Toby Mac and Michael Tait were interviewed after they completed a historical tour of Washington, D.C., with David Barton, President and Founder of WallBuilders.

What is the purpose of the book Under God?

Michael: Under God is like a comprehensive historical spiritual study, of our nation, really, of our lives, of our existence, as humans, as Americans. For you to learn something, when you’ve been enlightened with it, whether it be historically or spiritually, it’s amazing…it’s like the lights are turned on. Education is so important.

Toby: Our heritage is so rich in God’s Word and rich in human stories. In the book, we are presenting individuals and showing their spirituality, the dynamics of their mistakes, their struggles. We think readers will connect with these lives of both well-known and lesser-known Americans as they read these powerful accounts.

Why is the message of the book important for Americans right now?

Toby: So many people don’t realize what our foundation is. I knew it in school, I went through it and was taught it. But you forget until you get jolted by some of these stories. You forget until you get that wake-up call that says “This is what this country was founded upon.” This is where we came from.

How far have we strayed? Can we get back to these important roots? This spiritual heritage is right before us and it makes you think “Where are we today?” That’s really the wake-up call, that’s really the thing that we want to drive home.

Jesus Freaks and Jesus Freaks Volume 2 told people to ask themselves, “Where am I in my faith as compared to these men and women?” Under God tells them to ask, “Where are we as a country?”

Tell us about the historical tour of Washington, D.C., you just completed.

Toby: I had the privilege of going on a tour through the Capitol building with David Barton, who is one of the experts when it comes to America’s spiritual heritage. So he walked us through the Capitol, and I saw the Capitol like I’d never seen it before. He shared about each of our Founding Fathers—where they came from and the books they wrote and the churches that they were involved in and the movements they were involved in.

Michael: It blew my mind! I walked out of the Capitol building and thought, “I want the whole world to know what I just found out.”

You have contrasted some of the darker stories from America’s past alongside stories we can be proud to celebrate in Under God. Tell us about that.

Toby: I’m not trying to be critical here, but one of the mistakes we make as believers is we always want to paint this glorious picture. And we don’t want the stain. And often we have only told these “wonderful stories that inspire.” I just think that’s a very tainted version of American history.

We want to reveal humanity. We want to reveal humanity in all its blundering and all of its passion for the good and we can all learn from the victories and the struggles of our forefathers. It’s not about us and our perfection; it’s about God and His mercy.

Michael: It’s really time for the believer to stand up and say, “You know what, I’m a follower of Christ at all costs.”

Anything else you’d like to share about your desire for this unique project?

Toby: I am involved in books because I believe that I’m a tool in God’s hands. I mean, as long as I have a mic in my hand or a pen in my hand, I’m going to use it to tell people about Christ.

Michael: This book has affected me; I just can’t sit back with all this information and knowledge and not do anything about it. It’s a call to action. We have got to move forward.

Toby: The one thing that we can’t forget, the one thing that we have to hold on to, is that we are one nation, under God.