‘If we choose to set aside Jesus as we advocate for conservative or liberal positions, we deny a world that needs to hear the Gospel of that message’
October 4, 2022
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — 78% of conservatives in America believe there is a God. Does that mean that all conservatives are Christian and all liberals are not? Not necessarily, according to D. L. Moody Center (moodycenter.org) President James Spencer. In his helpful new guide, “20 Questions: Christians, Abortion, and the United States,” Spencer addresses key questions surrounding abortion, politics, social media, and other pressing topics in America from a unique biblical framework.
About the guide, Spencer explains, “My hope is that this set of questions will help readers not only answer questions and respond to objections but serve as a reminder that we cannot set aside the proclamation of the Gospel even for something as important as advocating for the unborn. Protecting the unborn and saving the lost must go hand in hand because Christians do not have the luxury of choosing who gets to hear the Gospel. Our job is to point others to Christ.”
Regarding role of Christianity in politics — and whether Christianity and conservativism go hand-in-hand — Spencer comments, “Being a conservative (or liberal) is not the same thing as being a Christian. Christians may affirm conservative or liberal positions, but we don’t root our identity in being conservative or liberal. We are Christian first. We are not guided by conservative or liberal logic but subject such logic to God’s word, our final authority for life and faith.
“This distinction is important because, as Christians, we are the only group of people capable of proclaiming the Gospel and pointing to Jesus Christ. If we choose to set aside Jesus as we advocate for conservative or liberal positions, we deny a world that needs to hear the Gospel of that message. In other words, we are not ‘just’ conservatives. We are Christians and we have a message that a fallen world needs to hear.”
Spencer concludes, “Christians aren’t just conservatives that speak with a religious accent. As theologian Robert Jenson notes, ‘The church, we may say, is the community that speaks Christianese’ (Jenson, Systematic Theology). Our political positions emerge from our commitment to Christ. We need to make every effort to ensure that people can see the distinction between being conservative and being Christian.”
The D. L. Moody Center is also pleased to announce the launch of its new eight-day Bible plan, Useful to God, on the YouVersion app. Drawing on Spencer’s book titled “Useful to God: Eight Lessons from the Life of D. L. Moody,” this Bible plan examines eight characteristics evident in the Scriptures and in the life of D. L. Moody (e.g., surrendered, prayerful, humbled, undistracted, and studious). Thousands have already completed the plan, with hundreds more subscribing daily.
The D.L. Moody Center is an independent non-profit organization located in Northfield, Massachusetts. Dedicated to preserving and advancing the legacy of Dwight Moody, the D. L. Moody Center is a catalyst for spiritual formation in New England and beyond through evangelism and discipleship.
The D. L. Moody Center is not a school. Nevertheless, there is much to learn by studying D. L. Moody and what God accomplished through his life which began in New England, at the Northfield, Massachusetts campus, the heart of Moody’s ministry as well as his childhood home.
Learn more about D. L. Moody Center by visiting moodycenter.org or follow the ministry on Facebook or Twitter.