light & life magazine
DESCRIPTION
LLM May 2012TRANSCRIPT
LLMM
AY
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2 7 9feature foundation action
H ello, I’m Jason, and I’m addicted to politics.
Peek into the window of the Archer home
on debate or election nights, and you’ll see me
watching hours of coverage and analysis. I digest CNN,
MSNBC, Fox and, for fun, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”
Why do I pay such close attention? As a citizen, I want to
make careful and prayerful decisions on leadership at the
local, state and federal levels. I avoid shortsighted decisions
based on just one issue.
Involvement in politics is part of our DNA as Free Meth-
odists. One of the key issues of our founding was freedom
for all people. We took a stand on slavery. Our founders
were involved and informed in the political arena.
On Page 8, Howard A. Snyder discusses how
B.T. Roberts grafted political activity into early Free Method-
ism. Now more than ever, the church needs to be engaged
in the political process. It’s important to listen, pray and
participate.
All Free Methodists are not on the same side of the
political spectrum, but Jesus was neither a Democrat nor a
Republican. Regardless of our politi-
cal affiliations, we’re called as “God’s
people [to] live together in unity”
(Psalm 133:1).
How are you participating in
politics? Join the conversation at
facebook.com/fmcusa and
fmcusa.org. [LLM]
Managing Editor Jeff FinleyLead Designer Erin EckbergWriter/Photographer Michael MettsCopy Editor Dawn McIlvain StahlArt Director Andrea Anibal Project Manager Julie InnesWeb Architect Peter ShackelfordPublisher Jason Archer
Spanish TranslationEzequiel Alvarez Joel Guzman Janeth Bustamante Carmen HoseaJoe Castillo Karen KabandamaJennifer Flores Samuel LopezGuillermo Flores Rodrigo Lozano, Coordinator
LLM: Light & Life Magazine (ISSN 0024-3299) was established in 1868 by the Free Methodist Church. Pub-lished monthly by Light & Life Communications. © 2011 Free Methodist Church - USA, 770 N. High School Road, Indianapolis, IN 46214. Views expressed in articles do not necessarily represent the official position of the Free Methodist Church. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations, no portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version unless otherwise indicated.
Whole No. 5239, Vol. 145, No. 5Printed in U.S.A.Member: Evangelical Press Association,Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, IN, and additional mailing offices.
Postmaster, send address changes to:Light & Life Magazine, 770 N. High School Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46214
1 [openers]
LLML I G H T & L I F E M A G A Z I N E
“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” — John 1:4
D e v e l o p i n g E a r n e s t C h r i s t i a n s S i n c e 1 8 6 8
Website: www.llcomm.orgEmail us: www.llcomm.org/staffNews and submissions: [email protected]: [email protected]
Address all correspondence to:Light & Life Magazine, 770 N. High School Rd.,Indianapolis, IN 46214 (317) 244-3660
Free to Be Politically Active
To receive Light & Life in Spanish please contact our office: (800) 342-5531 or [email protected].
Jason ArcherExecutive Director of Free Methodist Communications
i
EXTRA! EXTRA!
Read more about faith and politics at llcomm.org
1] Do you use QR codes?
Scan this box with your smartphone to
read more articles on this issue’s theme.
2] More Discipleship
David Swanson continues the Discipleship
series on praying for government.
3] Justice Delayed
Sherri Langton considers Jesus’ parable of
a widow’s courtroom drama.
Have Your Say
Vote for future magazine topics at fmcusa.org/llmsurvey.
B Y M A T T H E W H A N S E N
In this election year, how can we
“seek first [God’s] kingdom and his
righteousness” (Matthew 6:33)
without neglecting to “seek the
peace and prosperity of the city”
(Jeremiah 29:7)?
How do we engage government
without lusting after power that may
cause us to promote our own will or
territory at the expense of others?
How do we pursue positions of lead-
ership without putting our uuu
desire for self-advancement, self-
promotion and self-protection before
the leading of the Holy Spirit?
Church-State HistoryIn pondering these questions, let’s
consider the church’s complicated
relationship with government:
l 33–312 A.D. The church experiences
marginalization and persecution
as an alternative society within the
greater Roman Empire.
l 312 A.D. The church gains partner-
ship and power with the govern-
ment when Roman Emperor
Constantine becomes a Christian.
l 1095–1272 The church becomes
more of a military empire than
the church of the Gospels. Instead
of being persecuted, the church
persecutes during the Crusades.
l 1534 The Church of England is ruled
by the king of England.
l 1776 The United States of America
declares itself an independent na-
tion of 13 states recognizing the
Creator but having no
government-sponsored church.
l 1828 Andrew Jackson becomes the
first “common man” elected to the
presidency. The era of Jacksonian
democracy leads to the United
States becoming the most power-
ful nation as its leaders weave
Christian morals and freedom
together with power and greed.
Some church and government
leaders begin returning favors for
the sake of self-promotion and self-
protection.
History tells us our European
predecessors’ mix of government and
Christianity didn’t go well for the host
countries or the church. Although
the United States does not have a
marriage of church and state that
produces an official church, the U.S.
church-state relationship could be
compared to a civil union.
Biblical IssuesIn today’s political environment,
Christians face issues that may seem
like hot topics. As Christians, it is our
responsibility to be like the Bereans,
who did not take Paul at face value
but did their research to see if what
he said was true (Acts 17:11). How
much more diligent should we be in
using Scripture to question what we
know from the media? It’s important
to compare your thoughts on an issue
3 [feature]
My heart’s desire is that the church would be a set-apart society that lives
out love, mercy, grace, justice and truth in the midst of the “empire” and
for the sake of it.
to the views of
Scripture, church history and even
the perspective of people who think
differently than you.
As we examine these issues, we
may discover our value systems are
in alignment with the kingdom of God,
but consideration of some issues may
reveal we have competing allegiances
(Matthew 6:24).
Does our voting record show we
believe every unborn child is a human
being made in the image of God
(Psalm 139:14–16; Jeremiah 1:5)?
Does it indicate we are empathetic
to those who are poor or seek refuge
(Matthew 7:12)? Although many
of us are avid pro-lifers for those
between conception and birth, do we
stay pro-life for those trying to escape
cycles of poverty, exploitation, violence
and unethical governments? Do we
see immigrants as “illegal” before we
see them as people (Genesis 12:1,
Exodus 22:21 and 23:9)?
Do we vote for candidates pro-
moting stewardship of resources
or individualistic interests (Leviticus
19:9–10; Deuteronomy 15:4–5 and
24:19–22; Proverbs 14:31, 22:7
and 28:15;
Isaiah 58:7–9;
Amos 5:11;
Acts 2:44–45 and 4:34–35)?
Do we vote for candidates who favor
responsible finances or debt (Psalm
37:21, Romans 13:7–8)?
How does Scripture line up with
our views of war and violence
(Isaiah 2:4, Matthew 5:39–44 and
26:52, Romans 12:19–21)?
Kingdom values may leave us at
odds with all political parties. If a
Christian’s goal is allegiance to a par-
ticular political party, he or she may
have the impossible task of attempt-
ing to serve two different masters.
Although I cannot tell you for
whom to vote, I can tell you not to
reduce your involvement in these
issues to a political vote alone.
Rest, Pray, LiveAs we move closer to Nov. 6, we
can rest in God.
I wish I could say, “If you simply
vote for such-and-such candidate, all
will be well with the world.” There are
two problems with that: history and
sinful nature.
No matter for whom you vote,
make sure you have done your home-
work. Even if your preferred candi-
date is elected, he or she may break
promises or make decisions that do
not line up with kingdom values. The
good news is man cannot thwart the
plans of God. At the end of the day,
God’s will moves forward. You can
rest in the reality that all of history is
in God’s hands (Daniel 2:21,
Psalm 75:7, Job 42:2).
Pray for our leaders. One of the
elements separating Christians from
the rest of the world is the way we
react to those in authority over us.
Although we absolutely should dis-
obey our authorities if they require us
to disobey the Scriptures, we should
still do our best to respect them
(Hebrews 13:17, I Timothy 2:1–2,
1 Peter 2:13–14).
It’s easy to cast a vote and walk
away. It’s much more difficult to
deeply live out our votes in our daily
lives. If we vote against abortion, for
example, we may need to
adopt a child or walk
with a young mother
through her preg-
nancy and use our
resources to take
care of her.
[feature] 4
Loving Our NationI love this great nation. Because
I love it, I will be honest about its his-
tory, prejudice and violence as well
as its successes, advancements and
opportunities. While trying to expose
our nation’s problems, we should not
be silent about the good that runs
through its history.
I love the kingdom of God even
more than I love this country, and my
allegiance is to it above all. My heart’s
desire is that the church would be a
set-apart society that lives out love,
mercy, grace, justice and truth in the
midst of the “empire” and for the sake
of it.
Because we love this country so
much, we owe it to the United States
to live out the values of the kingdom
of God distinctly. As you go to the
polls this November, I pray grace and
peace on you and on this nation. [LLM]
5 [feature]
www.fmfoundation.org
i Matthew Hansen is co-founder of Restore Communities (restorecommunities.org), teaching pastor at Austin New Church (austinnewchurch.com) and director of justice for the River Conference (theriverconference.org).
Here’s a no-brainer: Religion and politics don’t mix. I’ve heard that my
whole life from all sorts of people.
I must have lost my mind, because I reject that maxim. I firmly assert
they do mix, at least for the mind made new by the Spirit of Jesus.
First, because Jesus is Lord, who He is, what He does and how He does it
relates to every sphere of reality. Jesus’ universal lordship has to do with everything
concerning how people govern or are governed.
Second, the lordship of Jesus and His kingdom are central to the gospel. The
best news ever is that Jesus rules — in the United States, Iran and everywhere else.
Those who understand who is really in charge have special responsibilities both to
the One in charge and to all the others who don’t yet know. This is the subversive ele-
ment in Paul’s naming Jesus’ followers “Christ’s ambassadors”
(2 Corinthians 5:20). They represent their nation just as all ambassadors do, but
their nation and King claim the whole world.
Third, the story of God consistently positions God’s people in places of influence
and power. Think about Joseph, Esther and Christ-followers through the ages (some
of them martyrs). Their witness proved so telling because it engaged the powers
who controlled public life.
Fourth, the commands to love and the Great Commission require political witness and
action. Love that does not address injustice is not love, and injustice cannot be
addressed in a political vacuum. The good news — that the Lord saves us from the worst
evil for the best good — challenges profoundly the social systems and power arrange-
ments that govern our lives. Those systems often oppose what the gospel would accom-
plish. Therefore, gospel telling and living will necessarily result in political action.
Fifth, we have specific commands that also lead to political action. If we are light,
we will shine in dark places — not by accident but on purpose. Dispelling darkness
doesn’t happen without political consequence.
We are commanded to submit to governing authorities and to engage in other
ways with the social and political arenas. Even isolation and intentional nonpartici-
pation are forms of political action, which, on occasion, Christ-followers have used
powerfully. [LLM]
Why I Lost My Mind
[bishops] 6
i Bishop David Kendall
To read more from Bishop Kendall, visit fmcusa.org/ davidkendall.
Love that does not address injustice is not love, and injustice cannot be addressed in a political vacuum.
Navigating the Christian’s role in politics can lead us into turbulent waters.
If we lose sight of our first priority, we will careen into frustration and
irrelevance. However, the church holds an unrivaled opportunity to chart
a course to durable change in a desperate world.
Christians find themselves at odds with the world (John 17:14–16). Aghast at the
obvious ills of our current culture, we can be tempted to rectify the shortcomings of
society solely through political means.
God uses governments and expects us to respect them (Mark 12:13–17;
Romans 13:1–7). If legislation alone were the solution, however, the Mosaic law
would be sufficient for us. God’s change agent in the world is and will continue to be
the church, which is charged with a singular focus (Matthew 16:18; 28:18–20). The
deep transformation Christ offers (2 Corinthians 5:17), multiplied in the hearts of
many, will precede and accompany any sweeping cultural change.
Belief paves the way for action, which in turn shapes our world. This is why Paul
advises, “Watch your life and doctrine closely” (1 Timothy 4:16).
Our willful submission to God’s Word initiates a process of transforma-
tion of our minds (Romans 12:1–2). Scrutinizing every thought (2 Corin-
thians 10:5), we become useful and productive for God’s purposes in our
homes, cities and nation.
As God’s change agents, ambassadors to a broken world, we must
never forget:
l People are not the enemy (Ephesians 6:12).
l We are to be known by our love (John 13:34–35).
l We must “make the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:5–6).
Transformed people making godly decisions impact the world daily. Sin-
ful people, made alive in Jesus Christ, have a history of turning the world
upside down (Acts 2:36–40; 4:12–13; 5:12–16). [LLM]
SCRIPTURE:
John 17:14–16
Mark 12:13–17
Romans 13:1–7
Matthew 16:18
Matthew 28:18–20
2 Corinthians 5:17
1 Timothy 4:16
Romans 12:1–2
2 Corinthians 10:5
Ephesians 6:12
John 13:34–35
Colossians 4:5–6
Acts 2:36–40
Acts 4:12–13
Acts 5:12–16
Politics Alone Not the Answer
7 [foundation]
B Y J O E W I C K M A N
B.T. Roberts, one of the founders of the Free Meth-
odist Church, was sometimes political as he
tried to seek first God’s kingdom.
Roberts modeled a politics of civic virtue in which Christians are respon-
sible citizens whose main civic concern is what benefits the whole society.
He was especially concerned with how laws and policies affect the poor.
Roberts warned Christians not to get “swallowed up in the partisan”
and unwittingly “exaggerate facts that favor [their] position, and suppress
those that militate against it” — thus suffering “a serious loss of candor
and simplicity.”
Though a busy man — college administrator, editor, publisher, denomi-
national general superintendent and part-time farmer — Roberts kept up-to-date on
current events. We see this in his book “First Lessons on Money” and the New York
Farmers’ Alliance group he founded to protect farmers’ rights. The National Farmers’
Alliance — a movement that shaped U.S. political developments in the late 1880s —
was modeled on Roberts’ advocacy group.
Colleague Joseph Terrill noted that Roberts “was not a party man. He was not
a Republican,” though many assumed he was. “He was a Democrat as to the tariff
question, but not on some other questions.” Sometimes he split his ticket between
Democrats, Republicans and Prohibitionists.
Roberts’ founding of the Farmers’ Alliance reveals that he took strategic initiative
when necessary. It shows that he believed that relatively modest efforts can have
long-range impact at a strategic time. Roberts saw direct political involvement as a
proper expression of Christian discipleship. He had no problem cooperating with non-
Christians or political organizations to achieve political ends.
Roberts’ overriding concern was justice. His work for farmers’ rights in the 1870s
was consistent with his support for the abolition of slavery earlier and for women’s
rights.
Roberts was always concerned with those who were poor and oppressed —
socially, politically, economically and spiritually. [LLM]
B.T. Roberts: Political, Not Partisan
[history] 8
B Y H O W A R D A . S N Y D E R
Roberts saw direct political involvement as a proper expression of Christian discipleship.
To read B.T. Roberts’ “First Lessons on Money,” visit fmcusa.org/ btroberts-writings
B Y M I C H A E L J . M E T T S
W hile growing up in
Indianapolis,
Michael Scott
never expected to run for office.
Although his alcoholic father
was not a positive spiritual influ-
ence, Scott experienced Christ
early in life when neighbors
invited him to vacation Bible
school.
Scott married his wife,
Daywyn, at 17. He immediately
began working full-time and
started developing unhealthy life
habits. In 1986, Scott experi-
enced a transformation. uuu
inspiresroberts
candidate
“I was following in the same pat-
tern as my father, where I would get
off work and get a 12-pack [of beer],
and when it was done, I would go to
bed,” Scott said. “That was pretty
much a nightly habit.”
One night, after his third or fourth
beer, he sat in his living room bottle-
feeding his infant son.
“The image came to me that this
was what I was going to pass on to
my son,” Scott said. “I went in and
told my wife that we needed to make
some changes.”
Scott and his family began attend-
ing West Morris Street FMC. Today,
his faith provides inspiration for his
Indiana House candidacy.
When he read “Populist Saints:
B. T. and Ellen Roberts and the First
Free Methodists” by Howard A. Snyder,
Scott was impressed by
B.T. Roberts’ willingness to stand for
the oppressed of his time. He appreci-
ated how Roberts fought for issues
like the freedom of slaves and fair
wages for farmers.
Getting InvolvedScott, an electrician, decided to
take action and seek the Republican
nomination for state representative
of Indiana’s 91st District.
“I believe that people can sit back
and not do anything and complain
all they want, but if they really want
someone who is going to be working
for them, then they need to be the
ones getting involved,” he said.
Scott sees parallels between the
challenges of B.T. Roberts’ time and
our own.
“When I look at studies today,
they say that the American worker
is the most productive they have
ever been in history,” he said. Yet the
people Scott talks to “are not making
expenses.”
Servant LeadershipScott believes many lawmakers don’t
listen to the people they represent.
“I think the world we live in has the
wrong view of government,” he said.
“We need people in office who are
willing to get to know the people they
are serving, and then they need to be
real servants of those people.”
Scott hopes his lack of political
experience will be an asset.
“I feel like I’m not a gifted speaker,”
he said. “But maybe that’s what we
need to get rid of and get more of the
people that feel like this is the position
they’re being led in instead of being
somesomething they can make a liv-
ing at.”
As the May 8 primary
approaches, Scott focuses
on having conversations with
district residents.
“As Christians, we need to
get to know our neighbors,”
Scott said. “If I don’t know my
neighbor, then how can I know
what their need is?” [LLM]
[action] 10Ph
oto
by M
icha
el J.
Met
ts
If [people] really want someone who is going to be working for them, then they need to be the ones getting involved.
roberts
To watch Michael Scott discuss his path to political involvement, visit llcomm.org/?p=8521
11 [news]
The Free Methodist Urban
Fellowship (FMUF) offers
scholarships for summer
internships that connect Free Meth-
odist churches serving U.S. cities with
students who desire to serve and
develop as urban leaders.
The internships are made possible
by institutional and church mem-
berships in the FMUF. Three young
people helped their Free Methodist
churches minister with the assis-
tance of funding from the fellowship
last year.
Crossroads FMC of Clifton, N.J.,
hired Danny DeLaCruz as its summer
intern. He was tasked with starting a
youth ministry. He established Friday
meetings called The CITYouth, which
average 20 teenagers. Several of the
teens have started attending church
services regularly for the first time.
“Thank you a great deal for your
investment in Danny and in the
ministry of Crossroads FMC,” Pastor
Willie Kirchhofer said to the FMUF.
“Your investment and prayers have
returned great dividends.”
Kelsey Lehman served the Lansing
(Mich.) Central
FMC and Eve’s
Angels, a minis-
try to women in
the sex industry.
Lehman also
worked alongside
the church to
assist Nepali refu-
gees and helped
revamp the
church’s benevo-
lence program.
“Many may
assess a church
by what they
believe it will do
for them, but many times, the better
assessment to make is how many
opportunities a church offers them
to serve those within and around it,”
Lehman said.
Winton Community FMC in Cincin-
nati, Ohio, used its funding to support
Jordan Payne, who worked with the
church’s summer children’s program.
The day camp provided alternative
activities including tutoring and sports.
Payne, like DeLaCruz, continues to
serve this church on a weekly basis,
assisting with a children’s group,
helping with Sunday evening program-
ming and serving the children during
morning worship.
FMUF members hope to spon-
sor additional interns this summer.
Churches and institutions can join
the fellowship for an annual member-
ship fee of $100, which supports the
intern stipends. For information, visit
bit.ly/fmurban. [LLM]
Teen Interns Contribute to Urban MinistriesB Y K A T H Y C A L L A H A N - H O W E L L
Jordan Payne served as a volunteer at Winton Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.
[news] 12
BOYER TO LEAD FM YOUTH MINISTRYChelsea, Mich.
Bishop Matthew Thomas recently announced the appointment of Jason Boyer
as the new FM:InFuse core leader. Boyer, a member of the FM:InFuse leadership
team and the youth pastor of Chelsea (Mich.) FMC, replaces Mike Wilson as the
leader of the denominational effort to equip youth pastors and volunteer leaders.
Wilson is focusing on graduate education.
TIM TEBOW’S MOM TO SPEAK FOR DEACONESSOklahoma City
Pam Tebow, the mother of superstar NFL quarterback Tim Tebow,
will bring her pro-life message to the Angels of Destiny luncheon
Sept. 20 at the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. Proceeds will
benefit Deaconess Pregnancy & Adoption Services. To reserve your
ticket or to sponsor the luncheon, visit deaconessadoption.org/aod.
BOA MEMBER AGEL RECEIVES FBI AWARDWashington, D.C.
FBI Director Robert Mueller honored Susan Agel, a member of the Free Methodist
Church – USA Board of Administration, during a March ceremony at FBI Headquar-
ters in Washington, D.C. Agel was selected for the Director’s Community Leader-
ship Award by her area FBI field office because of her work as president of Positive
Tomorrows in Oklahoma City.
ELLIS HONORED FOR SERVICESt. Petersburg, Fla.
Free Methodist leaders honored Ray Ellis (right), the director of the
Church Consulting Network, for Ellis’ more than 50 years of service to
the denomination. The recognition came on March 7 as Ellis led a two-day
training event at Cornerstone Community FMC in St. Petersburg, Fla., on
“Best Practices to Turn Around Plateaued or Declining Churches.”
The Rest of the Story
Want to find in-depth stories of remarkable Free Methodists? Visit fmcusa.org.
We want to hear from you!
Tell us what your church is doing to impact lives in the United States and around the world. Submit your story at fmcusa.org/ yourstory.
i
13 [world]
B Y J E F F F I N L E Y
Bishop Jun-ichi Hatano is new to the role of
bishop of the Free Methodist Church – Japan,
but he’s already a well-known leader among the
nation’s more than 2,300 Free Methodists.
Hatano, 58, has served in various leadership posts,
including vice bishop and superintendent. His service has
included the presidency of Kishinosato FMC’s nursery
school, which serves 225 children from 180 homes.
His father, Motoi Hatano, served as bishop from 1984
to 1992.
The Japanese General Conference elected Hatano
in February to fill the bishop position previously held by
Bishop Emeritus Hiromichi Oshima, whose term expired.
In an email interview with LLM, Hatano noted Free
Methodism is not new to Japan.
“In 1896, one Japanese youth from Greenville College
(Masazi Kakihara) came back and planted the seeds of the
gospel. Those seeds grew,” Hatano wrote.
Although the number of Japanese Free Methodists is
small compared to the nation’s population of 128 million,
denomination members are influential among the
nation’s evangelical Christians. The new bishop would like
the church to extend its influence among people who do
not yet know Christ.
“Especially pray for church growth and raising the
people who devote themselves for the church ministries,”
he wrote.
Hatano hopes young Free Methodists will expand the
church’s reach.
“As the Christians in Japan occupy less than 1 percent
of its population, please pray especially for youth ministry,”
wrote Hatano, who hopes God will “raise those youths who
dedicate themselves to Christ.”
Hatano is focusing on the rest of the world too.
“FMC – Japan continues to think how we could contrib-
ute to the world FM ministries,” he wrote.
Japan is still recovering from the aftermath of the
March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Hatano said the
damage caused “by the crash of the nuclear power plant
is still vast and severe to many people in that area.”
The majority of Free Methodists do not reside where
the most severe damage occurred, Hatano said, but the
church continues to send work teams to the disaster area
and to assist seven affected families. [LLM]
Meet Japan’s New Bishop
Bishop Jun-ichi Hatano
I have heard it said that if you choose not to vote, then you give up your
right to complain about government.
The same could be said for Christians who choose not to pray for
our government. We have an audience with an all-powerful God. Yet, many of
us spend more hours discussing, petitioning and complaining about govern-
ment than we do praying for it.
In 1 Timothy 2:1–4, Paul urges that “petitions, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for all people.” He continues to specify that we should
pray “for kings and all those
in authority.” Why should we
do this? Paul answers: “that
we may live peaceful and
quiet lives in all godliness and
holiness.” He continues to
encourage prayer for leaders
by saying, “This is good, and
pleases God our Savior.”
In Romans 13:1, Paul notes
“there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities
that exist have been established by God.”
Paul wrote that scripture to people in Rome, where he was imprisoned
and, according to tradition, killed during the persecution of Christians by
Emperor Nero. Paul gives us an example of how we are to respect and pray
for those in authority even when we do not agree with them.
When you become distraught or grieved over a political leader, policy or issue,
take time to pray. We serve a God who listens and promises to answer us
(John 16:23). [LLM]
David Swanson is the president of If My People 2012 (ifmypeople2012.org), a nonpartisan call to prayer for the United States.
GROUP DISCUSSION:
[1] Why should we pray for
our government?
[2] For which areas should
we pray?
[3] How can we incorpo-
rate more prayer into our
lives?
Pray for Our Government
[discipleship] 14
B Y D A V I D S W A N S O N
Did you know there are three more discipleship articles on our website? They’re perfect for use in your small group or as a weekly supplement to individual study.
Paul gives us an example of how we are to respect and pray for those in authority even when we do not agree
with them.
“THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE”White House aide Timothy Goeglein
resigns in disgrace and finds restora-
tion: bit.ly/goeglein. 1
2
4
3
“LEFT, RIGHT & CHRIST”Two evangelicals share their views
from opposite sides of the political
divide: bit.ly/leftrightchrist.
1
2
Christian authors provide multiple perspectives about how to live out faith in the political arena. Here are several.
“HIJACKED” Asbury Theological Seminary’s
Charles Gutenson and others warn
against partisanship: bit.ly/gutenson.
ELECTION MADNESS In Christianity Today, Amy E. Black tells
how to be political without losing your
soul: bit.ly/ctelection.
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[resources]
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