Tomorrow, the future of our American Republic is at stake and it’s up to Christian voters to save it.
At least that’s what some evangelical leaders are telling us.
Pastor Jack Graham—a member of President Trump’s Evangelical Advisory Board—warned his flock on Sunday that “the foundations are cracking” and “freedoms are being taken away.”
Graham also lamented that “tyrannical” politicians are “silencing and shutting down the churches.” And he stated that he believes what’s happening both in the U.S. and abroad is “apocalyptic in nature. Read the book of Revelation.”
Similarly, Robert Jeffress—one of Trump’s most vocal supporters—told Fox and Friends that our vote determines the spiritual and moral future of America: “By our vote, we choose our leaders. Our leaders choose the policies we live under. And those policies determine the moral and spiritual direction of our country.”
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Given the dire straits the U.S. is facing, many have asked me why I’m not similarly addressing the election. Do I not recognize the critical condition our country is in? Do I not care if Christians turn out en masse to vote? Am I unconcerned about Tuesday’s results?
None of those things are true.
I have already voted and believe it’s the duty of every Christian to do the same. I also think America is facing an alarming moral crisis—perhaps even graver than Graham and Jeffress believe.
However, where I differ with Jeffress, Graham, and many evangelicals is my belief about the primary cause of our crisis—and hence, the solution to that crisis.
As I tweeted last month, I am less concerned about winning the White House than I am about purifying the church. Politics is downstream of culture. And culture is shaped by the health (or sickness) of the church. I pray for this country. But I pray most passionately for Christ’s Bride.
This is why I invest the majority of my efforts serving as a watchdog on the church, rather than as a watchdog on the government.
I am not against Christians being politically active. I encourage political involvement and have spent my share of time at pro-life marches and political rallies.
But my political concerns are secondary to my concern for the health and welfare of the church. That’s because I don’t believe for a second that our political policies “determine the moral and spiritual direction of the country.”[pullquote]I am less concerned about winning the White House than I am about purifying the church. Politics is downstream of culture. And culture is shaped by the health (or sickness) of the church.[/pullquote]
As the late Chuck Colson noted in Against the Night, the government is powerless to reform moral virtue once virtue has been squandered.
“(W)hile government has a worthy task to perform, and depends for its success on citizens of character, it can do little to create them,” Colson wrote. “By upholding a standard of justice and enforcing the rule of law, the state does provide a limited form of moral education. . . . But humanity’s deepest motivations, its strongest virtues and blackest vices, escape the control of government. Any government.”
This is why God instituted the family and the church. These are the only institutions capable of transforming the human heart and molding the character of individuals. Yet for at least the past 40 years, evangelicals seem to have lost this perspective.
In 1985, author and evangelist Tim LaHaye—then chairman of the now-defunct American Coalition for Traditional Values—stated this false view of salvation-by-the-state with shocking clarity.
Speaking to Christianity Today, LaHaye lamented, for example, permissive laws allowing the widespread distribution of pornography. He then claimed that “the only way to have a genuine spiritual revival is to have legislative reform.”
This is completely backwards! The only way to have lasting legislative reform is for the people of this country to experience genuine spiritual revival![pullquote]This is completely backwards! The only way to have lasting legislative reform is for the people of this country to experience genuine spiritual revival![/pullquote]
The reason there’s a demand for pornography, for example, is not because of bad legislation, but because of the depravity of our own hearts. As James 1 says, we sin because we are “dragged away by our own evil desire.”
Government may restrain evil, but it cannot reform this country. That is the job of the church.
Yet, what have evangelicals done for the past 40 years? We have expended millions of dollars and man-hours trying to change legislation, creating a plethora of Christian lobbying and political action groups.
We have scores of groups with multi-million dollar budgets, acting as watchdogs over the secular state. And there’s not anything necessarily wrong with that. The church should seek to impact politicians to legislate well.
However, during this same time, the church—what God created to be a “city on a hill”—has declined precipitously. And we’ve done next to nothing.
Other than The Roys Report, MinistryWatch, Trinity Foundation, a handful of bloggers, and occasionally the Christian media, there’s next to no one serving as a watchdog over the church.
Interestingly, we seem more interested in reforming the behavior of pagans, than our own selves. But as my mother often commented to me, “You can’t clean a fish before you catch it.”
You also can’t clean fish when the church itself is unclean. And sadly, the evangelical church is a complete mess. Just look at the scandals of the last couple of years. How can a church that’s rife with financial misconduct, sexual abuse, and mob-like abuses of power possibly reform society?
We have become a parody of ourselves.
The son of Jerry Falwell, Sr.—the founder of the Moral Majority—now stands accused of abusing power, money, and alcohol—and committing a kind of sexual immorality “that even pagans do not tolerate.” (1 Cor. 5:1)[pullquote]The evangelical church is a complete mess. . . . How can a church that’s rife with financial misconduct, sexual abuse, and mob-like abuses of power possibly reform society?[/pullquote]
Equally sad, the evangelical board that’s supposedly advising our president is a complete joke.
One of the founders and “informal advisor to the president” is Johnnie Moore, the man who advised James MacDonald on how to manipulate the media regarding MacDonald’s godless suit against me and the authors of The Elephant’s Debt. Moore also laughed along when MacDonald joked about putting child porn on a Christian media executive’s computer. And when MacDonald said he’d call off his plan to plant porn, Moore remarked, “I’ve got a few other people, though, if you need to do that.”
Another one of the founders of the Evangelical Advisory Board is a purveyor of a false, prosperity gospel—Paula White. This thrice-married false teacher is not someone who should spiritually advise the president or anyone else.
Yet just last week, Christianity Today gave White space on its platform to instruct Christians on why they should vote for Trump. And just a year ago, leading evangelicals endorsed Paula White’s book. Not surprisingly, these endorsers included many outspoken Trump supporters and/or members of the Evangelical Advisory Council: Jack Graham, Robert Jeffress, Johnnie Moore, Franklin Graham, and Greg Laurie.
It seems evangelicals have not transformed politics. Instead, our desire for political power has transformed us, causing us to support teachers who lead people astray, ostensibly for their own enrichment.
So, what should Christians do?
As I said before, every Christian should vote. But I don’t think voting is as clear-cut as many would have us believe.
Jeffress said on Sunday that “when you vote, you’re casting a vote for righteousness or for unrighteousness.” But the truth is, voting this year is complicated.
I agree that the policies of the Republican Party align more with biblical values than the Democrat Party. But I can hardly stomach the way some Republicans—and specifically, evangelicals supporting Republicans—have behaved. And I am most concerned about what evangelical political involvement has done to the church.
I have wrestled with these issues and voted my conscience, and I encourage other believers to do the same. But let’s dispense with this idea that Tuesday’s election determines the future of this country.
Yes, the election is important. But if we believe the Bible, we believe the state of the church impacts culture far more than the person occupying the White House. And the church desperately needs our attention.
So, let’s invest at least as much energy and resources in reforming the church as we do in electing a president. And let’s humble ourselves and admit that the problem isn’t just the culture or politicians; it’s us. And unless we change, there’s no hope that America will change.
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61 Responses
Well said, Julie. Keep up the good work.
But we must vote when millions of babies are aborted in this country – when we see pure evil taking over our nation it is our duty as Christians to speak up, vote and do NOT allow it to happen. We cannot watch this horror for another 40 years – God is watching us!!!
Thank you for this example and supporting Julie’s point. The church needs to bring biblical understanding to people, to the faith and obedience in God, to love each other as we love ourselves. In this way, people will choose against abortion and all things that lead to making that choice. Law or no law, it is ultimately the hearts and conscience of people that need to be impacted by the church.
Is the abortion issue more despairing to God than the corruption, horror and and pagan like evil that people who call themselves Christians do, sometimes in secret, sometimes blatantly for all to see? Stealing from people, laughing off horrendous character of those power-grabbing ministers who’ve been exposed in the last few years, like James Macdonald and Falwell Jr? Some of the evil going on in the church is worse than murder! We are called to be Christlike. I am pro-life and I have been pro-life as long as I can remember and not just babies but all human beings who matter to God, but the cancer in the church of misleading people and stealing from people, and not caring for others, truly caring for them…may likely take a back burner in my opinion, to abortion by people who are often times, not followers of Christ and not expected to live as one who follows Christ. But those who are, to be image bearers of Christ that must be what really is despairing to look down upon the human race. Yes, God is watching!!
Well said Julie! The pursuit of political power to the detriment of our spiritual power is a great idolatry that the Lord will surely overthrow.
God calls the church to be the church. But if salt loses its saltiness, it is useless. Thank you for posting your wise words
Words of truth!
This is a great description of the state of things right now (or always, I suppose). The line, “Interestingly, we seem more interested in reforming the behavior of pagans, than our own selves,” is so fitting. We need to tell and show them the Gospel, instead of expecting them to learn it through legislation.
When I bring up Paula White’s background I’m looked at quizzically ‘ Well God is using her ” Don’t we expect our spiritual leaders to be above reproach anymore? Or to.live biblically? She should be confronted for her hypocrisy and heresy ( health wealth ).
The Baptist Union Review, a monthly newsletter by Boyd Publishing in Nashville TN, is read by tens of thousands of African American Baptist Congregants and by Pastors of over 400 plus primarily African American Churches.
Their October 2020 issue CELEBRATED the life of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg as a CHAMPION OF WOMEN…
Christian Newsletter CELEBRATES:
A Roe V Wade supporter
A Justice who Performed same sex marriage ceremonies
A supporter of “gender neutral” restrooms, fitting rooms, locker rooms
Supporter of homosexuality, transgender and bisexuality
A supporter of the slaughter of the unborn
Consistently encouraged women, especially marriage women to “take control of their homes.”
Yep.
My letter to the Publisher leaves later this week.
Amen Julie Roys. AMEN.
You forgot The Wartburg Watch as an excellent watchdog too!!! And the type of dog would be a pug…the author has three of them!
TWW would be among the “handful of bloggers” I mentioned. Dee Parsons does excellent work and I’m deeply grateful for her contribution.
This is such a good word, Julie, and thank you for your wisdom and insight as you speak out with such courage on important issues…God bless you.
Good words and so true, couldn’t talk you into running for political office could I lol?
Julie,
You made many good points, but you also said, “…if we believe the Bible, we believe the state of the church impacts culture far more than the person occupying the White House.” But where in the Bible does it say that?
In the Bible, kings in the Old Testament often led astray the nation of Israel morally or even led in spiritual reforms. So I don’t think we have to choose between whether the Church influences government or whether government influences the Church. The truth is, each influences the other.
So why bicker over where to fight for Christian morality? Why not fight for it both in the Church and in the government?
You’ve done a courageous job fighting for reform in the church. Others may spend more of their time reforming the government. Both jobs need done desperately.
Perhaps your point is, unless we reform the heart, our success is limited. And reformation of the heart should be the specialty of the Church and the place where it ought to begin.
Gary Gilpin
I agree why not fight for both the church and the government.
I believe her argument is that far too many Christians are willing to excuse and even enable corruption in the church as long as they get the political outcomes they want.
It also remains true that if the Republicans had chosen just about any other candidate other than Trump, their evangelical advisors would be of a far higher caliber than White and Moore.
“Government may restrain evil, but it cannot reform this country. That is the job of the church.”
Amen
Why does it have to be one or the other? Purifying the Church is on-going. I don’t believe we’re looking to one person, or party, for salvation but for a quality of life that can serve as a blessing here and in other countries. Also, I believe too many evangelicals (on the Left) have embraced govt activism as help for the poor while neglecting their own work and the need of community or church-based nonprofits.
Government offers a framework for living our lives. Look in California and the recent legislation allowing children as young as 8 yrs old to choose their sex and transition without telling their parents. What are your views on that?
So on the eve of the election, as I lay my head on my pillow, I ask myself two questions — 1. What will happen to this world if Biden wins? 2. What will happen to this world if Trump wins?
Then I opened my Bible and found the answer to both questions —
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
I love this and will share! Thank you!
David Platt has a series for the Month of October based on I Peter. It reminds me a lot of what you are saying. We “claim” to stand on God’s Word? Really? All of God’s Word or just the parts we like? Thank you, Julie for this true but heartbreaking post. The evangelical body seems to not be about being Biblical but keep a “way of life’ that is comfortable for them. Yesterday was the Day of the Persecuted Church. We in America are NOT the persecuted church. Not at all. The Prayercast prayer video was about North Korea on this day, a truly evil and truly persecuted church. We are a mess. Only an outpouring of God’s Spirit preceded by our own repentance.
I am actually less concerned about purifying the church. Jesus is the one who builds his church. It’s the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us. It begins in the house of God but it must be in each of us. It’s appalling to read about the stuff you deal with but how much of that is the world coming into the church? It’s not the gospel that is otherwise faithfully lived out and preached in countless churches that will never get a line of type anywhere in the Christian Post or other media. I am grateful you call out the bad folks and we should be vigilant, but our watch begins in our hearts where self-deception begins in thinking we can purify ourselves. If we could, we wouldn’t need Jesus.
Amen Julie… preach it!
and the Bride has made Herself ready… we have an important part in preparing for the return of Christ, recognizing we can do nothing apart from Christ, and we need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us…
Spot on Bev
Excellent reply Michael .
The soil of religion, the roots of culture take in that the fruits and flowers of politics are produced. Look what is here for all to receive. Or is it not receive but better stated deceived by?
bless your hearts! STAND STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN HIS MIGHTY POWER! scripture warns us “do not be deceived” about 10+ times – key principle of scripture… the antidote to the strong delusion in 2 Thess 2 is do not be deceived (v3) a love for the truth (v10) and to stand firm (v15)! test everything, there seems to be much deception and distortion these days… be a noble Berean!
Well timed reminder. Thank you.
Generally, this article is spot-on. I wish Roys mentioned the issue of school choice. Our future generations are subjected to very anti-Christian doctrines morally, philosophically, and biologically. Kids are vulnerable and teachers have great authority. As part of our commitment to truth in the church, we cannot be naive to the church-like role public education plays for humanism. The synergy between the Democratic party and the teacher’s union is powerful and contributing to the destruction of many young lives. True, if the Church were the true Church, it’s impact would be overwhelming through love and and the Spirit’s power. Nevertheless, there’s an urgency to help families protect their children from the current situation.
So all you “Evangelicals” are OK with Trump tearing babies and children from immigrants mothers & fathers? You are ok will police killing Black people? You are OK with Trump saying he grabs women by the pu**y. You are OK with Trumps vile lies in the thousands. I’d take a time out and take a deep reflection of yourselves…
No. I’m an evangelical who hates all of that. I never have voted for Trump and don’t plan to. He divides when he could unite and has so politicized COVID until a grave public health issue has been turned into a political football. I think he’s abhorrent, and the Christians who enthusiastically support him besmirch their testimony. At the same time, I don’t support killing children in the womb any more than I support killing old people to keep the economy going. My ideal presidential candidate would be John bel Edwards from Louisiana, but he’s not running. So I voted against both of them.
JPOE, my friend. Sending love and peace to you. I agree that Trump has many character flaws, but this is not a choice between Charlie Manson and Billy Graham. Perhaps we should choose a supporter of each candidate and have each to make a list of the traits that disqualify each man to serve as President. I think that we can safely assume that each list will have dozens of weaknesses upon which most of us will agree. Yet, you must select one of these two options. How should a Christian choose? Pick the one with 75 legitimate flaws instead of the one with 79 legitimate flaws? C’mon man. Let’s get serious. Donald is a habitual lier and Joe clearly doesn’t have the cognitive ability for the job. If you have to pick between two immoral people, perhaps Christians should pick the one most likely to affect Christians in their daily life that will give them the most freedom — especially the freedom to assemble, to speak freely, and to worship as they see fit. Ain’t that America?
@TROCK – “Joe clearly doesn’t have the cognitive ability for the job” – yeah right … guess you have bought those Trump lies about Biden. Biden can actually form a complete coherent thought. Biden is what 2 years older than Trump.
So yes “Christians should pick the one most likely to affect Christians in their daily life” – positively affect their lives. The only choice is Biden. But vote for whomever you choose.
JPOE, I want apologize for my harsh startup in my reply to you, , it was mean and showed that I can be a jerk with the best of them. Sometimes the love of Jesus gets lost in my l ife, you brought up some valid
Concerns that deserved a kind resonse, hope we are good.
JPOE, First of all get off your angry high horse , not everyone on here is voting for Trump, and really , do you think folks are okay on here with police killing black people???
First of all, most police officers don’t put on their gear and go to work thinking “hey I am going to shot some black people tonight.” There at plenty whites being shot too ( fact check it). Those that are wrong , ie George Floyd, will be tried and go to prison.
Trump was right in the debate , Obama and Biden built those “ cages” and yes it bothers me just like you. Both political parties have used the immigrants for their own ends. For decades we have not come up with a humane bipartisan policy on immigration.
As far as grab them by the ######,
Trump has not to anyone’s knowledge committed any sexual indiscretions while in office. His opponent definitely has had some weird interactions with plenty of women too. Both are definitely not what I would call respectful of women.
Yes he lies JPOE and it is wrong . I think every Christian should have struggles with our president’s behavior, I know I do.
The defining issue with me is abortion. It is wrong and the democratic parties insistence on it for the full 9 months of pregnancy is wrong ( fact check me ). I have daughters, I am a nurse and I know for many women that is a difficult decision but their push for abortion to be more common place , us public funds and take nurses rights like mine Not to participate in the procedure are wrong and strike against the conscience of millions of Americans.
JPOE, the above makes me unable to vote for Joe Biden and the Democratic Party. It’s like voting yes for Hitler because he is putting millions of Germans back to work and ignoring the fact that he is putting Jews, gypsy’s and homosexuals in concentration camps to accomplish his goals.
Folks on here I am sure struggle with what is going on here in our country, either way it isn’t east. FYI
as far as voting for the president, I voted for neither, this may make your day JPOE, I voted for Kanye.
Well said…..but did you really vote for Kanye?
Pan , yes I did and and if he only got one then it was mine.I like his music and we both suffer from bipolar so I feel for him.
Yes, I voted for him, I like his recent music and we both suffer from bipolar so I see where he is coming from.
Although I am not of your faith, I applaud and agree that politics is a reflection of the health of our society. I would add that families are the basis of society and we should be directing our energies, politically and personally, to protecting and promoting it.
But there are those who, due to their selfish desires for fame, wealth and power, that try to denigrate the sanctity of the family, by promoting sin and divisiveness. They choose to forget that we are all children of Almighty God. As Paul said in Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
So, going forward we should commit to becoming the best Christian we know how to be, and get out and vote our conscience. God bless.
I take into account the political, moral, economic impact of my choices for those running. You vote according to the best of your knowledge and your conscience. Some are called to be directly involved in politics, but power also corrupts. Our Church is in a mess in America. Our elected officials also are to be held accountable for their choices. This is probably the most significant race in the last 50 years. We are also Americans who wish to work quietly and have the freedom of speech and religion. What platform will is better aligned with these ideals?
Statistically, more whites and Latinos are shot by police than blacks. We do not hear that narrative. Black on Black murder and violent crime makes up 40% of cases. What about all the young children who have been killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. How many youth have had their lives cut short due to gang and drug violence?
God Help Us.
We don’t hear that narrative, because it’s an incredibly misleading way to put it, given there are far more whites and Latinos in the US than black people.
The whole truth is that a black person is almost three times more likely to be killed by law enforcement than a white person, and for young African Americans the risk is four times as greater than for white people the same age.
Yes, some of that disparity is down to a disparity in economic conditions, but even when all the other factors are eliminated, black people still suffer disproportionately at the hands of the very people who are supposed to protect all Americans.
The fact that over 1,000 Americans die at the hands of the police every year should be a cause for national shame. In other countries, like Germany, the UK, France, Spain, etc. only a handful of people are killed each year. In the UK, that number is zero some years. Even adjusted for population size the US kills many times more of its own citizens than other comparable nations do (unless you believe America should be compared with the likes of Pakistan, Mexico, Rwanda, and the Sudan).
Even if more African-Americans are shot and killed proportionally than whites or Hispanics, you appear to be begging the question of why. Is it straight-up racism? Do you or others have evidence of that? What is it? Comparing outcomes? What proportion of young African-Americans are involved in serious crimes that require on-site intervention by police officers? Ask their neighbors, the ones who are too afraid to let their children play outside.
Are officers occasionally too quick to use deadly force? I’m sure even most police officers would concede that. But what percentage of armchair analysts have ever walked into a potentially life-threatening situation to investigate a crime and faced down someone ready to kill them? You don’t have time to Google crime statistics in those circumstances and citing them isn’t going to save your life.
Great post.
We can not expect laws to change us when we don’t obey God’s word first. Abortion, sex before marriage, pornography…the church does not need the government to regulate. Christians need to acknowledge sin as sin and when they will it will impact the culture. The majority of abortions are performed by Christians, pornography usage is highest in Bible Belt states and more than 90% of Christian young adults have sex before marriage. I\
we, His people called by His Name, are called to turn from our wicked ways… so far, we as the institutional church, are failing horribly, refusing to admit and refusing to repent of deep and systemic wrongs… far too often protecting the institution more than the vulnerable, weak, oppressed, poor and needy… prayerlessness continues… and when we do pray, we seek His hand (health and wealth) far more than His face…
I live in Central Europe but try to watch the US closely.
1. After the election there will be a hardening of positions both pro and anti Republicans.
2. A certain percentage in both camps will defect as a result of being disappointed and disillusioned by the process.
3. This group will connect with the already marginalised Gen Z community. The result will be the birth of a new block, decentralised with little emphasis upon celebrity leadership.
4. The emerging New Age neo Pagan movements will capture a large part of this new block. I am calling this block The Spiritually Creative Non Christian Worldview.
5. The Gospel as it has become over the last 50 years will not penetrate this worldview. Those who love the Gospel will need to look at the great spiritual conflict between Christ and Paganism eg The first 300 years of the Church, to bring the Authority of The Blood of The Cross of Christ to bare upon the culture.
Blessings
Bob