Walking with God in 2020; What a Change!
On the last Sunday of 2020, my pastor made a statement that rippled in my spirit like a stone thrown in the water. He said, “My walk with God should change my circumstances.” On its face, this may not seem that profound, but sit on it for a moment. IF OUR God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19), then the circumstances of the Ecclesia—the big ‘C’ Church, the organization/organism of God and by God and for God—for sure must be a reflection of what walking with God looks like in spite of and despite a pandemic.
I thank God that my circumstances changed in 2020, and I know that it’s because I continue to walk with God. This summer, after 13 years, my circumstance moved from being unmarried to being married. This fall, my health circumstance went from being positive for COVID to being healed, delivered and restored.
When pastors and churches are supported, engaged, educated and equipped by the Church Ambassador Network with updates, information and resources on executive orders, pending legislative bills or election voting, the big ‘C’ Church is enabled to change the circumstances of your community and culture.
Here are just a couple ways pastors and the Church are changing and can change circumstances…
The SOGI bills—HB 369 & SB 11—both died in committee
While several lawmakers and activist organizations sought to resuscitate what was titled the “Fairness Act,” Christians throughout Ohio led by their pastors prayed and spoke out against it. To God be the glory, there were more lawmakers that sided with righteousness and these bills died with the 133rd Ohio General Assembly that just ended. No doubt the same lawmakers will try to resurrect these bills, and with new bill numbers. No doubt the Church Ambassador Network will keep you informed.
Click Here to read a praiseworthy story of Ohio pastors speaking to the Committee against the bill.
HB 272 prohibits places of worship from being closed in Ohio
On September 16, the governor signed the bill limiting his power to close houses of worship. An excerpt of the bill reads, “No public official shall issue an order to close all places of worship in the state or in a geographic area of the state.” This law guarantees your church—and all other houses of worship in Ohio—will be able to keep your doors open to help and serve our communities for generations. Leading up to this momentous event, pastors had been in conversations with the governor’s office on our weekly Faith Friday calls and on calls with lawmakers holding firm the request that churches be exempt from closure and designated an essential service. On the day the Senate President signed HB 272, triggering it going to the governor’s office, engaged pastors and the CCV team were on hand.
SIGNED: CCV-Backed Bill to Prohibit Government from Closing Churches
To read more about unconstitutional orders of church closings being rescinded, Click Here.
Church, we must step up and take back our children
Nationally known and respected researcher George Barna has been sounding the alarm about the decline of biblical worldview. In November 2019, we hosted a public forum in Cincinnati with Mr. Barna. Here’s a snapshot of what he said:
Image text: A Biblical Worldview is Shockingly Uncommon Among Important Segments of the US: 7% of all adults 18+, 4% of Millennials, 23% of all born again Christians
From that moment, God put a call on the heart of CCV to challenge the Church to something greater in their mission to disciple the generations. We started taking first steps in faith to learn all we could about Christian school planting.
A new study released earlier this year from the American Enterprise Institute showing exactly what we all know is true: American children, by and large, have stopped believing in God due to the secularization of public education. Read Here a report on the study.
From CCV’s perspective, there’s nothing more important that we can do than to get churches to start schools. It will be tough, but we trust that God can do more through our faithfulness than anything else. We are sharing our big bold vision and trusting that others would come alongside us. If you are moved in your spirit about this issue, contact me. A dear pastor’s wife once told me that “God makes provision for His vision.”
Walking with God is the ONLY way to change our circumstances, and at CCV, we will continue to do that in an even greater way in 2021. We invite you to join us in this journey.
Happy New Year!
Ruth Edmonds
Church Relations Director
Church Ambassador Network
Citizens for Community Values
