Our Role in Politics - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

Our Role in Politics

By: Stacey Shiflett

1/15/2020

As Independent Baptists, we often remind those around us that the Bible is our Final Authority for all matters of faith and practice. We pride ourselves in believing every word of the Scriptures and we strive to be biblical in every aspect of our life and ministry. Yet when listening to some preachers and reading their comments on social media, I am amazed at how far we as Baptists have strayed from a very prominent biblical practice. The Bible is very clear; we as God’s people are not just supposed to be involved in the affairs of our government, but we should play a prominent role in them.

Throughout the Old Testament, nearly every single prominent Bible character had some level of interaction and influence with those in government. Many of the Old Testament patriarchs as well as the prophets were known personally by the kings of their day. They were not only involved in political affairs, but they were key players in many of our favorite Bible stories. It is worth mentioning that many of the Old Testament books were either written by political leaders, such as kings and judges, or they were written by people who lived in the palace or served in political office. People like Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Esther, Nehemiah and Daniel provide extraordinary insight into the tremendous influence God’s people can have on those in power. Daniel served four different kings during his life.  David’s role in government is detailed both as a loyal subject as well as a king. He understood that though the king had nearly unlimited power, he was but a mere mortal when confronted with the power of Almighty God. David wrote in Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”

Throughout the New Testament, the trend continues with God’s men interacting and influencing those in government. John the Baptist had a personal relationship with King Herod, who according to Mark 6:20 “heard him gladly.” Paul the Apostle’s salvation experience clearly defines God’s calling on his life in Acts chapter 9. God conveyed to Ananias in verse 15, “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:” Much of Paul’s ministry involved preaching and witnessing to those in political office. It stands to reason that the God that chose Paul to bear His name before kings would also bless our efforts to win and influence those that are over us.

We as God’s people cannot underestimate the amount of influence that we can have in the affairs of our government. Part of the hesitation, I believe, that Christians have in actively influencing their political leaders, both from a local level all the way up to the White House could almost be described as an inferiority complex.  For some reason, they feel that because they are Bible-believing Christians they are not worthy or important enough to interact with elected officials. My understanding of the Great Commission is the exact opposite!  Jesus commissioned His disciples to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” That includes our civil servants in office. Furthermore, Jesus admonished them with the words, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth…”  How can we read Acts 1:8 where Jesus informed His disciples that “… ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” and still feel inferior? 

In my ministry God has allowed me to interact with a wide variety of elected officials and politicians.  One thing that was abundantly clear to me in every instance was just how down-to-earth each of them were.  I’ve had the opportunity to interact with county councilmen, state delegates, senators, judges, and cabinet members on multiple occasions. I’ve enjoyed lunch with the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, been the keynote speaker at the Governor’s National Day of Prayer Breakfast, and even had a burger and fries with President Trump just a

few weeks before his election. At each occasion, I was reminded that these people are just that – people!  They have an important job, and though they receive a lot of publicity, they are just regular people that are truly interested in the thoughts and ideas of others. They actually ask questions and they listen. It is their job to know what people are thinking and to represent them.

The advocates representing abortion, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, Hollywood, and other unbiblical positions are definitely not shy about elbowing their way to the front of the line and attempting to dominate and influence those in leadership. Why should we, the children of God, the salt and the light and God’s ambassadors to a lost and dying world withhold our influence and withhold our opinions? Why should we stand down and allow the wicked and the perverted voices to rule the day? In the words of 17^th century philosopher Edmund Burke, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” One of the characteristics of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31:23 is “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.” God’s people should have a place at the table where laws and policies that affect them are being made.

The question then is how can we get involved?  What can the average church member or local pastor do to make a difference?  Here are a few ways that God’s people can help turn the tide:

PRAY

Prayer is without a doubt the most powerful tool we have as Christians. The Bible is very clear on the importance of praying for those in authority. I Timothy 2:1 says “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;”

Take time during your mid-week service to pray specifically for your elected officials. Call out their names. Pray for them to have godly wisdom and to have the courage to make biblical decisions and laws. God hears and answers prayer, so God’s people should join together and PRAY! Distribute prayer lists in your church of their elected officials.

REGISTER VOTERS

Get a stack of Voter Registration forms and make them available to your friends and church family. Place them in a prominent place in the church and announce where and what they are. Have a few knowledgeable volunteers offer assistance to those in the church that are unfamiliar with the process. Encourage your friends, family and church members to vote. 

Provide Voter Guide information that clearly explains the positions of those running for office.  These resources are available in a wide variety of places, including many Christian websites.  God’s people need to be informed and vote for a candidate based on their positions, not necessarily their party affiliation. Key issues such as abortion, biblical marriage, Christian education and religious liberty should be preached and explained from the pulpit often and clearly. Teach your people God’s perspective on these key topics. Encourage them to be informed and to be involved!

WRITE LETTERS

In spite of what many people think, letters do make a difference. One elected official in Washington DC shared with me that if his office receives as little as 7 or 8 letters about an upcoming vote, he considered that to be significant. Imagine if our Senators and Representatives received hundreds of letters from God’s people! Think of the impact our churches could have on local, state and national policies!

Put the names and addresses of your elected officials in the church bulletin or in your mid-week prayer meeting handouts. Encourage your people to write and pressure their elected officials to vote biblically. They represent us just as much as they represent everyone else, so we should encourage them to vote according to our beliefs.

RECOGNIZE AND HONOR YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS

Everybody likes to be appreciated. Each year, our church has a Public Servants Appreciation Sunday. We invite our elected officials, military, emergency, fire and law enforcement personnel. We distribute fliers to all the precincts and send out letters. We give each one of our public servants in attendance a $25 gift card to a nearby popular restaurant. We have a military color guard, serve a home-cooked meal and give each politician a small bag of treats and literature. The response is overwhelming. These people are accustomed to giving and serving and catering to the needs of people every single day. They are so grateful for the appreciation and love that we show to them during these special days. You will be surprised how easily you can get a high-ranking elected official to come say a few words at an event of this nature.  Each year we have multiple news outlets here with camera crews and reporters and it almost always makes the local news, both on television as well as the paper.  Build a relationship with your elected officials, and establish a reputation for being concerned and involved. Let them know that you are holding them up in prayer.  It will make a difference!

STAY INFORMED

The laws that are being made in your city, your state and your nation impact every person in the local church. Many of the laws that are being proposed are gradually eroding the church’s ability to minister in their community. It is imperative that we as Christians are aware of the proposals and upcoming votes so we can use our influence to preserve our liberties and freedoms.  Encourage your church family to subscribe to the newsletters and email lists of their lawmakers and elected officials. Pray as a church over big issues that are coming to a vote.  Invite Christian lawmakers and politicians to come to your church periodically and give an update on the status of bills that are being introduced and voted upon. What the politicians do in the county councils and state houses have a direct effect on the church and its members.  Get informed, and get involved. The future of your family and your church depend on it!

I would be the first to acknowledge that the focus of the church should be the evangelism of the unsaved and the equipping of the saints. We should not turn the pulpit into a political soapbox and blur the lines between preaching the gospel and pushing our politics. We should be busy sending out missionaries, training preachers, working bus routes and building Sunday School classes while at the same time earnestly contending for the faith. To think we can indefinitely minister in our communities to the extent we do today while continually ignoring our civic responsibilities in our governmental process would be a tragic mistake. As Americans, we have the unique and wonderful opportunity to participate in a government of the people, by the people and for the people. I strongly believe that “people” should include God’s people.

For a message on this subject, click here: "Herod Feared John"