Leading Hispanic pastor calls Tuesday’s election a “firewall” midterm
After months of news coverage, candidate debates and endless advertising, the midterm election finally has arrived. Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, called it a “firewall” election, citing recent protests in Europe.
“There is a legitimate concern of what’s taking place in Europe,” he said at the organization’s recent conference, according to CBN News. “That reality will become our reality unless we build a firewall. This is the firewall midterm. What’s next for America? Chaos, anarchy, socialism, communism, uber-wokeism, cancel culture on steroids, antisemitism continues to grow; a complete repudiation of our Judeo-Christian system. That’s what’s next.”
Rodriguez repeatedly challenged pastors to confront apathy from the pulpit and teach biblical principles related to civic duty and public life. “There’s no such thing as complacent Christianity,” he said. “Today’s complacency is tomorrow’s captivity. Comfortable Christianity, kumbaya Christianity; we are what we tolerate.”
He also argued that political and cultural disengagement carries real consequences, pointing to his home state as an example of what can happen when churches fail to speak on public issues.
“This idea we don’t want to get involved in the political reality, the cultural reality,” said. “I live in California… I can demonstrate and show you what happens when apathy takes place in the pulpit; legislative initiatives that jeopardize my children and my children’s children.”
Rodriguez said the church itself must serve as the nation’s moral firewall. “What’s the firewall? Is it a political movement? It’s the church of Jesus Christ. The church is the firewall.”
READ: More than 90 percent of Protestant pastors have no plans to endorse candidates in midterms
Other pastors at the conference echoed the call for greater Christian influence in American public life.
“We need to influence the American culture to remain in the Bible,” said Pastor Samuel Ruiz, pastor of Winter Park Christian Church in Colorado. “And number two, to collaborate as a church with the political environment and development of this nation so that we remain, in my opinion, conservative.”
Despite concerns about the cultural and political direction of the country, Rodriguez ended on a note of hope, expressing confidence that spiritual renewal remains possible in America.
“It’s hope of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like America has never seen before,” he said. “A great harvest. People coming to Christ in record-breaking numbers… God’s not done with us yet.”
–Lee Hartman | Metro Voice
