The core principles lay out the foundation of our beliefs in carrying out the Church Ambassador Network of Kansas. They also provide the foundation of how we engage with governing authorities.
1. God desires ALL people to be saved. (1 Timothy 2:4)
- Moralism does not equal spiritual transformation. (Romans 10:3) (Romans 2:1-4)
- Just because you vote the right way does not mean you are saved.
- Just because you vote the wrong way does not mean you are lost.
- Salvation comes from grace alone through Christ alone.
- Sanctification is a lifelong process beginning at salvation.
2. Both the Church and the local, state, and federal governments are institutions created by God. (Romans 13:1)
- They have unique roles that must remain distinct but must work together under God. (Mark 12:17)
- Government has been established by God to administer justice with the aid of the timeless counsel of the Church. (2 Samuel 8:15) (2 Kings 12:2) (Romans 13:1)
- The Church is not a worldly voice. It is an ambassador of a heavenly kingdom.
(2 Corinthians 5:20)
3. Our identity is not in a political party. We are non-partisan. (Joshua 5:13-14)
- God does not fit neatly into political parties or political theories. He is not a Republican, Democrat, or Independent. He is God. Neither is He conservative, liberal, or moderate. He is God. (1 Corinthians 1:25)
- As Paul ministered to both the Jew and the Gentile, we will minister to the Republican, Democrat, and Independent in unique ways that never compromise the truths of the eternal Word of God. (1 Corinthians 9:19-22)
- Members of any political party are reachable for the gospel, but you communicate to them in different ways.
- Republicans can have a heart for justice, so you introduce them to the God of justice and guide them to the God of mercy.
- Democrats can have a huge heart for the lesser of these, so you introduce them to the God of mercy and guide them to the God of justice.
- God is both fully just and fully merciful without compromising one for the other.
- The Cross is a beautiful illustration of both God’s justice and mercy.
4. We stand for God’s Word and ask others to join us there. (Matthew 28:19-20)
- Only the gospel has the power to properly transform people, who together transform a nation. (Romans 1:16)
- The power of true cultural renewal lies in the word of God, not in the halls of kings. (Hebrews 4:12)
5. We are missionaries. (Acts 1:8)
- We work to build intentional relationships with the ministers of the Lord’s institution of government with a goal to serve all, build up the saints, and win the lost.
(1 Timothy 2:1-4) - America is not a theocratic nation, like biblical Israel. Instead, America has covenanted with God by officially viewing itself as “one nation under God” and asserting “in God we trust.” It is a nation that has often been blessed, because of God’s grace and because it followed the Lord, His principles, and His precepts. We are still blessed with the freedom to share Jesus with others. (Psalm 33:12)
How We Engage Using the Five Core Principles
We engage governing authorities at every level the same way every time. We want how we engage to be a big part of what defines us as the Church Ambassador Network of Kansas. We put our five core principles together into a workable method that can work in situations ranging from a 4-minute meeting to an hour or more. We teach and reinforce this method to all Church Ambassador Network of Kansas team members.
The method has four parts:
- Share Scripture. We always start with scripture. Having a Bible in our hands is part of what what governing authorities should grow to expect. There are a number of excellent scripture passages to use that are available and are taught and can be found in the Private Team Site.
- Share Jesus. Jesus is the key. He is the Savior and He is the Lord. We take our scripture and lead people to see how Jesus is involved. We want to share our own Jesus stories and trust the Holy Spirit to lead and encourage governing authorities to take their next step with Jesus.
- Listen. After we share, we ask the governing authority for their feedback on the scripture. We also ask them to share anything, personal or professional, that we can pray for. This information should be kept confidential.
- Pray. After we listen, we ask permission to share a brief prayer. The prayer should include the things that the governing authority has shared. The prayer gives a lasting impression that we want the best for the governing authority and that they are loved by God.
An experienced team member teaches this method to a new team member by doing the following:
- The experienced team member leads, with the new team member watching.
- The experienced team member leads, with help from the new team member.
- The new team member leads, with help from the experienced team member.
- The new team member leads, with the experienced team member watching.
After completing this four step training, the new team member will officially be a part of the Church Ambassador Network of Kansas. Name badges and business cards will be ordered!
Foundational Principles: