Mike Johnson: Leading the U.S. House with unwavering faith and conservative values | Eastern North Carolina Now

By Peyton Majors
Christian Action League
October 27, 2023

North Carolina’s Republican delegation in Congress is rallying around new House Speaker Mike Johnson, calling him a man of deep Christian faith who can be trusted to lead the chamber in the coming months as the U.S. faces a series of major challenges.

Johnson, a GOP representative from Louisiana who is in his fourth term, was elected House Speaker this week with unanimous support from his party following three weeks of infighting among House Republicans. He is the 56th Speaker of the House.

In his first action as Speaker, he brought a resolution supporting Israel before the House. It easily passed.

Johnson is a trusted voice among social conservatives and previously served as an attorney for Alliance Defending Freedom, a major organization that is often involved in conservative legal battles over marriage, life and religious liberty. Johnson served as a trustee on the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. He also taught at Liberty University. Among his positions, he opposes abortion, same-sex marriage and medical marijuana.

His first speech to Congress referenced his Christian faith. He is a member of Cypress Baptist Church in Benton, La.

“The world is in turmoil, but a strong America is good for the entire world,” he said. “We are the beacon of freedom, and we must preserve this grand experiment in self-governance. … We are only 247 years into this grand experiment, and we don’t know how long it will last. But we do know the founders told us to take good care of it.

“I believe that Scripture and the Bible is very clear that God is the one that raises up those in authority. He raised up each of you,” Johnson added. “… I believe each one of us has a huge responsibility today to use the gifts that God has given us to serve the extraordinary people of this great country, and they deserve it.” 

His pastor, John Fream of Cypress Baptist told Baptist Press that Johnson “is the real deal, and God’s hand is all over him and his family.”

“I am so excited and hopeful for our nation with this great man of God leading,” Fream said. “Mike loves his church, his country, his family and his Lord.” 

Rep. Patrick McHenry (N.C.), who had served as the temporary speaker, gave Johnson the gavel.

Rep. Greg Murphy of North Carolina called Johnson a “brilliant man of impeccable character” who will “aggressively carry our pro-American and economically responsible agenda forward.”

“Speaker Johnson’s conservative credentials are second to none, and I look forward to his leadership and vision for our country,” Murphy said.

Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina said Johnson is “a man of integrity and faith” and “the right man to lead our conference, and I’m proud to support him.”

“This is a great day for constitutional governance and the American people. Let’s hit the ground running,” Bishop said.

Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina called Johnson a “good man, brilliant conservative leader, and trusted friend who I am proud to support.”

Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina said Johnson is a “good, solid Christian man” and will be an “incredible spokesperson for the Republican conference.”

Ron Beaty of Return America called Johnson “one of the finest Christians in government.”

“His love for God, family, and country is at the top of the chart,” Beaty said. “He is a breath of fresh air, and I am greatly encouraged that he has the fortitude to be an exemplary Christian first of all and a truly patriotic leader in our United States Congress.”

Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, also applauded the selection of Johnson.

“I was recently talking with a colleague of mine about the election of the new Speaker in the U.S. House,” Creech said. “I suggested to him that we should take a lesson from what’s happened. Chaos had ensued in Congress. One Speaker had been ousted, and the ruling party had egg on its face because it couldn’t rally enough votes behind a candidate for a new Speaker. But many faithful Christians were earnestly praying. In answer to prayer, God turned tragedy into triumph. We should remember this when we are being sorely tried with troublesome circumstances. God specializes in transforming adversity into victories.”