September 2008 – AFA Journal asked four notable Christians to give us their top reasons why believers should get active in the upcoming November elections by being informed about the candidates, the issues, and especially, by voting.
David Barton – founder and president of WallBuilders
www.wallbuilders.com
Because the Scripture declares, “Righteousness exalts a nation” (Proverbs 14:34), Christians must take every opportunity – including voting – to elect leaders who will advance issues that directly impact national righteousness.
More specifically, this election will likely have a greater impact on the nation through the judiciary than any presidential election for the past three decades, for when the next president takes office in January 2009, six of the nine Supreme Court Justices will be at least 70 years old – and five of those six Justices have repeatedly struck down public policies friendly to Biblical values. Therefore, Christians must use their vote to elect a president based, first and foremost, on the type of judges he will appoint.
J. Richard Pearcey – editor and publisher of The Pearcey Report
www.pearceyreport.com
First, God is a public figure. The Bible is not a sourcebook for privatized spirituality, but rather publicly verifiable information from the Creator on how to live holistically in a broken world. Authentic Christianity goes to the ends of the earth, into every aspect of life, including politics. There is no wall of separation between discipleship and the voting booth.
Secondly, this world matters, including its governments. This world is not meaningless space junk, nor is life upon it a spiritual halfway house to Heaven. Like Jesus, instead of dropping out, we are to “Love thy neighbor” for whom one might cast an educated vote to challenge pretend Messiahs, overweening government and truncated spirituality. Politics is too important to be left to public relations gurus and politicians.
Finally, it’s time to revolt. America government is walking away from the Declaration, the Constitution and a worldview rooted in the Creator who gives inalienable rights to people created in His image. The voting booth is one place among many to revolt against religious manipulation, “faith” in Washington and obedience to the secular status quo.
Star Parker – president of the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education
www.urbancure.org
This election is critical for Christians because traditional norms are under vicious attack and the Supreme Court is the tool to push back the assault.
Legalizing homosexual marriage goes beyond just undermining traditional marriage. It formally marginalizes God’s truths to a lifestyle choice rather than being our basic standards for right and wrong. It formally secularizes America.
As the influence of traditional faith diminishes, politics and special interest groups take over. Government becomes religion itself, and more will believe that this is where to turn to solve life’s problems. The result is loss of both faith and freedom.
Poor black families were the first victims of American secularization. Fatherless black families and out-of-wedlock black births are three times higher today than 50 years ago. Today the white out-of-wedlock birthrate is higher than the black rate of 50 years ago.
Our vote is the only national voice we have to formally limit the role of government in our daily affairs so that our society as a whole may live in peace.
Stephen McDowell – co-founder and president of the Providence Foundation
www.providencefoundation.com
It is not only a privilege, but a duty and command for Christians to vote. Civil government is ordained by God to protect the life, liberty and property of citizens, enabling them to more effectively advance the Kingdom of God in the earth. Civil leaders are servants of the people and of God, and are to govern under His authority.
For this to occur, Christians must be involved in selecting good men to office. Ideally these men would meet all the qualifications for Godly officials, summarized by having a fear of God, Christian character and Biblical worldview. The most important of these is a Biblical worldview, for a man will act and vote based upon how he thinks.
The best leaders will have a Biblical philosophy of government, understanding its purpose and limited nature.
Government is not our savior. It is not to provide for us, control our children, govern our property or regulate every aspect of our lives. Thus, we must seek to place men in office who understand we are not to render to Caesar the things that are God’s. 
