Onward Christian Soldier

As the great hymn “Onward, Christian Soldiers,” written by Sabine Baring-Gould in 1865, goes:

Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
But the Church of Jesus constant will remain;
Gates of hell can never 'gainst that Church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

Yes, last week’s election was gut-wrenching. It was not a good night for our shared pro-family values and overall human decency. Yet, we cannot allow that feeling to last. We must regroup and move forward, because now is NOT the time to remain still. The 2025 Virginia elections have reminded us that our constitutional republic and faith both require action, conviction, and faithfulness in our time.

It's important to recognize that the blue wave did not just impact Virginia – California passed its own redistricting proposition; Mikie Sherrill (D) was elected Governor of New Jersey; and socialist Zorhan Mamdani (D) became mayor of New York City.

There will be more to come from experts about what influenced voters at the polls this year, but here are some initial takeaways from election night:

Turnout favored Democrat, Abigail Spanberger – Winsome Earle-Sears (R) received 1,429,810, which was lower than 2021 turnout numbers, while Abigail Spanberger (D) received 1,919,380 votes and exceeded total votes in 2021. (See Virginia Department of Elections)

There’s a was a political divide among men and women - According to exit polling 55% of men voters voted for Jason Miyares (R) and therefore had unfavorable views of Jay Jones’ (D) political violence fantasies, while 60% of women voters voted for Jones and were seemingly unmoved by his violent text messages.

African Americans overwhelming voted for Abigail Spanberger – According to exit polls (updated at 2:45 pm on November 5), the NAACP endorsed Spanberger, a white female, received 93% of the black vote over Winsome Earle-Sears, a black female.

Issues motivating people varied - The major issues cited in exit polls included cost of living/affordability, federal workforce or layoffs, federal government shutdown, and general sentiment about President Trump.

While these numbers tell one story, the deeper truth is that Christian conservatives cannot afford to be apathetic or absent. Our communities need principled leaders, informed citizens, and faithful advocates who bring light and truth into public life.

Now is the time to renew our commitment to local service, engaging with elected officials, mentoring young voters, and ensuring our values are represented at every level of government. Political seasons come and go, but civic responsibility and spiritual faithfulness endure.

“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’” — Isaiah 6:8

Will you stand with us, even in these troubling times, to speak truth with compassion, defend what is just, and rebuild what radical progressivism has torn down? We’re not giving up!