This article was originally written by Laura Erlanson and published to BaptistPress.com

NASHVILLE (BP) – Despite what some may think, the realm of politics is certainly a place for Christians, Sen. James Lankford said in an interview with Ethics & Religious Liberty President Brent Leatherwood.

“Thirty-six of the 39 books of the Old Testament were written to, by or about a political leader,” Lankford said, adding that Luke and Acts in the New Testament were addressed to a political leader, and the apostle Paul had been a political leader before his conversion.

The interview, hosted on the ERLC’s website, ranges from Lankford’s entry into politics to his current policy concerns to a brief civics lesson on the differences between the two houses of the U.S. Legislature.

Lankford left a 22-year career in youth ministry to enter politics in 2010, when he became a U.S. representative for Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District. He became a senator in 2016.

A Southern Baptist, Lankford spent 15 years as president of Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center, one of the largest camp and conference facilities in the nation. But God began calling him and his wife Cindy toward pubic service, he told Leatherwood.

“My first encouragement to people is, don’t pull away if that’s is what God is calling you to, but also don’t go lunge for it if He’s not calling you into that role,” he said. “Make sure you’re actually following God’s leadership and not just your passions of what’s on cable news tonight. … Anger’s not gonna drive us towards what’s better. Scripture’s very clear about that. But following God’s calling and actually representing who He really is in every place in society is a right calling.”

Fellow senators as neighbors

One of the ways the Senate is different from the House of Representatives is the almost forced bipartisanship required to get things done, Lankford said.

“The Senate rules require 60 people have to agree on something to debate it,” he said. “… That means it’s a bipartisan conversation. That means both sides have to sit down like grownups and actually talk about something they disagree with and come up with an option.”

He likened it to life in a local church.

“You sit down with people that many times you disagree with, and you figure out how to be able to do life together. … Paul over and over and again is challenging in Scripture for us to be able to work through our differences in church life, to be able to make sure our differences don’t divide us, but our unity actually represents what Christ has done in each of our lives. …

“We’re trying to be able to carry some of those things out in the Senate as well. We don’t all agree state to state, much less party to party, but we’ve still got to sit down like grownups and to be able to figure out how we’re going to solve it.”

The commandment to love your neighbor doesn’t stop at the Capitol steps, he said.

“Jesus didn’t put an asterisk on that and say, ‘Unless you’re elected, this doesn’t apply.’ It seems to apply everywhere. And so for me, it’s living those biblical principles and saying, the cable news principles are not the Jesus principles. These are the Jesus principles.”

Leatherwood asserted that Lankford’s reputation in Washington is one of conviction but also influence.

“I’m no squishy, moderate,” Lankford said. “I have a very strong conservative perspective, but I also think you can be strongly conservative and work towards values that I think help every family, every neighborhood, every race, every background. But also be able to speak in such a way that it doesn’t try to destroy someone else in who they are, but to try to say, ‘Hey, I understand where you’re coming from. I just strongly disagree. Let’s see if we can figure this out.’”

Priorities for this session

Under a brand-new presidential administration, Washington is dealing with “a ton of issues,” Lankford said. A big one for him is tax policy. The current one expires in December, which creates economic uncertainty.

Another major concern is government inefficiency. The hot-button issue under President Trump has been a long-term crusade for Lankford, who releases a report each year called “Federal Fumbles,” which gives examples of government waste.

Defunding Planned Parenthood is another of Lankford’s priorities.

“I don’t think some children are valuable and some children are disposable,” Lankford said. “I think every child is valuable. Planned Parenthood is the single largest provider of abortion in the country. They’re also one of the largest recipients of Medicaid dollars that are coming down. Now, those dollars can’t be used for abortion, but they actually sustain the clinics, and everyone knows it where abortion is actually provided for.”

Defunding Planned Parenthood is also a major priority for the ERLC at the moment, Leatherwood said, referring to an open letter sent to Congress demanding the action.

It’s something Southern Baptists have long called for, and the timing could be right to get it done through a process called reconciliation, which allows budget items to be approved with a simple majority rather than the 60-vote threshold to end debate.

A challenge for believers

Lankford urged Christians to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, even when it comes to politics. And he urged churches to stay above the political fray.

“We should present the truth in love, but not be a political vehicle,” he said. “The Church is a unique body to be able to represent Christ to the world and to be able to demonstrate to the world that Republicans aren’t always right; Democrats aren’t always right, but Jesus is always right.”

Rather than allow politics to make you angry, allow it to drive you to your knees, Lankford said.

“If we can just shift as believers to praying for those that frustrate us, rather than just yelling at the TV, that will make a huge difference in each of us. And I believe, as we pray, make a difference in the nation.”