In our politicized times, it’s not uncommon to hear an evangelical leader throw their support behind some political measure to save religious liberty or to preserve Christian values. And to be honest, the dinnertime conversation of your average Anabaptist might not be much different. Christ’s Kingdom Commission by David Anderson stands out because, unlike most American evangelicals, he emphasizes prayer and evangelism as our primary weapons to change the world, not political activism.
Anderson traces a thread through the Great Commission and 1 Timothy 2 to show the importance of strategic prayer for our political leaders. The apostles often testified before magistrates and just as often prayed for boldness. He notes that “the peace of the church is designed and provided by God for the evangelizing of the nations” (116). Yet “prayer even for anti-Christian leaders is essentially good because it is a reflection of the nature of God our Savior, who loves his enemies” (126).
He also shows how the early church strategically spread out from Jerusalem to all of Rome via regional capital cities. (Paul, for instance, went to only four non-capitals in his travels—mostly to escape persecution.) This provides a unique explanation for why Christianity spread so quickly: by prioritizing cities of cultural and political significance, the Gospel permeated all classes and spread to all corners.
Though much of the book is sound, I do take issue with a few of Anderson’s conclusions. His assessment that the Apostles prioritized capital cities seems valid, but making that the defining mission of the Great Commission seems forced. They preached to centurions and Caesars, but could still say “not many of you were powerful, not many were of noble birth” (I Cor. 1:26 ESV).
Anderson leans heavily on Jonathan Edwards and the Great Awakening as an example of national revival. And though Edwards was a theological giant, his views are not faultless. Consider this quote from Edwards on page 152: “the revival will grow until the awakening reaches whole nations and those in highest positions of influence . . . at length, all the nations of the world will be converted unto God.” Edwards expressed the postmillennial sentiment of his day, but 200 years of hindsight shows the folly of Christian America ushering in the millennial kingdom. I don’t intend to disparage revival, but that sort of expectation is theological overreach.
On the whole, Anderson’s message is useful, provided we recognize its limitations. My takeaway is this: the next time we feel like complaining about the government, let’s remember our duty to pray for “kings and all who are in authority.”