Dear President Trump

Dear President Trump,

I am praying for you as I have prayed often for every president previous. I do not say that in a flippant cliche way, but sincerely. As we are exhorted to do in 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

Many are still in shock that you were elected the 47th president. While I mentioned to my wife that I believed you would be elected shortly before the election, I did not expect for you to take the popular vote along with every "swing state." The reality of the pressures, critique, and power you wield is hard for me to imagine. Some say that the president of the United States of America is the most powerful person in the world. My counsel should be taken for what it is worth. (That might not be much.)

I would ask a few things...

1. Look to authentic faith in Jesus. To walk as a faithful disciple of Jesus in your position would be incredibly difficult. The political pressures at home and abroad require you to be careful who you trust and rely upon. Many pastors are political opportunists who would use your position to elevate themselves (either by supporting or attacking you). However, not everyone who bears the name of Jesus is actually promoting themself. Lean into the Bible as a source of truth and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into that which is true. Find authentic Christians without an agenda of self-promotion to counsel you.

2. Thank you for keeping a previous campaign promise to appoint judges to the supreme court that are prolife. This will no doubt be one of your most significant historical contributions. A nation that does not protect the most vulnerable and value the gift of life, will soon suffer the devaluing of life in all areas of society.

3. Please choose not to seek revenge on your political opponents. I cannot fully imagine the shameful things that have been said and done to you. Unwarranted FBI raids on your home in which they pilfered through your personal belongings. Lawsuits without substance have been prolific. They call it lawfare. The temptation will be to retaliate in kind to those who have abused their power. Choose a higher way allowing the justice system to pursue its duty without interference or influence from your office. This is the noble way on integrity.

4. Be cautious in your usage of executive orders. It is a privilege of the office, but seems to be more and more abused in recent years to bypass the US congress for a short term solution. The problem is that is often rescinded by the next president with differing ideological views. Executive orders are short lived. The Department of Justice website says: "Although executive orders have historically related to routine administrative matters and the internal operations of federal agencies, recent Presidents have used Executive Orders more broadly to carry out policies and programs." By using this privilege some presidents have abused their power. You can end that trend by simply rescinding previous executive orders without proliferating the misuse of executive orders.

5. Please do not try to end birthright citizenship. While the right has been misused at time, to reject it is to embrace a principle that a right can be rejected when someone abuses it. This is a dangerous precedent. Violent illegal immigrants and the chaos at the Southern border need to be addressed for sure, but be cautious in how your words can potentially harm those who are coming to our nation in the right way. "The U.S. has more immigrants than any other country, including the next four countries combined" according to this article. For that I am thankful.

6. Do not capitulate common sense. Moving to embrace a merit-based system of promotion is important. Thank you. Rejecting a person solely because of their skin color is unacceptable. Thank you for requiring government departments to recognize only two genders. This is not hateful, it is an embrace of reality. Thank you for labeling the drug cartels what they are: terrorists. 

7. I hope that your protection of those who are earnestly seeking to live lives pleasing to God continues. Sin never justifies its existence, but it always seeks to eliminate those who would embrace righteousness. There is no greater source of good in our nation than the Christian church. Thank you for letting the church be the church and not trying to muzzle or hinder the desire of millions of people to serve Christ and live in holiness.

8. It would benefit everyone if you abstained from profane language. While broadly accepted in society I do not think that it befits the office of president or your ability to lead all people. Not even people who use cursing as a linguist norm, demand more of it. However, there are many people who grow weary of the incessant stream of profanities we face at every turn in our culture. Families would like for their children to be able to listen to the president of the United States without worrying about the language he uses.

9. As families are the backbone of any society, thank you for placing a priority on preserving the authority of parents, the sanctity of marriage, and the strength of the home. May you continue to encourage through example, legislation, and advocacy these things. Enabling educational choice for families of all income levels would be a great benefit as well.

10. I have spent time wondering what might happen if you became a passionate follower of Jesus committed to living by the power of His Holy Spirit. Your life has been a success in every way that our culture says is successful. But there is more, and it is better. Walking in fellowship with God is an experience that cannot be comprehended nor explained. It is costly, but it is always worth it!

In Expectation,
Pastor Jared K Henry


What counsel would you give President Trump as he begins his final term?

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Reclaiming Christian Higher Education

I recently shared about how to transition from Christian to secular in the academy. It certainly had a good dose of verbal irony, but it was an attempt to identify a historic problem of the drift away from Christ centered education to humanism and secularism. Forbes shared an article a few years ago about religion and education that identified this same problem.

So if it is indeed a problem, then the real question is, what does one do about it?

How does a University President or a Board of Trustees direct an institution back to the place where Jesus is again the foundation? Here are a few ideas though they come with a high price tag and painful process.

1. Make sure the President and the board of Trustees are all on the same page with the problem and the painful process of moving the school in the right direction. If there are a number of Trustees or a president who are not interested or concerned about the direction of the school, no changes will be successful or lasting.

2. Call a faculty meeting. Publicly and clearly identify the core beliefs and essential mission of the institution. Give every faculty member time to process the change of emphasis away from secularization and back to a Christian foundation. If part of a denomination, include the beliefs, lifestyle covenant, and historical values of the denomination. 

3. Build strong relationships with the churches making up your constituency. Meat with groups of pastors to hear about their concerns, values, and needs. Make it clear that you are seeking to reclaim the institution for the kingdom. Seek out ways to benefit the local churches you serve. If the academy serves the church, the church will provide for the academy. This relationship must be nurtured for future students and financial support.

4. Know the place of the academy in the work of God in the world. The academy serves an important role of training clergy to be faithful and fruitful workers in the harvest field. Being Spirit filled is essential in this capacity. To educate the mind without quickening the spirit is to do little more than create an educated devil.  

5. Know the place of the academy in the work of God in the world. Universities are also tasked with training people for all kinds of occupations in a Christian context. This is rooted in a biblical morality, emphasis on evangelism, and fulfillment of the Great Commission. Academic excellence is important (and should be emphasized), but to establish students in righteousness is indispensable. 

6. Hire faculty who are in alignment with the values, beliefs, mission, or ethic. These are the kind of employees who will build the team and be fruitful. They will go out as faithful servants of Christ and His church. The ministers the academy produces will then love the doctrines of the church and seek to fulfill the Great Commission. This results in churches sending their young people and donors writing checks. 

7. Fire faculty who are not in alignment with the values, beliefs, mission, or ethic. They will only serve to distract, discourage, and be an ongoing source of detriment to the mission of the school. They may insist on their "academic freedom" or rely on their "academic reputation" but these things are always trumped by mission & purpose. (Note: Freedom always has boundaries so that it does not become licentiousness.)

8. Speak with orthodoxy and in clarity on controversial issues. Do not use double speak or ambiguity to confuse your constituency (this lacks integrity). Real leadership is willing to make sacrifices for truth. Walking in the Spirit requires us to "lose" some temporary things so that we may "gain" those things which are more enduring and valuable.

9. Remember why God raised up the institution. Read the founding documents, charter, speeches, and sermons given. Read any historical document you can find to be reminded of why the academic institution was put on the hearts of the men and women who started it, provided for it, worked at it, etc. God blesses an institution as they recall what He placed on the hearts of the founders and fulfil that mission.

10. Maintain accountability for spiritual vitality, academic excellence, and faithfulness to the core values/doctrines of the institution. The temptation to compromise these standards will be consistent, but to reclaim the school, standards must be raised, not lowered. The academy must be accountable, not so much to the larger academic community, but to the church from which it has been birthed.

11. Walk in the Spirit. People will attack, darkness will seek to envelope, and you will lose friends. Be faithful to the Lord, humble yourself before Him, and at the right time He will bring the victory. Truth and love are not mutually exclusive values for those who walk in the Spirit.

This is hard and costly work, but worth it. I wonder if there would be some in our generation who would pay the price on their knees for God to bring a great victory in this area!

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Some Things I Plan to Do in the New Year

 Here are a few things I plan to do in the New Year... (in no particular order)

1. Every year I commit to lead at least one person to Jesus outside of the pulpit. The greatest blessing I have ever experienced is participating in introducing someone to a walk with God. All Out For Souls

2. I want to become more generous with the resources I have. Though I would certainly not consider myself rich, wealth is not necessary to live generously. Buying fewer things for myself and giving more gifts will be the first step.

3. To love "unlovable" people more. Have you ever heard "hurt people, hurt people"? I want to show love to hurt and broken people wherever I go. Not the "easy to love" folks, but the down-and-out.

4. Spiritual growth is a priority for me. To spend more time fasting and quiet in the presence of the Holy Spirit. To listen to the Holy Spirit. To mature in my relationship with Him.

5. This coming year I want to be a better encourager. There are plenty of discouragers and critics in the world. I want to find someone doing good things and encourage them!

6. May the fire in my bones burn with a greater passion. Monotony, discouragement, disappointments, and things like these can take away our zeal. May I continue to be zealous for good works.

7. Continue to walk in holiness. My desire is to live above reproach a life that is pure and pleasing to God. And to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

What about you? What things are you planning to do in the New Year?

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