Capitol Ministries

44 When Kevin Lincoln took office as mayor of Stockton, California, he prayed for wisdom. He later shared, "I asked the Lord to put the right peo- ple in my path to encourage me and keep me rooted in the Word of God so that I may make good deci- sions for the city of Stockton. And God brought me Capitol Ministries." rough a Local Government Ministries (LGM) Bible study, Mayor Lincoln and members of his staff studied God's Word weekly as he navigated the complexities of local governance. He represents one of many public servants being discipled through Capitol Ministries' Local Government Ministries. e state and national political leaders of to- morrow are serving today in city halls and county chambers across America. is leadership trajecto- ry underscores Capitol Ministries' commitment to establishing Bible study-based discipleship ministries to local office- holders. rough Local Government Ministries, we are partnering with local churches to reach approximately 500,000 elected and appointed city and county public servants serving in more than 40,000 incorpo- rated municipalities across the United States, while also expanding in- ternationally. e earlier public servants are grounded in Scripture, the sooner they begin developing a biblical worldview. As many ascend to higher office, Capitol Ministries Bible studies are already positioned at the state and federal levels to continue fostering spiritual growth and doctrinal maturity. In 2025, Capitol Ministries actively recruited qualified ministry leaders to serve in local government through pastor appreciation events, conferences, retreats, and strategic outreach via radio, television, and social media. rough these efforts, we identified pastors and Christian leaders who demonstrate theological alignment, spiritual maturity, and a calling to disciple public servants. Following a thorough vetting process led by Dr. Dan DeShong, LGM Director, in collaboration with six LGM Regional Directors, select candi- dates were invited to attend regional training con- ferences where they received intensive instruction in our discipleship model. Upon successful com- pletion, they were credentialed as Capitol Minis- tries Local Government Ministry Leaders. Each Regional Director also hosted "Come and See" gatherings within his assigned territory. ese informational meetings introduced Capitol Min- istries' biblical mandate, theological framework, and ministry strateg y, while helping prospective leaders evaluate readiness and alignment with the ministry's mission. ese gatherings serve as precursors to formal training conferences. "ese gatherings are having a significant effect in engaging pastors who were previously unfamiliar with Capitol Ministries," Dr. DeShong stated. "We pray that Local Government Ministries will provide the spark that ignites a passion for evangelism and discipleship among po- litical leaders—so that nations will turn to Him one heart at a time." Looking ahead, we anticipate continued growth in Local Govern- ment Ministries throughout the United States and around the world. LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES "e future of our nation depends upon the local church taking the Gospel to the 500,000 local elected public servants and discipling them through weekly in-depth Bible studies." RALPH DROLLINGER

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