Conversations on Faith with Representative John Shimkus

Today on the show we're joined by Congressman John Shimkus for a conversation about faith. Rep. Shimkus has served in the Army, as a high school teacher, a county treasurer, and as a Member of the United States House of Representatives for the 15th District of Illinois since 1997. He is a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Collinsville, IL.

Transcript

Elizabeth Pittman (11s):
"Today on the show we're joined by Congressman John Shimkus for a conversation about faith. Congressman Shimkus has served in the army as a high school teacher, a County treasurer, and as a member of the United States House of Representatives for the 15th district of Illinois. He is a member of Holy cross Lutheran Church in Collinsville, Illinois.

Elizabeth Pittman (43s):
It's not every day that one gets to turn the tables on a teacher of theirs and ask the questions and as a former student of yours I was on the receiving end of questions and exams from you a lifetime ago. So I'm going to admit this to be kind of fun, to try to stump the teacher.

Rep. John Shimkus (58s):
Aha, go for it.

Elizabeth Pittman (1m 1s):
Welcome. We're glad that you're here with us and taking some time with us.

Rep. John Shimkus (1m 4s):
It's great to be with you, I have a great, a great appreciation for Concordia publishing house and the ministry and been followers for a long, long time. So it was great to be with you.

Elizabeth Pittman (1m 16s):
We appreciate that. And how are things on the Hill right now? You're, you're actually at home in Collinsville, right?

Rep. John Shimkus (1m 22s):
We head back next week. In fact, I've got to fly back Sunday, which with the pandemic flights now are seldom.  And because of that, if I needed to back Monday morning, I have to fly out Sunday, like, like 11 o'clock. So it's really, it really is not very fun and I'm flying into Baltimore, which has people on the East coast. And I was challenging. Make long story short. We're there for the next three weeks. I hope that I'll get home on the weekend, but, and then there'll be a break for the campaign. I'm not running again.

Rep. John Shimkus (1m 56s):
so I don't have to really, really worry about that. And then we'll go back after the election and hopefully pick up the pieces,

Elizabeth Pittman (2m 4s):
Hopefully, cause there's, there's a lot going on right now. Has your staff been back in the office or have they been working remotely?

Rep. John Shimkus (2m 11s):
Both. I think most offices have one or two folks there and socially spaced. And as you know, the office spaces in a congressional office, usually three different rooms and you can have one in each. My son, Josh is working out there for a member of Congress right now. So he's in one room there. They have a couple and another room. So I think that's the way most people are handling it. But that means most of your folks are, are working virtually from, from at home. And that's not only in DC, that's in the district.

Rep. John Shimkus (2m 44s):
We have a couple in the Maryville office, in some of my other offices are very small anyway, like Harrisburg only has one person in it in any way. So a little bit of both

Elizabeth Pittman (2m 55s):
The offices are tight. I remember that there's not a lot of room on the house side, in those offices for the full staff to be there. So it's great that they have the option to be virtual if it works out. So as Christians, we all have a responsibility to live out our faith, no matter what our career or vocation is, yours just happens to be a little bit more of the public eye than most of us would experience. And it's, it's been great to see over the years how you have not shied away from being bold about your faith and living it out.

Elizabeth Pittman (3m 26s):
Who are the people in your life that helped set that foundation for your faith?

Rep. John Shimkus (3m 31s):
Oh, that's a, that's a great question. Of course. I think you start with your, your home congregation and your mom and dad. Fortunately, my mom and dad, my mom passed in April. Dad's still with us. She's just turned 92. So they were faithful church members of course, Lutheran grade school, a big proponent of that too. And mom was involved with the, with the PTA and I youth group at Holy cross.

Rep. John Shimkus (4m 3s):
And then in high school with the Lutheran high school, Metro East wasn't open at that time. I'm not sure whether we would have went anyway because I was from a large family, you know, one income and who, who knows what would have happened. But I went to COVID high school was involved in fellowship, Christian athletes there. That was very helpful. Gave me a broader scope. Of course it was really then when you're in a, in a public high school and you're in you're, you're known to be involved with the fellowship of Christian athletes had already kind of named you at West point.

Rep. John Shimkus (4m 37s):
I was not fel fellowship Christian athletes there. And the chapel programs is just part, okay, we're saved by grace through faith. I'm baptized child of God, the Holy spirit lives in me. And that, that has kept that's my life. That's just what I do. And the world tries to pull you away. As I, as I mentioned to you, when we were preparing for this, I readily admit I'm a broken vessel and that I fear that, you know, I don't want people to think more highly of me than I think on myself, which I, which is not very high sometimes.

Rep. John Shimkus (5m 20s):
So I'm not, I'm not perfect. I'm just forgetting,

Elizabeth Pittman (5m 24s):
Being forgiven is the greatest gift ever. And it's, it's always a good thing to remember. None of us are perfect. And thank goodness we have grace and forgiveness. What's your confirmation verse.

Rep. John Shimkus (5m 36s):
Oh, bad question. I have no idea. Really. I can tell you my two favorite verses, but I, I don't, you know,

Elizabeth Pittman (5m 46s):
I didn't think that would be the one that would stump you. Okay. What other verses are significant?

Rep. John Shimkus (5m 51s):
Well, if he comes to eight to 10 for red grace, you're saved through faith, not of works, no one should boast and we are his workmanship. So that's one, I mostly scribble on pictures when people ask me to sign things or that happens quite a bit as a member of Congress, Galatians two 20, I'm crucified with Christ now outside live, but not an I, but Christ lives in me. And so those are the two Goku versus, you know, I should publicly announce and ask forgiveness from CPA.

Rep. John Shimkus (6m 25s):
So I've been, I I've been, you know, portals of prayer guy since I left to go to West point. So that was, you know, 1976 and pretty continuously even today. So the devotion is today. Obviously you have the guy who's writing them is the Apple of his eye ministry Cohen. I think his name is. And he, so I also have a Facebook page.

Rep. John Shimkus (6m 57s):
I'm not sure it's not an interactive, but it's a posting. And I do Bible verses. And if people are watching that and I've got a couple thousand followers, all those scriptures that I post are really ripped off from the portals of prayer. So it's somewhere in the reading. It's somewhere in the reading today was Joel. So I'm, I'm I'm devotion guy in the morning and that keeps me straight.

Rep. John Shimkus (7m 28s):
But as far as my confirmation verse, now my wife knows hers, but I do not know hers. You have some work to do. Yeah. I got some work to do.

Elizabeth Pittman (7m 41s):
Speaking of port as a per, have you seen the new portals of survival? Okay.

Rep. John Shimkus (7m 45s):
I've read about it. I mean, I've seen the advertisements for it, but yeah,

Elizabeth Pittman (7m 49s):
You haven't seen it in real life. It's actually quite lovely. So there are several hundred devotions interspersed throughout the Bible, but they're related versus so it's, it's really a neat devotional tool. So you'll have to check that out. Good marketing there. Hey, well, you know, actually it does have a very strong faithful following. And so it's neat to hear the stories of people. We get notes all the time of people who have been reading them for generations decades.

Elizabeth Pittman (8m 19s):
And you know, when they're cleaning out someone's home that may have passed away, they'll find the baskets of the devotions that have been marked dog-eared. And so it's been a neat part of a lot of people's lives. Have there been times where you've struggled with your faith or you found it to be challenging to live it out?

Rep. John Shimkus (8m 41s):
I think the, yeah, I think that would be true if peop everybody is open and honest, I'm sure that's true with everybody. The, the temptations of power, power, street, prestige, and position that goes along with elected office and being in DC and traveling around the world and meeting foreign leaders, does you have to be very cautious that you don't think more highly than yourself, long hours away from home in various events, alcohol that flows freely.

Rep. John Shimkus (9m 24s):
If you allow it to it, there's definitely challenges. And you know, only by the grace of God is I've been, been able to sidestep most of the little minefields, but, and, and then I, I, you just gotta look at how you treat people too in the office. And I have a military background and sometimes that's not a really compassionate, like, get the mission done, do this. And I have people who have worked for me.

Rep. John Shimkus (9m 55s):
Like you have no that you could, I come sometimes bark orders and you know, this gotta get done, you know, and that's, that's a life lived and that's, that's answering your question as best as I can.

Elizabeth Pittman (10m 14s):
I remember when I worked for you were County treasurer when I had the opportunity to work for you for a couple of summers, and I will never forget the first day you pulled a few of us into the office and we were talking and you said, basically that you're, you're gonna, you're a sink or swim guy. You're gonna throw us in. And we're either going to figure it out or we're not, and you weren't going to be, you're going to coddle us. And at the time I was like, Whoa, but now like looking back, I actually appreciate that because, you know, if, if we would have been coddled along, we wouldn't have learned anything and we wouldn't figure it out how to do things ourselves.

Elizabeth Pittman (10m 51s):
So I do remember that quite clearly from way back in the day.

Rep. John Shimkus (10m 56s):
Well, I I'm going through, I'm going through transition now. I mean, I only have a couple more months being a member of Congress. You know, obviously we're thinking about what are our next steps and what do we do? I'm still relatively young. I mean, no, I'm not, you know, I'm 62, but I still think I've got 10 years of productivity somewhere. My archives are going to go to SIU Edwardsville, which is where I got my MBA. I, there I'll probably be involved with the university, some part doing some things, but I'm also going through these archives and I'm right, I'm right through right now, going through boxes that I had from the treasurer's office.

Rep. John Shimkus (11m 34s):
So it's pretty, pretty amazing. Yeah. And I didn't even know it had them because, you know, I got elected to Congress. I was in midterm and we probably moved personal files straight from the treasurer's office to the G the congressional campaign office after I won. And then there they sapped. So, but it's fun. It brings back a lot of emotions, some good, some bad, the six years as County treasurer was really great. And the vast majority of people were super, of course I was the only Republican in the courthouse and come around election time.

Rep. John Shimkus (12m 9s):
That always got a little more challenging, but yeah. Going through your life and I, you shouldn't Harbor it. We need to live our lives today and our ministry today and not hearkened back on what I could have done, who, you know, in the past, unless you've done someone harm, hopefully maybe you can do some reconciliation, but yeah, it's, it's an emotional time for the Shimkus family. So

Elizabeth Pittman (12m 34s):
I would imagine what does Karen think about you being soon to be retired and around more?

Rep. John Shimkus (12m 41s):
Yeah, you'd never dare speak for Karen. So that might be a question or an interview sometime in the future. I, I think she is. I think what the challenge for her was, again, I'm open with my life being scrutinized and attacked and scarred up and stuff. She, she put up with it. She did great. She, I mean, I mentioned her last night. She never said no, but I was careful not to ask her to do too much.

Rep. John Shimkus (13m 16s):
And only when we really needed her and she would be great on, on the campaign trail or the stump. In fact, one of the articles I found was when she spoke at a L LWML event in Grafton, and it was about the challenges of the spouse of a Congressman who were Christians. And, you know, she always knocks it out of the park, but I think she's ready to get out of the public eye. And, and of course I'm already experiencing a lot more time at home than I've ever had and who knows 25 years.

Elizabeth Pittman (13m 54s):
There's, there's nothing wrong with that. I know my folks are in kind of the same boat with my dad and just having retired. And so he's, I think he's enjoying being back and having more control over his time.

Rep. John Shimkus (14m 6s):
Yeah. But you got to be careful. I've already found myself. I didn't want to be that guy who has since started rearranging things. Right. So, and it's gone well, the pandemic has helped us probably adjust a little bit quicker than I would have because, you know, I had, I, it depends on, we're not hit, I'd be traveling around the district still, and I'd still be going to these, some of these events and make sure I say goodbye to the friends and supporters from my district is 33 counties.

Rep. John Shimkus (14m 36s):
So expenses all the way up to Danville, Illinois, all the way down to Kentucky and then over. So that's just a lot of time on the road time that, you know, no one really wants to be meeting in groups and stuff and just be especially people who they don't know where they've been last week or so. So for the most part, we're doing pretty good. I mean, we've had a bumper too, but, and, and I felt it on top of my head, but other than that, I think we're doing well. We've also been transitioned with my mom passing in April and Karen's mom passed in July.

Rep. John Shimkus (15m 10s):
So, and, and her mother was, had lived with around here for 20 plus years in Radian village, which is a Lutheran social services and Glen carb and a beautiful location. She was ever since she moved back. But the last couple of years were tough. And her kids, the Karen sister, Karen's brother both moved to the SRA in the last couple years. And they would be there every lunch, every dinner, you know, falling, you know, fourth commandment honor, thy father and my mother.

Rep. John Shimkus (15m 43s):
I mean, it was just amazing, amazing to see it. But then when their mom passed, you know, there was some relief, but there's also, this had so much consumed their life. And now they've got to go through legal documents and possessions. And again, that's the tough time.

Elizabeth Pittman (16m 3s):
Sounds like it. You've taught Bible class at Holy cross for a long time. Are you still doing that?

Rep. John Shimkus (16m 8s):
Yeah. Not since the pandemic.

Elizabeth Pittman (16m 11s):
That's true. I guess since it's just now starting to reopen to people coming back into the sanctuary.

Rep. John Shimkus (16m 16s):
Yeah. We've had church now. Ah, maybe seven weeks. We have to wear a mask when we seen the church. The church, as you know, is very large, so you can spread out easily. We do this service and then we do, then we end the service and then we do a communion. And then when we commune, then we leave. So it's, they've got it. It's interesting. I know, historically I think church service has Richard services and communion services were kind of separate.

Rep. John Shimkus (16m 47s):
So I kinda, I don't mind that at all, but we're just not gathering in a Bible classes. And I was really close to ending the history of the Christian Church, which started, and I've gone, I've done it many years and done a whole bunch of different things.

Elizabeth Pittman (17m 6s):
Is there one topic that you've really liked of all those that you've taught? Why

Rep. John Shimkus (17m 12s):
I've never done like, like Romans or Ephesians, you know, I've never, in-depth more, mine has always been kind of keeping the God's story and in the big picture, like we've done geography, the Bible geography. We did read the Bible through. We did read the Bible through chronologically, which was which, which is something I've always wanted to do. So you can kind of see Christian Bible bump jumps around every now and then.

Rep. John Shimkus (17m 42s):
And you got, you get kind of, kind of confused and who, you know, what's going on when, and I, and I enjoyed also the, the evolution of the, you know, the Christian Church after the apostles is very interesting for a guy who taught history and world history and really involved in European affairs, mostly Eastern Europe and have had an appreciation of the, really the Orthodox church. I always joke that, you know, we Lutheran Christians.

Rep. John Shimkus (18m 13s):
We, we, we, we know up to the apostles and then we fast forward to Martin Luther and we kind of forget 1300 years of Christianity and which is fine, but I like to keep it in a big perspective.

Elizabeth Pittman (18m 28s):
One question I hear people ask a lot is they, they're curious about what types of Bible study opportunities are available on the Hill for members and staff. And I remember from my time there, there were options led by the chaplain of the house who would lead a Bibles in class and different things. What opportunities are there now for those members of staff that might want to take advantage of it?

Rep. John Shimkus (18m 55s):
Yeah, the, the chaplain does have, I think, you know, Bible study and he's Catholic priest for members. And then he also does one with staff. Now he's also doing connectivity through virtual, you know, and I just, they just, there was an invitation just sent yesterday for this next virtual reflection period or Bible study. There's a historic congressional, a prayer breakfast I used to attend for about six or seven years.

Rep. John Shimkus (19m 28s):
I kind of, and as members really providing their, their professional faith, but I just got a little challenge when it was members or who were not Christian right. Providing their profession. So I kind of stopped going there. There's, there's a few other ones that are just member driven, more Christian focused in members' offices. I pretty much with my devotion. Now don't do any major fellowshipping other than, you know, the three guys at live that I live with in D C I have a townhouse and there's three members.

Rep. John Shimkus (20m 7s):
And it's amazing when you live with someone for as much time as we do, things will eventually come up. So we've had some interesting discussions.

Elizabeth Pittman (20m 20s):
Well, you do run into a lot of people that you work with and that you represent with wildly different worldviews. So imagine it would be rather challenging to keep the conversations productive and civil at times, even if they're not about faith, it could be about anything. Have you managed to keep your cool,

Rep. John Shimkus (20m 40s):
You know, God's in control than the, I, I just think, and I haven't always kept my cool, I mean, I've, I'm in, in congressional hearings. There are, there are times when I have not, but I do think immature just like any other profession, I, I always tell people that the, if you're there, I was there 24 years or, you know, be 24 years when I enticed. So you start as a newbie and you're kind of quiet and you're listening. And you only talk when you think you understand what's going on and kind of when you've been there about a decade, then you can get a little feisty.

Rep. John Shimkus (21m 14s):
You're, you're not in the leadership position, but you are knowledgeable opinionated and you're willing to engage in the fight. And then when you get to be a senior member, you're usually a chairman or ranking member, and you're trying to steward the legislative process. I mean, when you're in the majority, you want it more as Republicans, you want it more center, right on public policy and with what I would call Republican principles. And when Democrats are in control, where they are now, you want to limit the damage of, you know, a leftward perch into government control.

Rep. John Shimkus (21m 50s):
How you do that is, is an art. So I don't get again, I've been angry. And I, and, but I do think members appreciate that too. I mean, I'm very good friends with a lot of folks on the other side of the aisle, they know me when I've been angry and a bomb throw. And they know me when I've been a chairman and a ranking member. They, I think they like people who are willing to fight too. It's just when you, when it becomes personal, I mean, it's when you, when, and I was sitting in a chamber one time and I sat with sitting next to a Republican member and some member was speaking and he whispered in my ear, I really don't like that person.

Rep. John Shimkus (22m 31s):
And I said, well, what do you mean? You know, Michael, you are. And I just said, well, listen, they're elected from the same number of people that you're elected. They, they are representing the people who sent them here. And if those people don't like them, they'll eventually they'll eventually be removed, but I wouldn't put personal, you know, you know, the decision on how, whether I like someone versus based upon their, their positions,

Elizabeth Pittman (22m 60s):
We need to be able to disagree in a respectful way.

Rep. John Shimkus (23m 5s):
Yeah. Disagree without being disagreeable. That's kind of how we use the term.

Elizabeth Pittman (23m 9s):
It's, it's, it's tough at times, especially with the world, doing what the world is doing. And people are very free with throwing out inflammatory opinions and not listening to each other. And I think we've lost the art of listening.

Rep. John Shimkus (23m 24s):
Oh, it is terrible. It is just, I'm embarrassed by political folks. I'm embarrassed by the public who, and, you know, people, I I've been thinking about this a lot lately. People don't count to 10, they hear something. And all sudden they, they respond with not know without knowing the full story. They'll read what gets posted on a Twitter feed. And then they jump in and then there is more to the story that comes out.

Rep. John Shimkus (23m 54s):
And if they were held to what they said immediately, they look pretty full.

Elizabeth Pittman (23m 59s):
It's this outrage culture that makes me weary. It's they're not counting to 10. They're got their keyboard, courage. They're firing things off and everything is outraged. And no one seems very few people anymore. Seem willing to take a deep breath and think about it and have, and get the facts before they react and go for the things. What would you say would be a good way for Christians to exercise their citizenship for the benefit of our community?

Rep. John Shimkus (24m 28s):
Well, they got to your mom ran for office. I think people, if they really want to have an appreciation for one elected official does say ought to get on the ballot and run. I mean, they're gonna complain about the mayor or the city council or their County board member or the state rep. Cause they'll find out it's not very easy and they'll find out it's not very fun. I think the, you know, I just think people need to find folks that they want to support.

Rep. John Shimkus (25m 3s):
I had a lot of support from people in my congregation. Although, you know, Collinsville again, as you know is historically a Democrat town, blue collar born, I've still live here, but they historically have been Democrat. And so when I got elected as County treasurer, it was a lot of Democrats who vote. They gave me a chance. And I do believe that a lot of Lutherans in, in the area supported me just because of my, my church attendance, not just attendance, but confession of faith and involvement in the church.

Rep. John Shimkus (25m 41s):
You know, the churches know Trinity knows good shepherd knows of faith. I mean, all that, you can just name the, the churches that know because when I came back, I was teaching at Williston high school. So anyway, that's, I think people just need to be involved. We have a stewardship government, I use this kind of quote. It's just like, you're this, especially at constitutional Republic is a, is a stewardship government. Are we going to be good stewards or not?

Rep. John Shimkus (26m 11s):
And how do you be good stewards? You give your time talents and possessions, and that's two causes or people that you think will serve you. Well, remember we're the two kingdom type people. So we got kingdom and right. And kingdom of left. And, you know, the government does have a role in keeping peace and tranquility for the gospel to be spread God's in control. But I think you'd want people who you have faith and trust and, and, and who know that even though they're sinful and make mistakes, they're forgiven, but we'll be ready to say, Hey, I'm sinful when I make mistakes and I'll do my best.

Rep. John Shimkus (26m 54s):
And that's kind of how I've tried to campaign. Although I, you know, when you've been on the ballot as many years as I have, you have some pretty tough campaigns and there are things you do politically that you should probably ask forgiveness of, of, because it's, you get drawn into the competitiveness of it. And then it's the ends justify the means. And again, I'd rather have someone, a Christian who's will struggle with that versus someone who is a secular humanist that says, you know, our Mack of alien, no, I won you lost.

Rep. John Shimkus (27m 32s):
I don't care how I destroyed you. I'd rather have someone who said yes, that really was a cheap shot.

Elizabeth Pittman (27m 38s):
So when, when people hear the word politics, they often jump to the negative really quick. And I've read something that you've, you wrote years ago where you talk about it's part of the decision making process. And if it's used, well, it's actually a good thing, but we run into danger. When we, we deny that we're thinking politically, because we all have an inner politician who makes our decisions, how can we use politics?

Elizabeth Pittman (28m 8s):
Well,

Rep. John Shimkus (28m 9s):
Well, the political process is designed for an agreement by the majority to move in a certain direction. I mean, there's two things. One is the politics of getting the election, but then, then there is the inner politics of trying to move legislation. I I'm a big Ronald Reagan fan and we've had trouble with this as Republicans and Democrats are having trouble now, because now they've got the far left crazies, and I would argue sometimes we have the far right crazies.

Rep. John Shimkus (28m 42s):
And in the political process, you can't get a hundred percent. I mean, if you, if you push for a hundred percent in a government world where you got to get to compromise, you get nothing. So Reagan, it was quoted as saying, you know, I'll try to get 80% and then we'll go back and get 20% later. That's really, the art of legislating is trying to see how, and I mentioned that earlier with when you're in the majority, you try to get, you know, 80%, that would be a conservative way of addressing a problem.

Rep. John Shimkus (29m 16s):
And then when the Democrats are in control and you've got very liberal, is you're trying to limit the damage of government intervention. And so how much can you accept a change in public policy? That's the art of politics. Something is better, nothing. I'm, I'm a believer that first of all, I've always been angry about the national debt and deficit spending, but I've been of it, which is, which is a burden I'll just carry, you know, for the rest of my career.

Rep. John Shimkus (29m 48s):
And then really, as people review where I was on some of these votes, but I also believe that government has stay open. You just can't shut down. Government look what's happened to our economy right now with businesses being shut down. They're there, there are challenges. So, you know, I always looked at that and, and I came in when Newt had his second term. And so I came in in 96 and I thought for a long time that Illinois was, we bred a Republican to our, we would call them governing conservatives, conservative ideology, but make sure you can continue to govern.

Rep. John Shimkus (30m 28s):
We, we have chaos folks right now on both sides and that's a challenge.

Elizabeth Pittman (30m 34s):
And it's, it's a challenge for most of us who are watching this all play out. And you're just wondering what's going to happen next because it's just the so turbulent right now, you know? And I, you know, I pray for my sons, like, what world are they going to have? You know, what's it going to look like when they're adults and they inherit what we've set the stage for. Now, it's a little bit about what

Rep. John Shimkus (31m 0s):
Someone who taught world history, as I want to taught U S history is they'll live in their world and will live in ours and we want to make it good. But I think that's where education both a Christian upbringing. So they can handle the things of eternity in good education and preparation allows them to try to survive. But you're always going to worry about your kids. I mean, I've got 27, 25, 21 and a dang nabbit. I'm always worried about them.

Rep. John Shimkus (31m 31s):
I don't want to be worried about them, but I am.

Elizabeth Pittman (31m 35s):
Well, I think that's just, that's a natural parent reaction. How do you navigate the separation of church and state? I mean, we, we see Jesus kind of imply this when he talks, when he says render under Caesar, what is Caesar's to God? What does God's, how do you navigate that tricky path?

Rep. John Shimkus (31m 54s):
Yeah. The, the fundamentalist or the evangelical. However you wanna phrase some in the Christian Church who really think that, you know, the United States is a shining city on the Hill and that it is a beacon and, you know, a Christian nation, I do believe the founders were Christian in, in their, in their writings and in support and the freedom of religion, but were not crucial or so I think you have to, again, that's where the two kingdom approach to are, how do we live in a life and in a country that, that address we, we do to be appreciative and support, you know, government and those institutions.

Rep. John Shimkus (32m 46s):
And thank those like firefighters and MTS and healthcare workers now that are, that are engaged and, and providing a service. But we also, that's not where our eternal salvation, it's not founded in a constitutional Republic and a democracy and freedom and equality. This is a relationship with where kind of one-on-one relationship based upon our, you know, our, our theology is on baptism. We receive and gift the Holy spirit.

Rep. John Shimkus (33m 17s):
And, and only by grace has God kind of invited us. And we want that for everybody. They're just two separate worlds. So you live kind of in parallel.

Elizabeth Pittman (33m 28s):
Do you see any on the civic side and on the Hill, do you see any legislation in the offing that could pose a threat to the church?

Rep. John Shimkus (33m 41s):
Well, I always, I mean, I worry about it like anything else. I mean, I strongly, pro-life a member and speak openly and sometimes emotionally, and I just, it's, it's a sad state of a Republic. We don't protect the, the ones who are, they can't defend themselves. Likewise, there are people that don't want us to be able to make those professions.

Rep. John Shimkus (34m 14s):
I find it kind of curious that they want to ban churches from telling who they think are supporting values, which I agreed. I mean, I, I never go to a Lutheran church and why, but it's, it's just weird how the Democrats are always invited to churches to preach, to preach to the congregation

Elizabeth Pittman (34m 43s):
Entered here. I think

Rep. John Shimkus (34m 44s):
Double standard. But it's one that I, I mean, I just, when I've been invited and I have two different churches, if they're, it's, they're Lucerne it's, it's like never, never, never, never. Well, I did it at the center recently. I think your dad asked me to do something on constitution day or something, and it was after chapel. And then after chapel, I gotten kind of handed out.

Rep. John Shimkus (35m 15s):
I mean, they can't constitution as we're out there. And then we had a chance to just talk about our rights and responsibilities as citizens. So again, that's the kind of the, as Christians, we, we lead this life and we have to be in the world, not of the world.

Elizabeth Pittman (35m 34s):
Well, we need to care for our neighbor. And I think if we, if we're doing what we should, and obviously we're not perfect and we're going to fail, but we should be looking out for those ways that we can help our neighbor in the broadest sense, both those close to us and those that God has put in our path.

Rep. John Shimkus (35m 52s):
Perfect, perfect segue. Because I'm in this environment that we're in right now with, with the race challenges, the pandemic and stuff. I said, I fall back a lot of times when I'm talking with folks, what has God asked us to do? Oh, we are to love God. And we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. And then when you see that the story of good Samaritan, who is our neighbor, well, it's the outcast.

Rep. John Shimkus (36m 24s):
So when you see, I have problems with president Trump on this, he doesn't exhibit lovers neighbor very much, by the way, he makes statements and stuff. When you see these people burning cities, they're not showing love for them. They may have righteous anger, but to attack and destroy is not loving your neighbor. Th this challenge at work is a challenge of a heart. And, and that's why you need to be founded.

Rep. John Shimkus (36m 56s):
Now, when I'm with other people who are talking, that's usually when I say, well, that's the things of the heart, and that's the faith in what you believe. And that should drive you to love your neighbor. Obviously we know that the only really place that you're saved just is through Christ. And there's no other way, but sometimes I'm in groups. I don't want to say that because I don't want to, you know, I don't want to totally lose them. Right. Well, you mean there's only one way, but yeah.

Rep. John Shimkus (37m 26s):
But when we're talking about conditions, that'll a heart. You do have other faiths that do profess at least some care for their neighbor and treatment of other people. And we've got to get back to, to how you love your neighbor,

Elizabeth Pittman (37m 46s):
Any ideas on how we can do that?

Rep. John Shimkus (37m 48s):
No, I think you have to be focused on church. I think you have to be in fellowship. I think you've got to do the simple things, which is stay in fellowship. I think churches are going to church, whether you like it or not. It's a good thing to do. I think you have to have personal devotions and studies. I think you have to have prayer paramedic meditation. And I think doing those three things, keep you focused on God, not on the challenges of today.

Elizabeth Pittman (38m 15s):
It's a much healthier place to be focused on in the long run too.

Rep. John Shimkus (38m 21s):
This world could just, if you're worried about every day, either someone burning your business or getting a COVID and that's all your, or your kids or your family, it would eat you up inside. I mean, I think that's part of this mental health challenges, especially in isolation. So people ought to be loving their neighbor and reaching out to our neighbor. And especially if they know they're alone and they're, and they're senior citizens, but of course can't go to their house, right. Or they shouldn't, it's just tough.

Elizabeth Pittman (38m 53s):
It is tough. But at the end of the day, God has it under control and he's got the plan and one day we'll understand, but for now it's a mystery. Thank you for being with us today. This was a fun conversation to have.

Rep. John Shimkus (39m 10s):
Great, great to talk to you. I was going to say, see you, but obviously we can't really do that via the podcast, but in this method we can.

Elizabeth Pittman (39m 21s):
Absolutely. So this is, it's been a great conversation, and I would imagine I'll run into you at some point over at Holy cross when I'm on that side of the river.

Rep. John Shimkus (39m 30s):
And I always welcome back to your home congregation of years, gone by where your confirmation pictures is posted in the hallway.

Elizabeth Pittman (39m 41s):
Scary to think about how long ago that picture was put up their minds up there too. So here's this farther behind mine. So, and now it is really nice to have that, to have a home congregation that you can go back to and you see the people that you've known your whole life, and it's a bigger, comforting place to be. Thank you so much for joining us today and listeners both

0 (40m 3s):
Catch you next time.

Elizabeth Pittman (40m 6s):
Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Concordia publishing house podcast. I pray that this time was valuable to your walk to Christ. We'd love to connect with listeners on Instagram, Facebook, and twitter@concordiapubvisitcph.org for more resources to grow deeper in the gut.