Over the years, I’ve been privileged to work with many wonderful pastors and teachers from various denominations, including David Jeremiah, Chuck Swindoll, Billy Graham, and Jack Hayford.
Pastor Jack and Anna Hayford were dear friends, and Kristine and I spent a great deal of time in their home. The Hayfords pastored The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California. Although Pastor Jack was part of the Foursquare denomination, he enjoyed wide acceptance across denominational and theological lines because of his thoughtful and measured preaching.
Recently, I was listening to a message Pastor Jack preached in December 1977. It was a random selection, and before I knew it, he was talking about the importance of praying for those in governmental authority over us.
In the sermon, Pastor Jack led the congregation in praying by name for the President of the United States, members of the Cabinet, the Governor of California, the Mayor of Los Angeles, the City Council, and others in local, state, and national leadership.
One statement from Pastor Jack, spoken all those years ago, struck me: “The state of affairs in most of this world is not so much as it is because of evil men, as it is because of a prayerless church.”
A prayerless church. What a statement. If that was true in 1977, it certainly could be said that it is true today.
President James Garfield said, “If that body [Congress] be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption.”
President John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
Dallas Willard said: “People in positions of power, governmental and otherwise, should be under the constant scrutiny of Christian leaders.”
These statements point to a sobering reality: The condition of our nation is influenced not only by the people who govern it, but also by the people who pray for it.
Now more than ever, it is time for the people of God—Christian leaders and churches—to pray for their cities, states, and nation and to make a godly impact on our culture.
Steve