WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:03.919 Attention. You're listening to the top Huff radio show, America's home for a 2 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:08.519 conservative not bitter talk radio. Be advised. The content of this program has 3 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:12.039 been documented to prevents and he didn't cure liberalism, and listening may cause you 4 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:32.359 to lean to the right. Here's your conservative but not Bitter host, Tod 5 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:39.200 Huff. Hey, everybody, this is actually John Crane. I have the 6 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:44.119 privilege of being able to sit in the guest chair today. I'm always grateful 7 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:47.840 when Todd Huff invites me to come down and be able to guest host the 8 00:00:47.880 --> 00:00:52.799 show, and I have a very very exciting show for you today. I 9 00:00:52.880 --> 00:00:55.920 have the opportunity to bring in a good friend of mine who I'll introduce here 10 00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:00.679 in just a minute. We recently had the opportunity to go down to Mexico 11 00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:06.959 City and do some political leadership training down there that was intended to try to 12 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:11.079 help really leaders from all over Latin America be able to get a better sense 13 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:18.959 of how can we actually impact not only the lives but also the leadership of 14 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:23.079 our elected officials. And so I was actually part of a trio from here 15 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:30.439 in Indiana that went down and spent about three days down there doing some leadership 16 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:36.120 training. We had the opportunity to go to their national Congress and we were 17 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:40.480 invited into that space by one of their Really, it would be the equivalent 18 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:42.640 of one of our congressmen. It would be like being in Washington, d 19 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:48.079 C. Only it was Mexico City for the country of Mexico. And so 20 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:52.200 we were hosted there and got a chance to speak in the Congress, and 21 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:56.359 then spent the next two days being able to do some actual leadership training at 22 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:00.760 a megachurch down there in Mexico City. So in light of that, I 23 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:06.920 decided to invite my very good friend Matt Barnes to come in and to kind 24 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:12.560 of have a conversation with us about not only that trip, but also the 25 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:15.680 good work that he's doing. He is part of an organization called Public Servants 26 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:21.240 Prayer. He is officially the head chaplain at our state House here in the 27 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:23.680 state of Indiana, and he's got a great team around him that's doing some 28 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:29.639 fantastic work. They've been doing it for twenty years in this state. And 29 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.719 so I just want to say welcome Matt onto the Todd huff Show. Glad 30 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:36.360 to have you here, Senator Crane, it is great to be with you 31 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:39.319 and glad to be on air. This is wonderful. Well, in light 32 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:44.759 of your role in the leadership that you've been able to have here in the 33 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:47.199 state of Indiana, I'd like for you to be able to give our audience 34 00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:52.560 just a little bit of a background on public servants prayer. How did you 35 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:54.439 get started? What is it that you all do? Well? Thank you, 36 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:59.879 John, and again it's good to be with you, and truly inside 37 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:04.319 the State House. I have discovered that politicians are people, and I know 38 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:07.719 there are folks out there that that can't be possible, but they are. 39 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:13.199 And I love political leaders, and that seems like an odd thing to say, 40 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:19.159 you know, as I love politicians, and I often tell people it's 41 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:24.000 because politicians are people and God loves people. Ergo, God loves politicians, 42 00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:29.000 and so then I will often have an audience say that with me. You 43 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:31.639 know, I love politicians, and it makes people uncomfortable, but I think 44 00:03:31.639 --> 00:03:36.159 that's it's important for us as we think about For me, as a believer, 45 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:40.280 I'm told to pray for those in authority over me, and I find 46 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:44.960 it impossible to hate somebody i'm praying for. So that turned into twenty years 47 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:47.719 ago, that turned into a ministry where I walked into the State House ask 48 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:53.120 if I could meet with my elected leaders and I began to ask them how 49 00:03:53.159 --> 00:03:57.759 I could pray for them, and God started a ministry right there in late 50 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:00.120 two thousand and four, and so it's been it's been the honor of a 51 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:03.400 lifetime to be in that building and as you say, in that space, 52 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:09.719 to begin to find out how political leaders think, what they're going through in 53 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:14.680 their life, because again they're just people, so there's just there's family issues. 54 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:19.399 There are all sorts of ministry opportunities in the capital and it's been a 55 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:21.560 thrill to be able to do that for the last twenty years. And over 56 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:26.120 those twenty years, you know, it started with just you, but that 57 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:29.959 team has grown about how big is your team now at the State House. 58 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:33.879 So we have about three well with an intern now for full time folks, 59 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:39.439 and then we have many volunteers, six or seven volunteers, and we look 60 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:43.639 to plant. What we want to do is encourage local churches to begin to 61 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:47.519 go into county courthouses, city halls, because if we're to pray for our 62 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:50.040 leaders, we need to find out how to pray for them. And so 63 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:56.120 going in and listening is very helpful in determining how to pray for political leaders. 64 00:04:56.120 --> 00:05:00.519 So we've got a great team all over Indiana. And it's ironic, 65 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:05.480 right because in the political space, usually people are down there focused on advocacy, 66 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:09.560 and certainly there's a place for that. We hear at the top Tuff 67 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:14.920 Show talk about advocacy quite a bit, But tell us a little bit about 68 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:19.199 a little further about the approach that you've taken of just offering to pray for 69 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:24.120 people and how that has opened doors not just into their lives, but really 70 00:05:24.120 --> 00:05:29.079 in being able to have genuine and meaningful, sustained impact in the lives of 71 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:31.839 the political leaders. As you know as a senator, everybody in that building 72 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:35.480 wants something from you. Yeah, there was a former senator that he came 73 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:40.399 to me. He said, everybody in this building wants something from me except 74 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:44.639 you, Matt, and so I want that to always be the case. 75 00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:46.240 We don't want anything from those leaders. What we want to do is be 76 00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:53.319 a blessing to them, and we establish peer based ministry because we come alongside. 77 00:05:53.720 --> 00:05:56.879 The difficult thing about once you get elected you have lots of friends. 78 00:05:57.160 --> 00:06:01.079 Yes, that's exactly right to go but yes, I've become very popular. 79 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:03.680 Correct. Yeah. Years ago I think it was The Onion put out an 80 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:10.279 article and it was the headline was Congressman shocked to discover lobbyist really not his 81 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:15.439 friend, and so exactly the whole satire article was, Oh, we used 82 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:18.439 to go to games together and meals together. He'd laugh at all my jokes. 83 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:20.399 And then I didn't vote in the way he wanted me to, and 84 00:06:20.439 --> 00:06:25.240 he doesn't like me anymore. He's not my friend. Then he dogs. 85 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.560 There's a lot of those quote unquote friends in Indiana. In fact, we 86 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:32.519 have more than fifteen hundred registered lobbyists. And when you figure there are one 87 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:36.079 hundred members of the House of Representatives fifty members of the Senate, that's a 88 00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:41.600 ten to one margin from lobby to lobbyist to legislator ratio. So we want 89 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:45.199 to be that entity in the building that says we love you, we care 90 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:47.600 about you, and we want to pray for you, with no strings attached, 91 00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:51.800 no ulterior motive, no hidden agenda. And now I will tell you 92 00:06:51.959 --> 00:06:57.439 John that it took the better part of nine years for them to actually believe 93 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.079 me. Yeah, tell us a little bit about that. There's always a 94 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:03.800 natural skepticism in the political well, yes, especially you get a pastor coming 95 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:08.639 in, clearly he's got an agenda. And so I just would sit in 96 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:11.920 the galleries in the House in the Senate for nine years. I sat there 97 00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:15.360 until finally a legislator in the House said, you know, we have a 98 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:18.480 pastor of the day every day that comes in to pray and start each session 99 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:21.160 of the House and Senate in prayer, and we just don't have a lot 100 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:25.560 of time. We're running from bill to bill and committee to committee. Would 101 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.600 you be able to come down meet that pastor of the day, talk with 102 00:07:28.680 --> 00:07:30.639 him, orient them to the process, and then we'll come in and say 103 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:34.079 hi and get started on session. So it gave me a quote unquote job 104 00:07:34.120 --> 00:07:38.319 to do, and so it was an honor to be on the floor. 105 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:41.399 In fact, they say all unauthorized individuals leave the House chamber, leave the 106 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:46.319 Senate chamber, and they finally got the golden ticket. I did. And 107 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:50.160 so typically the pastor will leave right after he here she prays. They leave, 108 00:07:50.279 --> 00:07:55.079 Yeah, and then there's this seat sitting there with their reserved stick around 109 00:07:55.079 --> 00:07:56.480 it, And I thought, well, if they're going to leave, I 110 00:07:56.519 --> 00:08:01.040 might as well sit, And so I began sitting there and that just turned 111 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:03.879 into me being on the floor all the time. Whenever the House or Senator 112 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:11.079 in session, we are there and we're praying and creating that pastoral presence in 113 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:13.040 the arena. So that's how it happened. It was just over time creating 114 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:16.839 trusts, and that trust turns into influencing the lives of leaders. Yeah, 115 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:20.240 and I will tell you from my perspective as one of those elected leaders, 116 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:24.519 having been in the Senate for many, many years now, I often tell 117 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:28.759 audiences when they ask about the role that you all play, that it's really 118 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:33.440 a ministry of presence, and that is being present in the room and knowing, 119 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:39.360 especially when there's some really really difficult bills or people's emotions are getting all 120 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:43.399 fired up about a variety of different things, to know that I can always 121 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:46.159 kind of look over my shoulder and look in the back of the room and 122 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:50.399 see you or a member of your team back there, just present and praying, 123 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:54.720 and that's a huge lift in those moments. Well. Pastoral presence is 124 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:58.279 highly important and valued. In fact, the former Speaker of the House at 125 00:08:58.279 --> 00:09:00.720 one of our events, we have a State House prayer service at the beginning 126 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.919 of every year where we invite Hoosiers to come in. Hundreds of Hoosiers come 127 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:07.559 in to pray within for their leaders. And at that event several years ago, 128 00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:09.840 former Speaker Brian Bosma, he surprised me. He says, hey, 129 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:13.440 Matt, can I jump up and do well? Of course, you do 130 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:15.440 whatever you want, you know. He jumps up on the stage. Yes, 131 00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:18.399 mister Smith, Yes, yes, he jumps up on the stage, 132 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:22.879 and in front of all these hundreds of people, he said, I just 133 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.480 want to commend public servants prayer and their team. He says, they have 134 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:31.519 fundamentally changed the atmosphere and the culture of the State House. And he says, 135 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:35.080 I know for sure that has happened because as legislators get up and they 136 00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:37.559 want to speak and may want to say something not very nice about one of 137 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:41.039 their fellow legislators, they look over and they see that there's a pastor sitting 138 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:46.879 there praying for them, and it changes the tone and the tenor in the 139 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:50.159 room. And so that's been what a blessing to be able to provide that 140 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:54.120 pastoral presence. I am a representative and I have to remind myself when I 141 00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:58.399 walk in that intimidating building every day that I'm a representative too. I just 142 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:03.320 represent the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm not representing constituents in a district, but 143 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:07.000 I represent him and so hopefully when they see me, they see the Lord. 144 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:11.159 And beyond that. I know that you are very diligent about not doing 145 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:16.120 a lot of preaching. But there is a regular Bible study that you conduct, 146 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:18.919 is that right? Yes? Every week? In fact, there's a 147 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:22.679 there's a couple Bible several Bible studies going on in the Capitol. So every 148 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:26.440 Tuesday morning during session, we have a legislative Bible study that you are obviously 149 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:31.159 very faithful lot, and in fact it's grown. When I first walked in 150 00:10:31.559 --> 00:10:35.360 twenty years ago, there were four or five legislators. Today there's thirty five 151 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:37.519 to forty. They gather in the Governor's office and gather around the Word of 152 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:41.759 God to pray with one another and study the Word. That's remarkable. I 153 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:45.080 think that should excite some believers in the state of Indiana that that's going on 154 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:48.639 in your capitol. Yeah. I think it puzzles some believers in Indiana that 155 00:10:48.679 --> 00:10:52.519 there's any believers in the capitol, and yet there are, and it's a 156 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:56.120 regular thing. This is awesome. This is awesome. This is why I'm 157 00:10:56.120 --> 00:11:01.200 so grateful that you're able to be here and able to kind of give us 158 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:07.879 that insider perspective on how you can have meaningful influence and impact in the lives 159 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:11.879 of leaders. This is a fantastic conversation. We're gonna continue this on the 160 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:15.759 other side of the break. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back on 161 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:33.840 the Todd Huff Radio Show. Hey, this is John Crane filling in for 162 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:37.799 Todd Huff on the Todd Huff Show. We are in the middle of a 163 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:45.120 really fascinating conversation. We're doing less issues today and more focus on how we 164 00:11:45.159 --> 00:11:48.600 can have impact with our political leaders. I'm here with my very good friend 165 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:52.879 and colleague Matt Barnes, who is with Public Servants per and they've been serving 166 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:58.000 in the state capital of Indiana for twenty years, and we've been getting into 167 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:01.840 kind of the history of public servants prayer and really how coming in and trying 168 00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:07.600 to serve politicians has opened the door for influence both in their life and in 169 00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:09.879 their leadership. As I mentioned at the top of the show, one of 170 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:13.519 the things that we were able to do very recently was to go down to 171 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:20.960 Mexico City for three days of leadership training in their state or in their federal 172 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:26.279 capital, but also in a local megachurch down there. They brought leaders from 173 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:28.399 all over Mexico and Latin America to be able to be a part of this 174 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:33.799 conference, and it was hosted by an organization called Parliament and Faith. Matt, 175 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:37.320 I know you've been involved with them for quite some time. Tell us 176 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:41.519 a little bit more about Parliament and Faith and the founder and what they do. 177 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:45.960 Sure, I met Luciano Bangarra. He is from buenas Airis, Argentina, 178 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:48.320 and I met him seventeen years ago and heard his passion. For he 179 00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:54.960 previously was doing ministry to athletes, that was his thing, and then he 180 00:12:54.080 --> 00:13:00.000 just transferred that focus to the political arena and started a ministry in Buenis Airi's 181 00:13:00.120 --> 00:13:03.279 Argentina. And as he grew, the ministry grew there at morns Aires, 182 00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:07.279 he began to see that there was a need for ministry in the political arena 183 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:13.720 and capitals around the world, and that has grown now into a worldwide ministry, 184 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:18.639 a global ministry to political types and political leaders. So that's what this 185 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:22.519 was. A regional meeting, a conference that we were at recently, and 186 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:26.080 so, like you say, it was Mexico, it was all around Central 187 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:31.519 America and those there is a seed being planted, and is exciting to see 188 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:35.440 that there are people willing to go into the political arena with no agenda, 189 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:41.679 with no desire to accomplish some sort of advocacy other than we want political leaders 190 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:45.639 to know the love of Jesus and the forgiveness found in Christ. Well, 191 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:50.320 and I think it's fascinating too because oftentimes, as I often tell audiences, 192 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:54.879 people generally, and it's not just Americans, I think people all of the 193 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:58.960 world have a negative impression of political leaders. And I'm only half joking when 194 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:03.720 I talk about the meaning of politics. Right, So, Polly is many 195 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:09.679 and ticks are blood sucking creatures, and that is what the vast majority of 196 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:16.679 the average citizens automatically assume about elected officials. Unfortunately, like so many situations 197 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:20.240 in life, there are always some bad apples that taint the entire bunch, 198 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:24.559 and we have to try to work to overcome that. And so I remember 199 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:28.120 one of the very first conversations that you and I had when I came into 200 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:33.840 our Indiana Senate was explaining to you my desire to not just be a senator, 201 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:37.279 but really to be a catalyst for redemptive good in the political arena, 202 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:41.679 and my secondary goal was to try to redeem the reputation of the politician. 203 00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:45.639 How have you seen that play out in the ministry opportunities that you've had both 204 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:48.200 in our state but also some of these conferences that you've been able to be 205 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:52.679 a part of. I'll never forget that first conversation you and I had because 206 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:54.879 I looked at you and I said, please unpack that a little bit for 207 00:14:56.120 --> 00:14:58.559 me, a little more for me, and you did, and you've walked 208 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:03.039 it out, Yes, you have. And it's that's been encouraging. And 209 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:05.639 what I have seen over the course of twenty years. When you say twenty 210 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:09.000 years, it sounds like a lot of fact that we're getting. Well. 211 00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:11.159 Yeah. And also, you know, when I started in the state US, 212 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:13.879 I was I had hair, you know, and I'm clearly follically challenged 213 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:18.360 now. And so as we started the ministry there and there were there was 214 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:22.039 a core of folks that love the Lord and would come to that Bible study. 215 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:28.159 But what we've seen is that as we come in and we encourage folks 216 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:33.200 to gather together. One person strengthens another person. Right to that old Billy 217 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:35.080 Graham quote, you know when one person stands, the backs of others are 218 00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:39.519 stiffened as well, something like that is what he said. And so we've 219 00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:41.559 seen that happen in our capital, and there becomes an accountability. Right. 220 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:46.039 So you're sitting in a Bible study together, and and by the way, 221 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:48.679 John, as you know, we've got all four caucuses represented in the Bible 222 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:52.840 study, right, So I know there are folks like that can't be possible. 223 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:56.200 There's there's Christian republic, There's there's Republicans that are Christians. There are 224 00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:00.360 Democrats that are Christians. The answer is yes. And so sitting on that 225 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:03.200 table, there's a senator that says, it's really hard for me to sit 226 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:07.600 there, and I'm praying with this particular senator that's from the other party. 227 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:11.799 And then in the afternoon, I'm debating them on the floor and I can't 228 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:15.360 go hit them upside that because I've discovered that they have prayer needs, they've 229 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:19.960 got family problems, and they end up loving that member. And so it 230 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:25.759 is created an atmosphere of care. I know we often say that we want 231 00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:30.519 people say we want civility in politic in the political world, and I often 232 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:33.039 tell legislators in our state House that civility is a really low bar. I 233 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:37.320 mean that just means I have to tolerate you, when in fact, according 234 00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:41.200 to the Word of God, I need to love you, and that's a 235 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:45.519 much higher bar. And so we've seen that culture change in our capital. 236 00:16:45.960 --> 00:16:49.080 And I know in this segment we started with talking about how we ended up 237 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:55.320 in Mexico City, some people maybe are a little puzzled by you know, 238 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:59.480 you start this ministry in the capitol and the state of Indiana. How do 239 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:04.599 you then find yourself in some of these overseas venues working with leaders from other 240 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:07.400 countries. How did that evolve? Well, the fact is there is a 241 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:12.319 pastoral vacuum in the political arena, and so once you begin to start that 242 00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:17.799 and begin to create pastoral care in the political arena, what happens is because 243 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:21.640 there's so few people out there doing it, you end up connecting with other 244 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:25.640 people that are doing that, and that has led to going to other places. 245 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:29.680 And because of there's such a vacuum and there are so many people that 246 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:33.400 need that ministry, and yet there's so few that do it now being twenty 247 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:37.759 years in here this season, they kind of yeah, they to see me 248 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:40.720 as the seasoned guy, like come tell us, And I often tell them, 249 00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:41.759 you know, I can at least tell you what not to do because 250 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:45.519 I've had twenty years of experience. This is what not to do. What 251 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:49.799 to do We're still working on and so that's how I'm fine. But even 252 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:53.440 still, though, John, I find myself in those arenas and I have 253 00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:56.759 to pinch myself, like what am I doing here? I'm just like I 254 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:00.599 was a homeschooled kid from South East Indiana. What am I doing? But 255 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:04.720 it's God. He's the one who opens the doors and and we just keep 256 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:08.000 walking through them. But it is amazing. Back to your point though, 257 00:18:08.039 --> 00:18:12.880 about the idea of politics being a dirty arena, there was a quote and 258 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:17.160 it was it was profound down in Mexico, and it got through the translation 259 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:22.519 our our intern this year is thankfully bilingual. I suffer from monolingualism, and 260 00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:29.119 so that's that's my bad. But through the translation it came something like, 261 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:30.920 there was a guy who felt called to the political arena. He's a Christian 262 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:34.160 that went to his mom and his passions. I feel called to the political 263 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:37.839 arena, and his mom said, no, you can't do that because it's 264 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:42.079 like a sewer. And I thought, you know, that's in Mexico, 265 00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:47.480 but that's also in the United States. Well, And I shared a story 266 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:52.440 even from one of my my local church. We had a guest speaker who 267 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:56.319 came in and was talking about kind of his formative years and where he was 268 00:18:56.319 --> 00:19:00.319 wanting to go vocationally, and ultimately he ended up doing some what we would 269 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:04.720 call apologetics ministry of how to defend the Christian faith. But at the time, 270 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:08.480 prior to that, he was doing some finance and the economics. But 271 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:15.759 as he was describing this journey, he shared in this very large auditorium that 272 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:19.039 originally he had thought about wanting to get in politics to try to make a 273 00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:25.599 difference. And I'll never forget listening to that because the audience laughed. They 274 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:26.640 were laughing at the fact that he wanted to make a difference. Yeah, 275 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:30.000 there was this idea that you could actually make a difference in politics. And 276 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:33.640 I'm sitting there as a sitting State senator, thinking, you know, that's 277 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:40.240 part of our problem is that from a spiritual standpoint or a worldview standpoint, 278 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:45.279 we get so focused on the advocacy and the issues that we don't often go 279 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:48.960 back and source those. Right, If I take a particular political position or 280 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:52.720 a philosophical position, you know, at some point I have to ask myself, 281 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:56.720 why why do I have this position? And well, because I believe 282 00:19:56.759 --> 00:19:57.799 this? Well, why do I believe this? Well? Because I believe 283 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:03.720 that Ultimately, you know, does God have something to say about everything or 284 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:08.720 not? And the answer is yes, because he created the system. And 285 00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:14.440 as we know, you know Romans thirteen, Yes, the idea of government 286 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:18.920 originated from God himself. And so after the break, I want us to 287 00:20:19.160 --> 00:20:23.759 unpack that a little further, just for our audience, because I think sometimes 288 00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:27.960 many times with talk radio shows, we talk about the issues and we don't 289 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:33.000 often connect the dots for people. And I think it's really really important for 290 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:38.559 us to understand our why behind the positions that we take, or the policy 291 00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:42.119 that we try to move, or even the approach that we might be trying 292 00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:47.440 to take with our elected officials. Why we need to be thoughtful in terms 293 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:51.079 of how we think and how we act. And so we're getting ready to 294 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:55.000 take another break, but we're going to pick up this conversation and talking about 295 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:57.839 some of the why behind this whole thing. Don't go away. We'll be 296 00:20:57.960 --> 00:21:19.160 right back on the Todd Radio Show. Hey, this is John Crane. 297 00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:22.839 I'm privileged to be able to guest host the Todd Huff Radio Show today, 298 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:27.480 and we've been in the middle of a really fascinating conversation with my very good 299 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:33.400 friend and colleague Matt Barnes, who heads up the Public Servants Prayer Team at 300 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:37.240 the Indiana State Capitol here in the state of Indiana. They've been doing it 301 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:42.480 for twenty years and really wanting to come alongside elected officials and frankly all the 302 00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:48.400 staff, anybody who works in the State House and trying to administer them starting 303 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:53.240 with prayer, but also then morphing into being able to really interact with them 304 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:59.440 personally and build meaningful connections with them. As we've mentioned, we spent some 305 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:03.119 time to get down in Mexico City recently, and that's part of the reason 306 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:07.640 why I wanted to invite Matt onto the show today, so that we could 307 00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:11.440 provide some perspective on what we learned there and what we experience. It's very 308 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:15.160 easy for us to kind of get insulated, especially here in the American culture, 309 00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:19.680 but oftentimes if we've ever been outside of the country or even in another 310 00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:23.839 part of the country that's unfamiliar to us. It provides some needed perspective. 311 00:22:25.400 --> 00:22:27.920 One of the things that we were talking about before the break was this idea 312 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:34.839 of really trying to help people connect the dots in terms of why we believe 313 00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:38.799 what we believe about certain things. And I know, for you all in 314 00:22:38.839 --> 00:22:44.039 the ministry space, you are not doing a lot of advocacy at all, 315 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:48.039 other than advocating for politicians, which is kind of ironic, right, But 316 00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:56.319 your job is not to necessarily advocate for or against a particular issue. You 317 00:22:56.319 --> 00:23:02.440 don't want the politics to get in the way of the person. Unpack that 318 00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:04.400 a little bit for us in terms of the approach that you all take that 319 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:08.519 might be a little different than perhaps the approach that other folks have taken, 320 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:12.559 and even other Christians or Conservatives. So what we do is, in looking 321 00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:17.319 at scripture, does God care about good law and good leadership? And the 322 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:21.000 answer is a resounding yes. And so you look at the first five books 323 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:22.359 of the Bible, their books of the law. Then you get into books 324 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:27.640 of leadership like Joshua, Judges and Ruth even having an impact. She became 325 00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:32.000 the great grandmother of King David, and so you begin to see that God 326 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:34.519 cares about good law and good leadership. Then you fast forward in the in 327 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:38.240 the Old Testament and you see prophets, and who did the prophets minister to? 328 00:23:38.359 --> 00:23:41.680 They ministered to the kings, and so where there was a king, 329 00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:45.799 there was a man of God. And so our heart in the ministry is 330 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:52.839 to come alongside leaders and encourage, pray for and then we're helpful. And 331 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:56.119 so oftentimes a political leader will come and say, hey, this is this 332 00:23:56.160 --> 00:24:00.759 is what I'm struggling with, or this even maybe there's a bill that they're 333 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:03.359 like, hey, this is coming up. What does the Bible say? 334 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:07.799 Remember, very vividly early on in the ministry, a legislater are coming to 335 00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:11.480 me and say, you're a pastor, what's the Bible say about this? 336 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:15.079 And what's your opinion? And I remember distinctly saying, well, my opinion 337 00:24:15.400 --> 00:24:19.440 doesn't matter, but the Bible can speak, and we'll let because that's what 338 00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:25.519 those prophets are saying to the kings. Right, Thus saith the Lord and 339 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:27.240 be able to speak for the Lord. And so we do that through the 340 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:33.240 word of God. Now that's our heart as we come alongside leadership and helping 341 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:38.559 them do what they do better, because the proverbs say that when the righteous 342 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:42.440 rule, the people rejoice, and that's what we want. We want a 343 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:47.720 citizenry that rejoices under the leadership that is over us because, as you mentioned 344 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:51.200 earlier, Romans thirteen one says there is no power but of God. The 345 00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:55.640 powers that be are ordained of God. So if I'm looking through Scripture as 346 00:24:55.680 --> 00:25:00.880 my prism to government, I often get saddened. I joke negative jokes about 347 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:06.000 politicians. I'm like, especially from Christians or heard from the pulpit, It's 348 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:07.759 like, those are those are the people that I love, and that's my 349 00:25:07.880 --> 00:25:12.119 mission field. I think a missionary would be very offended if a pastor got 350 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:15.119 up and told a joke about a particular people group that they were ministry to, 351 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:19.000 And I'm like that that's me because I love those people and want to 352 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:23.359 help them do what they do better. Because God can call the Christian to 353 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:27.160 serve in the political arena, and especially if you think about it, we 354 00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:32.519 talk about it being dirty, but what happens when you take godly out of 355 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:36.920 something it becomes ungodly. So that's why and you speak to that, this 356 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:41.039 idea of when when the righteous are ruling, the people rejoice, right, 357 00:25:41.319 --> 00:25:47.200 Well, that gets into some deeper cultural, philosophical, even theological questions on 358 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:49.960 how do we define right and wrong? How do we define good and bad? 359 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:56.799 Or ought and ought not? And I hear often from fellow legislators and 360 00:25:56.839 --> 00:26:00.240 even the average people, Wow, we can't legislate morality, right, that's 361 00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:03.359 a common phrase, and everybody just kind of nods and going, well, 362 00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:07.039 you're right, you know. Well, I've had to gently try to help 363 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:14.319 people understand that we, as lawmakers in particular, are in the morality legislating 364 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:18.599 business. We are making law, and any law, by definition says either 365 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:25.000 that the citizens can or cannot do whatever it is that we're undertaking. The 366 00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:29.039 question isn't whether or not we're legislating morality, is whose morality are we legislating? 367 00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:33.839 And so when we think about the idea of the righteous ruling, it 368 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:37.839 begs that question, what is our standard? Right? What is our standard? 369 00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:42.519 If we keep it strictly at the political then it's simply whoever's you know, 370 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:45.759 the party in power. But I think that's the big challenge right as 371 00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:49.799 Christian leaders is to say, wait, a second, is there a higher 372 00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:53.640 standard to which we're all beholden? Well, I found it. I find 373 00:26:53.640 --> 00:26:56.759 it fascinating. The six hundred and some laws in the Old Testament that God 374 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:02.039 put out and the summarises them down to ten, and then Jesus gets them 375 00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:04.599 down to two. Right, what are the two? What's the primary law? 376 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:07.839 Love the Lord your God with all your hearts and mind and strength, 377 00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:11.680 and love your neighbor as yourself. We could pretty much do a way. 378 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:14.039 And I've been in the law library, but you probably have as well. 379 00:27:14.039 --> 00:27:17.359 In the state House in its law book upon law book upon me in the 380 00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:22.720 code for morality in our state is writ large. It's an entire library. 381 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:26.240 And Jesus says, are you loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself? 382 00:27:26.759 --> 00:27:30.880 If we had those two, if if every heart and every person did those 383 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:34.559 two laws, we wouldn't need all those laws. Well, I'm practically speaking, 384 00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:37.200 That's what I've often said to people. You know, if you could, 385 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:41.640 if you could accomplish two things, you would virtually eliminate the need for 386 00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:45.960 government. One is that we are truly kind of moral and ethical right according 387 00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:51.039 to that standard that God established. But the second also is we could shore 388 00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:55.720 up the family, which is God's smallest unit of government, right, Mom, 389 00:27:55.839 --> 00:28:00.480 Dad, kids, That's where kids learn all kinds of really law rules, 390 00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:07.240 systems for not just surviving in life, but thriving within a civilized society. 391 00:28:07.880 --> 00:28:11.160 And if we could do both of those, and if we could teach 392 00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:15.200 people this idea of loving God and loving others, man, imagine how much 393 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:18.359 better the world would be. And why do we help people learn to love 394 00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:22.200 other people? Is so that they will get along well together. Why do 395 00:28:22.279 --> 00:28:26.839 we teach them to learn to love God? Because God says people matter. 396 00:28:26.839 --> 00:28:30.799 In fact, people are the most important thing, and unfortunately as important as 397 00:28:30.839 --> 00:28:37.160 politics is, and it's very important. Obviously we're all involved in that in 398 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:42.359 some form or fashion. People matter more, right they do. And as 399 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:45.359 you're saying that, and maybe we'll do with the next segment. But the 400 00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:52.759 idea is what's behind. I don't preach morality, John, That's and hopefully 401 00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:56.599 most preachers of the Gospel don't, because that is a fruitless exercise to preach 402 00:28:56.680 --> 00:29:03.279 morality. What we preach is Jesus can help us accomplish those two things through 403 00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:06.400 and by the person Jesus Christ, and through the salvation. In the Gospel 404 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:08.200 that's what helps us do what we're supposed to do, because I can't even 405 00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:11.599 do those two rules. They couldn't do one in the garden of Eden, 406 00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:15.240 So we can't do those two without God's help. That's right, and I 407 00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:22.200 think it's ultimately an extension of our relationship with God and how that plays out 408 00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:26.759 into our interactions with other people. Well, we're going to pick this conversation 409 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:30.240 up. We're getting into some really good stuff here, but we've got to 410 00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:33.920 take a quick break and we'll be right back right here on the Todd Huff 411 00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:53.000 Radio Show. We'll see in just a second. This is John Gray. 412 00:29:53.119 --> 00:29:56.400 We're back on the Todd Huff Radio Show, and we've been having a very 413 00:29:56.440 --> 00:30:02.440 fascinating conversation with my good friend and Kyle Matt Barnes, a public servants prayer. 414 00:30:02.519 --> 00:30:07.359 They've been doing some ministry to political leaders because they love politicians. It's 415 00:30:07.400 --> 00:30:11.400 a mission field, yes, and they've been doing that for twenty years here 416 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:15.200 in the state of Indiana, but it's also expanded. Their reach has expanded 417 00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:21.279 not just across the United States and to other capitals and encouraging leaders in those 418 00:30:21.319 --> 00:30:25.559 capitals as well, but also in other countries around the world. And the 419 00:30:26.039 --> 00:30:30.319 backdrop for why I invited Matt to join me on the show today is because 420 00:30:30.359 --> 00:30:36.440 we recently were down in Mexico City doing some really some leadership training for elected 421 00:30:36.440 --> 00:30:41.200 officials and also faith leaders who are interested in ministering to politicians. I didn't 422 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:45.160 ask at the outset. I'm interested to know what was what were some of 423 00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:48.759 your takeaways from our time in Mexico City and those conversations that we were able 424 00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:53.319 to have, well thankfully with Aliseo, our translator, we were able to 425 00:30:53.319 --> 00:30:59.640 discover that the same problems that we have in Indiana and the United States are 426 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:03.240 the same problems they're dealing with in Mexico. And as we've traveled around the 427 00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:06.480 world, the same problems around the world. It's because we have as really 428 00:31:06.519 --> 00:31:07.880 we have as a preacher, I would say, we have a sin problem. 429 00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:11.920 It's the same where sinners around the world. It's a human issue, 430 00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:17.720 human problem, and so that's why we need government, right because government is 431 00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:22.319 to restrain evil. And in First Peter chapter two, he says the purposes 432 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:26.480 of government are punish evil and praise the good. And so that's what government 433 00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:33.039 and we need restraints and the problem with people writ large is that we don't 434 00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:37.440 have restraints internally, and so the less self government we have, the more 435 00:31:37.839 --> 00:31:41.079 civil government. Yeah, grow there's that. There's that line from history where 436 00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:45.799 they say, you know, the less that you're able to govern yourself from 437 00:31:45.880 --> 00:31:49.079 within, the more you will be governed from without, And that's exactly right, 438 00:31:49.319 --> 00:31:52.720 so true. So that's what I took away was, you know, 439 00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:56.359 as we're meeting with these leaders, and whether some were pastoral leaders, many 440 00:31:56.359 --> 00:31:59.440 were political leaders as well, they're dealing with the same problem. Yeah. 441 00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:01.000 It was interesting because you kind of think, Okay, I'm going into a 442 00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:04.400 foreign culture. In this case, it was Latin America, so a lot 443 00:32:04.440 --> 00:32:10.880 of Hispanic leaders, and there's certainly some cultural issues right, clearly language issues 444 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:15.640 and things like that. But I think one of my takeaways was not realizing 445 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:20.799 that one of my initial assumptions was that the differences would be more stark and 446 00:32:20.920 --> 00:32:23.920 contrasting, when in reality, to your point, once you get past some 447 00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:30.440 of those contextual or cultural issues, at the most basic level, we're human 448 00:32:30.279 --> 00:32:37.359 and the political the political nuance, the political considerations, all those different things 449 00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:42.440 that we deal with here in an American context are the same types of things 450 00:32:42.519 --> 00:32:46.759 that they deal with in their own context as well. It's just it's couched 451 00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:52.319 a little bit differently. Even the organization of the of the different positions and 452 00:32:52.359 --> 00:32:55.880 things like that. One of the things that I thought was very, very 453 00:32:55.920 --> 00:33:00.640 fascinating, And this is something that I think is any difference, and certainly 454 00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:06.720 something that gave me a much greater appreciation for America as challenging as kind of 455 00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:10.480 where we are in our own journey, was that when we were getting ready 456 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:15.880 to go into their National Congress, the pastor who was hosting us told us 457 00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:20.400 that tomorrow, when we go in, he said, that will be the 458 00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:25.319 first time in four years that Christians have even been allowed to darken the door, 459 00:33:25.960 --> 00:33:29.720 which I thought was fascinating. What was your take on that. It's 460 00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:32.000 hard to believe, first of all. Secondly, as I tried, as 461 00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:37.640 I travel our state in the United States, I often say this access is 462 00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:43.920 granted because all public meetings are public by definition. The problem is nobody shows 463 00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:47.240 up, and so its access is granted. Influence is earned. Can we 464 00:33:47.319 --> 00:33:52.000 imagine It's hard to imagine a place where the access is not granted. Oh, 465 00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:55.200 you are a Christian, You're not allowed in here? Yes, And 466 00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:59.559 so the pastor was just thrilled that we were able to be in there, 467 00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:01.400 and I praise to God for that, and hopefully that's an open door that 468 00:34:01.400 --> 00:34:05.279 will continue to be open well. And I think that was the key, 469 00:34:05.400 --> 00:34:08.000 right. It wasn't even that we were allowed to kind of darken the door 470 00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:13.960 in the lobby. It was that doors had been opened for us to be 471 00:34:14.039 --> 00:34:20.119 able to get into one of the presentation rooms. You and I shared the 472 00:34:20.199 --> 00:34:24.440 dais with really a congresswoman who the vice president of their Congress. Right she 473 00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:28.719 is not the Speaker of the House for them, but she is the second 474 00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:32.079 in command for their entire Congress. And then to be able to go onto 475 00:34:32.119 --> 00:34:38.639 the floor of their Congress, and in talking with some of those pastoral leaders, 476 00:34:39.119 --> 00:34:42.599 you could just see the shock on their face. They had never been 477 00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:46.800 there, and they had never been received so warmly into some of these spaces. 478 00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:52.000 And for somebody like me who has had the privilege of being able to 479 00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:54.599 serve in Indiana and also go out to Washington, d C. And have 480 00:34:54.639 --> 00:35:01.800 that experience without fear of repression or anything like that, it was a great 481 00:35:01.840 --> 00:35:07.239 reminder of how blessed we are here in the United States. Truly. You 482 00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:10.519 know, we talk about freedom of religion. And I look at freedom of 483 00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:15.239 religion as an exercise and the less you exercise something, the more actrophy you 484 00:35:15.239 --> 00:35:19.360 have and the muscle. And we have freedom of religion here, we just 485 00:35:19.360 --> 00:35:22.039 don't use it. And it's entirely possible. And I think we should be 486 00:35:22.119 --> 00:35:25.599 going into those spaces of the political world, and why can't we go and 487 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:30.320 sit and listen and pray. Everybody can do that. Represent of Ailsworth says 488 00:35:30.320 --> 00:35:34.599 this, the world is governed by those who show up. And that's it's 489 00:35:34.599 --> 00:35:37.320 a simple statement, but it's profound. And I would also I would encourage 490 00:35:37.360 --> 00:35:42.000 those that are listening, if you're if you're a believer, just start showing 491 00:35:42.039 --> 00:35:43.920 up at a city council being. First of all, they're going to wonder 492 00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:47.880 who the new person is because there's no one there, like who's the new 493 00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:50.719 guy? And I got that as I started going. I went to my 494 00:35:50.760 --> 00:35:52.360 city council, who's the new guy? In fact, they're like, hey, 495 00:35:52.360 --> 00:35:54.840 are you the attorney sho No, no, no, I'm not. 496 00:35:55.320 --> 00:35:59.920 I please don't. And so it's it's that idea of access is granted, 497 00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:04.400 influences earned. Let's go in these places and begin to pray for our leaders. 498 00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:07.400 And then see what God does in our heart. Maybe God is calling 499 00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:10.920 an individual to run for office. We want more godly leaders. Maybe that 500 00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:15.639 person's just supposed to go and pray and find out how to more impact their 501 00:36:15.639 --> 00:36:17.760 civil government. What a blessing that would be to our state and to our 502 00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:23.639 nation if God's people would engage in an arena that is often viewed negatively and 503 00:36:23.719 --> 00:36:27.440 we come in positively. Well, And I think that's the key, right. 504 00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:31.400 Another variation of that quote from Representative Aylesworth is that we get the government 505 00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:37.079 that we deserve. If we choose to be involved, then we can have 506 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:39.599 a greater voice. And if we choose not to be involved, the wheels 507 00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:45.280 of government are still turning whether we're present or not, and all the more 508 00:36:45.320 --> 00:36:50.199 reason why those of us who have a biblical worldview should be engaged in this 509 00:36:50.920 --> 00:36:58.039 right. The idea that the public square is empty is true in the sense 510 00:36:58.199 --> 00:37:01.719 of our involvement. By choice, by circumstance, we found ourselves in the 511 00:37:01.719 --> 00:37:08.000 periphery, and yet the people and the problem still exist in the public square. 512 00:37:08.159 --> 00:37:13.519 So it begs the question, if we are not present, then who 513 00:37:13.559 --> 00:37:16.440 will be? And if it's not somebody with a biblical world you're will be 514 00:37:16.519 --> 00:37:22.119 somebody who doesn't share that particular worldview who will be, even from a good 515 00:37:22.119 --> 00:37:28.360 heart, striving to help those people and solve their problems. And so I 516 00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:31.719 think it's a good reminder for us not to stand on the sidelines. Well, 517 00:37:31.719 --> 00:37:36.079 we've got to take one more break before we round out our conversation, 518 00:37:36.599 --> 00:37:39.079 but we'll be right back right here on the Todd Huff Radio Show. We'll 519 00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:57.239 see in just sec Hey, this is John Crane. We've been having a 520 00:37:57.239 --> 00:38:00.519 great conversation here on the Todd Huff Radio Show, and I just want to 521 00:38:00.519 --> 00:38:04.760 say thank you to my great friend Matt Barnes for being on the show with 522 00:38:04.840 --> 00:38:07.400 us today. Thank you, John, it's been an honor to be here 523 00:38:07.400 --> 00:38:10.599 with you. Well, and as we mentioned, you're part of Public Servants 524 00:38:10.599 --> 00:38:15.280 Prayer. How can people find out more about Public Servants Prayer or a Public 525 00:38:15.280 --> 00:38:17.440 Servants Prayer. We are a volunteer organization, by the way, so we're 526 00:38:17.480 --> 00:38:22.000 not paid by state funds or taxpayer dollars. So when I say colleague, 527 00:38:22.039 --> 00:38:24.199 I meet it generically. You're not elected, happy to be a colleague, 528 00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:30.280 just a volunteer one. And so you can find us at VPSP dot org. 529 00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:35.719 So that's te PSP dot o org and that and we are nationwide, 530 00:38:35.719 --> 00:38:37.880 by the way, so we put three leaders to pray for every day. 531 00:38:37.880 --> 00:38:40.199 It's part of our ministry, and so three legislators every single day to be 532 00:38:40.280 --> 00:38:44.960 praying for. And that is now around the country, so every state, 533 00:38:45.199 --> 00:38:47.960 every legislator, every day we're praying for each one of those leaders. So 534 00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:52.159 that's at VPSP dot org. Well, and we really appreciate that. I'm 535 00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:55.920 reminded on that note of a friend of mine who texts me every single week 536 00:38:57.000 --> 00:39:00.960 and she asks the same question and I typically try to respond, and it's 537 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:05.559 this question, how can I be praying for you and your leadership? And 538 00:39:05.639 --> 00:39:10.960 my friend Becca sends that to me faithfully, and it's just administers to me 539 00:39:12.360 --> 00:39:15.039 on a personal level and on a professional level, because I know that somebody 540 00:39:15.119 --> 00:39:19.679 is praying for the decisions that have to be made. Well, I tell 541 00:39:19.719 --> 00:39:22.119 you what, Matt, it's been fantastic to be able to have you on 542 00:39:22.159 --> 00:39:23.920 the show today, and I'm so grateful for all of you out there who 543 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:28.079 have been taking some time to listen to this. Hopefully some of the things 544 00:39:28.079 --> 00:39:31.199 that we've shared with you have challenged your way of thinking that perhaps we politicians 545 00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:36.639 aren't quite as bad as everybody assumes. But God does certainly love politicians, 546 00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:39.199 and we should too, And so we look forward to being able to continue 547 00:39:39.239 --> 00:39:45.960 this conversation on another episode of the Todd Huff Radio Show. To appreciate being 548 00:39:45.960 --> 00:39:46.840 here today, and we'll look forward to seeing you then