This week’s blog is a bit different. I hope you’ll hang in there with me. On October 12, I had the immense privilege of attending the Million Esthers on the Mall gathering in Washington D.C. It was a long day of travel with ladies from churches throughout Central PA. We took a bus and van to our nation’s capital to pray, repent, and seek God’s favor for our nation. To say it was an experience I’ll never forget is woefully inadequate. To say I was humbled minimizes the impact. To say I was blessed to be surrounded by hundreds of thousands of women, men, and children crying out to the Lord, is a grossly deficient characterization. God moved. And I felt it in my very being.
I prayed for the Lord to show me what He wanted me to do, if anything, following the gathering. What was my Esther call? I woke up the next morning with a clear answer. For over a year, I’ve been talking about the need for church leaders to speak up on the topic of government and our responsibility as Christians to be involved and to vote. I’ve referred to it in several blogs and I’ve posted about it on various social media. So, when God told me to research and write to churches in my area, I took to my computer. The remainder of this blog is the letter I sent to more than 20 churches along with a packet of resources. I shared the letter with women from the trip who also shared it with church leaders in their communities. It is an important message from the Lord. One for which I take no credit. I am simply one Esther trying to hear and obey the voice of the Father.
You are welcome to share this letter – signing your name – with churches in your area. All I ask is that you pray first about to whom it should be sent.
We are in a pivotal time in American History. We are witnessing an unprecedented level of evil. All it takes for our nation to crumble is for Christians to sit and do nothing. But we have the power to change the trajectory of America; to return it to the Godly nation it was birthed to be. I hope you’ll join me.
Pastor/Father/Clergy/Church Leader:
I am writing to you today as a concerned daughter of the One True King. I hope you will honor the intent of my outreach by reading this letter in its entirety. And I pray God’s blessings on you and your congregation.
I am a wife, a mother, an intercessor, a warrior for God, and a modern-day Esther. When God gives me an assignment, I obey. It is for this reason I write to you as a Pastor. A church leader. One entrusted to share the true Word of God in a world increasingly overcome by evil. Evil resulting from complacency and, I believe, a gross misunderstanding of the role of Christians in government and our elections. I am not affiliated with any organization or candidate. I am one woman doing what God placed on my heart.
God wasted no time before introducing the all-important concept of government in Scripture, doing so in the very first chapter: Genesis 1:26-28. Government is vital. God’s intent for government was that it serve people by providing protection (covering), instruction, justice, appropriate and loving discipline, peace, and more (Luke 13:34; 19:44; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; Romans 13:1-4). Righteous rule (government) is God’s primary method of releasing these necessary actions and outcomes on earth. Proverbs 29:2 tells us that this brings joy to people; when it does not occur, the result is mourning. No wonder He told us to pray first for those in government! (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
The American church has been increasingly silent on the importance of Christians voting for candidates who represent Godly principles. Exodus 18:21 tells us that leaders must be:
able bodied, fear god (Have reverent awe for His holiness), truth tellers, and hate covetousness and dishonest gain. One need to simply look at our government – at all levels – to see that we have strayed so very far from that benchmark.
An overwhelming number of Pastors do not educate their congregations about our responsibilities as Christians to participate in and influence our government. Nor do they speak Biblically from the pulpit on issues such as abortion, gender, mutilation of children, LGBTQ, transgenderism, sex trafficking, public school indoctrination, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and more. Too many choose passivity, political correctness, and personal comfort over proclaiming and standing on the Word of God.
The Bible gives us example after example of God’s command that we are to labor for Him until His return.
- In Exodus 5:1-3: Moses and Aaron civically engaged when they went before King Pharaoh, the government ruler who had no respect for God or His law, to confront King Pharaoh about the way he was treating God’s people.
- Nehemiah 2: 6-7: After hearing about the destruction in Jerusalem, Nehemiah, servant to King Artaxerxes, prayed and sought the Lord, then approached the king and spoke with him about his desire to rebuild the walls and the provisions he would need to get it done.
- Mark 6: 14-29: John the Baptist civically engaged with King Herod, a lustful, prideful, arrogant leader, and called him out on his sinful behavior.
There are so many more that I could cite. But the prayer given to us by Yeshua – the instruction on how we are to petition our Father in Heaven- is our mantel: we are to request God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. God’s will is certainly not the evil that has been allowed to permeate every aspect of our earthly government and society. While the enemy’s army was scheming and warring, we sat idly by waiting for God to make His move. All the while, God has been waiting for His people.
I am not suggesting it is your job to tell your congregation for whom to vote. But I contend it is your responsibility to encourage those God has given to your charge to vote for Godly men and women. To do their homework. To look not to personalities, gender, race, or any other worldly criteria when deciding, but to look to the Word of God. And not voting because “I don’t like any of the candidates” or “I don’t agree 100% with their platform” is quite frankly cowardly, lazy, and contributes to the evil which has taken root in our Nation.
There is no perfect candidate because there are no perfect people. The Perfect One died on the cross at Calvary to cover the sins of all. Not just the sins of people we like. Abdicating our responsibility to vote minimizes the sacrifice of the Father and the Son who entrusted us to be a nation that is a light on the hill. To carry the Gospel into the world. We cannot allow the unrealistic criteria of perfection to cause the fall of the nation God entrusted to us.
God needs his people to be bold. He needs Daniels! He needs Davids! He needs Gideons! He needs Deborahs! He needs Esthers! He needs you. He needs you to educate your members on the importance of voting. There are 41 million evangelical Christians who say they will not vote in November. Of those more than half said they would vote if their Pastor encouraged them and emphasized its importance. (Dr. George Barna, Director of Research, Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, October 7, 2024)
Excuse my bluntness, but time is running out. Yours and my votes, based on Biblical truth, could save the lives of babies, the reproductive future of children, God’s plan for marriage and the family, and America’s freedoms – almost overnight. We will not get the perfect platform from any candidate. But it is an accepted fact that if all evangelical Christians voted and did so according to Biblical values, we could control every national election and place godly, Bible-believing leaders in office. This means that in one election cycle, we could begin reversing every evil.
I come to you in humility. In the humility of a mother who wants a better future for her daughter and future grandchildren. The humility of a mother who fell asleep on the job for too long. The humility of a sinner who knows that we were born for such a time as this. And if we choose to stand down, we stand to lose it all.
In the precious name of Jesus,
Helpful Resources
I am sharing these resources should you wish to print or make them available to your congregation.
MyFaithVotes.org is an informative website that has done the work for you! It is a wonderful one-stop-shop website where the Christian voter can be educated, informed, prepared, and ready to go to the polls. There, you can find information concerning upcoming elections, articles about upcoming bills in Congress you need to be aware of, and much more. If you follow their prompts, you can even find out if you are registered to vote, info on absentee voting, where to vote near you; and if you are NOT yet registered to vote, their links will take you directly to the right link in YOUR state where can register to vote online, right then! Additionally, they provide simple ways to engage with those who represent us in our State and U.S. Congresses. You can do all of this from home!
Foundation to Christian Voting –
https://mfv.sfo2.digitaloceanspaces.com/PDF/A-Foundation-to-Christian-Voting.pdf
Family Research Council – FRC Action: https://www.frcaction.org/#voter_resources
- Presidential Voter Guide: https://downloads.frcaction.org/EF/EF24I02.pdf
Examples for Election and Engagement
BILLY GRAHAM
Billy Graham, as God’s ambassador, announced the gospel and addressed the evils of his day: atheistic communism; segregation, and racism (front page headline in South Africa: “Billy Graham Calls Apartheid Sin!”); same-sex “marriage” and sexual immorality. He and Franklin placed a full-page statement in the Charlotte Observer exposing gay “marriage” and upholding biblical marriage between a man and a woman!
CHARLES SPURGEON
In the mid-1800s, Charles Spurgeon, called the Prince of Preachers, was a master Bible teacher believing in the sufficiency of Scripture to address all issues. I love his famous quote: “Bold-hearted men are always called mean-spirited by cowards!”
He spoke out boldly against slavery, causing his sermons to be burned in America. He said, “I often hear it said, ‘Do not bring religion into politics.’ This is precisely where it ought to be! The Cabinet and Parliament do the work of the nation as before God, and I say enough of men without conscience! Let policies founded on wrong foundations be cast to the moles and bats! Whether Kings or Queens, Prime Minister or members of Parliament, God grant that the day come when the division between secular and religion shall no more be heard!”
Mr. Spurgeon speaks to us in America today! Multitudes have been misled regarding the “separation of church and state” (which appears nowhere in our founding documents). Correctly interpreted [the Constitution] means freedom OF religion, not freedom from religion!
JOHNSON AMENDMENT
Many have been misled by the so-called “Johnson Amendment” (1954), which is used to intimidate and muzzle pastors afraid of losing tax-exempt status. It has caused scores to refrain from any advocacy for or opposition of political candidates or legislation. Truth be told, the IRS has never actually revoked the tax-exempt status of any church for violating this unconstitutional policy. The Alliance Defending Freedom is currently working to once and for all eliminate this measure (contact them for any caution or clarification).
2024 Barna Poll
Dr. George Barna, Director of Research, Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, Release Date: October 7, 2024 9https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CRC-Release-Pre-Election-1-Oct-12-2024-Final.pdf)
- Currently, there are 41 million registered Evangelical Christians who say they will note vote in November.
- Veteran researcher Dr. George Barna was encouraged by the fact that the research showed how much of a difference churches and pastors can make in the election if they choose to use that influence.
- “Pastors often seek opportunities to have a positive influence in people’s lives and upon the culture, and to help the community in which their church is located,” the long-time researcher explained. “This research underscores the fact that simply encouraging people to vote to fulfill their biblical responsibility would not only be seen as doing their job while helping the community, but an estimated five million regular churchgoers would be likely to vote because of that simple exhortation.
- Voting enthusiasm is significantly lower than in 2020, and that a massive number of Christians who regularly attend church services are not likely to vote in November.
- Christian churchgoing voters have historically supported the more conservative major-party candidate in a presidential race and appear poised to do so again this election cycle—albeit with fewer of them casting a ballot than in the most recent presidential race.
- The research indicates that as many as 104 million people of faith are unlikely to vote in this upcoming election—and among those, 32 million self-identified Christians who regularly attend church won’t cast a vote.
- The surveys also revealed that large numbers of Christian churches have distanced themselves from the election, refusing to even encourage congregants to vote and avoiding teaching related to many of the key social issues that will determine which candidates people will support.
- A few years ago, George Barna conducted a poll entitled, “What Would People Like to Hear About in Church Sermons?” The poll showed the broad interest Christians have in topics regarding governance and related social issues. (see excerpts on following page).
2023 Barna Poll
“What Would People Like to Hear About in Church Sermons?” The poll showed the broad interest Christians have in topics regarding governance and related social issues. When asked about interest in these topics, a clear majority of Christians expressed a desire to learn more:
- Abortion – 91%
- beginning of life, right to life, contraception, adoption, unwed mothers
- Religious persecution/liberty – 86%
- personal duty vs. government duty, church response, global conditions
- Poverty – 85%
- personal duty vs. government role, church response, homelessness, hunger, dependency
- Cultural restoration – 83%
- appropriate morals, law and order, defensible values and norms, self-government
- Sexual identity – 82%
- same-sex marriage, transgenderism, marriage, LGBT
- Israel – 80%
- role in the world, Christian responsibility to Israel, US foreign policy toward Israel and her enemies
- Christian Heritage – 79%
- role of Christian faith in American history, the church’s role in U.S. development, modern-day relevance
- Role of Government – 76%
- biblical view, church-state relationship, personal responsibility, limitations
- Bioethics – 76%
- cloning, euthanasia, genetic engineering, cryogenics, organ donation, surrogacy
- Self-governance – 75%
- biblical support, personal conduct, impact on freedom, national sovereignty
- Church in politics/government – 73%
- separation of church and state, legal boundaries, church resistance to government
- Islam – 72%
- core beliefs, response to Islamic aggression, a threat to U.S. peace and domestic tranquility.
According to Mark Burrell in his book Rediscovering the American Covenant, people were asking for biblical guidance on these issues, which are certainly some of the most relevant and important of our time. The survey also asked pastors if they had plans to discuss these topics from the pulpit. The results? Only 14% answered “Yes.”
Most pastors either:
- don’t see them as biblical topics;
- are afraid of the IRS;
- think the topics are too divisive (as though God’s Word shouldn’t be divisive at times);
- are controlled by the fear of man (loss of members, job, status in the community, etc.);
- consider these subjects as “political,” therefore off-limits at church;
- consider them as personal matters, and therefore, should not be discussed at church;
- or, don’t want to take the time to study and research the topics well enough to bring informed, biblical teaching.
Sadly:
- the majority of the church in America has an unbiblical worldview;
- most Christians won’t make a stand against abortion and for life;
- many Christians will vote for politicians who are liberal, woke, pro-abortion, and have other non-biblical beliefs;
- many professing Christians believe there is more than one path/way to salvation/God;
- many professing Christians believe homosexuality, transgenderism – including the permanent mutilation of children, adultery, sex outside of marriage, same-sex marriage, and other sinful lifestyles are fine;
- many believers know little about America’s Christian heritage;
- many churches are lukewarm social clubs; and last, but certainly not least,
- we lost a generation to drugs, sexual perversion, and gender confusion; and, to godless, secularistic, humanistic, Marxist, and woke ideologies.
We are God’s Method
- Remember that we are God’s method, His partners and ambassadors on earth. Remember that our all-knowing God said one of the reasons we “have not” is because we ask not, (James 4:2-3). Yes, He knows what He wants to do and how to do it – but He said we still must ask.
- Others have bought into the lie that God being sovereign means He is controlling everything that occurs on earth. Therefore, He must want things to unravel, or is at least okay with it. When and if He wants to send revival, He will.
- So much for God not wanting any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). It’s amazing how often we Christians’ religious beliefs exonerate us from responsibility. The key to an awakening is an awakened church! The key to a reformation is a reformed church! Heaven’s plan is typically that a revived remnant is used to revive the church, which is used to revive a nation – all through the power and authority of a willing God.
- Revival doesn’t occur when God “gets ready” or “finally decides” to do so. It occurs when He has been able to get free-willed people ready. Harvests must be ripe. “Fullnesses of time” don’t arrive based on divine whims and moods; they are the end of seasons wherein God has brought human beings to times of awareness and hunger.
- Our prayers are used to generate this. We appeal because it is what God said to do, and it works! We ARE appealing and He IS listening.
- We also decree. He is speaking, we are declaring His words, Holy Spirit is empowering them, and angels are performing them. This is all moving us toward a rending of the heavens and an abundance of rain (Isaiah 64:1; 1 Kings 18:41).
AMERICA’S COVENANT WITH GOD (GiveHim15 – 10/14/24)
That America’s early leaders and Founders desired this type of covenantal relationship with God is undeniable. Here are a few statements/facts that demonstrate this:
- Robert Hunt planted a Cross on the beach at Cape Henry in 1607 and declared, “We do hereby dedicate this Land, and ourselves, to reach the People within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom of God to all the earth. May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all generations, if this earth remains, and may this Land, along with England, be Evangelist to the World. May all who see this Cross, remember what we have done here, and may those who come here to inhabit join us in this Covenant and in this most noble work, that the Holy Scriptures may be fulfilled.” After the prayer, he and the company read Psalm 22:27-28: “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and he ruleth among the nations.”
- The Puritans in 1630 stated in the Mayflower Compact that their voyage was made “for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith.”
- Their leader and first Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop, declared that they had “entered into covenant with God for this work.” He also declared that God “shall make us a praise and glory… a city upon a Hill” (Matthew 5:14), which has been referenced by no less than 12 U.S. Presidents.
- At the time of America’s quest to become a sovereign nation, the colonists openly declared, “We have no king but Jesus.”
- George Washington stated, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
- Samuel Adams, known as the Father of the American Revolution and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, stated, “The right to freedom is the gift of God Almighty… The rights of the Colonists as Christians may be best understood by reading, and carefully studying, the institutes of the great Lawgiver and head of the Christian Church: which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament.”After signing the Declaration, he declared: “We have this day restored the Sovereign, to whom all men are to be obedient. He reigns in heaven, and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let his kingdom come.”
- The Liberty Bell, which rang out at our birth as a nation, states “Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof.” (Leviticus 25:10)
- Founder Patrick Henry stated, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
- Our sixth U.S. President, John Quincy Adams, declared, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”
- America’s Declaration of Independence refers to God four times: as nature’s God, the Creator who gave them their inalienable rights, the Supreme Judge of the world to whom they were appealing, and as the God of Divine Providence.
- America’s independence was won under a banner of prayer that read “Appeal to Heaven.”
- George Washington, president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, opened the gathering by saying, “…the event is in the hand of God.”
- And what of the individual states? God or the Divine is mentioned at least once in each of the 50 state constitutions, and nearly 200 times overall.
Our Founders were intentional about their honor of, reliance on, submission to, and partnership with Yahweh and His Son, Jesus Christ!