Editor’s Note: Last Monday, April 20, Pastor Chad Weeks of Russell Baptist Church in Green Cove Springs, Florida, had the honor of serving as the guest chaplain in the United States House of Representatives and offering a prayer from the dais at the opening of the House session.

After his prayer, the sponsoring Representative Aaron Bean (R-FL) honored Pastor Weeks’s ministry with the following remarks:

“Mr. Speaker, in a world that often feels out of control, marked by anxiety and fear, how do we respond to this chaos? Pastor Chad Weeks reminds us of a simple but powerful answer: faith.

Today, I rise to honor Pastor Chad Weeks of Russell Baptist Church in Green Cove Springs, Florida, and to thank him for serving as the House’s guest chaplain. As lead pastor of a historic church founded by his great–grandparents in 1916, Pastor Weeks carries a legacy of service. Under his leadership, Russell Baptist has become a place to find strength in adversity and hope in times of hardship.

In a season of rapid growth, he has remained steadfast in holding firm to biblical truths while investing in the next generation through thriving youth ministries and community outreach.

It is a true honor to welcome Pastor Weeks to our Nation’s Capital, along with his parents, Jimmy and Joan Weeks; his wife, Ashley; and their four children: Ava, Eden, Ella, and John.

I am grateful for his friendship, Mr. Speaker, and his ministry in Clay County, Florida, and particularly for his boldness in sharing the Gospel.”

At the Center for Baptist Leadership, we believe Baptists should—in fact, must—shake off the stupor of political disengagement and reenter the American public square and political arena with a confident courage in the kingship of Christ over all of life.

After we learned that a faithful Baptist pastor like Chad Weeks had this opportunity, we reached out to ask him to share reflections on it and his experience. He graciously agreed, and what follows below is his first-person account of offering the opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Last week, I had the opportunity to proclaim Christ in the U.S. Capitol building.

Being in our nation’s Capitol for the first time was an unforgettable experience. I was originally scheduled to offer this opening prayer back in September, but due to the government shutdown, it was postponed. Then, in January, I was contacted about rescheduling for April, and my family, along with a group from our church, made plans to travel to Washington, D.C.

On the morning I was scheduled to pray, we were already in D.C. and on our way to the Capitol to check in when we received word that, because of deliberations that lasted until 3:00 a.m., the House session had been canceled. As you can imagine, we were deeply disappointed.

However, the Lord graciously provided another opportunity. 

We met with Speaker Mike Johnson, who generously spent time with our group. Shortly after, the prayer was rescheduled for Monday afternoon, and we extended our stay.

Walking into the Capitol Rotunda was a moving experience for all of us. There was a sense of awe at what God has allowed our nation to build, as well as a sense of inspiration. Everywhere you look, there are clear expressions of Christian thought and biblical influence. It is unmistakable. Our monuments and symbols are deeply shaped by Scripture and the Christian worldview.

I guess third time’s a charm, as they say, and the time had finally come.  As I stood waiting to give the prayer on Monday, just before the Speaker gaveled the session in, I saw the relief portrait plaques of famous lawgivers all around the Chamber. And right there, at the rear of the chamber, positioned in front of me, and facing me directly, was Moses.

What struck me was that, while all of the other figures positioned around the perimeter of the room are turned to the side, Moses is the only lawgiver with a full-face relief, facing forward, right at the Speaker’s dais. It was a powerful reminder: God’s law is central.

Our nation may be shaped by many ideas and traditions, but ultimately, God’s Word and His Law stand supreme.

In that moment, I felt the weight and privilege of standing in that place—to lift high the name of Jesus, to ask for God’s protection over our nation, for His mercy and forgiveness, wisdom and help for our lawmakers, and the future of true revival among our people.

It filled me with gratitude for our Christian heritage and for the fact that a pastor can still stand in that chamber and offer an explicitly Christian prayer. I followed the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication) model of prayer, which we regularly use in our church, and I concluded by praying in the name of God’s glorious Son, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

I did wonder, when I submitted my prayer beforehand, whether I might be asked to revise or soften it. I was grateful that no such request came.

It was a profound honor to represent our Lord, Russell Baptist Church, and Southern Baptists in the Capitol. My prayer continues to be that God would turn our nation back to Himself.

After nearly 250 years, we are still living on the blessings of our Founding, but we desperately need revival. I am praying for a renewed work of the gospel in our land, and that the United States would once again be marked by a clear and bold allegiance to Christ.

And I would humbly ask all Southern Baptists, and all American Christians of every denominational background, to join with me in that prayer.