Witness the fact that “GOP candidates, many lacking strong evangelical backgrounds, have been flocking” to evangelical powerbrokers. “Arizona Sen. John McCain gave last year's commencement address at Liberty University. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney are scheduled to soon speak at [Pat] Robertson's Regent University. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich just went on [James] Dobson's radio program to confess and seek forgiveness for an extramarital affair as Gingrich pursued President Clinton's impeachment in the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Gingrich is considering a presidential run and will be Liberty's commencement speaker in May.”

Witness the AP’s assessment of what the candidates are after as veiled advice is offered by way of commentary: “Still, none of the men can be kingmaker - delivering the evangelical vote and the GOP nomination to a favored candidate. The organizational muscle of the movement - once controlled by national groups linked to Falwell, Robertson and a few others - now lies with local pastors, who were key to Bush's 2004 re-election win. A large number of Christian conservatives have become GOP insiders; white evangelicals form more than one-third of the party's base.”

Evangelicals are at a crossroads. Will we come to our senses and see once again that at this crossroads our message is the cross? And yes, in the marketplace of ideas and at the table of public debate our message is still the cross. Will we learn that we cannot pick and choose which issues we will address? Will we learn that in addressing issues we cannot tow the political party line but that we must speak from a biblically informed perspective regardless of the rhetorical or political fallout? Will we learn that our way is not the way of compromise and political deal-making but that our way is the way of the cross? We are at a crossroads. Let me offer this word by way of reminder: “…broad is the road that leads to destruction…narrow is the road that leads to life…(Matt. 7:13-14).” You make the application, and the choice.

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