Interview: George Roller on Sharing the Gospel on Capitol Hill
Saturday, Mar. 24, 2007 Posted: 06:37:16 PM PDT
The D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship in Washington, D.C., currently serves members of Congress and the more than 20,000 staff who work on Capitol Hill. The desire of the center is “to help our nation's leaders and those who serve on the Hill discover their full potential in their journey of faith and public service.” Without a political agenda, the center’s staff is “dedicated to the higher purpose of providing spiritual support.”
Last month, at the National Religious Broadcasters’ (NRB) convention in Orlando, Fla., George Roller, the center’s executive director ,spoke with The Christian Post about the significance of reaching out to the people on Capitol Hill – from interns to senators – with the Word of God.
The following are excerpts from the interview:
CP: What did you do before you joined the Center for Christian Statesmanship?
Roller: Before I was working at the Center, my professional life was one of an attorney and a teacher. I was doing both. I had a dual career, while my wife was home with the children. So during that period, from our marriage until three years ago, I was in church often teaching evangelism explosion. I was also an elder and a deacon at church. I also lead mission trips; I’ve been on three mission trips to Ukraine and I led two of those three.
In terms of full-time ministry though, it has only been the last three years.
CP: Are there any difficulties in working with everyday citizens versus those with power on Capitol Hill?
Roller: Oh yes, there are challenges! I think the challenge of trust is probably one of the largest challenges because ordinary people that get to know me can recognize that I am someone that they can talk to. Also as an attorney, they certainly know that there is confidentiality when they talk to me.
Members of congress, on the other hand, have to be so careful because Washington is such a power hungry, power-grabbing city that people will use other people in any way they can to climb the ladder of power. So members of Congress have to be very careful about who they open up to because if they are not very careful that can be used against them later on.
So members of Congress are outwardly charming, polite, friendly, and warm – they wouldn’t have gotten elected if they didn’t have those qualities. And yet there is a certain degree of protection in that they want to protect their private life. So for us to develop that relationship where they can open up – because our mission is to be there to pray for them, love them and care for them – and for them to realize [what our mission is] is a major hurdle. For them to share a prayer request with us of a personal nature is a major hurdle. So I say that is the greatest challenge.
There are other difficulties – just the challenge of access. To get in to see a member and talk to them can be a challenge.
But I think besides trust and accessibility is the time factor. They are so busy. They are so overwhelmed. Most of them are separated from their families. They are in Washington during the week and go back home during the weekends so they are juggling trying to keep up with their families, keeping up with what is going on governmentally, and their busy schedules.
