Daly Focus Blog
Focus on the Family has been celebrating its 40th anniversary with fun nostalgia from 1977 and a visit from the Vice President of the United States and an upcoming November cruise … but our anniversary isn’t the only thing we’re commemorating in 2017!
This year also marks the 30th birthday of our beloved Adventures in Odyssey audio drama – and one way we’re celebrating is by releasing a full-color NIrV Adventures in Odyssey Bible for kids.
Last week was special. We celebrated four decades of God’s faithfulness to Focus on the Family, culminating in a very memorable 40th anniversary chapel service on Friday with special guests Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, and Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman – and some of the best parts were those that didn’t go as planned.
The day started early in the morning, as we prepared for the arrival of hundreds of ministry friends, staff, Secret Service agents, local law enforcement, members of the media, and even some protestors who set up camp across the street.
Vice President Mike Pence will be joining Focus on the Family staff and friends today in celebrating 40 years of helping families thrive.
In addition to Vice President Pence’s participation as our featured speaker, award-winning Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman will also be at the special chapel service. He will be leading us in a time of worship.
We wanted to open this special event up to our friends who faithfully support and pray for our ministry, as well as the families we love and serve.
Back in February 2015 the world was rocked by the news that ISIS had brutally beheaded 21 Christian men on the shores of a beach in Libya.
As you may know, Focus on the Family serves the Middle East region out of its Cairo, Egypt office – so when we learned about this unspeakable act of hatred and violence, we felt led to help.
Focus Egypt went to work immediately ministering to the families of the murdered men in the immediate aftermath of the event and, later that year, building houses for the remaining family members.
At the risk of stating the obvious, it isn’t easy being a Christian student in a public school these days
Every day, these young people go to classrooms and cafeterias where discussions center on sensitive topics like homosexuality, transgenderism, gender identity – and most of the time, the conversations are one-sided.
That’s partly because an increasing number of teachers and school officials suggest there’s only one right way to think about topics related to sexuality.
Now, I know that’s a big claim, so let me back it up by giving you an example of how the “new” sexuality is being promoted in public schools.
This is my statement on the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court of the United States. – J.D.
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“As a fellow Coloradan, I am thrilled that our very own Judge Neil Gorsuch, from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, was confirmed today by a vote in the U.S. Senate. Judge Gorsuch now becomes ‘Justice’ Gorsuch upon taking the oath of office – and he will be the type of justice our Founders envisioned.
Monday I shared how the staff celebrated Focus on the Family’s 40th anniversary with a time of prayer and singing during our usual Monday morning stand-up meeting.
But I didn’t tell you the whole story.
Turns out, a few of us wanted to commemorate the milestone – and surprise the staff – in a very 1977 sort of way.
And what’s more 1977 than disco?
That’s right. Our preparation for Monday’s standup meeting included a disco ball, costumes… and a short, choreographed number to “Stayin’ Alive” for Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast co-host John Fuller and me.
Exactly 40 years ago yesterday, on March 26, 1977, the first Focus on the Family broadcast aired – and a global, Christian family-help ministry was born.
The entire Focus staff gathered this morning to commemorate this milestone anniversary and celebrate God’s goodness over the years. Our time of reminiscing and worship ended with a rousing, heartfelt rendition of “Great is Thy Faithfulness” – because when we look back on these 40 years, God’s faithfulness is precisely what we see.
Isn’t it a wonderful thing to look back on the year and see how faithful God has been?
Here at Focus, we’re looking back – and giving thanks for the past 12 months. It’s been a busy year for the staff, and for me. And through it all, God has been faithful to lead and provide. He’s given our team creativity to develop new resources that will help marriages and families, and He continues to open exciting new doors to share the Good News both in the U.S.
Every week, nearly 6 million listeners tune in to the Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast. It’s still humbling for me to realize that so many people invite Focus – and, by extension, me as the program’s host – into their lives.
We love our listeners, and appreciate the feedback you give us. Whether you contact us by phone, email or on social media, we review every single opinion, comment and testimony, and we share it with relevant staff.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
