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Speaking at Prestonwood Baptist Church last Sunday, Secretary Pompeo stressed America's responsibility to model Christianity and to "be a light unto the world amid pressure from critics who say faith must be kept out of the public square."
Pastor Jack Graham introduced Pompeo as "first and foremost a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and a believer in our Savior."
The "gates of hell" are not happy with the Sec. of State. Or anyone else who takes a public stand for faith in Christ.
Be informed. Be inspired.
Secretary of State Pompeo lets his light shine.
Pompeo said from the pulpit, "The world is watching how America leads and they should know America's foundation as a Judeo-Christian nation."
Pompeo said:
"Faith in the public square is not only lawful but righteous. This faith is not only powerful, but required by the American tradition", he said, quoting one of our Founding Fathers, George Washington: "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable support."
He continued, noting that our Founding Fathers "put protection of human dignity and human freedom at the heart of our founding documents...To this day America reflects this."
He used Communist China as an example of what a "godless nation" looks like.
Pompeo stressed the fact that Christians must pray---"That's the first of all things."
He said, "If you hide your light in an open society like ours, that sends a terrible message to places that are more difficult."
But he warned, "There will always be critics" if you share your faith---He noted the New York Times that recently said disparagingly, "No Secretary of State in recent decades has been as open and fervent as Mike Pompeo about discussing Christianity and foreign policy in the same breath."
A few weeks ago, US Ambassador to the United Nations under Obama, Susan Rice criticized Pompeo for being an "overtly religious secretary of state" after he gave his Republican Party Convention speech live from Jerusalem, saying "that was problematic because he's supposed to represent all of America and its religions."
Pompeo's response: "I think that is the way diplomacy is best conducted when people are honest about who they are, what drives them...I swore an oath to the US Constitution...but the person I am is important for people to understand.
He says he "keeps a Bible on his office table and digs into God's Word each and every day."
Citing Galatians 6:9:
"Let us not become weary in well doing, for in due season we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" he encourages Christians to keep their light shining---"Don't ever give up shining the light. Don't ever walk away from an opportunity to put faith in the public square. Do walk with the Lord and keep at it. Stay true. Keep believing. All of us together, we'll make this nation a light unto the world."
The "gates of hell" are at work in our culture.
It was Jesus who said: "And the gates of hell shall not prevail against my church."
Every pastor needs to hear the optimistic, upbeat word of the Secretary.
A recent poll by Barna finds that a little more than half of all Protestant pastors expect their worship attendance to decline after the COVID 19 pandemic is over.
Despite the sense that attendance will decline, 92% of the respondents said that they were either "very confident" or "confident" that their church will "survive" the current crises.
However, many pastors believe their congregants' personal faith is declining during the pandemic.
Although about 9 in 10 pastors expect their church to survive the virus, Barna President David Kinnaman does not share that optimism.
He is saying that as many as one in five churches could permanently close within the next 18 months as a result of the pandemic and lockdowns.
Kinnaman says, "Simply reopening a church does not fix the underlying challenges of lost income, etc."
The takeaway
I think Sec. of State Pompeo is on to something. What if the church began to see itself as something beyond merely meeting for a service---as important and biblical as that is---and began seeing themselves as a true light in the darkness---with a passion to share the Gospel, knowing it will transform someone's life---forever.
Perhaps this is a time to remember that Jesus didn't call His church to be the hippest or slickest, but to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. And baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
Could it be that the Great Commission of Christ is intended to be as beneficial to those carrying it out, as it is to those who are accepting the message of the Gospel?
I believe it is. I also believe that Sec. of State Pompeo thinks so as well.
What do you think?
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Bold. Be Prayerful. Be Blessed.