Capitol Ministries

38 CM 2017 | International TRENGTHENING EXISTING MINISTRIES TO UNITED STATES legislatures and creating more like them were primary objectives this year for Perry Gauthier, Capitol Ministries® Director for North America. In collaboration with Capitol Minis- tries® leadership, Perry made the 21-year Capitol Ministries® goal of creating 50 Bible studies in 50 state capitals a prior- ity in 2017. Perry and Faith, his wife and ministry partner, crisscrossed the nation in a 130- day journey to 30 states where they met with established Ministry Leaders and networked to find others like them for states that do not have discipleship Bible studies. "In this first ever 30-state ministry tour our goal was to strengthen, pray for, strategize with, encourage, mentor, and shepherd each leader according to their specific Statehouse needs," Perry said. e objective was to solidify the North American ministry and to strengthen the bonds from capital to capital to produce national solidarity and greater effectiveness for Christ. "Aer these trips, I am impressed with the need to make every state capitol cam- pus stronger for Christ's sake," Perry said. For nine years, Perry has also served as the Ministry Leader to the Nebraska State Legislature where he delivers week- ly Bible studies that he writes specifically for leaders. Nebraska has a unicameral system, which is one-house government, and its Legislators are called "Senators." Perry's studies have been regularly at- tended by 12 to 18 Senators. "In my duties as a pastor-teacher, I long for Senators to know God's will as revealed in God's Word so they can ap- ply it in God's world," Perry said. Among Bible study series Perry has written and taught include: Luke for Legislators; e Seven Sins in the Senate; Jehovah's Jurisdiction; and Jonah's Journey. A common theme is that Legislators today are dealing with the same issues that have plagued leaders throughout history. In introducing his 20-week se- ries on Queen Esther, Perry said: "In the Biblical book of Esther, we find greed, promotion, political demo- tion, beauty, money, sex, power grabs by politicos, race hatred, sex trafficking, immoral legislation, intrigue, betrayal, sleepless nights, and stress off the charts." is year Perry was invited to open the Unicameral Legislative Session in prayer and he asked for God's guidance for the Legislators and prayed for the morality of laws. Seeing the need for God's Word during his mission trips has strengthened Perry's commitment to help plant a CM Bible study ministry in all 50 state capitols. "Reaching Legislators and consti- tutional officers with Scripture is vital because, by God's design, they reside in the nerve centers of culture and they in- fluence much. Most of Paul's missionary journeys were to capital cities." S Perry Gauthier North America Director Nebraska Mount Rushmore north america

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