A recent report put out by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University headed by lead researcher Dr. George Barna spells a growing concern among the Christian community in America.
The problem: millions of self-described Christians are abandoning their civic responsibility of voting.
Just how many Christians are choosing not to participate in choosing the leadership of the country in the 2024 election? According to Barna’s newest report, a staggering 41 million “born-again Christians” and 32 million people who say they regularly attend a church. The faiths involved in the research include Christianity, Judaism, Mormonism and Islam and account for 104 million people who are not expected to cast a vote this November.
That is such a large group of potential voters that it could swing the election one way or another.
“I see two huge take-aways from this blockbuster report,” says Len Munsil, President of Arizona Christian University in a press release.
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“First, that Christians could be the deciding factor in a bunch of federal and state races–and are choosing not to be. And second, that they are longing for their local church to instruct them on how to think biblically about policy and politics.
“They don’t want to be told how to vote, but they do want to know why they should vote, and how to view political issues from a biblical framework,” he adds.
Conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk has been one of the many voices leading the way for increased voter registration this election season, and called out the church on the social media platform X to do more to get the faithful involved, or else face the consequences.
This is a five-alarm fire.
The local church must be activated to explain why voting is critical and national leaders must not take this group for granted in key issues.
We cannot expect President Trump to have a more Christian ethos if the church refuses to vote. We cannot expect President Trump to be more pro-life if our own people don’t back him up at the ballot box. The local church must be activated.
Christians, you are about to hand the White House to Kamala Harris.
Dr. Barna explains that this large number of Christian voters is substantially more than the differential of the 2020 in states with a narrow margin of victory for President Joe Biden.
“The 32 million Christians who regularly attend church services but are not likely to vote represent a far larger margin than the combined number of votes that decided the 2020 election in key battleground states,” Barna says. “If church leaders, family members, and close friends will use their influence to get reticent voters from their churches to cast a ballot on Nov. 5, the election outcome will be meaningfully affected.”
For Christians, participating in the election process is not only a civic duty but also a spiritual responsibility. The Word of God instructs believers to engage with the world around them and act in ways that reflect their faith, not hide in the shadows.
Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.” Voting allows Christians to be stewards of their influence in society, ensuring that leaders who align with biblical principles are chosen. By voting, we actively shape our communities in a way that honors God’s justice, mercy and righteousness.
The New Testament also commands believers to “let your light shine before men,” (Matt. 5:16), and one way to do this is by participating in the electoral process and choosing candidates whose values align with biblical truth. Engaging in the election is a way to put faith into action, using our voice to promote godly leadership.
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James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
