Pray for our Global Community and Leadership

The occasion was the inauguration of William Jefferson Clinton, and the driving force behind the idea was James Dunn, then the Director of the Baptist Joint Committee. Dunn, who became a model of ministry for me with his work at the Texas Christian Life Commission, has always been on the cutting edge of political issues that deal with religious freedom. His work at the Baptist Joint Committee was instrumental in keeping Baptists abreast of political issues that needed attention and involvement.

On the eve of the inauguration of President Clinton, Dunn put together a special worship service at the First Baptist Church of Washington. When the event’s invitation arrived, I responded immediately, enthused about the prospect of attending an inauguration and even more enthused about being a part of a worship experience that James had coordinated.

The worship service was magnificent. Bill Moyers presided as various people gave personal testimonies to the unusual congregation collected that evening. Interspersed among the testimonies were musical pieces by Ken Medema and others. It was quite moving. Thirty minutes or so into the worship experience the Clintons and Gores arrived with their entourage. Their entrance was quite noticeable, and they settled in to the section reserved just for them. I fully anticipated their staying for just a few minutes, enough time for a photo op and a tip of the hat to their spiritual traditions. I was mistaken. They stayed for the remainder of the service, another hour and a half, fully participating.

The evening had many interesting remarks, but the most poignant for me came from former President Jimmy Carter. Carter stood at the pulpit, turned toward the Clintons and Gores and said, “A lot of people in this city will invest enormous amounts of time, energy and money in order to tell you what to do. I wouldn’t listen to most of them if I were you.” Carter then paused, looked over the entire sanctuary, then said, “But I would tell you that I would listen to the people in this room. They will tell you the truth. They will remind you of who and Whose you are.” Then, flashing that famous Carter grin, he concluded, “And we all need those reminders from time to time.”

                                

Our political leaders do need to be reminded on occasion of who and Whose they are. They also need to be prayed for on a regular basis. It’s not easy trying to be a statesman in a world where your political future can be sabotaged by the whim of the next election. To be great often requires leaps of faith. Let’s encourage our leaders with our phone calls, letters, and most of all, our prayers.