On the eve of what many call the most crucial election in history, conservative pastors are speaking out for freedom of speech, freedom of religion and religious liberty and speaking against harmful rhetoric that is poisoning the minds of children and destroying families.
Pathway Church pastor Travis Johnson of Mobile is one of those. He has traveled the nation with former President Donald Trump. For years, he has shared the Word of God with Trump and prayed over him. Just last week, Johnson was in Atlanta at a national faith summit with the president.
Johnson has become popular online thanks to his to-the-point teachings on right and wrong according to scripture. He told 1819 News this election would determine the future of America and the future of Christians.
"Life is on the ballot," Johnson said. "We're talking unashamed, unabashed, full-term abortion, even partial birth abortion for any reason. It's all on the line."
"A secure Israel, a strong America, the nuclear family, it matters," he continued. "When you think about, well, at least in my world, Christians, evangelicals, make up the largest voting bloc of any voting bloc. And we reach across some other sectors, you know, racial lines, etc."
"And there are so many people that never register," Johnson added. "Did you know that if a pastor asks his people to vote, 17% of his people will vote just because he asked? And 14% will vote if they have a voter guide. We have Twitter and social media; there are so many sound bites, but policy matters."
Johnson has decided to take up the matter from the pulpit because of policy and politics. He said getting through to your congregation can be challenging when fighting government censoring. After being censored himself, Johnson said pressures from national political figures can cause people to stop spreading the gospel. But he said being quiet is not an option.
"The biggest issue is so many people self-censor," he explained. "They just don't say anything. And the whole world is talking and so many Christians are not talking. We need to speak up and one of the greatest ways we do that is by voting."
When God gave men dominion over the earth to rule and reign, Johnson said He was commanding men to lead in all aspects of life. Further, he said as leaders, we all need prayer.
"In 2 Timothy, Paul gives instruction to the church to pray for our leaders," Johnson said. "In America, we're a constitutional republic, and the leaders would be us. 'We the people,' are a government for the people, of the people and by the people."
"And so, it's important that we pray for the people that we elect, but those people actually are accountable to us," he continued. "We hire them. And so, to think that you can choose not to be obedient to the first command that God gives and not to pray for your leaders and then somehow excuse yourself from voting … it's our duty as Christians to show up tomorrow and to vote."
As for pastors, Johnson said it is their biblical duty to address controversial issues for their congregation.
"I've found that there are people all over that are hungry for leadership and people that will speak, especially pastors," Johnson outlined. "Think about this: There are families that are wrestling with major issues in their own family and their pastor goes to the pulpit every Sunday and speaks nothing about it, even though it's in the Bible."
"And even though everyone's wrestling with these issues, so you don't hear these issues from the pulpit," he added. "So, what I found is that when I preach about it, then people are saved. People that are hungry, they come to be a part of the church."
"I think if your pastor is not preaching the gospel, you should get out of that church and go find one that is," Johnson continued.
Johnson reminded voters they are not electing a pastor but a president. However, he believes the Lord is using Trump for His good.
"I think the Lord has used him, and I think the Lord can use him again," he said. "But I pray for his relationship with the Lord. That being said, we are not electing a pastor. We're electing a president, a commander-in-chief. That president represents a platform and policies."
"If you want to pay for illegal aliens, violent criminals who are in prison for raping and killing to receive gender reassignment surgery with your tax money, then don't vote for President Trump because that's not a part of his platform or his policy," Johnson continued. "But if you want a strong America, if you want to secure Israel. We're on the brink of a major war all over the world. If you don't want to see partial-birth abortion, if you don't want your daughters to compete against men for college scholarships and athletics, then you would vote for President Trump."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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