ABOUT FAITH & FREEDOM

Thursday, November 07, 2024

Christian Leader's Responses to Trump's Election

Print Friendly Version of this pagePrint Get a PDF version of this webpagePDF


In a historic political comeback on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump was reelected for a second, nonconsecutive term to serve as the 47th president of the United States, and he has promised to “help our country heal” after a bruising campaign during which he escaped two assassination attempts, imprisonment, and impeachment.

The far-left secular progressives are fighting among themselves, blaming each other for the massive political failure.

The biblical Christians are generally rejoicing. But the religious Left is not feeling it. They're pretty much silent except for a few. 

Here's what some Christian leaders said about the landside election.

Be informed, not misled.

Trump said, “This is a movement like nobody's ever seen before and, frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There's never been anything like this in this country, and maybe [...] now it's going to reach a new level of importance because we're going to help our country heal."

“We're going to help our country heal. We have a country that needs help, and it needs help very badly. We're going to fix our borders, we're going to fix everything about our country, and we've made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that.”

Most world leaders are congratulating him. Most Republicans are, as well. So are most Christians.

Here's what Christian leaders had to say yesterday:

1. SBC President Clint Pressley and pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in North Carolina

“Thanks be to God for a decisive result in the presidential contest and for pro-life victories in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Congratulations to President-elect @realDonaldTrump and Vice President-elect @JDVance,” Pressley wrote on X. “I and millions of my fellow Southern Baptists will be praying for you. ‘The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice.’ — Psalm 97:1.”

2. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Boyce College, and editor of World Opinions.

In his op-ed for the World on Wednesday, Mohler praised president-elect Donald Trump’s victory speech as “gracious and positive.”

“Trump called for Americans to ‘put the divisions of the past behind us,’ and he presented a warm and inviting vision of America’s future. He spoke of God saving his life when a shooter tried to assassinate him — and came so very close to doing so. In the course of his campaign, Trump has often spoken in far darker terms and with far less graciousness. The American people have given him the rarest of gifts: a second presidency. Only President Grover Cleveland can claim the same. So much now rests on Trump’s shoulders,” he wrote.

“We need Donald Trump to live up to the spirit of his words presented this morning. He has an opportunity to change history. He was elected with great hopes and expectations and giant challenges. He has often proved to be his own worst enemy. We need Donald Trump to be as strong as he sees himself to be and to be a statesman equal to these demanding times.

“As Christians, our task is now to pray for President-elect Trump and for our nation. We know that much before we know anything else. The American electoral system worked and produced a clear winner.”

3. Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon and former Secretary of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“America first. America always. Congratulations to my good friend and the next President of the United States, @realdonaldtrump!!” Carson wrote on X Wednesday morning. “As I said earlier today, God is not done with our country. Let’s get to work.”

4. Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse

“Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on being elected the 47th president of the United States of America! I pray that you will look to God every day for His guidance and wisdom,” he wrote on X.

5. Mark Driscoll, senior pastor of Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona

“God showed his mercy on our great nation tonight,” Driscoll wrote on X. “To the millions of American evangelicals who abstained from voting in record low turnout: God’s will was done in spite of you.”

6. Pastor Dwight Mckissic, founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas

McKissic, who was among a number of Evangelicals to vote against Trump and even wrote an op-ed for MSNBC about it, blamed Evangelicals for sexism.

“If the loss of Harris had to be boiled down to one factor here, William Wolfe has said it out loud….the vast majority of evangelical America, and America at large…did not want a woman president,” he wrote on X. “Took America a long time to accept and support a black president…and even longer to support a female president. God yet reigns, and that’s where I find my peace and joy.”

7. Paula White-Cain, former senior pastor of City of Destiny Church and spiritual adviser to Trump

In congratulating Trump on his victory, White-Cain highlighted their longstanding relationship and his mission to “make America great again.”

“CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT TRUMP! @realdonaldtrump. I am so grateful to be a part of this journey for 24 years!” she wrote on Instagram. “I am honored to stand with you, with the American people, and with God’s children to Make America GREAT Again!”

8. Bishop Talbert Swan, president of the Greater Springfield NAACP in Massachusetts

Swan, who has staunchly opposed president-elect Donald Trump for years, did not change his position on Wednesday morning.

“The election of Donald Trump threatens the hard-won rights of marginalized communities. Under his leadership, we risk seeing setbacks for black Americans, immigrants, women, and the disabled as he empowers policies rooted in bigotry and exclusion,” he wrote on X.

“Trump’s presidency will embolden white supremacy, putting Black communities in danger. Hate crimes spiked during his first term, and history shows us these attacks are only likely to increase as he pushes division,” he continued.

9. Josh Howerton, senior pastor of the multisite Lakepointe Church in Texas

In an extended post on X, Howerton highlighted four things he believes Christians should be doing in the wake of Trump’s reelection.

1) Give thanks. Our nation was given an undeserved mercy last night, and it is a window for repentance (more on that later). No Christian anywhere should’ve supported the policy platform that was (mercifully) defeated last night and saying that should never have been controversial. In fact, it should prompt *deep* reflection about what happened to the US church in the last ~20 years that made it controversial for a pastor to say that. It is not wrong to celebrate and give thanks today for being spared from something our rebellious nation deserved. If you have kids, they need to see you celebrate because it trains their hearts! “When wicked things perish, there are shouts of joy” — Prov 11:10

2)  Pray. Not only because we are commanded to pray for our governing leaders (1 Tim 2:1), but because of the situation. We elected Jehu (a flawed leader who defeated a greater evil) not Josiah (a righteous leader who led national revival), and that comes with risks. The command to “trust not in princes” (Psalm 146:3) means there is Someone 10 trillion times greater than a President and something 10 billion times greater than an election that we should ache and hunger for — an outpouring of the Spirit in our generation.

3) Be the adult in the room. Politicians last four years; friends and family last lifetimes. Do not lose a lifelong relationship over a short-term leader. Obviously, without compromising your convictions, be a unifier (Eph 4:3) and peacemaker (Matt 5:9) today.

4) Hurl yourself into the purposes of God in our generation. Absent a spiritual awakening in our country, it will not matter in the long run if there are politicians who will propose godly laws, because there won’t be enough godly people to vote for them. More importantly, Judeo-Christian values can keep a nation out of chaos, but they cannot keep a person out of hell. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that. The main thing is still the main thing: making disciples of all nations.

Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Faithful. Be Blessed. Be Prayerful.