A Washington DC Prayer Ministry
How it started
John Stait's call to Washington came as a family matter. Because Dr. Richard Halverson, the beloved and legendary Chaplain of the Senate, happened to be the young Navigator's uncle, the call eastward was many decades in the making.
In the early years, it began with casual invitations to travel East and assist with the National Prayer Breakfast - an event started during the Eisenhower administration and attended by every president since. And so the self-proclaimed "laid-back West Coast surfer guy" would forsake his beloved Pacific climes and jet East for several, hectic yet highly fulfilling days among the grey streets and the harried faces of Washington power brokers.
"East Coast people were like Europeans to me," Stait admits now. "I didn't relate to them too well. I saw them as a novelty." But over time, their common humanity won out. Little did he know that the brief sojourns would soon lead to a long and thrilling second career - ministering to one of the most isolated and influential group of people on earth.
Eventually, the needs of the emerging Prayer Breakfast - which was turning from a single event to somewhat of a "movement" - and those of the entire Senate Chaplaincy led Doctor Halverson and his cousin Chris to seek John's permanent "reassignment" to the Hill. When John's Navigators duties appeared to conflict and their negotiations had reached an impasse, Dr. Halverson wrote a personal letter to the Navigators. He officially asked them to loan John to the U.S. Senate, to serve as his assistant.
The position was officially what they call a "Congressional Fellow" post, one of a whole host of quasi-official titles on the Hill. It meant becoming an official staff of the United States Senate, complete with his own a badge, a pass, ID card. Essentially, all the access of any other staff member. The only difference was that John would not legally be an employee of the government. As John likes to say, he was a Navigator with "an ID card to witness to the United States Senate!"
It's easy for folks to imagine John's ministry as a succession of high-level, spiritual tete-a-tetes, the spiritual equivalent of holding a never-ending series of summits with the nation's most influential men and women. But the truth is far less glamorous, although far more varied and interesting. The Chaplain's place is really as a servant-pastor. Furthermore, his ministry and those of his assistants are not merely aimed at the high-visibility Senate members. Their work extends to their staffs and the vast numbers of ordinary working folks required to maintain the Capitol and Senate office complexes. Therefore, the ministry is a constant study in constrasts - walking the halls and remaining vigilant to the needs of folks ranging from famous and wealthy power brokers to the janitor sweeping up after them.
And because a pastor's influence is based foremost on friendship - and never more so than with this "congregation" - Stait is reluctant to discuss some of the more sensational scenes and conversations he has participated in. He also expresses a bit of dismay at the number of politically-oriented conservative Christians who consider it his responsibility to advance an agenda and lobby his friends on behalf of particular causes. Without the personal friendship and trust that comes from knowing that he bears no political baggage, Stait is convinced that his ministry would not accomplish anything. Yet here's the greatest paradox of all: by not advancing a specific agenda at all, he's also advancing the most powerful and radical agenda of all: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That's because nothing revolutionizes both the life and the outlook of an influential person like coming to know Jesus Christ as his or her personal savior.
Through the years, it has indeed been a fascinating and infinitely rewarding time for John. His duties have included assisting Dr.Halverson during the final years of his legendary tenure. He has attended pivotal meetings and helped lead an intimate group called the Congressional Staff Fellowship. This group routinely brings in members of Congress to share with peers how they felt their faith was strategic at pivotal times in their service.
Arriving just as the "born again" movement of the Jimmy Carter White House was sweeping Washington, and then enjoying a front row seat at the Reagan Revolution, the Fall of Communism and the brand new perils of the New Millenium, John has glimpsed firsthand some of the most tumultuous times in human history. But for him, what matters more is the spiritual wave engulfing his congregants in and around the United States Senate. "Spiritually," he says, "the biggest turnaround I saw came around the time of the Newt Gingrich 'Contract with America' days."
John is also quick to counter the popular notion among many Christians that the Congress is a spiritual wasteland. "I think people have a perception of Capitol Hill being very pagan, but actually, the opposite is true. Up until the eighties, there were not that many members of Congress who were outspoken 'evangelicals.' Basically, it was former Senator Hatfield who was kind of the person you'd get to talk about it. Now, they're a dime a dozen." In fact, he points out that several members of Congress may have recently suffered politically as a member of being too outspoken concerning their faith. "A prominent evangelical was bad-mouthing Congress awhile back," he admits with a rueful chuckle, "and I told him, 'this just isn't true. There are more outspoken evangelicals in the Congress today than I can ever remember." Yet he also resists the popular tendency to slap catchy labels on spans of time or individual sessions of Congress. As a Navigator, he continues to see things in terms of individual relationships, of single walks with God.
Mother Teresa and Hilary Clinton
John learned an important lesson about influence - and about humility - on the famous day that Mother Teresa spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994. Most people remember that event for the words which Teresa spoke from the podium. And as electrifying as her impassioned plea for the unborn proved to be, it was the events both preceding and following the speech which made the deepest impression on John.'
You see, when the dimunitive nun entered the hall, all the usual trappings and hierarchies of power were forgotten. Although this remarkable woman held no office and had nothing worldly to offer anyone, she was immediately engulfed by members of Congress anxious to have their pictures taken with her, or have her speak a word which they could quote later to the world at large. Again, it was the power of moral influence.
After the Breakfast, in which her landmark speech was greeted by a stunning, standing ovation, came another example. Most people do not know that Hilary Clinton received a request to speak with Mother Teresa personally after the event. Still reeling from the devastating rebuke of the Mother's remarks, Ms. Clinton was taken aback. "The thought of talking with her now scares me to death," she was quoted as telling those around her. "I feel like a schoolgirl going to the principal's office." Nevertheless, Hilary went behind the curtain to speak with her.
And did Mother Teresa launch into a harangue? Did she use the occasion to press her advantage and edge Ms. Clinton further into a corner on the issues she cared about? No - to everyone's amazement, she asked the First Lady for help in opening a home for unwed mothers in Washington D.C. Startled and profoundly relieved, Ms. Clinton jumped at the chance to help. She remarked later, "What does one say to Mother Teresa, except yes ma'am!"
For someone like John Stait who carefully leveraged his influence on a daily basis, it was a keen lesson in humility. Mother Teresa had not used the attention she had gained in order to make herself "look good" or even to placate her own emotions on vital issues. She had turned the electricity of the moment into something positive for other people. In a way, it was as powerful an expression of her humility as the plain garb she wore, the self-effacing words she spoke, or the meek manner in which she walked into the National Prayer Breakfast that day.
The Year of the Crips and Bloods
One year, however, the guest list featured an unlikely and most startling group: the leaders of America's largest street gangs. Word spread throughout the Congressional committee of the leaders' arrival, and by the night of the Breakfast's opening event, the buzz was almost palpable. Fresh from the streets of Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, the men sat at the banquet tables alongside captains of industry and leaders of the Hill. Uncomfortable and stiff, they sat in an awkward silence until finally, a member of Congress rushed over and knelt beside their chairs. "I'm Congresman Bob McEwen from Ohio," he said in a loud voice, "and if there's anything I can do to help your stay in Washington, let me know. By the way, I'm from a group. And we've been praying for you. It's a group in the U.S. House. A small group of Congressmen. Would you bring greetings from my group to your group?"
Sitting nearby, John heard the words and looked over. Sullen wariness had given way across their faces by blank amazement. The gang leaders were completely blown away to think that a small group of people in the highest levels of government were thinking about them, praying for them, and anxious to make them feel connected. After all, alienation and resentment towards the greater American establishment is often considered an integral part of the "hood's" emotional core. Now, they were being made to feel like insiders.
Later, Stait helped explain to them that Jesus also took care of business according to a "gang model. And over the century, it had proven itself many times over--in fact, Christ now had millions of small "gangs" banded together all around the world. And as part of that larger "gang family," there was no one in the world he couldn't put them in touch with if we had to. This fellowship went everywhere. This allowed John and his colleagues to challenge them - if you want to be with a powerful group that's going in a positive direction, than you might think about changing your group's direction, or start a new one.
Soon afterwards, the leader of the Long Beach Crips repented and became a believer. Much later, on the day that the Rodney King riots broke out, he was back in Washington on a fellow-up visit and flew back to a Los Angeles skyline with smoke rising against the horizon. In a move that stunned the "gang establishment" and white America alike, he made his gang return all the merchandise looted during those tragic days. Since then, he has gone on to college and is an established member of society.
Another gang member who became John's friend also became a minister, and then a legislator in his own right. John has been able to counsel the young man about the importance of a godly legislator serving as a reconciling influence in his or her community. Religious people are divided; nowhere more so than in the minority communities. This new brother put these ideas into practice, and soon realized that he didn't even need government money to accomplish his community's most urgent goals. He learned that if he appealed to his community's power elite in a spirit of conciliation, businesspeople would throw money his way. Even those most weary of new and bigger government programs were willing to invest substantial personal sums when they were "brought in" and made to feel a part of the solution.
The Work
As a Navigator staff, John spends much of his time ministering to two Congressional Bible Study groups and helping them reproduce their model of small group ministry into all fifty state legislatures. And this is not arm-twisting-these folks believe in what they're doing and want to see it spread far and wide. And none of it would be possible without the relationship of trust and friendship John has established over the years, "Everyone else wants to borrow their influence," he says. "We're trying to do the opposite. We're trying to help them do their thing.
They've told us that this prayer breakfast model is the one they're most comfortable with. It's inclusive, it's spiritual without promoting agendas. It's Christ-centered, but not advancing a particular denomination or organization."
The model is simple. Every group must be founded by at least one member of each party, to avoid the least appearance of a partisan flavor. And John makes it his priority to have a legislator be the leader. "Otherwise, I'll get in the way," he says with his characteristic, self-effacing manner. John's wife Sandy, a gifted singer, lends her vocal talents to many such gatherings around the country and at the Senate's new weekly Bible study. And then, John rounds out the formula with plenty of later one-on-one fellowship time.
The Bible study features five distinctives. Its imperative is Christ's-the great Commandment. Great emphasis is placed on the fact that the Gospel is Jesus, not information about Him. The work is to believe, as described in John 6:29. To know Christ is the end, not the means. And to make Him known throughout the world is included in that.
Wonderfully, the emphasis on reproducing Capitol Hill's Bible Study and Prayer Breakfast model in state legislatures has given John and his colleagues a welcome by-product they'd never anticipated. That's because state legislatures are the usual spawning grounds for future members of Congress. As a result, when a vast majority of freshmen arrive on the Hill, they already have fully-formed relationships - indeed, friendships - with the John and the Chaplain's staff.
As of this writing, fully one-fourth of America's state legislatures have Prayer Breakfasts and regular Bible studies of this kind. Many more cannot sustain such ministries because of the infrequency of their sessions or other logistical barriers. At a time when our national discourse seems more poisoned and rancorous than ever before, it's comforting to know that behind closed doors, so many of our leaders are laying down their differences to unite around the Word of God and its role in their lives.
The Berlin Wall and the Prayer Breakfast
Has the National Prayer Breakfast helped change the world? John Stait firmly believes that it has done just that. Where else could several dozen of the world's most varied leaders come and share of their faith in a non-political, non-partisan environment?
In one overwhelming example, John speaks of ample reason to believe that it played a pivotal role in bringing down the Berlin Wall. For years, members of the German parliament had been invited to the Breakfast as featured guests. Among them were several believers in Christ, who received precious encouragement and exhortation during their time in America. Other vital relationships between American and German were born and cemented during the Breakfast and ensuing follow-up trips by Members of Congress on European soil.
Today, the verdict of history is that Christian faith played a huge role in the fall of European Communism and in particular, that of the Berlin Wall. The seeds for that role are varied and many - centuries of deep faith, the triumph of the underground against years of Communist persecution, the power of the Gospel itself - but one of its most potent sources may well be the Christ-centered friendships formed back on Capitol Hill.
September 11
September 11, 2001 was a day when the foundation of faith and friendship laid in previous years came into its own. John Stait lives less than two miles from the Pentagon - he heard the roar of the airplane overhead and saw the black column of smoke climb to the sky. He tried to reach the scene and help, only to be engulfed by the huge traffic jam of humanity fleeing Washington.
Two of the most senior and accomplished speakers in the Men's ministries John supports were severely injured in the blast, yet went on to give incredible testimonies of God's watchcare and faithfulness during their ordeals.
For the greater Capitol Hill community, it was a traumatic day of shock and fear, panicked, mass evacuations, helicopters landing to whisk away Congressional leaders, false alarms and unfounded flash rumors. It was a day of intense prayer and sudden reliance on the deepest assurances in life - when the nation's most ironclad defenses seemed inadequate. It was a day when the grand edifice which defines this community became a place to flee from instead of a gathering place, and when a tightly-knit community disintegrated into thousands of fleeing shapes down the Washington Mall and the streets of Washington D.C., each of them wrestling with their own mortality and readiness to meet God.
In a sense, that day could have been what all those years of ministry were intended to prepare for. If that's the case, John Stait has been a worthy servant of Christ in that hallowed place.
Stait of the Union
If you would like to receive John Stait's bi-monthly report Stait of the Union, email him , and request to be added to the mailing list.
