The Gospel in California and Nevada

CAPITOL COMMISSION ANNUAL GATHERING

Our Capitol Commission annual gathering was in Sacramento, California and Carson City, Nevada. Each year we meet in state capitals so we can learn what God is doing in states around the country, fellowship together with the other state chaplains, and be equipped for more effective service as we endeavor to bring gospel hope and spiritual strength to government leaders through the ministry of prayer, presence, and proclamation.

“For the Lord has not called me to set governments right –
BUT to preach the gospel, to proclaim the glory of His name, and to endeavor to win souls” -John Newton

“If God calls you to be a minister, don’t stoop to becoming a king.” – Charles Spurgeon

There were lots of great learnings from our time together:

We heard from a long-term Legislator who had served as the Speaker of the House. He spoke about the personal value of our Capitol Commission ministry during his tenure and to this day. He said, “The Legislative Statehouse is a very lonely place. It appears that everyone is your best friend, but you have very few friends.” As chaplains, we endeavor to be one of the few people who do not want anything from leaders except for God’s best for them. The Legislator reminded me that “You will never know the impact you will have with Legislators and their staff this side of heaven. Your job is to plant the seeds, and God will do the rest … Please keep planting those seeds.”

California has a rich heritage from the Spanish Missionaries of the past. Cities were named San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles out of that movement. Yet today there is truly little remembrance of those times and much darkness. The statue of the Spanish missionary holding the Bible was torn down at the Capitol and the Legislators Bible Study is not allowed to meet in the Capitol building. Yet a remnant remains, and I saw with my own eyes how the state Chaplain is making an incredible impact on individual Senators and Representatives. We heard from an immensely powerful lobbyist who meets regularly with the Governor. The Chaplain had led the lobbyist to faith in Jesus and he is now enrolled at a great Seminary getting equipped for more effective service in the gospel. The Lobbyist used to be very worldly but now sees through a new set of lenses.
I was moved once again by Glenn Murray who has reached out to many of the top leaders in the country and world for decades. On his first day at the Capitol a Senator said to Glenn, “I’m going to take Christ to the Capitol.” Glenn told him that “he did not think that was a good approach because Christ is already there. Your job is to find out what He is doing and join Him there. Think about being like Christ in the Capitol.”

Abraham Vereide challenged Glenn,

“If you preach to up-and-outers as much as you preach to down-and-outers,
this city would not be in such darkness.”