Church, it’s time to roll up our sleeves

By Ché Ahn, Op-ed contributor Tuesday, June 07, 2022

As Christians reflect on the 2020 election and look toward the 2022 midterms, we must take note of the great divide that has been revealed in the Church. 

To many Americans, the 2020 presidential election was extremely polarizing. No matter your political affiliation, one can see the erosion of conservative values as a result of the 2020 election. I believe this reveals that reformation is needed in America now more than ever before. Perhaps more than anything, the lost election has created more resolve in conservative Evangelical believers to “roll up our sleeves” and get to work in reforming our states and our nation. 

A critical factor in this equation is that bad eschatology (for example, the doctrine that things are going to get worse and worse until Jesus raptures us out of here) has largely caused the Church to be passive members of society. In addition to eschatology, there has been Platonic thinking or Greek-inspired dualism in the Church that has led so many to believe that only pastors are called to ministry and the only responsibility for everyday believers is to sit in the pews on Sunday. 

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In reality, there is no such division. God sees us all as ministers (1 Peter 2:9). He expects you and me to transform society (Matthew 28:18-20). 

Indeed, we are called to be the Ekklesia — the Church. Jesus used this Greek term to name the Church (Matthew 16:18) because the Ekklesia in ancient Greece, specifically in Athens, were the citizens called out to legislate and decide what was good for their city or nation. The Ekklesia formed a legislative assembly that had the authority to pass laws and determine policies to protect their rights as citizens. 

In a similar way, God wants us as believers to legislate, not only through prayer but also our God-given privilege in United States of America to vote biblically. Jesus is calling us, His Ekklesia, to be salt and light in our nation (Matthew 5:13-16). Part of the way we can answer that call is by being active in the mountains of society — but especially the government mountain. 

We see how the adage of elections having consequences is true by the record number of evil and unbiblical executive orders that our current president has enacted, as well as his attempt to pass H.R.5 (“The Equality Act”) and H.R.1, which would give the progressive Left power in perpetuity. 

In this urgent hour in America, we cannot back down and remain silent. The Ekklesia is called to shine the light of Christ into society, for such a time as this. We are also called to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). As we help to fulfill the Great Commission, we are to bring Heaven’s culture or Kingdom culture to the nations. This does not mean setting up a theocracy, but rather influencing society and bringing cultural transformation. The transformation of culture is part and parcel of the Church’s call to be an apostolic people. 

No one gets to say, “I’m not a leader. That's not one of the gifts God gave me.” If you are born again, you are a leader. The moment you accepted Christ, He placed His leadership in you — the Holy Spirit. We need to steward the gift of the Spirit that’s within us, listen to His discerning voice, and allow Him to guide us into all truth.  

As children of God, we must mobilize, vote biblically, and use our voice in every election — from city council to governor to president, and everything in between. 

I want to encourage apostolic networks, ministries and churches of all denominations to pull together and unite our efforts to reach out and bring in the harvest. God says that we have increased levels of exponential strength every time we work together. We know that at the end of the day, God wins — but until then, we must fight!