Stephen Strang: California Pastor Urges People to Vote

Read Time: 3 minutes 38 seconds

I’m always amazed when I see the numbers of how many born-again, Spirit-filled Christians don’t register to vote and those who do, don’t make it to the polls.

We are all aware of the direction of our country and while it can’t be turned around by politics alone, it does matter who we elect because of their policies. The Bible says in Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.”

I believe Pastor Greg Fairrington of Destiny Church in Rockland, California is one of the bravest pastors I’ve met. He had a successful church before COVID but when he stood up to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who seemed pleased to close churches during the pandemic, he was quickly under threat and opposition. Despite the push back they saw a miraculous move of God as people gathered together.

“We saw an amazing amount of people flock to Destiny because they wanted a voice, it wasn’t so much we stood against the governor, they wanted somebody who would speak from the pulpit what they were feeling inside and calling sin, sin and not calling evil good,” Fairrington says during my interview with him for my “Strang Report” podcast.

During the height of the pandemic I also interviewed him in my book “God and Cancel Culture.”

I am on a campaign to encourage Christians to vote. In close elections it’ll make a huge difference. Because I know Fairrington shares my view and encourages his own church members to vote, I wanted to talk in-depth with him about this crucial topic. You can listen to the podcast on any streaming platform.

Fairrington is so well known in his area as being a conservative thought leader for Christians, The Sacramento Bee did an unfavorable article saying he skirted the line between separation of church and state.

During our interview he said, “God gave us this country. We at Destiny actively register people right there at our church. I actually stand up and say if you aren’t registered to vote, why are you even here at our church?”

He believes there is a complacent modern church operating right now in America and they are satisfied with the status quo. It is important for pastors to take a stand today and encourage their congregants to hit the polls and vote for biblical values.

All you have to do is turn on the television and scroll on social media to see that chaos is spreading throughout the nation. Why are Christians remaining passive?

The Bible says there is nothing new under the sun. This isn’t the first time in history pastors thought they shouldn’t get involved in politics. Peter Muhlenberg was a pastor in 1764 during the Revolutionary War. With the country under threat, during a service he removed his clerical robes showing his militia uniform, gathered his congregants and started the Eighth Virginia Regiment. He told his congregation that “there is a time for all things, a time to preach and a time to pray; but there is also a time to fight, and that time has now come.”

His brother, Frederick, told him that pastor’s shouldn’t get involved in politics. Frederick quickly changed his mind when the British invaded New York and burned his church to the ground. He joined his brother in the political fight and voters elected him to congress as the first speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the same seat held by Speaker Nancy Pelosi today.

“I don’t see things as political, I seem them as biblical. I look at them through a biblical lens,” Fairrington says. Now politicians like Newsom are using the Bible to try to advance their political agendas. Just last month he used Mark 12:31, “Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these” on a billboard promoting abortion.

“It’s going to take churches and pastors who say ‘I’m done, I’m finished and I’m going to take a stand,'” Fairrington says.

Many churches today fear they could lose tax exempt status if they speak out politically. Since the Johnson Amendment was passed in 1954, that has only happened to one church. Even if your church did lose its tax status, it would only mean tithers couldn’t write off their donations on their income tax.

If the government took away your churches tax exempt status that would only allow believers to give with pure intent to the Lord. “Let’s forget all the other incentives, let’s give to God and allow God to open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing we can’t contains,” Fairrington says.

It is easy to vote and the next generation depends on you going out to the polls and voting on Election Day. If every evangelical voter in America took this seriously we could shift the direction the country is headed in and turn this around.

To watch my full interview with Pastor Greg Fairrington on YouTube click here and subscribe to stay up-to-date with our exclusive interviews.

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