Where does he attend? Not a big deal. If he is a part of the Body of Christ he has spiritual gifts that need to be exercised for the building up of the body and the Body is manifest in bodies so where he is SERVING and TO WHOM IS HE ACCOUNTABLE for sound doctrine and lifestyle--HUGE!!!

His actions call into question to whom he is praying. It is extremely important, as one poster has already commented, that he belong to the body of Christ. Does he? He is attending a church where the chaplain is a man of God. Let’s hope this influence (when he actually attends) is more productive than his last church attendance, AND that he does pay attention to what is being said.

I would think it would be better for a true man of God to have either a morning devotion with the president and pray with and for the man or once a week have the devotion with him. It should be private and focus on God’s Word regarding true spiritual leadership that builds up the people he has been chosen to lead rather than be self-serving.

The president needs to understand his role as well as his job. Solomon said it best: “When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans.” (Pr. 29.2)

Is it important that the president prays and attends church? Yes, and WHERE he goes (as long as the church teaches the Bible and not man’s words) really is not all that important!

Need to be a Christian to be a good leader? It certainly would not hurt. Need to be a Christian? Yes, if you want your sins forgiven and have a home in heaven. Remember, leaders are placed in their position by God and are meant to be for the good of the people. It remains to be seen if this president can do any good for the people. I encourage Christians everywhere to pray for the president - as we are told to do.

Is it important that the president prays and attends church?

I think that is a mute point, if the president has not embraced Biblical Christianity; and there does not seem to be any indication that he believes the Bible to be the Word of God.

Consequently, I don’t have any expectation of him ruling with the wisdom of God.  I think more in terms of his administration being God’s permissive will, as in the case of Israel and Saul.  The lesson from the history recorded in 1 Samuel 8 is extremely applicable today.  The American people have received the king they asked for, and will suffer oppression under his administration.  It’s not the first time this has happened, and may not be the last time. 

As always, God is in control.  But, I do not expect to see His ways being expressed through this president.  Obama’s term(s) will be used for God’s purposes in human history.  This is what we can pray and expect - “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven ....” I just don’t think Obama particularly cares about the Biblical God’s will being done here on earth.  I think he is aligned with quite a different agenda.

Amen, Scott, let’s pray for a “David - a man after God’s heart, who will do all His will”.  (Acts 13:22)

I don’t believe that any disciple of the Prince of Peace can be president of the USA without accepting and somehow managing huge compromises. So far, Barack Obama has been doing as well as I could have expected.

It makes me a bit sad that some American evangelicals have already set a negative attitude about Obama as part of their understanding of their identity as a community. Sometimes when I visit an evangelical church, people make comments to me as if it went without saying that I was anti-Obama and shared their expectations that he has a subterranean anti-Christian agenda. Just for the record, I don’t share that perspective.

But I do believe that any Christian serving as president is under enormous challenges and temptations. The very position entails making decisions that will conflict with the Christian beliefs and practices of large numbers of his or her brothers and sisters in Christ. In fact, it’s very likely that those very dilemmas would already have caused huge internal conflicts--but often the pressures of the job mean that decisions won’t wait for those conflicts to be resolved. Hence the need for constant prayer for any president.

Peter,

Now, we’re getting into it! 

We need to understand the gospel of the kingdom or we will be preaching “a different gospel” and pursuing a different kingdom. (2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6)

I neglected to say in my first comment that we are caught in between two kingdoms - “the kingdom of this world, and the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15).  God’s kingdom is now within us and in the midst of Christ followers (Luke 17:21).  The believer’s primary allegiance and blessed hope is the the kingdom of heaven which will only be fully established in the new heaven and new earth. (Revelation 21)

Yes, Israel was a theocracy, and America (and all other nations) are not.  The Achilles heel of American Christianity is that it doesn’t know or believe that.  It wants to see America operate as a “Christian Nation” - not understanding Jesus’ words: “My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36), neither understanding the nature of the kingdom of heaven. 

American Christians need to understand Jesus” words: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 21:22) in order to experience the kingdom of heaven. (Luke 17:20-21).  The government of Man always has and always will fall far short of the righteousness of God.  People need to have faith in God - not in men - ALL men (and women) “are able and willing to kill for what they want” - that’s the whole point - we ALL need to submit ourselves to the rule of God.  Human history is the sad and ugly story of humanity trying to rule itself, independantly of God. 

But, if He so chooses for His purposes, God can give us a president who is “a man after His heart”.  He wouldn’t be a perfect “messiah” - just a godly man.  Cetainly God can do that; and certainly we should pray for that.

Rebecca,

I agree with you -

God sets up rulers and takes them down. (Dan 2:21, Ro. 13:1)

I also believe that we are called to pray for our president; whether we agree with his policies or not. (1 Tim. 1-2)

I also agree that God alone knows what is in the heart of a man, but “we can know good trees and bad trees by their fruit” (Matthew 7:13-23), and that “all (including myself) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). 

What I don’t agree with is that my outlook is “negative” - I think it is simply a Biblical outlook.  It is not necessarily a “nice” outlook, from a human perspective - but never-the-less, a Biblical outlook.  Like anyone else, I might wish things could be different, but I have to embrace Biblical realities.

Rebecca,

“By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness.” (2 Timothy 2:16)

Rebecca, granted, like many things having to do with our God, the kingdom of God is a mystery.  This is why we have different understandings and expectations.  But, I do think the mystery is revealed in the Scriptures.  I also think there are good aspects of truth contained in all of the differing views.  But, I suppose here I have been trying to highlight some truths many throughout church history and in many countries today have not embraced, but are, generally speaking, not propagated through many ministries in America today. 

In this context, I don’t think I can explain my view of these things about the the kingdom of God too much more plainly than I already have with my four comments and accompanying Scripture references.

If you want to take the time, you may want to read the various Scripture references, and see if the Holy Spirit might open up a different perspective for you.

I agree with you, Rebecca.  In fact, I think the almost hateful attitude many Christians have towards Obama does harm not only to our country, but to our Christian witness. 

Thank God for assurance from His Word that He does put persons into leadership.  Isn’t it wonderful that God used John as the disciple—beloved John.  But, we need to remember He also chose Judas.....in order to complete the redemption plan, it took God’s chosing of both.  Obama has the most difficult task in the world; our prayers should be behind him—not pushing him down.

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