Why Some Say ‘Charisma’ Is Being Too Political

Why would a magazine like Charisma, devoted for 45 years to inspiring people to encounter the power of the Holy Spirit, focus on things political? I’ve been asked that especially by those who don’t understand why I have written several books supporting Donald Trump.

The answer is simple. The power of the Holy Spirit is for us to see change in our own lives and in our culture. This is more than just personal piety or feeling a “touch” of the Holy Spirit. We believe we have power over the enemy and the forces of darkness that are dragging our country the wrong way.

For too long, Christians have been timid and passive and, in my lifetime, I have seen our country drift further and further from God and further from our Judeo-Christian base. Within the Christian community, charismatics and Pentecostals have generally taken a back seat in dealing with cultural issues to “evangelical” leaders who are more prone to be politically active.

An exception to this is the fact that very early on, it was charismatics and Pentecostals such as Paula White Cain who backed Trump. He met with these leaders while most evangelicals stayed at arms’ length from Trump. They prayed for him, and a few began saying that God had shown them He had raised him up for such a time as this, as He had leaders in the Bible. Some prophesied Donald Trump would win against all odds, and he did.

I delve into these aspects and the spiritual warfare that is going on in our country in some depth in my books. I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit and believe the spiritual aspects of what is going on are much more important than any political party or candidate. I tried to make the case that those who believe God is in control no matter how bad the attacks should be using their spiritual authority to turn the tide in this nation, which also affects many other countries around the world.

An analysis of our content going back years is that only a very small part could be called “political.” But the Left has hijacked the term “political” so that many things that are biblical principles, such as life and marriage, are considered “politics” and off-limits to Christians. For decades, we’ve been shunned from the public square and told to keep our religion and our piety within the four walls of the church.

Because we are not limited by the “Johnson Amendment” that prohibits nonprofits from offering political endorsements, Charisma has been able to endorse politicians going back to Ronald Reagan.

I believe we are in a time of crisis. I believe God has raised up Donald Trump, as imperfect as he is. That is why I wrote God and Donald Trump and why I have written several other books, including God, Trump, and the 2020 Election.

If you read that book, you know it isn’t just about politics. This is not about a political race or about a man. It is about the direction of our country and what God is saying. I quote Christian leaders who are rarely, if ever, quoted by the secular press; I document prophecies and spiritual insights.

We are going to have an election one way or another. Depending on who wins, there may be a drastic difference in our country. It will even affect our liberties to worship God as we see fit and limit our ability to share the gospel with the world.

I recorded a podcast on July 22, 2020, on the Charisma Podcast Network in which I shared stories from years past and discussed in more depth why I take this position. I—along with the entire Charisma Media organization—am just trying to be salt and light in our culture. Even the smallest light burns brightly where it is darkest.

I also hope you will check out stevestrangbooks.com, where you can read about each of my books, which are not so much about Donald Trump as they are about God.

Won’t you stand with me? Help us by sharing this column, articles you see on charismanews.com or charismamag.com, or reading and sharing my books.

Stephen Strang is founder of Charisma. He believes God, Trump and the 2020 Election (Charisma House), available wherever Christian books are sold, is his most important book. Listen to his new podcast by the same name on the Charisma Podcast Network.

This article was excerpted from the August issue of Charisma magazine. If you don’t subscribe to Charisma, click here to get every issue delivered to your mailbox. During this time of change, your subscription is a vote of confidence for the kind of Spirit-filled content we offer. In the same way you would support a ministry with a donation, subscribing is your way to support Charisma. Also, we encourage you to give gift subscriptions at shop.charismamag.com, and share our articles on social media.