James Kennedy's weekly national TV ministry reached millions across the nation.  He had become a vocal leader in the religious right.  I heard him speak at a national Christian Coaltion rally and his use of Christian Reconstruction language was open for any to note.  The late Dr. Kennedy was until recently known for his work in evangelism. Notable his work called Evangelism Explosion.  His model of witness training was used in seminaries and colleges around the nation. Later on he seemed more interested in recruiting delegates to the Republical Party than lost people into the church.
     Kennedy believed that America was founded to be officially a Christian nation with Jesus Christ as the foundation.  He noted that John Calvin provided the true principles for the starting of the country.  It is a historical fact that Calvin set up a theocratic state in which he allowed little tolerance fo religious diversity.  Calvin inflicted bodily punishment on dissenters.  To those who refused to get with his program, Kennedy admonished them, "We no longer tolerate the movement to reduce this nation to a secularistic, atheistic, humanistic state.  My friend, are we to be spineless?"
     On July 4, 1999, the preacher delivered a nationally televised sermon called, "These Dead Shall Not Have Died in Vain." It was supposed to be based on a text from the book of Hebrews in the Bible but had little if any connection to the text.  In short the messsage was that separation of church and state is contrary to the intent of the founding fathers.  The pastor warned that the loss of religous freedoms has occurred in our own watch.  He said it is unconstitutional to pray over a school lunch. He stated that kindergarten students cannot pray.  He declared that public school teachers cannot answer a question about what Christmas is about. He then road the Columbine School tragedy by referring to the cartoon about God not being allowed in schools.  Kennedy said we need more Christian rulers.  Contrary to most historical observations, Kennedy said that 98% of the citizens in the nation in 1776, were Protestant Christians and the rest being Catholics with a sprinkling of Jews.  To Kennedy, the Constitution does not contain the idea of separation.  He said it comes from a letter from Thomas Jefferson which meant nothing like what the ACLU claims it does.  The pastor stated on TV that the entire misguided theory comes from Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black who was led by the staff of the evil ACLU.  Kennedy called the ACLU the "Anti Christian Liberal Union."  He told his admiring listeners that there is not any foundation for the idea of separation and it is bad history and worse law that should be abandoned.  The message ends with the church choir singing, "Glory Glory, Halleluiah...
     Kennedy's disdain for public education is well known.  He has stated in sermons that it is unlawful for public school children to read the Word of God. He blames public education for destroying what this nation intended to have for education, that is private schools.  Since God was expelled from school we now have no eternal truth nor moral absolutes according to the Florida preacher. In summary, he said of public schools, "I think the whole system should be abandoned and be allowed to sink in its own filth." James' opinion on the ACLU also drew his wrath.  He said the legal organization is "dedicated to the most extreme anti-virtue, anti-God positions."
     For many years Kennedy hosted an annual conference in South Florida featuring religious right leaders from around the nation.  Their reclaim America agenda often spilled forth grave disdain for First Amendment causes.  One such speaker stated that the sharpest sword in the devil's arsenal is separation of church and state.  Kennedy went on to state later that week that separation is a lie propagated by Thomas Jefferson.  James signed the Foundation Documents, which is an open Christian Recosntruction statement.
     A common link to circles like this is a connecting of social movements with movements they feel are by nature morally wrong. Kennedy stated that evolution produced Communism which led to the slaughter of 135 million people.
     To use preacher vernacular, Kennedy often meddled instead of preached.  One study found that after intense research into Coral Ridge TV programs, almost 13% of the porgramming was about politics.  Kennedy practiced a sort of history revisionism reinventing what has been the accepted record.  His version of a Christian America is close to if not directly quoted from his friend David Barton.  Kennedy claimed that in 1850, all newspapers in the nation were run by Christians.
     The church and TV ministry flourished under Kennedy's leadership.  The church had over 10,000 members and broadcast its TV programs over 400 stations in at least 150 nations.  Kennedy also authored 50 books and founded 2 schools before his death. He gave a scholarly appeal to a movement that was often led by novice people.
     Part of  the legacy of James was his belief that there were over 10,000 Commuinist professors teaching in American universities.  He also believed that the earth was only 6,000 years old and all evidence that the world was older was a myth.  For a man who grew up with an absentee father and an alcoholic mother, James did pretty well in the culture he often lamblasted. He was once given $6 million by Richard Devos of the Amway Corporation.
     Author Mel White has several pages devoted to Kennedy in his book, RELIGION GONE BAD.  Mel wrote that it was not outreach as much as white flight that fed the membership of the Florida church. He noted Kennedy dispised separation and wanted Christians to run the country.  Kennedy went so far as to turn new converts toward the GOP seeking to make them more interested in politics than faith.  One of the items on Kennedy's agenda for these new converts was to impeach Federal Judges. Kennedy once stated Hitler treated Jews in Germany the same way Christians are now treated in America!  With such alarming opinions one wonders what kind of legacy the Florda pastor will leave for the country?