President Trump’s Holy Week proclamation announced to America and to the world that he and First Lady Melania Trump were, in these exact words, “celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—the living Son of God.” You can’t get any clearer than that. This came in contrast to President Biden’s declaration last year that Easter Sunday be recognized as “Trans Visibility Day.” That was shameful. We thank God for bringing this kind of change so quickly.
It was encouraging to see the White House Faith Office hold events throughout the week in observance of the true meaning of Easter. I was asked to pray at a special Easter prayer service and dinner on Wednesday evening, where I told leaders in attendance that there has been a spiritual drought in our nation’s capital for some time. Then on Thursday, they held a White House Staff Easter Service, and I was asked to bring the message. It was a privilege to proclaim the power of the cross and our resurrected Lord—and share the truth of the Gospel.
I am grateful for how President Trump himself marked the significance by saying, “We remember two of the most monumental events in all of history, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
All the world was listening as President Trump shared words we thought we might never hear a president speak: “Nearly 2,000 years ago, during the sacred week, the living Son of God entered Jerusalem in triumph. Soon after, the Savior of mankind, who brought truth and light into the world, was betrayed, arrested and tried, beaten, and nailed to a cross and crucified.
“For our sake He gave up His life, and as the very great Reverend Billy Graham once said, ‘God proved His love on the cross. When Christ hung and bled and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.” … Three days later, Christ’s followers found the empty tomb. Jesus had defeated darkness and death and promised new life to all of humankind, and that’s what we celebrate each year at Easter.
“As we joyfully proclaim on Sunday, He is risen! The death and resurrection of Jesus are the essence of the Christian faith. Whether rich or poor, healthy or sick, young or old, or in times of peace or war, Christians everywhere find solace and hope in the knowledge that Christ died for them and that they could be united with Him in Heaven.”
I don’t know if in our modern history we have had a president publicly communicate the Gospel as clearly as this—and I thank God for it.
On the National Day of Prayer, the president took yet another step to protect people of faith by signing an executive order to establish a Religious Liberty Commission to protect America’s founding principle of religious freedom. It’s a privilege to have been appointed to serve on this strategic commission.
I have never forgotten the legacy of my Scottish ancestors who immigrated to America for the freedom to worship Jesus Christ. For too long now, government officials have been hostile to expressions of the Christian faith and particularly the Name of Jesus Christ. I look forward to doing everything we can to continue freely and boldly proclaiming the truth of God’s Word and the life-changing Gospel.
Anytime the Name of Jesus is lifted up, it’s a powerful testimony of God’s grace for a world that is groping in spiritual darkness.
For decades, this spiritual darkness has spread across Europe as secularism has strengthened its grip. The cure for darkness is Light—Jesus remains the Light of the world, and we must hold that torch high.
We were so encouraged to witness the fires of evangelism being reignited during last month’s European Congress on Evangelism, which we held in Berlin, Germany. We brought more than 1,000 pastors and church leaders from some 55 countries, and praise God that many shared that they are more committed to proclaiming the Gospel than ever. We are took the God Loves You Tour back to London in late June. It is our prayer that the Lord of the harvest will move mightily in our midst and many souls will be saved from the flames of hell.
I will continue lifting high the Name of Jesus while trusting in His promise in John 12:32: “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
The simple proclamation of the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for anyone who hears the Good News and responds with repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Peter said, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
I’m not going to shut up, back down or run away from lifting on high “the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
