Join a live online event with 14 Christian Historians and thousands of Americans to renew our nation’s covenant
Info & link for YouTube stream online: https://250declaration.com/
or go here https://www.youtube.com/live/5-WdY06QRlY
The fourth of July has come and gone and citizens have celebrated across America the nation’s 250th anniversary of independence. But did you know that the Declaration of Independence was not signed until August 2nd?
[Note: At bottom of this blog today is a 5 minute video explanation by Dr. Mark Beliles.]
The initial broadsides were published on July 4, 1776 but no signatures were there. The names of John Hancock and Charles Thomson were printed as the president and secretary, respectively, of the Continental Congress that authorized the printing. But the copy with the 56 signatures was not completed until August 2, 1776. Some of the notable statements and speeches that are often remembered occurred at that date, not earlier in July. Although completed Aug 2, copies were not printed for distribution for another six months when the Signer’s identities became publicly known.
An early broadside is below and the later signed version follows (Stone engraving).
Notice that in the first document that went out there is an addendum at the bottom that said it should go to churches first to be read the congregations and then to the town authorities afterward. This reveals how important Christians were to the American Revolution. The Biblical worldview taught by colonial clergy created the “American mind” that Jefferson drew from in his draft. For the same reasons, Christians in America today are critical to these principles enduring to subsequent generations. Hence, our August 2 event described below.
Aug 2 online event:
Two weeks from now on August 2, 2026 you are invited to join a live online event at 6pm. Fourteen top Christian historians and leaders will be part of this program to highlight the biblical principles in the Declaration and then call us to Americans today to pledge ourselves to educate and use our influence to support these ideas for God’s kingdom purposes in our nation going forward.
Info & link for YouTube stream online: https://250declaration.com/
On August 2 our 90 minute event will open with prayer and welcome by Kirk Cameron and then the following Christian historians and leaders (many authors on the topic) will join me in speaking:
Paul Jehle, Plymouth Rock Foundation
Stephen McDowell, Providence Foundation
David Barton, Wallbuilders
Jim Garlow, WellVersed
Jerry Newcombe, Providence Forum
Travis Weber, Family Research Council
Bill Federer, American Minute
John Eidsmoe, Plymouth Rock Foundation
U.D. Roberts, Brentwood Press
Gary Amos, Author on the Declaration
Carole Adams, Foundation for American Christian Education
Gary Porter, Constitution Leadership Initiative
Some are pre-recorded but there will be some of these leaders connecting live from historic locations such as Plymouth, Massachusetts, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Washington, DC. There will also be a reading of the names of the 56 signers by persons today from each of the original 13 colonies.
And then at the end everyone across the country will have opportunity to sign a facsimile of the document they have printed out from our webpage, or else they will sign digitally online. This is a covenant renewal act before God similar to what our Founders did for us 250 years ago when they pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor for us.
Below is a 5 minute video explanation of this important event by Dr. Mark Beliles.