Kingdom Column: Our Number One Job Is Cultural Transformation by Pastor Steve Ary

In the last edition of the VIP we asked the question, “Should Pastors Be In Politics?” After much examination of the scriptures there is literally nothing in the Bible that tells us to stay out of politics. There are however numerous scriptures that tell us that we should be involved in politics, that we are actually required to be involved in politics, and that we are, in fact, handing this world over to satan if we are NOT involved in politics.

Indeed, the only reference that tells us to remain out of politics comes straight from the U.S. government. There was a 501c3 bill that was drafted by Lyndon Johnson, signed by the Dwight Eisenhower administration, and passed in 1954 in an attempt to silence the highly influential pastors in this nation from speaking about their presidential favorite from the pulpit (which incidentally is a violation of pastors’ rights to free speech). Since the churches and pastors were so highly effective in helping the poor, discipling the hungry, building up the neighborhoods, and keeping the peace, a non-taxable status was offered to the churches and pastors in exchange for the pastors’ silence.

Now, if the pastors are covered under a 501c3 clause which prevents them from speaking about a presidential candidate from the pulpit, it does not prevent them from speaking about their choice outside of the pulpit. It does not prevent them from speaking about any other candidate in any other political race, whether inside or outside the pulpit. But as we look back we can see that the masses have been deceived into believing that all Christians are supposed to remain out of politics in general, or that no pastor is legally allowed to speak openly about the elections… and this leads us to the next segment.

This bill was nothing less than an attack on our effectivity and influence in this world. If we as Christians are not effective in this world around us through the influence Holy Spirit has given us, we are as a fruitless tree in a garden. Meanwhile, the enemy (satan) permits himself to bear as much fruit of darkness through mainstream media, sin-filled arts and entertainment, tainted textbooks in our schools and falsified “scientific” studies, along with the immoral destruction of the family, corruption in business and the political arena, and the rapid spreading of demonic religions enlisting the worship of false gods. Effectively, the enemy has convinced us with one deceptive bill, that we are to keep our mouths shut.

When Jesus used a parable in Luke 19 to speak of Himself, He said that His servants should “occupy until he comes” (verse 13). The term, “Occupy” in the Greek comes from a root word which sounds like “poy-eh’-o” which is a military term that means; “to band together, to secure, to stand your ground unwaveringly in a particular area, to purge that which is not in agreement with the assignment, to expand your territory, to flourish, to be fruitful and multiply until the entire culture around you is influenced by the Spirit of God living in you and through you.” In essence, the successful fulfillment of this work of “occupation” can easily be seen in Jesus’ example prayer in Matthew 6 wherein He asks the Father that His Kingdom comes, that His will is done, on earth as it is in Heaven (verse 10).

Likewise, in John 9:5 Jesus tells us that “As long as He is in the world, He is the light of the world.” And again, because Jesus left the earth bodily to go to the Father to prepare a place for us, He states in Matthew 5:14 that WE “are the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.”

How then, can it be that His will could be done, that the people of this world would come out of darkness, or that our light could be seen if His people are silent?

I submit to you that God has placed us here, to occupy this land, for a purpose… and that purpose is simple. We are here for Cultural Transformation. If we are not actively and daily transforming the culture around us, including within the political arena, it is not even possible for us to be within the will of God.

Furthermore, if we have not been given the authority to properly influence the culture, or if we have not humbly accepted that authority, we cannot efficiently nor effectively cause lasting or stable Cultural Transformation, because influence is only temporary, but true, God-given authority unto Cultural Transformation is eternal.