Every pastor and minister of the gospel should present an “Election Sermon” leading up to the November 5 election. The purpose is to bring the principles and values of heaven into the political realm. If we do not bring heaven’s values to the political arena, we leave it to the godless news media and the woke TikTokers to be the primary influencers of America’s elections and civil government.
An Election Sermon is not something new. America’s Founders
freely intermingled Christian teachings and values with their civic elections.
An early example of this was the establishment of the “Election Sermon” in New
England in 1633. This statute provided that each year, at the time of the annual
election of the governor and his assistants, a minister would be appointed to
preach an “Election Sermon.”
This was a major
event, attended by both religious and civic leaders. After the delivery of the
sermon, it was then printed and distributed throughout the colony. This
tradition spread and continued for over two-hundred years, even after the founding of the nation. In 1860, the noted
lawyer and historian, John Wingate Thornton, wrote,
The
annual “Election Sermon”—a perpetual memorial, continued down through the
generations from century to century—still bears witness that our fathers ever
began their civil year and its responsibilities with an appeal to Heaven, and
recognized Christian morality as the only basis of good laws (Hyatt, America's Revival Heritage (Second Edition), 20).
Christian
Influence Considered Necessary for the Success of the Nation
Yes, the Founders
wanted ministers of the gospel to bring their message to bear upon the nation.
This is why George Washington, after becoming commander-in-chief, appointed
Christian chaplains throughout his army. This is why chaplains were appointed
to Congress and continued the tradition, established by the Continental
Congresses, of beginning each day's proceedings with prayer. The early
chaplains also conducted Sunday services in the House Chamber every other week.
John Marshall, who
served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1801-1835, made the Supreme
Court facilities available to a local congregation for their Sunday gatherings.
So, on Sunday morning, the singing of Christian hymns and the preaching of
God’s Word could be heard ringing through the chambers of both the House of
Representatives and the Supreme Court. This was neither surprising nor
offensive to anyone, for it fit perfectly within the mindset of the founding
generation.
Washington and all
the Founders knew that the success of the Constitutional Republic they had
formed hinged on the moral character of its citizens and their ability to
govern themselves according to Christian values. This is why President John
Adams, in a 1798 address to the officers of the Massachusetts Militia,
declared,
We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious [Christian] people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 173).
No
Separation of Church and State in the Minds of the Founders
The idea of a
separation of church and state in which the church stays out of politics is a
modern, contorted interpretation of the First Amendment that has no basis in
the founding generation. The First Amendment was written to keep the state out
of the church, not the other way around. It forbids the government from playing
favorites with any sect or denomination. Nothing more or less!
Yes, in early America it was considered a duty of Christian ministers to bring Christian values to bear upon politics and civic elections. As Michael Novak said, “The founders did not believe the constitutional
government they were erecting could survive without Hebrew-Christian faith.”
The Johnson Amendment, passed
in 1954, that prohibits religious nonprofits and churches from “participating” or
“intervening” in elections is completely out of sync with America’s founding
generation. We must not be intimidated by it!
It’s
Time for a Courageous Stand
Jesus Christ is the Messiah-King promised by the Old Testament prophets, and we are told to proclaim His kingdom and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 24:14; 28:18-19). There is no realm of society that is exempt from his Lordship.
This does not mean that we are trying to impose a Christian political system on the nation. No, we are merely seeking to impart the values of Jesus Christ to every realm of American society, including the political realm. America’s founders all agreed that this is the key to a stable and happy nation. George Washington made this clear in his First Inaugural Address, saying,
The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the external rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained. (Hyatt, Pilgrims and Patriots, 2nd Edition, 174).
Some Practical Suggestions
If you, as a
pastor, are concerned about violating the Johnson Amendment and being harassed by the IRS, here are some suggestions and things to remember.
1) As a private citizen you have a constitutional right to state your views, even from the pulpit. To cover yourself, you can state up front that you are speaking as a private citizen and minister of Jesus Christ, not as the representative of any church or organization.
2) You don't have to promote a politician or party. Focus on the issues. Address the need for character
in politics. Emphasize the need for women and men of honesty, integrity, godliness and common
sense.
3) Address
the abortion issue and show from both Scripture and science how abortion destroys
and devalues human life.
4) Read passages such as Psalm 33:12, which says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” and encourage people to vote, not according to party or personality, but according to the principles and policies expressed by the candidates.
5) Quote
from the founding fathers their views concerning the need for Christian moral influence if America is to be a stable and happy nation.
Once you finish your Election Sermon, it will be clear in the minds of the people how they should vote, even though you have not endorsed any candidate or party. If every pastor in America preached an Election Sermon between now and November 5, the results, I believe, would be monumental.
I am convinced that the "Election Sermon" is an American tradition that should be revived. What do you think?
This article was derived from America's Revival Heritage (Second Edition) and 1726: The Year that Defined America by Eddie L. Hyatt. These and other books by Eddie Hyatt are available from Amazon and his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.
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