The God of the Bible is sovereign over not just Heaven but the entire earth – its human beings, societies, and governments. In light of this, individual believers and churches can and must seek to be effective “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13-16) influencers on human institutions in the public square. The Holy Scriptures provide plenty of clear instructions on developing healthy congregations and the primary ministries of worship, Body life, evangelism, discipleship, and social concern, including a mandate for what the late Charles Colson called the “Cultural Commission.”

Outside church walls, however, advocating for timeless Judeo-Christian values among the broader American populace is frequently more complicated, daunting, and frustrating. Such involvement can be strewn with hidden landmines of conflict, opposition, and disillusionment. The result: timidity and limited impact long-term.

Proportionally, few believers and church leaders enter and remain strategically engaged in the battle to re-claim that which was historically beneficial in earlier years of our culture and U.S. constitutional republic. Despite today’s obvious secularization, moral deterioration, and the disunity of our American society and nation originally established “under God” and guided by biblically-based principles, many Christians have remained disconnected and directed their attention elsewhere.

How is it that, given the still significant percentage of Christians (evangelicals, members of mainstream Protestant denominations, Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches) here in the U.S., our collective influence on key institutions like traditional marriage and family, education, journalism, entertainment media, business, and local/state/federal government is largely negligible? Fellow believers who stand unified during a weekend worship service praising our Triune God, unfortunately, often are divided over fundamental social/political issues on Monday…and on Tuesday, cast opposing votes for candidates and political platforms that are nearly 180 degrees apart. If we as Christ-followers are studying and applying the same Old and New Testaments week after week, how is it we end up embracing a variety of – often divergent – worldviews and policy positions? No wonder our impact on culture and societal institutions is inconsistent, fragmented, and muted, and the Kingdom’s advance is less potent!

What’s missing?

The author’s conviction is that many Christians (knowingly or unknowingly) have inserted other values, philosophies, and personal opinions ABOVE the Word of God, too often ignoring or reinterpreting His clear commands and eternal truth. In short, men and women of faith must recommit themselves to living obediently and with Kingdom impact under the Lordship of Jesus Christ in the spheres of cultural and political engagement. What this looks like practically and how it can apply to the worldviews, voices, and actions of believers in 21st-century America is the focus of this book.