I have written

the following as an open letter to every Christian who holds public office:

Dear Christian

leader: Since there was nobody to say I couldn't, I am writing you to

let you know my feelings and personal expectations for you as Christian

office holder in our community.

First, please

let your faith show where it counts most: in your home with your family.

How many public servants have been caught with their pants down at home

where they should have been wearing their pants as spiritual leaders?

Would it have been too much for Baptist Bill Clinton to sit down with

his wife and daughter to read the Bible and have prayer? Would it have

been too much to ask for Christian Bill Clinton to live his witness as

a man of God before his own family? Is it too much for men and women who

hold office and who say they are Christians, to act and behave as Christians

at home? No!

Second, let

your witness (that's that thing that says you are a follower of Jesus

Christ) show in public appearances. It disturbs me deeply when, after

the people elect an individual who has made no secret about his or her

Christian faith, that same individual behaves as an Universalist in public

forums. They seem fearful of mentioning Jesus Christ much less declaring

that Jesus is Lord of their lives. The Constitution prohibits church and

state interferences. The Constitution does not, however, prohibit the

influence of God in the life of an office holder. I would love to hear

a politician say, "Well, I have taken this particular stand because

of my faith in Jesus Christ."

Too often Christian

politicians go soft on their faith, thinking that others will consider

them provincial if they voiced their faith-based convictions. What would

happen if our elected officials took a poll of the Bible before casting

a vote and then voted a certain way because of Biblical convictions? This

is one reason Senator Edward Kennedy blows my circuits: he says he is

a good Catholic. Baloney! No good Catholic stands in favor of abortion.

Senator Kennedy, on the other hand, would be very spiritual if he were

to repent of his previous stand and votes for abortion and embrace the

teachings of his church, the Bible, and the Judeo-Christian religion in

general. Abortion is sin!

Third, I would

ask that Christian office holders manifest their love for the bride of

our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The church, that is! Many years ago

I served as a local campaign coordinator for former Governor Carl Sanders

as he opposed Jimmy Carter. I made a decision that there would be neither

political meetings on neither Sunday nor Wednesday night. Why? Sunday

is obvious. But Wednesday nights have been traditionally the one week

night set-aside for the church to offer specialized programs like children's

choirs, youth activities, and prayer meetings. It was a simple matter

of making a simple decision: no political meetings involving Carl Sanders

campaign would be conducted Sundays or Wednesday nights.

Now, pray tell,

why can't our elected officials and even Christians appointed to decision-making

positions decide one night a week is off-limits? It's possible if they

will put their vote where their faith is!

For too long

we have elected men and women who come out of strong, evangelical congregations

only to see them become spiritual mush in the political spotlight. People

have been turned out of office because of lying, cheating, and stealing.

How many do you know who have been turned out of office because they stood

up for Jesus, based their votes on the Bible, and insisted that values

of church and home be on the table when making decisions for the public

good?

The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor

of River's Edge

Community Church in Fayetteville.

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