Did you know that only one out of every four Christians vote?  That’s just 25%!  No wonder America is losing its foundation of traditional Christian values.  Christianity is the moral fiber on which our nation was founded.  Religious liberty is under attack specifically and primarily when it comes to upholding and affirming Christian values.  It’s as if you can believe and do anything as long as it isn’t Christian.  It seems some believe and are legislating that the freedom of religion, assembly, press, petition and speech guaranteed in the first amendment to the Constitution are only applicable if you aren’t Christian.  Our nation’s forefathers (56 signers of the Declaration of Independence) penned statements like “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  Self-evident truths…endowed by their Creator…certain unalienable rights…these were then and are now under attack by those who would rather see them stripped out of the framework of our nation and out of founding documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

What are Christians to do?  Pray but also act!  Christians cannot be silent any longer if we intend for this nation to remain Christian.  25% of us voting will never do – that is really shameful!  But how you vote is more important than just voting.  So many Christians vote blindly – uninformed and unbiblical.  Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”  We need to be doers of the Word not just hearers only (James 1:22).  Moral issues, not economic issues, should drive our voting.  Economics and money do not exalt a nation – righteousness does and sin destroys it.  But sadly of the 25% of Christians who do vote about half of them vote primarily for economic reasons and not moral reasons.  When the disciples were worried about economic issues like where to get their food, clothing, and shelter in Matthew 6 Jesus told them notice how God takes care of the birds and flowers and that He would take care of them.  Jesus went on to say, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all those things would be added to them” (Matthew 6:33).

Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous rule, the people rejoice.  When the wicked rule the people groan.”  Christians should vote but also run for local, state, and federal offices.  I believe it is sinful and shameful for Christians not to vote.  How do we uphold and bring back righteous laws and policies?  Only by electing righteous people into office.  The wicked will not make good policies and the righteous will not intentionally make bad policies.  I will never vote for anyone who supports abortion, same-sex or redefinition of Biblical marriage, or is anti-Israel.  I look at these before I look at anything else.  Why?  Because these are not just cultural present-day issues but Biblical issues.  God created life and we have no business ending it in or out of the womb.  If a politician doesn’t value life they won’t value my money or anything else.  God (affirmed by Jesus and Paul) created marriage and established it’s parameters as one man and one woman for a lifetime (Genesis 2:24; Mark 10:7; Ephesians 5:31).  God’s love for the people and land of Israel is evident in Scripture and to go against them is to go against God Himself.

The wicked and righteous are in office only because we put them there – either by our vote or lack of it.  I always say if you didn’t vote you cannot complain.  James A. Garfield, pastor and 20^th president said, “People are responsible for the character of their congress.  If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption.   If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature.”  The values of any legislation or public official are never the true representation of the whole nation, state, or city but only a representation of those who vote.  Christians must pray but also stand for Christian values but voting and running for public office.  For Christians voting is a right men and women died for in war to achieve and protect but also a duty and responsibility to God Himself.  We will answer to Him one day for how we vote but also to the generation who come after us.  What kind of nation are we building and leaving for our sons, daughters, and grandchildren?  Christians have a Biblical mandate to, “Select capable men from all the people–men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain–and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens” (Exodus 18:21).  On or before Tuesday, November 4 vote Biblical and informed.

Proudly signed,

Pastor Stephen Harrison

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stephenrharrison

Stephen and his wife Haley have called Arkansas home all of their lives. Stephen has served in several ministry roles over the last 25 years and as a lead pastor for the last 8 years. Stephen attended Williams Baptist College and earned a BA in Biblical Studies from Ouachita Baptist University, an MA, MDiv, and DMin in Christian Leadership and Pastoral Ministries from Liberty University. When not pastoring, Stephen enjoys running, cycling, reading, writing, camping, fishing, and spending time with his family.