What’s Next for Pastors and the Church?

After the election came somewhat of a stunned silence among those, both for and against Donald Trump, who never thought he would be elected president of the United States. Then, reality set in. Many embarked on a buoyant, hopeful journey for what was ahead for the nation, while others took to the streets in anger and fear.

Regardless of how divided the country may seem, pastors and churches will be a key component to renewal, restoration and revival in America.

“The process for renewal of our nation must be led on our knees in prayer,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, “as we humble ourselves before God and seek His blessing. It also involves a commitment by the pastors in the pulpits of America to once again preach the whole counsel of God and reteach our people that the biblical principles that made America great are the same principles that can restore and heal our nation—one nation under God.”

One fact the country must realize, Rohrer said, is that half of voters did not choose Donald Trump for president, and are now in despair and despondent. The other half, however, feeling forgotten and desperate for change, did cast a vote for Trump, and are feeling hopeful and perhaps relieved. Rohrer commented that this dichotomy marks one of Christians’ greatest chances to tell the life-saving story of Jesus’ love and grace, in this relatively small window God has granted us again; He has given us a stay.

“How we think and act as believers,” Rohrer said, “will be crucial in not only how our nation will ultimately be united, but how the message of Christ will be furthered. The voters today who are in despair were seeking and searching for something, but they did not find it in the outcome of this election. This is an incredible time to share the hope and the truth of the Gospel. And we must remember that when we have a disagreement with someone, we must pray for them. It’s impossible to remain in strife with those for whom we are praying. This is biblical truth. Therefore, true unity is only possible when we come into agreement with God’s commandments and with His plans—both for our lives and for this nation.”

Rohrer hosts the daily, live, one-hour “Stand in the Gap Today,” the news and commentary radio program from APN that airs on about 425 stations nationwide daily at noon ET. Social science researcher George Barna is a regular guest on the show and recently shared election insight from his organization, American Culture & Faith Institute (ACFI). (Read more: “God Uses Strong Christian Support to Place Donald Trump in the White House”)

This election season, Barna’s surveys of SAGE Cons—Spiritually Active, Governance Engaged Conservatives—focused on voting trends, polls and the issues that were important to evangelicals. The latest research shows that the largest segment of support behind Trump was the Christian conservative vote.

While the Institute found that Trump was not the preferred option of SAGE Cons, they were the most reliable base of support he had. In an election night survey of 1,000 SAGE Cons, ACFI found:

• More than 90% of them turned out to vote.
• 94% of them cast their ballot for Donald Trump.
• More than half (52%) didn’t expect him to win.
• Two-thirds (67%) said they preferred his stand on key issues.
• Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) said they disliked Hillary Clinton.
• Key issues for these opinions were the candidates’ stands on abortion (53%) and Supreme Court nominations (49%).

On Thursday’s “Stand in the Gap Today” program (listen here), Rohrer and Barna discussed several key questions, including: What role did Christian conservatives play in the outcome of the election? What role did God play? Where do we go from here?

“God has given us a narrow window of opportunity,” Rohrer said. “Now we ask ourselves, what must be done in that window? God has given us grace and mercy, so what can we do with that gift? God answered the pleas and the prayers of His people and provided a reprieve. His continued blessing will be linked directly to our level of obedience. Yes, He has given us a stay, but the length of that stay is dependent on whether God’s people will be obedient or will go back to sleep. We will very easily return to the same comfortable, status quo ways if we fail to lead appropriately. This is about much more than winning an election; it’s a complete lifestyle shift and a change in the hearts of God’s people. And it starts at the pulpits of America’s churches.”