“Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” So, David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.” Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.”
II Samuel 12:1-9 NKJV
The relationship between civic leaders and spiritual leaders is nothing new. Politicians want to meet pastors in order to access and win their influence with people. Pastors want to meet politicians to express their concerns and thoughts with regard to public policy. It is a quid pro quo that has been happening for literally centuries. Whether it is a President, Governor, Senator, Representative, Mayor, or the County Council, there is a needed and appropriate relationship that should exist between the clergy and our civic leadership. I recognize the fact that our political leaders are not monarchs, just as I recognize that not all clergy can be labeled “prophets”. The point is simply that there is a relationship which should exist between these two jurisdictions. The ancillary point is that this relationship has deteriorated which has become one of the reasons we find our culture in the predicaments it finds itself in.
God’s dealings with the nation of Israel and its leaders is a template of how accountability can actually be applied in the civil arena. The Scriptural excerpt above is the familiar story of King David (a civil leader) being confronted by the Prophet Nathan (the servant of the Lord) over the sin of adultery, as well as the subsequent murder. David had betrayed his commitments before God and the nation. This was a day of reckoning, a day of true accountability, which David had to face with the servant of the Lord. The scene seems foreign to our western democratic mentality. What pastor would have the temerity to do such a thing to a current political leader? Would it even be possible? Would it do any good?
I want to suggest FIVE keys in this relationship that if implemented could help turn our nation, state, and communities around and point them in a righteous direction. Like most precepts, these keys cannot be implemented overnight, but with steady determination and righteous pressure I do believe they can be implemented swiftly on many levels.
- Our Civic Leaders need a relationship with a Pastor.
Nathan and David knew each other well enough to speak unambiguously to one another. This relationship was not based on some organizational structure, but rather an obvious connection that had been developed over the course of time. Nathan’s ability to speak directly and candidly presupposes a depth of confidence and trust which allowed the prophet to speak and the civic official to hear. How do I know that? People didn’t speak to kings in such a manner unless there was a relational authority established. This is the true voice of a friend. Nathan was not so overly enamored with the king that it stifled the voice of truth. Nathan had the authority from God as well as the relational equity to speak to David with such candor.
- A Pastor needs access to their civic leaders.
Nathan had access to the king’s room. Is it a throne room, office room, or living room? The passage doesn’t reveal the exact location, but the prophet had access to it. My instinct makes me think it may have been a private setting, but whether public or private, there was certain access. Pastors should have access to their elected leaders. I would suggest this connection is a priority connection as pastors may be some of the best contacts for which our civic leaders might receive needed insight on their constituencies and communities. Pastors are the “barometers” understanding what the community might be thinking and needing. They are the “elders at the gate” and the “watchmen on the wall” which have a perspective the civic leaders need to hear regularly.
- Our civic leaders must make a place for pastoral input.
David was willing to listen to Nathan’s parable and application. There existed a mutual respect and honor of both ministerial positions and jurisdictions. In a day of mutual dishonor concerning church and politics, this might be one of the most relevant points to underscore. The Scripture clearly commands us to honor civic authority as well as clearly commands us to listen to the voice of God’s servants. The civic servant must carefully consider the collective voice of the church and its leaders to be successful before the Lord. Clearly, despite David’s sins in this account, there was a space made for the prophet’s input.
- Pastors should provide ongoing discipleship to our civic leaders.
There is a tendency, in my experience, that when pastors call on civic leaders the conversation tends to be heavily one-sided with the representative doing most of the talking. There is nothing wrong with hearing a good report from those we elect; however, this relationship should have more eternal weight than a legislative or election update. Even the most faithful and godly of civic leaders have not always received meaningful discipleship with regard to what God expects from their service in the government arena. Many are struggling with applying their faith and scriptural principles in the space God has called them. Pastors are vital in helping our civic representatives “connect the dots” of their Christian faith and public policy. Nathan’s parable to David was a creative and impactful way of helping David break free from inconsistencies and hypocrisies with regards to his abusing his position with those he “ruled” (or in our terms, represented). This point also underscores that pastors should be granted more time with the civic leader in order that such things can take place.
- Pastors bring an ongoing accountability to the civic leaders.
Nathan clearly said, “Thou art the man”. There was a day of accountability. The reason this is such a memorable passage of scripture is because it answers the question as to who keeps kings accountable? Who gets to speak into their lives? Who calls, in baseball vernacular, “balls and strikes”? The same could be asked of our modern day elected civic officials. Who speaks into their lives, especially if the next accountability election is some time away? I would submit that belongs to the spiritual leaders who have been commanded by God to sit at the same gate as the city (or county, state, or nation) leaders. I would suggest that pastors, as they maintain fidelity to the scriptures, are uniquely called and graced to speak for God even in the civic arena. It is their voice that can help encourage or correct the receptive civic leader.
The Church Ambassador Network of Florida provides a fresh template of grace, love, exhortation, and correction to those serving in the civic arena. It is our mission to help activate and connect the potential 17,000 Florida pastors to their civic colleagues in blessing the residents of this state with a peaceful and prospering environment. If these relationships can be restored to its scriptural mandate, the repercussion of blessings would be amazing in our state. Reach out to us on the contact page to see how you might get involved.