Election 2024: ‘Don’t Turn the Mission Field Into Your Enemy’
In a recent reaction video, Vlad Savchuk, the pastor and head of HungryGen ministries, addresses the viral message delivered by Pastor Jonny Ardavanis, Lead Teaching Pastor of Stonebridge Bible Church in Franklin, Tennessee. Savchuk also dives into the pressing questions surrounding the upcoming U.S. elections and the role of faith in the political landscape.
“A lot of people in the world are talking about it,” Savchuk says, emphasizing that churches are divided on whether to engage with political issues. He notes the common questions being raised: “Should we refrain from voting if we don’t like either candidates? Can we vote the lesser of two evils?”
In a portion of his sermon that took off on social media, Ardavanis made a bold declaration regarding the Democratic Party, stating, “The Democratic Party is a demonic death cult under the power and influence of Satan.” He explains his reasoning, emphasizing that “to vote for the Democrats is to vote for a platform that is building their platform upon everything God hates.” He further accuses the party of promoting “the mutilation of bodies, the annihilation of babies in the womb and the sexualization of your children,” asserting that these beliefs are their “calling card.”
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Savchuk emphasizes the importance of voting responsibly, echoing Ardavanis’ call to “vote for the option that best stems the tide of evil.” He explains that while “there are no perfect candidates,” it is crucial for Christians to prioritize policies that promote life and family values. “A failure to vote is a failure to express our gratitude to the men and women that have died for our country,” Ardavanis states in the video, reinforcing the need to actively participate in the democratic process.
However, Savchuk also highlights a vital point made by Ardavanis: “Who is in the White House is far less important than who is on the throne in heaven.” He stresses that political power does not dictate the advancement of the gospel. “The advancement of the gospel isn’t reliant a single ounce upon who is President,” Ardavanis declares. He then reflects on how Christianity often thrives in countries where believers face persecution rather than freedom, stating, “Where Christianity spreads the fastest and the farthest are in the nations that are persecuted the most. Not where there is the most religious freedom.”
In addressing the church’s mission, Savchuk cites Ardavanis’ warning about focusing on political issues to the detriment of evangelism. “We should speak out against the evil of our day,” says Ardavanis, “but you should never turn the mission field into your enemy.
“That’s a word right there,” Savchuk reacts. “We should speak about the evil but never turn the mission field into our enemy because we are called to reach the world, disciple nations. We’re called to teach them the things that Jesus taught us and and it’s possible to go on this crusade and this campaign for issues that are very important and forget why we exist as a church, not only to speak for righteousness but to save the lost.”
Ardavanis and Savchuk agree with many other believers in this: do not let your political views overshadow your Christian identity.
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James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
