gives me the feet of a deer, and teaches me how to climb to His heights!”

The American election this fall is important, in fact, critical for our country’s future. Yet, it is still but a blip on the radar screen of meaning. Our Kingdom future has trumped all other futures - personal and political! I have learned and continue to learn what it is to have the reality of Messiah Jesus as my strength, my speed, and my soaring! (Hab. 3:19). Nothing else happening on this earth can compete with that, in 2024 or beyond!"

10/21/2026

𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗺

In December 1170, four knights rode to Canterbury and killed Archbishop Thomas Becket during evening prayers. His tomb became a pilgrimage site almost at once. About two hundred years later, Chaucer set The Canterbury Tales on the road to that shrine, with a group of travelers passing the miles by telling stories.

Israel had its own pilgrim road. Three times a year the men of Israel made the trip to Jerusalem, and because the city sits in hill country, every road to it runs uphill. Most scholars think the travelers sang or prayed Psalms 120–134, the "Songs of Ascent," along the way. Psalm 121 is one of them.

This week's 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 asks what a pilgrimage is, and whether it belongs in a modern prayer life. It suggests some practical ways to try one: a prayer walk through the fifteen psalms, a journal kept along the way, or a slow trip through a single psalm, one verse at a time.

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦." — Psalm 121:8

Read "Going Up to Jerusalem" — 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 #𝟦𝟤 here:
👉 http://venturesforchrist.com/year-of-reflection/2026-reflection-42

10/14/2026

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴

Ethel Waters was born in 1896 to a teenage mother, raised by her grandmother, and went on to be the first African American woman nominated for a Primetime Emmy. Her life included three failed marriages and enough scandal to make her notorious. In 1957 she stood in Madison Square Garden at a Billy Graham Crusade and rededicated her life to Christ. She sang at Crusades until 1976, and the song she was known for was "His Eye Is on the Sparrow."

Mahalia Jackson, orphaned at five and working in Chicago at sixteen, later made the song one of the most loved hymns in America. The song itself came from a white woman and a white composer in 1905, and generations of Black Southern worshipers claimed it anyway.

This week's 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 tells the story of those two singers and goes back to what the song is built on, which is what Jesus said about sparrows. They were the cheapest bird in the market. It also ties the song to Psalm 121: the God who keeps watch never stops, including over the people who feel small and overlooked.

"𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘺? 𝘠𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦." — Matthew 10:29

Read "Two Women and a Song" — 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 #𝟦𝟣 here:
👉 http://venturesforchrist.com/year-of-reflection/2026-reflection-41

10/07/2026

𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 (𝗣𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝟭𝟮𝟭)

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?" It reads like a scenic line, but the hills in Israel's world were crowded with other gods. Moab worshiped Chemosh on them. Phoenicia worshiped Baal. Solomon built high places for two of those gods right outside Jerusalem. So the question in verse 1 is really asking which hill, and which god, actually delivers.

This week's 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 opens a new anchor psalm. It follows the Hebrew word shamar, "to keep" or "to guard," which appears five times in eight verses, and notices som**hing about Psalm 121: it never asks God for anything. Every line from verse 2 on states a fact about Him. The psalm also covers ordinary movement. "Your coming and going" includes the commute, the errands, and the walk to the mailbox.

If your prayers tend to sound like an effort to get God's attention, this one offers another way to pray.

"𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳; 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥, 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘐𝘴𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱." — Psalm 121:3-4

Read "God Our Keeper" — 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 #𝟦𝟢 here:
👉 http://venturesforchrist.com/year-of-reflection/2026-reflection-40

A Year of Reflections 2026: Reflection #40 by vfcadmin | Oct 7, 2026 | Blog Home, Year of Reflection | 0 comments God Our Keeper (Psalm 121) Michael Floyd, Editor A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven a...

10/01/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲!

In this issue:

👉 Pastor McCarty begins a two-part study on Christ as the Alpha and Omega, tracing what it means to move from the "A-B-C's" of following Jesus to a full "X-Y-Z" life given over to Him.

👉 We turn to John 15 and the image of the vine and branches — why spiritual fruit isn't a matter of effort, but of remaining connected to the true source of life.

👉 Plus, Ventures announces a change in board leadership, with Gary Bien stepping in as chairman.
.. and more!

Read the full newsletter here: https://venturesforchrist.com/newsletter/october-2026

Never miss an issue! Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox!

👉 https://venturesforchrist.com/subscribe/

09/30/2026

"The Godhead's Unlimited Presence"

J.I. Packer compared our understanding of God to a two-year-old trying to follow the mind of his father, a man with a brain like Einstein's. The father can't tell the child everything he's thinking. He talks in a way the child can follow, and leaves most of it unsaid.

That's a fair picture of Scripture. God speaks to us plainly enough to understand, and there is far more to Him than He has told us. Packer's conclusion is that we should worship with humility, remembering how much sits beyond what we know.

This week's 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 follows that thought into Psalm 100 and asks what it does to our prayers. If God is larger than we can think, what is the right response? The reflection says it's more worship, and less speculation.

"...𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦—𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥." — Ephesians 3:18-19

Read "The Godhead's Unlimited Presence" — 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 #𝟥𝟫 here:
👉 http://venturesforchrist.com/year-of-reflection/2026-reflection-39

09/23/2026

𝗛𝗼𝗯𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." That opening line started as a bedtime story and became one of the bestselling sagas in publishing history. But J.R.R. Tolkien — a devout Catholic and close friend of C.S. Lewis — wove som**hing deeper into Middle Earth than adventure. At Mount Doom, when Frodo fails to destroy the ring on his own, the story turns on a question worth sitting with: was that a moral failure, or som**hing else entirely?

This week's 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 takes Tolkien's own answer to that question — and Lewis's — and connects it straight to Psalm 100. We are His handiwork, unable to save ourselves. And the right response to that kind of mercy isn't quiet acknowledgment. It's thanksgiving, out loud.

"𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳; 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴." — Psalm 100:5

Read "Hobbit Tales and Thanksgiving" — 𝘈 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 #𝟥𝟪 here:
👉 http://venturesforchrist.com/year-of-reflection/2026-reflection-38