My New Job

UPDATE (10/09): I am no longer working for Capitol Ministries, nor endorsing the organization. Please see this post for details.


As many of you already know, I've agreed to fill the newly-created position of Communications Director for Capitol Ministries. Both Christina and I are very excited about this new opportunity, and although it won't officially start until October, we've already had the opportunity to participate in training and get to meet much of the Capitol Ministries team. Since I'll be based in Sacramento, we won't have to move, but the job will certainly involve some more travel than my current job.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Capitol Ministries, it is a non-political, non-profit organization dedicated to making disciples of Jesus Christ in the political arena, primarily by sending trained ministry leaders to state capitols to lead weekly Bible studies for legislators, lobbyists, and staff. Eventually the ministry plans to establish a national presence in DC and then, as God allows, expand to foreign capitols as well.

My new job duties will revolve primarily around getting out the word about the great work Capitol Ministries is already doing in over a dozen state capitols. While every new job has its challenges, the transition will be made easier by the fact that I've been a part of the California staff Bible study for nearly seven years. Sean and Lynne, who work in the national office, are members of our church, and Pastor Greg serves on the ministry's board of directors.

To give you a little more background on my reasons for taking this particular job, I thought it might be helpful to share the following excerpt from my application:

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"God's purposes are often hidden to us and sometimes we see His reasons for the events in our lives most clearly only in hindsight. Even so, I believe that God may be calling me to work for Capitol Ministries. I offer the following three observations in support of this belief:

1. God has chosen me for His purposes and for His glory.

Being raised in a Christian home, educated in a Christian school, it was almost a given that I would profess faith in Christ at an early age. I recall praying the “sinner's prayer” on several occasions just to make sure there wasn't any confusion between God and me about my salvation.

My assurance of saving faith today, however, comes not from those early childhood professions of faith, but instead from the work that God has done in my heart and the fruit He has brought about in my life. Apart from the grace of God, I would be a proud independent rebel, blinded by my sin, doomed for destruction.

But instead of giving me what I deserve, God saw fit to give me a heart of faith and to justify me through Christ's atoning work in my place. Although I am certainly still in an ongoing process of sanctification, God has given me a growing desire to walk in obedience to His Word and to bear fruit for His kingdom.

2. God has given me an interest in politics but also a clear understanding of its limitations.

In my high school and college years, I was active on behalf of many political causes. However, more recently through the biblical teaching I have received, I have grown to see more clearly that ideological political action, even when it advocates righteous principles, cannot solve the deepest problems facing mankind.

Although government restrains the worst effects of our sin nature, it cannot cure that disease. At the root of nearly all of our political problems lies willful sin and rebellion. Since the gospel is the cure for the disease of sin, it is also the most effective cure to our political problems, since nearly all of them are the result of sin. Accordingly, the evangelism and discipleship work of the local church and of organizations like Capitol Ministries is far more important than that of any political party.

3. God has given me a growing desire to know His Word better, spend more time in it, and assist in its proclamation to others.

Although I have enjoyed working for several legislators and have learned much about various policy matters, one of the drawbacks of my current job is that it allows little time to learn more about God or His Word. Accordingly, for some time now I have had a desire to have a job where at least some of my work-related activities would be of greater spiritual benefit to me and my family. In addition, while I certainly enjoy my current job and am happy to do it as unto the Lord and for His glory, if given the choice, I would prefer to spend more of my working hours doing work that would more directly assist in the expansion of Christ's kingdom."

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I'm sure there will be opportunity to share more about Capitol Ministries via this blog in the weeks and months ahead, but if you'd like to learn more right now or sign up for regular e-mail updates, check out their newly redesigned web site.