Mr. B. Goes to Washington

In 1939, Academy award-winning director Frank Capra, produced and directed a film starring Jimmy Stewart entitled Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. In the film, Stewart’s character, Jefferson Smith, goes to Washington D.C. as a wide-eyed idealist completely naïve to the political process. In the end, Smith stands behind his convictions and elicits change in the capital’s business-as-usual attitude.

In mid-September, I too, went to Washington. It was my first time visiting our capital city, and like Smith, I was wide-eyed and naïve.

Over the years, I have had a growing interest in politics and the process by which our government operates. I had some knowledge – what one gets from civics classes and news sources– but my time in D.C. really allowed me to gain a better grasp on our federal government and how our Founders intended it to operate.

The purpose of my visit was to spend a week on Capitol Hill lobbying on behalf of the Buckeye Christian School Organization (BCSO) and the American Association of Christian Schools (AACS). We talked with several congressmen and congresswomen from Ohio as well as a few Senator's legislative aids. We addressed the threats we feel are coming to our rights as Christian institutions. We spoke our concerns about government over-reach in early education. We touched on a proposed amendment (First Amendment Defense Act) that would protect our freedom to stand behind the institution of traditional marriage. And we stressed the importance of pursuing the proper process of making laws, specifically prohibiting the executive branch from unilaterally enacting or implementing new policies in regards to the definitions of "gender" and "gender identity" (Civil Rights Uniformity Act of 2016).

"RESTORE THE WALLS, AND REPAIR THE FOUNDATIONS."

 All the meetings were very cordial, even the ones where the representatives and senators were of opposite opinions. All expressed a gratefulness to us for coming in person to express the opinions of all those we represent.

One common theme throughout the week that evidenced itself was this:

(1) Washington is not the problem. Yes, I did just say that. For what I saw on Capitol Hill was our representatives and senators fighting for what they feel is the consensus opinion of their constituencies. They are all fighting for what they believe is truth as stated by those they represent. So, Washington, is operating –for the most part– as it has been designed to operate by our founders.

(2) The problem is us. We, as Christians, know the truth, but we have failed to express it to our children. We talk a good talk, but our walk is not consistent with our talk. We KNOW the TRUTH. We know morals and standards (or at least we should). The Bible gives us these clearly. But we have failed to live them out personally and our children have followed our examples. This generational pattern has placed us in our current state of moral decline.

Don't buy into the argument that Washington is full of crooks. They are not all that way. As a matter of fact, we were presented with this fact: "The 114th Congress has the most believers on the Hill now than the last 20 [years]." There has been a revival of sorts in our capital. Weekly church services are being held in our Capitol Building where dozens of legislators meet, pray and sing. I actually had the awesome opportunity to partake in one of these services. I truly felt the Spirit of God come down as these men pleaded with God to save our country. We ended the service by lifting our voices in the famous rotunda to sing God Bless America. I still get goose bumps recalling that evening. God is moving in the hearts of our leaders.

This past week, I heard from many of those believing congressional leaders on the importance of re-establishing the home and the church. In the legislative briefing we attended, Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), Rep. Barry Loudermilk (Georgia), Rep. Tim Huelskamp (Kansas) and Rep. Vicki Hartzler (Missouri) all resounded the same theme: The Church and Christians are failing American freedoms. We are losing our religious liberties because we do not take a stand for them. We say we believe certain principles, but we are doing nothing to preserve them. All the while, a minority group that represents less than three percent of our population pushes their agenda using persistence and volume. We Christians, need to take the same approach. Maintain a pleasant disposition, but take a firm, vocal stand.

That stand begins at home and church by upholding Biblical truths. Our Christian legislators all agree that the paramount struggle in trying to do right on Capitol Hill stems from issues of the constituencies not knowing right from wrong. All referenced Isaiah 5:20, which says “Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil.” It is our job as parents and as educators and pastors not only to teach the truth, but to live it as well. We are the ones who shape and mold the generations to come– not our elected officials. Our representatives can only work with the cards we deal them. There are many God-fearing leaders in our capital, and they are begging us, the people, to teach our next generation the TRUTH of GOD's WORD.

That is how we preserve our great land. Teach the Truth. That Truth is evident in our founding documents as well as on all the monuments and inscriptions around the city. The church can only do so much. Christians have a duty to retell the stories of our heritage and teach the truth of Scripture. Keep your children accountable to the truth of God's Word by setting the example and following it yourself. Attending church once a week and calling yourself a righteous member of society doesn't cut it. Don't just say you're a Christian... BE ONE.

In Representative Hartzler’s congressional office, she has these words posted: “Restore the walls and repair the foundations…” It is her personal mission statement based on Ezra 4:12. It is her desire to get our nation to remember its Godly heritage, but she warned that this can only happen if God’s people take up that cross. America’s future is in our hands. So, what are you doing personally to ensure the Truth prospers once again in our great nation?

We, like Mr. Smith, can elicit change in Washington if we stand behind our conviction of teaching the Truth of God’s Word to the next generation. If we do that, Washington will be forced to abandon the status quo attitude of business-as-usual. This will be the first step in restoring our walls and repairing our foundation.