I voted for Bro. Eddie last 2004 election on the basis that he is a Christian. However I got turned off when I saw him still protesting, refusing to concede even months after the election. I vowed within that if he runs again for president this May2010 Election I will probably consider other candidate. After all, I argued, I don’t want to waste my vote again on a candidate whom I certainly know is far from winning.
From that time I want to stay neutral politically. I argued that if God will change the nation it will not be channeled through the politicians, it will be channeled through the Church (2 Chr.4:17). I, too vowed that the ministries I am involved with must not and cannot be used by any political cause. Early last year I posted statement in both Youth Keepers Refuel (YKR) and League ofEvangelical Indigenous Churches (LEIC) websites that these two organizations must not take any political stand to maintain its calling to unite the body of Christ for the cause of revival and missions.
But I have to confess that since November last year I have been challenged so hard of my stand. I need to apologize this early if I change my earlier statements. I think it just happened that I now have greater understanding and clearer picture of God’s calling for the Church in relation to our God-given destiny as a nation. God has changed me so drastically that I even asked the church that I’m pastoring to understand me this time because I am committing half of the remaining Sundays before the election to campaign for Bro. Eddie in churches other than our denomination. Below are the factors for this change:
1. I started to know more Bro. Eddie Villanueva. I saw myself in Bro. Eddie, in his passion for God and country. The more I research about his life the more I want to be like him. I realized that this man is not just a successful church leader wanting to be politician, but a man just like Daniel in the Old Testament, molded by God to represent the Church to the realm of politics in our generation. I cannot question his passion for God much more his love for the nation. Like me, you may do your homework and find every resource you can and see if there’s anyone among the line up of presidentiables whom you think can execute the agenda of God for this nation. The righteousness we are talking here is not just righteousness of a candidate but whether or not the candidate is potential to be channel of executing God’s plan for the nation.
I, too learned that as early as his student years his passion for the nation as freedom fighter was evident. Just like Moses, he was not called while he was still in his self-confidence status. But God saw the patriotic heart of Moses to save his countrymen even if he put his life on the line for them. I think God is seeing the same thing in Bro. Eddie’s heart. God made him an evangelist and made him instrumental of starting one of the biggest and fastest growing Christian denomination in the world today, the Jesus Is Lord Church, estimated to be more than 5million worldwide in matter of 31years. I also tried to examine him being a successful evangelist if he has any record of corruption, immorality, extravagance, or any ground for people to accuse him. Just like Daniel, I found him trustworthy in all areas of his life.
The issue about me getting turned off of Bro. Eddie after the 2004 election started to see some explanation. I realized that indeed, it was true that GMA was not the legitimate winner of that election but FPJ. That was what Bro. Eddie is fighting for. For him as a Christian standing for righteousness, he cannot just be silent while holding evidences of a massive cheating during the election. As I criticized him that time thousand of other powerful church leaders were there to condemn him too. But he was later vindicated when the “Helo Garci” scandal shocked the nation. GMA said “I’m sorry” but it was too late because FPJ was already dead. She retained power on a position that was not legitimately hers. Another strong evidence surfaced on the Maguindanao massacre, giving explanation on how the vote-for-arms deal was real in Mindanao. No wonder these areas were zero-zero votes for FPJ and Bro. Eddie.
The more I know Bro. Eddie the more I find no ground not to vote and support him.
2. Investment Principle. I started to realize that my vote, whether the candidate I vote wins or losses, is an investment for the future. I should vote not on the basis of who is sure to win but on the basis of principle and how I know a candidate. For me now, it’s not for Bro. Eddie per se, but for the cause of my love for this nation and the next generation. I should make a stand today as what I want to see my nation become in the future. If Bro. Eddie does not make it, it is not my problem anymore as long as I voted for righteousness, justice and passion for God and nation. It would instead my problem if Ichoose somebody among the ‘trapos’ (traditional politicians) and regret on the next six years because I did not make a right choice. Whether win or loss my vote will return to me sooner or later hundred fold what was sown, (Gen 26:12).
3. Support from the Muslims and other religious groups. Both the MNLF and MILF had already confirmed support on Bro. Eddie. The Fourthwatch, SDA, BAPTIST (official) and I think INC and El Shaddai, though not official yet have indicated strong support on Bro. Eddie. This really made me think, if these other groups who don’t even share similar line of discipline with Bro. Eddie, how much more us“born again” Evangelical Christians. What a tragedy to refuse to support him. With due respect with my colleagues among the evangelicals, I am finding our reasoning so shallow not to support Bro. Eddie. Some are saying they were turned off because of his constant prophesying that he will be the next president. With due respect to all of you, he did not prophesy for himself. It was Cindy Jacobs who prophesied and anointed him. I don’t necessarily agree with prophecies. But I can’t make it a reason not to vote for him. Some are also saying that it is not biblical for him to step down as a pastor to enter politics. But who are we to question one’s calling? When Billy Graham said “I won’t step down from the pulpit to be a president of the United Sates,” that was his calling and conviction. But to legitimize our view using the Bible is just off track. Surely we can pin point many personalities in the Bible who got priestly and kingly anointing, David, Zechariah, Daniel and even Jesus himself. In history, Calvin, revivalist became the political leader of Geneva, the son of Jonathan Edwards became president of the US, and many others along the line.
4. Brethren this is but a sincere call to all, let’s unite for the cause of our nation. This land has a God-given destiny to be missionary to the nations. But we should fight for our calling and must refuse to stand on the neutral. The enemy won’t give us a “red carpet” for us to accomplish our destiny. We cannot allow this nation to be forever a point of ridicule to the nations. We have so much to offer and we should refuse to stay in the domain of shame. Together we should stand for the cause of righteousness, justice and love for God and nation. Let’s refuse to sell our votes to people who spend billions of pesos on election time with all their promises of a poverty free Philippines. Surely they will get their ROI from tax-payers money. Let’s not cast our votes on popularity basis alone, or because he is a son of popular figures yet no track record of leadership. Let’s not put our votes on personalities full of eloquence of solutions yet when tested on national calamities and Maguindanao massacre has no record to prove of leadership. Let’s give the Filipino nation a chance of a leadership of a person we know because he knew God. Let’s give this nation a chance to be ruled by a righteous leader, a leader beholding to no one but only to God and the Filipino people. Like the generation of Israelites after 430 years in Egypt let’s cry out for genuine freedom and let us see the promised destiny for this land. Let’s all unite! Let’s rise up and see a new Philippines in June2010!
