The Purpose Driven Inauguration (by Pastor Ben Hartwig)

Liberals are mad. Conservatives are mad. Pro-lifers are mad. Pro-homosexuals are mad. President-elect Barack Obama can’t seem to make anyone happy. In case you have been under a rock you should go and read an article concerning the pick for the invocation at the inauguration. Obama has asked Rick Warren to give the invocation. Google search it if you must.

While I was a bit shocked, I am not all that bothered. What?!?! Why not? He is associating with the enemy! Not so fast. I am rabidly pro-life and anti-homosexual and probably would be much quicker to preach 1 Corinthians 6 than Rick Warren but I am in disagreement with many of my pro-life friends that are upset that the apparently new "religious right" spokesman has supported Obama in this invocation. Like Warren, I could sit down and talk to Obama for an hour over coffee and it is highly likely that we would not agree on anything. So what do we mean by support? I will carry the gospel to the invocation. If I cannot do this, then I will have no part in the invocation. I will pray in the name of Christ, not a general "god" but the Triune God. And I think that if I were Warren, I might want the ear of the media to explain my decision. I don’t know what Warren’s purpose is, but my purpose would be the gospel—would we rather see the famed Rev. Wright do this?

The BF&M 2000 states in the last sentence of Article XV; "In order to promote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth." Is this not a gospel opportunity on an enormous scale? I say yes, in two ways. 1. This gives Warren an opportunity to share the gospel personally with Obama—how many people get to do that? And 2. This gives Warren an opportunity to share the gospel with thousands who may never hear the one true gospel in their own churches and he can do it at the inauguration. If Louis Farakan were doing this how would it be different? If we look at number 1 and the personal gospel witness—where could that take us? I am sure that many "conservatives" that have taken this position against Warren are the same ones that feel that Christ was removed from His throne when the GOP didn’t win. God is still sovereign and this is a real opportunity for "change". Republicans will not stop abortion—the gospel will. Republicans will not stop homosexuality—the gospel will. We need a republican in office? I say we need someone who is born again and washed by the blood of Christ in office. Obama’s problem isn’t that he isn’t a republican—his problem is that he needs Jesus.

Look toward Colossians 3:12-17. I know that this is given within the context of the church. But the church isn’t in a vacuum and neither are influential pastors of mega-churches. Take this opportunity and use it for the purpose of the gospel, the kingdom and the glory of God. If the peace of Christ rules our heart and God’s word is in us ready to get out of our faces then we are living as Christ’s representative. And if we get to share the gospel at a pro-abortion, homosexual rally—PREACH.

Our church (and me as an individual) is a member of a community organization called "SMART" (St. Meinrad Area Revitalization Team). I went to a meeting shortly after the church joined this organization. Then I was found out—those that didn’t already know were informed that I was the pastor of the Baptist church—keep in mind 95% of the people in the room were Catholic and either had gray hair or no hair—they are the real deal. An interesting thing happened—they moved me from my seat to the head table and asked me to pray before the meal. I was shocked to say the least, but I did it. What did I pray? Basically that God is Holy, you are not, Jesus Christ is the answer—repent and trust Christ. It gave me a hearing that I would have never had if I would have denied it or stayed away from "them". Rick Warren has an opportunity and we should be praying for him and frankly, we should be praying for Barack Obama—even if we loathe everything he stands for.

As a "right-wing conservative" (whatever that is anymore) I am not going to be up in arms about this issue unless Warren uses this for anything else but Kingdom purposes—I guess time will tell.

[Ben Hartwig (M.Div., SBTS) is pastor of First Baptist Church, St. Meinrad, IN. You can check out their website at http://www.fbcstmeinrad.com]

[Above photo taken from Baptist Press on 12/22/08. Click here to read the Baptist Press story in full]