Why Vote?

Why Vote? is a pastor-friendly, Bible-saturated booklet that answers one crucial question for Christians in Washington and beyond: why does voting matter for disciples of Jesus?^[1]

What this booklet is

• A teaching tool that walks believers through Scripture, history, and the Washington Constitution to show that voting is part of how Christians steward God-given authority in a constitutional republic.
• Designed for classes, small groups, and leadership trainings, with discovery questions, charts, and guided discussion tied to an accompanying slide deck.

Core biblical themes

• Shows voting as participation in God’s division of power, tracing patterns from God–Moses–Aaron, Saul–Samuel, and David–Nathan to “We the People” in Washington State’s Constitution.
• Argues that voting is:
  • A voice for biblical justice in a public square where “truth has stumbled” (Isaiah 59) and where large numbers of self-identified Christians are often silent.
  • Stewardship of the public square, linked to the Great Commission, government types, and the sowing-and-reaping principle (Galatians 6).
  • A way of pouring salt and light into culture, applying Matthew 5 to civic engagement rather than limiting it to internal church life.

Practical tools and questions

• Provides clear, leader-ready discussion questions on:
  • How a vote delegates power.
  • How non-voting shifts power to those who do vote.
  • How government systems affect gospel mission and levels of persecution.
• Includes “saltiness” and “brightness” self-assessments, helping believers evaluate their current engagement and identify next steps to influence their communities through voting.

Historical inspiration

• Curates powerful quotes on voting from Samuel Adams, Charles Finney, John Adams, John Jay, and Noah Webster that frame voting as a solemn trust for which citizens are accountable to God.
• Reprints Daniel Foster’s historic 1790 Election Sermon, showing how earlier generations viewed civil government as ordained by God and rulers as ministers under Christ, giving churches a rich theological and historical backdrop for civic discipleship.

How churches and ministries can use it

• Ideal for:
  • Pre‑election sermon series support, Sunday school, or midweek classes on Christian citizenship.
  • Pastor and elder retreats to clarify a theology of the public square and motivate them to mobilize their people to vote.
• Fits seamlessly into FPIW’s broader strategy to defend and advance biblical values in the public square by equipping believers to PRAY, SIGN, VOTE, ENGAGE, and RECRUIT as Defenders.

This copy can be adapted into a one-page flyer, web landing page, or email to pastors depending on your target audience and channel.

.