Are We 'Non-Prophet'?
By Stephen Strang
Christians must support candidates who stand for righteousness.
In 1954 Congress passed a law that expanded the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), which specifies the tax statutes for the United States. The law contained an amendment that prohibits nonprofit organizations from attempting to influence elections to public office—or risk losing their tax-exempt status.
Prior to that time, churches and other nonprofits had the freedom to be involved politically. But because then-U.S. Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas had been opposed by a nonprofit group in a political election in his state, he sponsored the amendment, which effectively muzzled the church.
Thankfully some Christians are speaking up. Groups such as the American Center for Law and Justice and the Liberty Counsel are headed by leaders who refuse to let our right to freedom of religion be taken away.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The purpose of this amendment was to prevent the development of a state religion.
But it was also intended to keep the government from interfering in the free exercise of religion by U.S. citizens. This aspect of the amendment is often selectively ignored. And when someone speaks up about it, he or she is frequently lambasted by the press, as Katherine Harris was in Florida in August.
It's no secret that Harris is a strong believer. She is bold in taking up the issues Christians believe are important. But when she told a Baptist newspaper recently that unless we put godly people in office we will be legislating immorality, the secular press crucified her in front-page stories quoting people who blasted her for even suggesting that Christian values should influence public policy.
The silence from the church in this church-state debate is deafening. I believe it is because the church's nonprofit status has made it "non-prophet" as well.
At some point churches may have to decide which they prefer: speaking up about what is right or enjoying the tax benefits that section 501(c)(3) of the IRC provides. In the meantime, those in the pews must take the lead.
We laypeople have the freedom to speak up and to be involved politically. Yet for most of my life, Christians have sat on the sidelines when it comes to politics. Often the candidates weren't the kind of people we'd want to support, and we didn't think our votes counted anyway.
But today more and more godly men and women are seeking election to public office. Ken Canfield, who founded the National Center for Fathering and who has been heavily involved in Promise Keepers, ran for the Republican nomination for governor in Kansas. Bishop Keith Butler, the pastor of Michigan's largest church, ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
I was involved in their campaigns, raising money and talking to pastors in those states. And I saw firsthand what I've observed from a distance for years: most Christians are passive when it comes to politics. Had Bible-believing Christians gone to the polls in force, perhaps both candidates would have won.
But we don't vote as a bloc as do other groups who feel their interests are at stake in an election. And I'm sure Christians give less percentage-wise than other groups to political campaigns.
This picture must change. Christians must get involved. We must support candidates who stand for righteousness.
And churches must know what they are able to do legally. It's more than most pastors assume. To help, I've set up a Web site with information and links to other useful sites.
I'm also developing a newsletter to communicate with others who feel as I do, and this blog for you to give your opinion. I'm calling it Move Up because I believe it's time for people to "move up," speak up and show up at the polls.
Ultimately we must form our own political action committees and put up and elect our own candidates. But first we must connect with one another and begin to organize. Why not go to the Web site today and get involved? The stakes are high, and it's not too late to turn the political and cultural tide in our country.
Stephen Strang is the founder and publisher of Charisma.posted by Strang Webmaster | 6:47 PM
13 Comments:
Great article and a great website.
As a Christian who was also a former elected member of my counties local school board I was often told both privately and at public meetings to leave my "Christian views" at home and not to bring them into the board room.
Thanks for sounding the trumpet to mobilize us.
Thanks for posting. In Central Florida, we're having a seminars on what Pastors Can and Cannot do politically. Mat Staver from the Liberty Counsel will be the speaker. It's on Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. at Strang Communications in Lake Mary, Florida. If you know someone who should get an invitation, email webmaster@strang.com and give us their information.
Reaping What We Have Sowed
This weekend, a New York Times article is headlined “Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terrorism Threat”. The article contains the comments of individuals involved in the preparation of the report or those who have read it. The Times notes, “The Intelligence estimate, completed in April, is the first formal appraisal of global terrorism by United States intelligence agencies since the Iraq war began, and represents a consensus view of the 16 disparate spy services inside government.”
As a Christian, and a graduate of Oral Roberts University, I have been steeped in “Seed Faith” and am very cognizant of the Biblical admonition that we reap what we sow. As a life-long conservative and Republican, I walked two miles for Goldwater yard signs when I was 10 in 1964. In 1972, I voted for Richard Nixon in my first election since registering in May of that year as an 18 year-old. I have never voted for a Democrat, ever. I have been a paid staffer in campaigns at the city, county and Congressional levels.
In short, I have become convinced that the world’s systems, including its political systems, are evil and corrupt unless occasionally leavened by a positive or righteous influence. This assessment has come largely through experience and personal study. It has been strengthened by attendance at numerous Prophecy Club meetings over the last seven years.
One of the things I have learned about the dark forces dominating the world system, its disciples believe that World War III will be between Jews and Arabs. This has been predicted by Masonic elements since the 19th century. However, the interest is not that truth and justice prevail. Rather, the desire is to see people controlled by religious beliefs destroy themselves in ruinous conflicts.
I admire Stephen Strang the editor and publisher of Charisma magazine. I believe he wants to see Christians have a leavening impact on the American political system. Indeed, evangelicals were recognized as having had the single largest impact of any group of voters in the 2004 election. Many in the media were stunned to learn that about 27% of voters in 2004 were most influenced by moral and religious convictions.
But, as an accounting major and auditor for 22 years, I have become increasingly agitated by the incongruence of trends in our society despite the fact that “my side” has controlled much of government for 32 of my 52 years. Even six of the nine justices on the “rascally” Supreme Court were appointed by Republican presidents. In short, since we have essentially controlled all of three branches of the federal government since 2001, deficits, illegal immigration, lawlessness in general, a decline in US prestige around the world, and the mounting carnage in the Middle East have proliferated, to use nuclear terminology. And, it takes no imagination at all to see things getting a whole lot worse if the US expands the war in the Middle East to Iran and possibly Syria.
Where have things gotten off track? I don’t want to over-simplify, but the goals many of us thought we were voting for have been sacrificed in support of the People for a New American Century (PNAC) agenda established by neo-cons in the late 1990s. Active in this regard were men with names such as Cheney, Rumsfeld, Perle and Wolfowitz. Throw in Karl Rove, who decided before 2000 that war-time presidents are most likely to get reelected, and the push for “preemptive war”, American dollar hegemony, and spreading the “gospel of democracy” regardless of the cost or consequences has added to the difficulties noted above.
No less than former Treasury secretary Bill O’neil noted that the push for war with Iraq surfaced in the first 10 days of the “W” administration in January 2001. Then came 09/11, and the rest as they say is history. If, as President Bush says, 09/11 was the watershed event for the new millennium and our generation, then it is appropriate to focus on 09/11 to see if it, and our country’s response to it, is where the train left the track so to speak.
Indeed those of us who said we were voting our values have the greatest responsibility to question those we have placed in power, if we believe that truth and justice have been sacrificed in the pursuit of naked power, economic greed or just plain misguided idealism. I think it is time for Christian leaders inside and outside of government, to get a clue. The 09/11 truth movement is generating tons of evidence that 09/11 was an outrage perpetrated against the American people with the complicit assistance of some of the very people we elected to uphold justice and righteousness.
To that I want to add this thought. The Bible identifies the source of strife as being greed and lust. It is noteworthy, that Iraq was invaded after Saddam Hussein announced he was going to sell Iraqi oil for Euros rather than the US dollar. Iran, just last week, announced its new oil “bourse” was ready to facilitate oil sales in Euros instead of dollars. Watch as the drum beats get louder for a preemptive strike against Iran as well.
Charisma’s October issue includes the cogent comments of James Robison. James says we have a choice, humble ourselves or be humiliated. Isn’t it ironic that the politicians we Christians are most identified with are consumed with preemptive war, and if the 09/11 truth movement is correct, the idea that the end justifies any means. And we wonder why the rest of the world is getting sick of us. More importantly, if God was in the process of judging America, would he not give us leaders that are fiscally profligate and engaged in ruinous military conflicts that make us the “pariah” of the world. And don’t think that those who have most vocally and visibly supported politicians leading us down this primrose path will not be discredited in the process.
Very true and well said. I plan to give a copy to at least the senior pastor, and our outreach pastor.
A helpful thing would be to tell pastors how they can be specifically be involved with the ACLJ in this current action.
Just a note, my wife and I support the ACLJ financally, but note that we have NEVER seen any church offer any support to them, even tho the things the ACLJ fight for directly involve the rights of the church!!!!!!!!!!!! It seems that how to spend the church money is cast in concrete, and not much subject to change or input !!!!
Jack Van Auken
Dear Stephen Strang and Staff of
Strang Communications:
I agree w/you that Christians should take more than an active
part in politics, since many of our
initial leaders were devout
Christians--and the United States
was founded as a Christian Nation.
I have been appointed as an
Associate Pastor of a small but
vibrant congregation in Tennessee.
I have signed up below. LET'S GO!
Please contact me 865.673.5935 for
address if necessary.
Thank you Steve for inviting Mat Staver to speak at the pastor's conference. We believe it will prove to be a very fruitful event.
Blessings,
Thinks for the Web Site and Blog. The statements by you and the comments are very interesting.
Thanks jack van auken for bringing that to my attention. As many times as I have read and used commentAs many times as I have read and used articles in my pulpit from the ACLJ I have never thought about sending support from my church. I will be talking to our members about this. Keep fighting the GOOD fight everyone only in heaven will we see the whole reward.
It's great to see so many comments. And they are interesting.
The Mat Staver seminar went well. More than 100 pastors attended. We videotaped it and the DVD will be available in a day or two by calling 407-333-0600. They cost $20 and is an hour long.
Mat basically said pastors and churches can do anything they feel is important to support basic Christian principles. They can talk about what candidates say they believe or how they vote and how that matches up with the Bible. They can tell people how, as an individual, they intend to vote. The only real limit is that the church cannot "officially endorce" a candidate.
Mat also said that since the law was passed in 1954 which muzzled churches and other non-profit organizations, only one church has been found guilty of violating the law and even then they did not lose their tax-exempt status as a church. Interesting that in 52 years no church has lost their non-profit status, yet everyone seems concerned by that possibility.
We intend to post part or all of that DVD on the web to get out the message as far and wide as possible.
Steve Strang
My family and I want to thank you for your willingingness to take the heat and stand for rightousness. Our church is very politically active and also prayer-
oriented. God bless you! Amy from Tucson, Az
These are powerful words of wisdom. If Christians could forget about denominationalism, big "I"'s and little "you"'s for a while, band together and form a national politcal group that represent Christian ethics we could win the war. We are in a war! Thanks for encouraging use of the polls DJerido
This has been weighing heavy on my heart for a while. On 9-18-06 I was reading my bible and all of a sudden it seemed as though a bridle or muzzle dropped down on over my head and then the lord spoke to me - this is satans restraining of the prophets, so the church has no power to affect the times and the enemies plans.In ISa. 30:10 the people demand to hear "Only pleasant things"
Not much has changed,-a hand shake, smile and tax break...thanks& praise the Lord!The trumpet for the REAL prophets to step forward is sounding. Don't expect warm fuzzies over this, in fact be prepared to be labeled a trouble maker or even ostrasized, or worse. We need to speak the truth in love but again the call is being sounded. Not that the pulpit should become a political soap box, none the less,we must begin to seriously address the the ever pressing issues of our times with clear and frank dialog while we still can.Pastor John Hagee is a real example in this as well as Hal Lindsey
& Zola levtt ministries, both of whom were dumped from TBN for being politically incorrect.
Jesus stood in the synagog and proceeded to anger everyone in the room, this is our example..he just didn't give a hoot where the chips fell. Thank you brother Strang for vindicating the call I've heard.The real prophets probably have no web site, or six figure income from tickling ears and babbling inineities. They're probably in the back of the church Wrestling with a broken heart over abortion, replacement theology, preiterism, & the present growing hatred for Jews & Israel and a burning in their hearts to share the word God has given them, only- time is short.Blessings Timothy Burt
Thank you for bringing to our attention the urgent need for Christian Believers to get their heads out of the clouds and realize that we are the "salt and light of the world." If we do not get involved in the political arena then we will get the leaders we deserve! I've been involved on a local level in politics and I concur that Christians are for the most part ignorant of what the candidates stand for. And, just because a candidate says they are a Christian or a Conservative does not mean in truth they are. I've discoverd in my home state that folks will call themselves "Republican" or "Conservative" or "Christian" just to get elected then push their own liberal Godless agenda once in office. It's important for Christians to get to meet and know the candidates. We still have a voice in this country and it's time we used it before it's taken away from us.
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