Fake Christian Leaders
To preserve what is left of this country we need leaders who walk the talk
“If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15).
Mike Johnson is not leading the House of Representatives in a Christian manner.1 He claims that he has a Christian worldview — but that claim is questionable after his recent actions to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Thursday. This bill included support for transgenderism in the military, authorized billions for overseas wars, and failed to end the use of FISA for domestic spying. These are not the actions of a Christian who believes that our nation should abide by God’s Word and be a force for good in the world. Maybe he is truly redeemed and born again. I would not accuse him of being a heretic or speculate on his eternal destiny. But his leadership is not godly. If he did have a Biblical worldview, it would actively affect his leadership.
Misappropriation of leadership has led to bigger problems within the church and our political system than simple incompetence. With the authority of leadership comes the responsibility to lead well. Our goal must be to find men and women who do not aspire to positions of power but will use power decisively and broadly to serve our God and testify to His greatness.
In the Constantine Doctrine, I called for increased Christian leadership in our nation because God used committed believers to drive Western Civilization. But men have always been sinners and many have besmirched the name of Jesus when they failed to uphold biblical standards in their lives. Society benefits from Christian leaders who are not hypocrites and do what they say they believe. We all must really believe that what we believe is real — and act like it. Our churches have failed to promote men who can lead this nation. Over the last 20 years, most of our congregations have focused on social justice, comfort, or emotionalism rather than producing kingdom-minded, godly, righteous, assertive, and confident men who lead well and seek God’s greater reward. A Christian worldview must permeate our words and deeds.
When I use the phrase “Christian leadership” the word leadership is not capitalized for a reason. This is not a new theory of leadership called Christian Leadership. Instead, the word Christian modifies the term leadership. According to Rost, "Leadership is an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes that reflect their mutual purposes" (p. 102).2 For the Christian, this mutual influence relationship includes love (John 13:34), devotion, honor (Romans 12:10), building up (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11), like-mindedness (Romans 15:5), admonishing (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16), care (1 Corinthians 12:25), service (Galatians 5:13), bearing burdens (Galatians 6:2), forgiveness (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13), truthfulness (Ephesians 4:15, 25), mutual submission (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5), consideration (Philippians 2:4), teaching (Colossians 3:16), encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:11), exhorting (Hebrews 3:13), and provoking good works (Hebrews 10:24). I am calling for Christian leaders to lead in a Christian way — and if they do not lead as a Christian then they are effectively apostate regardless of the status of their soul. One may be saved, and justified, but not sanctified or transformed. Even Christians may persist in their sin as our Lord Jesus Christ claims more ground in our hearts.
More to the point the goal of Christian leadership is to glorify Jesus Christ, serving God, upholding the truths of scripture, and advancing the Kingdom of Heaven. One of the most heinous and attractive sins is the desire to be accepted and celebrated. This is a conceit that gives birth to all kinds of greed and strife. Rather than thinking about our need to be valued, we should think about our need to add value. Leaders must have a cause greater than themselves. “Real changes” for “mutual purposes” intended by Christians are directed by God toward expanding the Kingdom of God in our hearts and our land. It is revival or bust.
Chip Roy (R-TX) tried to stop Johnson from pushing through the NDAA but did not succeed in stopping this madness. He has taken the motto of Buckley’s National Review “standing athwart history and yelling stop!” to heart. I believe that he is wholeheartedly Christian, but he is not yet a highly effective leader based on his inability to rally the troops. Honestly, this says more about the GOP and their backstabbing tendencies than Roy. You can not herd cats who just want to play games. The House Freedom Caucus also opposed Johnson and accused him of taking after the former Speakers of the House Boehner and Ryan in his approach to slamming wasteful and destructive bills through Congress. But the rest of the GOP, the Senate, and the majority of the House Representatives went along with Johnson’s acquiescence to the liberal deep state obligation to maintain spending levels and slap debauchery on these bills.
When he became Speaker of the House Johnson emphasized that his election was the result of divine intervention. He said that “God appoints those in authority.” In 2016, while running as an incumbent member, he said, "Some people are called to pastoral ministry and others to music ministry… I was called to legal ministry and I've been out on the front lines of the 'culture war' defending religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and biblical values, including the defense of traditional marriage, and other ideals like these when they've been under assault." That may have been the case, but when you are elevated from the ranks to become a team captain you better be up to the task. Johnson has proven that he lacks the intestinal fortitude to lead, just like McCarthy, Boehner, and Ryan.
We get the leaders we deserve. Our nation has wandered into a ditch. Fake leaders like Johnson will only keep us there. We need a better class of leader, someone who walks the talk and practices what he preaches. We had the opportunity for a Jim Jordan (R-OH) speakership but somehow Jim and the GOP could not come to terms. Jordan is an overtly Christian lawmaker. But, he did not use the power and influence he does have, with connections with both MAGA and Fox News, to pull out the victory. Sooner rather than later, pray that the church produces men who can take the mantle of leadership and storm the gates of hell.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson on December 12, 2023, in Washington, D.C. brokering the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).ANNA MONEYMAKER/GETTY IMAGES
Rost, J. (1993). Leadership for the 21st century. Santa Barbara. Chicago