Trump Cabinet Members Attend Weekly Bible Study for 'Maturity in Christ'
Capitol Ministries, a Washington D.C. based ministry seeking to "make disciples of Jesus Christ in the political arena throughout the world" seeks to help members of President Donald Trump's Cabinet and other politicians in the nation's capital become more mature Christians through weekly Bible studies.
"Since our founding in 1996 our vision has not changed: to evangelize elected officials and lead them toward maturity in Christ. We stay away from politics and concentrate on the hearts of leaders," the ministry led by former college basketball star Ralph Drollinger notes on its website.
The Christian Post invited Drollinger to be interviewed for this report but he declined to comment at this time and pointed to the ministry's website for further information.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The ministry explains that Drollinger teaches his Bible study in the House of Representatives "every week of session right after the conclusion of 'first votes back.'" He also teaches the senators Bible study on Tuesday morning in a rotation of Senate offices.
"CM believes that nothing can substitute for this basic discipline in ministry. Transformation and discipleship stem from 'the renewing of the mind' (Romans 12:1-2)," the group says.
According to a Fusion report, on the morning of April 5, Energy Secretary Rick Perry attended an hour-long "Cabinet Member Bible Study" at the Department of Health and Human Services, but his schedule did not reflect which other cabinet members were a part of the study.
Drollinger has reportedly praised the new administration for its power to "change the course of America in ways that are biblical."
The report further noted that for an outside group to hold an event in a Congressional building, they must be sponsored by a senator or representative. Dozens of Members of Congress sponsored Drollinger's group, for the Bible study for congressmen the ministry's website shows.
Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence, HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, nominee for Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, HHS Secretary Tom Price, and Scott Pruitt, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, have all sponsored the new Capitol Ministries Cabinet Bible study, Fusion notes.
Many members of Trump's new cabinet were apparently Capitol Ministries Bible study students prior to their appointments and Drollinger's ministry celebrated the association on their website.
"President-elect Donald Trump's appointments of strong, godly men to key national leadership positions hammer home a biblical tenet that propels Capitol Ministries' mission: that prayer alone will not heal our land.
"President-elect Trump has named U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo as CIA director, has offered U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions the position of U.S. Attorney General, and picked Mike Pence as vice-president-elect. All three men are long-time sponsors of the Members Bible Studies that Ralph Drollinger, President of Capitol Ministries, teaches to U.S. Congressmen on the Hill in Washington, D.C.," the ministry noted.
Drollinger noted on his website that the New Testament formula for restoring a nation is much different that the Old Testament approach of just praying in humility.
"It follows then that the sudden rise of Pence, Sessions, and Pompeo — all men who are disciples of Jesus Christ — serve to vividly illustrate the truth of 1 Timothy 2:1-4!" he said.
"Suddenly these men who have been discipled by the Church are in prominent positions of authority to change the course of America in ways that are biblical. If they were not mature in Christ it is doubtful that that would happen," he explained.
Drollinger explained that godly leaders result in a godly nation but theological liberalism began reshaping America's culture about 120 years ago by infiltrating mainline churches and seminaries. He said the Gospel of Jesus Christ was replaced with the social gospel that watered down main Church tenets.
"We lost our discipleship engine among the political leaders and we've not gone back with any cogent doctrinal effort of national proportions to make disciples except for the last 20 years with Capitol Ministries," Drollinger said.
"We have not had our best men on the campuses of political leaders over the last 100 years as we did in the foundation of America, accordingly, we are reaping what we have no longer sown.
"Pence, Sessions, and Pompeo serve to illustrate that things are now turning around! It is a very exciting day!" he continued. "Evangelicals are betting the whole American future on praying humbly, but in the New Testament, praying humbly is better understood as evangelizing and discipling political leaders, starting with prayer. I don't think the Church gets that."
When asked by Fusion about the Cabinet Bible study specifically, Drollinger noted: "I would rather keep this a private Bible study with the Members. Thanks for asking."
