Capitol Ministries

History | CM 2018 11 "Power is seductive. I was reading in Psalms how a political leader's actions can wreak havoc over the lives of those who love the Lord. If a leader is not grounded in eternal biblical truths, she or he can get swept away by the sense that whatever they are doing is absolutely great. It is the way of leaders to lord that power over the people they rule. Leaders need to be grounded in the Word to keep that from happening. Thank you, Capitol Ministries ® , for bringing the Word of God to those who lead, and for reminding us of who we are in Him. Thank you for your ministry to people like me in the Capitol." Bill Cassidy U.S. Senator, Louisiana A S WITH MANY GOOD IDEAS, CAPITOL MINISTRIES® WAS BORN OUT OF A FRUSTRATION TO A BAFFLING PROBLEM: SHORTLY AFTER NEWLY ELECTED CHRIS- TIAN LEGISLATORS LANDED IN SACRAMENTO, IT BE- CAME CLEAR THAT MANY OF THEM LACKED THE SPIR- ITUAL MATURITY TO STAND UP FOR THE PRINCIPLES THEY CLAIMED TO POSSESS. Danielle Drollinger had seen this occur time and again as the executive director of a successful California state political action committee (PAC) that had helped numerous Christians become elected to state office. She had expressed frustration to her husband, Ralph Drollinger. A former professional athlete who spent the majority of his career playing basket- ball for Athletes in Action (AIA), Ralph was experienced in the American sports ministry movement that planted ministries to athletes in high schools, colleges, and profes- sional sports teams. In the fall of 1996 while talking about the political problem and the successful sports ministry model, the couple realized they could begin a new organization that would birth ministries of evangelism and discipleship in cap- itol buildings where the Word of God would consistently be taught through weekly exegetical, in-depth Bible studies, and where Christian Lawmakers could be strengthened through support, prayer, and one-on-one ministry. eir prayerful vision was to establish 50 ministries in 50 state capitols, national ministries in Washington, D.C., and in foreign federal capitols; and Capitol Ministries® was born with a mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ in the politi- cal arena throughout the world. With much prayer, Ralph headed off to Sacramento where he founded Capitol Ministries®' first discipleship Bible study to Public Servants in the Sacramento State House, while Danielle worked from their Santa Clarita home and cared for the three children. e Sacramento ministry quickly proved wildly suc- cessful, and the couple began to recruit strong Bible teachers who had hearts for evangelism and discipleship to replicate the model in other states. Capitol Ministries®' mission was reinforced and made more urgent in 2000 when Ralph discovered a recurring theme in the New Testament as he was preparing his weekly Bible study for Sacramento Lawmakers. Scripture pertaining to the Great Commission was replete with illustrations, examples, and com- mands that emphasized the importance of winning govern- mental leaders for Christ. Among them: First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority … God our Savior … desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, 1Timothy 2:1, 2,4. And: … the Lord said …"Go … bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel," Acts 9:15. Enlightened and excited, Ralph and Danielle realized that the work of Capitol Ministries® could not only rebuild a nation, but was also vital in helping to fulfill the Great Commission. is set-apart group of kings and those in authority had been targeted by God, who had chosen the Apostle Paul to take His Word to them. And even though Paul was well aware of the widespread political corruption as well as how the Romans had abused his Jewish contemporaries and ancestors in Palestine, his solitary focus was to see those in authority delivered from the deadly bondage of sin and made alive through new life in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). From the beginning, Capitol Minis- tries® has embraced this biblical approach. is methodolog y is what sets us apart from other religious organizations that in- volve themselves in politics attempting to change the tide of our country. Taking our example from the Apostle Paul, Capitol Min- istries® seeks to fulfill the Great Commission not by lobbying Legislators, but by reaching their hearts and minds with the Gospel. We believe that anchoring a political leader's soul in Christ is the only real hope for our nation's future, or for the future of any nation. Today, we continue the work we began 22 years ago, to reach political leaders and all in authority for Christ. For, by impacting this influential group — kings and all in authority — a small band of men, in very short order, turned the world upside down. history

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