‘Every Election Is Crucial’: Northern Virginia Pastor Calls Christians to Vote with Biblical Values

Leesburg, VA – In a sermon Sunday, Pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel urged Christians to rise above political apathy and vote with unwavering adherence to biblical values. Addressing the congregation and live-stream audience, Pastor Hamrick sought to send a warning and a challenge beyond his northern Virginia church. 

CBN News Senior Correspondent Tara Mergener has the interview.

Hamrick’s annual election sermons, which attracts viewers worldwide and generate upwards of A million views online, reflect his influence within the Christian community. 

In the sermon, Hamrick highlighted statistics that show out of approximately 90 million Christians in the United States, 40 million are expected to stay home on Election Day, and 15 million are not even registered to vote. He attributes this apathy to a misplaced focus on candidates’ personalities rather than their policies and principles. Furthermore, he pointed to a broader issue within the church: many churches have become silent on critical social and political issues, leaving their congregations without guidance on how to navigate these complex times.

“The stakes are too high for us to ignore,” Pastor Hamrick said. “Voting is not just a privilege; it’s a duty. It’s our responsibility to be good stewards of the freedom and values we’ve been entrusted with.” He drew parallels to biblical stewardship, referencing the parable of the two servants to emphasize that just as the master entrusted his possessions to his servants, so too has God entrusted Christians with the privilege of living in a free country and participating in its governance.

Hamrick condemned the cultural narrative that frames moral and social issues as purely political and criticized the trend of churches retreating from addressing these issues from the pulpit, which he believes contrubutes to widespread confusion and inaction among Christians. “Churches have gone silent on these crucial matters,” he said. “It’s time for pastors to step up and guide their flocks with biblical clarity and courage.”

Regarding the upcoming election, Pastor Hamrick addressed a range of critical concerns, including judicial appointments, the sanctity of life, support for Israel, biological sex, and religious freedom. He expressed disappointment over the lack of a truly pro-life candidate, noting that neither major candidate fully aligns with pro-life values. Nevertheless, he encouraged voters to evaluate candidates based on policies that align closest with their biblical beliefs, even if no candidate meets all criteria perfectly.

He also gave practical advice for those looking to engage in the political process. He urged church members to be registered, become election officers, and, most importantly, engage in prayer. “We need to pray for our candidates, our country, and trust in God’s sovereignty,” he said. He reminded his congregation of the importance of faith in the political process, asserting that no matter who occupies the White House, God remains on the throne.

“Christians must rise above apathy and engage in the electoral process with a focus on their values. “Every election is crucial,” he emphasized. “We cannot afford to sit this one out. Vote according to your values, and trust in the Lord’s plan.”

How I pray we could have 10 thousand Pastors with a vision to encourage their congregations to vote Biblical values. That would transform our nation. Rh

Hostages Bodies Rescued

The Israel Defense Force has announced that in a Joint Operation with Shin Bet, they have Successfully Recovered the Bodies of Six Hostages who were Kidnapped on October 7th and Murdered by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, with the Bodies being discovered in a Tunnel beneath the City of Khan Yunis in Southern Gaza. The Bodies include 79-Year-Old Haim Perry from Nir Oz, 80-Year-Old Yoram Metzger from Nir Oz, 79-Year-Old Avraham Monder from Nir Oz, 51-Year-Old Nadav Popplewell from Nirim, 34-Year-Old Yagev Buchshtav from Nirim, and finally the 75-Year-Old Polish-Israeli Historian Alexander Dancyg from Nir Oz. Per Amir Tsafati, Behold Israel

My fear is that none of the hostages are still alive. Praying for their safety. Rh

Israeli General to CBN News: Israel Has No Choice but to ‘Attack with All Our Capabilities’

Chris Mitchell CBN News

JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sunday that Israel stands ready to defend itself against any enemy attack. There is also the possibility that the Israel Defense Forces will go on the offensive.

Netanyahu sees the situation as a seven-front war where Iran and its proxies are trying to strangle the Jewish state.

“Their visible aggression is insatiable, but Israel is not helpless,” Netanyahu said. “We are determined to stand against them on every front, in every arena, far and near. Anyone who murders our citizens, anyone who harms our country, will be held accountable. He will pay a very heavy price.”

Some anticipate Iran will launch a bigger attack than April 13th, when some 350 missiles and drones rained down across Israel, resulting in only minor damage.

The Alma Research Center in northern Israel estimates a combination of “ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs from many sites in western Iran” could be launched.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has dispatched a fighter squadron to the Middle East, and the head of the Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, is already here in the region.

Retired IDF General Amir Avivi tells CBN News Kurilla is expected to play a valuable role in helping coordinate a similar coalition effort that protected Israel in April.   

“It enables to really assist Israel to deal with all the different threats – whether it’s ballistic missiles, a UAV, and any other capability Iran might shoot at Israel or Hezbollah – and it increases dramatically the chances of really being able to secure Israel in the best way possible,” Avivi explained.

He added, “There is no 100 percent, but it definitely improves a lot – the chances of really dealing very well with most of the capabilities Iran and Hezbollah have.”

We asked the general about Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah’s threat that he may hit Tel Aviv or other civilian centers in Israel, and how Israel would respond if it happened.

Avivi replied, “If Hezbollah will shoot Israeli centers? This is a full-scale war. We have no other choice but to attack with all our capabilities. And I can tell you that Israel can inflict huge, huge damage on Hezbollah and also Lebanon. Overall, if (they would fire on) Israeli cities and infrastructure. Israel would destroy all the infrastructure of Lebanon, and they need to take that into account.”

Like a spy thriller: Amazing details about assassination of Hamas leader Haniyeh in Tehran begin to emerge

Israelis woke up on Wednesday morning to the shocking report that not one, but two of their greatest enemies had suddenly died overnight.

Some hours after Israel struck Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s military chief – which would remain unconfirmed until late at night – reports of the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital of Tehran began to emerge.

The initial reports were based on statements from Iranian media citing regime officials and declarations from the Hamas terrorist organization. The reports suggested that the arch-terrorist had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, with media suggesting that a missile attack had been launched from outside the country.

Although the circumstances of Haniyeh’s assassination in a guest house belonging to the Iranian regime, in the heart of its capital, were already deeply humiliating, Thursday evening brought even more embarrassing reports from Western media.

Reports of a drone or missile attack now seem to have been disseminated by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), who were responsible for the security at the guest house, in an attempt to shift blame onto another security force within the country.

Instead, The New York Times reported – and other outlets like The Jerusalem Post confirmed – that Haniyeh was killed by a bomb that had been hidden, several weeks earlier, inside the room where the senior Hamas leader was staying, and that the bomb was activated remotely by Israeli Mossad agents who were on Iranian soil at the time.

Later on Thursday evening, IDF spokesman Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari indirectly confirmed this report when he stated that “no additional air strike” was launched by Israeli forces on the night Shukr was killed by the IDF.

There was “not a missile nor an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle in the entire Middle East that night,” Hagari reiterated, before adding an unusual comment in which he didn’t elaborate.

“In recent years, Iran has been managing a terrorist infrastructure for the transfer of Iranian explosive devices to Israeli territory, for the purposes of terrorist attacks,” the IDF spokesman noted, possibly hinting that Israel had killed Haniyeh in the same manner.

“We will continue to act against Iranian terrorism with determination,” he added.

According to sources of the Jerusalem Post , the bomb had been smuggled into Iran and hidden in the guest house as far back as June. The house is located in an IRGC compound in a high-end suburb of northern Tehran.

During his frequent visits to Tehran over the past decade, the Hamas leader often stayed at this exact guest house, providing a clear target location for his assassination.

The explosive device and its activation utilized similar cutting-edge remote technology to that used in the assassination of Iranian nuclear chief Mohsen Fakhrizadeh several years ago, according to the Post

The device was allegedly calibrated with such precision that the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, survived the blast despite be located in an apartment next door.

The Jerusalem Post report added one more highly interesting piece of information to the puzzle.

Contrary to the widely accepted and reported opinion that the main obstacle to progress in the hostage release negotiations was Hamas’ Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar, the Post reported that in recent weeks, it was often Haniyeh who, through his opposition to certain aspects of the deal, prevented an agreement.

This makes the elimination of Haniyeh, no matter how it was ultimately carried out, even more significant and potentially beneficial for Israel. Shared from All Israel News Staff

PURE EVIL: Iran-Backed Hezbollah Terrorists Kill At Least 11 in Israel Including Several Children After Rocket Strikes Playground – Israel Vows Revenge by Cullen Linebarger

On Saturday, Israel experienced the worst attack on its soil since the Hamas invasion on October 7th, which left 1,200 people dead and 240 others kidnapped by the terrorists.

The New York Post reported that at least 11 people, primarily children and very young adults, were slaughtered when a Hezbollah rocket hit a soccer field in Israel-controlled Golan Heights.

Israeli officials confirmed that the attack by Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese terror group, targeted the northern Druze town of Majdal Shams.

In addition to the 11 killed, 40 morewere reported injured in the attack, with some listed in critical condition.

The Post reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now racing back to Israel from Washington, DC. Netanyahu was still in the nation’s capital on Saturday after addressing Congress Wednesday and meeting with Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he discussed the cowardly terror strike with Netanyahu. He also declared that “Hezbollah crossed all red lines” and Israel was now “facing an all-out war” with the terror group.

Katz then warned Hezbollah would pay a high toll for its actions and was confident Israel would have the full support of the United States and Europe when they decided to ultimately retaliate.

Given Hezbollah’s close ties with Iran, this attack raises the possibility of an eventual all-out war between Iran and Israel. This possibility dramatically increases should Democrats seize another four years in the White House with Kamala Harris as the new regime leader.