Mike Huckabee: Making Wise Decisions | Kirk Cameron on TBN

start from the basis of where you agree never start from the point at which you disagree Liberty is God's idea not man's ideas so they're coming to the church to hear more about where Liberty comes from people are beginning to wake up to the nuttiness of the Godless worldview that says just do whatever I want to do Mike thank you so much for joining us for this crucial conversation I'm really excited to talk with you because you can you can give us a perspective from so many different sides you've been a pastor you've been a state Governor you've been a communicator publicly on cultural issues and you can play bass like flee from Red Hot Chili Peppers I mean you're my guy so well that's very kind what you basically are saying Kirk is that one of these days I'm going to find something I'm good enough to stick with but in the meantime I've got all these different things that I've done but it's such a pleasure to be with you I so admire you and I'm very very happy to get to have this conversation well you're so kind and you do wear so many different hats and I'm thrilled to see that you're now wearing a beard I am too uh you know they say that they they actually we have words for people who don't grow beards women and children yeah I finally got old enough to grow one and I'm I'm thinking about becoming uh the bass player in a ZZ Top tribute band so I needed to get a good Head Start maybe in about five or ten years I'll have enough whiskers to be able to do it that's that's great well um Mike I want to ask you this question in today's climate politically culturally economically spiritually politically we need good leaders we're all looking for good leaders and good leaders are the ones who have been tasked with making the hard decisions and decisions are particularly difficult in a culture where there's there seems to be so many people are polarized and divided and and you've got to make decisions as a leader that affect a lot of people even people who won't agree with your decisions so how do you as a pastor as a governor how do you make decisions wisely what are the factors in the influencing elements that can help us do that well even since my teen years I've always lived by a few principles one of them is lead by loving not by shoving nobody wants to be pushed into something good leaders don't get behind people and kick them in the backside and tell them what they're gonna do they get in front and they say follow me and so that's good leadership to begin with the second thing I believe is very important leaders never ask others to do what they're unwilling to do you see people who say you go do this because it's a small job and I'm too big for it no leaders are willing to set up the chairs they're willing to clean the tables off now sometimes it may not be practical that the leaders do it but the people in an organization need to know that you're willing to do anything you ask them to do but I think by the bigger question of how do you get to the decision Point especially when you're trying to influence a lot of it comes down to make sure you know deep down that what you're what you're putting forth is something that you believe out of conviction not out of political or organizational convenience I see a lot of people they kind of take a poll they put their finger in the air and see which way the wind is blowing and that's the way they go it's a terrible way to lead I believe leadership is a whole lot like being a musician before you play the song you have to tune the instrument so the question is to what do we tune and any musician knows you don't tune to what you think feel or believe you tune to an unchanging very rigid musical standard so that the the C note is the same in Tokyo as it is in you know Japan in New York or in Mississippi the C note is always exactly the same cone and therefore everyone whether you play a trumpet or you play a guitar or piano you have to play according to a very fixed standard for Christians it's pretty simple the standard is the scripture we tune ourselves to the word of God and if we tune ourselves to what we think or what we feel or what we believe we're going to play a lousy song it's going to be a train wreck and it'll be noise and it'll sound like chaos and that's why I truly believe that the number one characteristic of leadership is making sure that our own lives and our own convictions are tuned to something way bigger than us certainly bigger than our feelings bigger than our thoughts bigger than our own personal beliefs we can't live as it was in the time of Judges when everyone did what was right in his own eyes Mike I'm so thankful to be talking with someone who has so much wisdom I love and want to just just double click on what you just said and go back in there and and and really listen again to that great advice um once you've made a good decision and now you have other people who are who are who are you know yelling at you from from the uh you know the peanut gallery going that was a terrible decision how are you able to find common ground with people who don't like the decisions that you make you know the things that I learned uh as Governor when I had a legislature that was 90 the other party so it was tough it wasn't like these were guys who came to work every day saying what can we do to make Huckabee look good it was like what can we do to get rid of this guy right so I I walked into the capitol every day knowing uh that I wasn't surrounded by people who wanted me to succeed but I knew they wanted to succeed quite frankly the key is that we ask ourselves what does the other person want out of this what is it that they want and if I don't know I ask them what guys do you think is the single most important thing we've got to get done in Education listen carefully and and figure out what you can do to give them as much of what they want start from the basis of where you agree never start from the point at which you disagree I see a lot of people make the big mistake of going into a negotiation and it could be a negotiation for anything even could be between a husband and wife and if you walk in and say okay here's the part where we don't even agree let's start there huge mistake you've already lost walk in and figure out on what things even if it's small things little bitty things what do we agree on and build from that outward and it makes a whole lot of difference man that is so good that would work in marriage that works if we're considering the needs of others before our own and saying how can I help them accomplish their goal and then you know people are more willing to reciprocate and compromise I I love that some people Governor Huckabee are feeling that that it's their responsibility to so represent Purity and Truth with regard to their religious beliefs their political beliefs that they can't lock arms and work together with people who don't share their same Orthodoxy right so can I work with a Jewish person as a Christian can I work with a Democrat as a Republican or a Libertarian as a Democrat for a common cause without uh looking like I'm compromising and what what issues would be worthy of doing something like that like is freedom of speech a big enough issue is freedom of worship a big enough issue to reach across the aisle or into the temple or the mosque and work with people that are different than me not only is it something we can do it's something we must do we cannot say it loudly enough and strongly enough one of the basis of living life and living in a world where people are different is being able to help them to understand that I'm not their enemy I'm not waking up every day wanting to destroy what they believe there's so many issues for example right now I'm uh working with International Fellowship of Christians and Jews now this is largely a Jewish organization that raises money from Christian people to help impoverish Jewish people in God's land of Israel and you might wonder why because it's an incredibly powerful witness to say to impoverished Jews your Christian friends in America love you they do I didn't know they cared about me yeah they do and they're helping to bring a food box to you there are other ways for example if if it's a political issue and I want to make sure that we get fresh water to a community that has lousy water do I care whether it's a Democrat or a Republican or a Libertarian who helps get that clean water to a community where they desperately need it of course not the issue is water the issue is not who delivered it who drives the truck is not as important as what's in the back of that truck that gets delivered that's why I would just say to all my Christian brothers and sisters for heaven's sakes look for opportunities to link arms with people who are as different from you as possible here's a couple of examples right now an unusual relationship is being formed between feminist and Evangelical Christians on the issue of ensuring that girls can play girls Sports without not having biological males come in and disrupt and destroy the capacity for women to compete now that's not a a typical marriage feminist and evangelicals but it makes perfect sense feminists are doing it because they don't want women to lose the things they fought so hard for under Title IX evangelicals because we believe that God created male and female and that there's a distinct difference between the two but here's an area on which two unlikely entities not only can agree but work together for the common good of women's sports why wouldn't we want to do that I think it's a wonderful way to show that you know we're not afraid of anybody whose worldview may be different than ours and if there are points at which we could agree for example I'm unapologetically pro-life there's a group called feminist for Life man I'll join with them any day a group called democrats for Life I'll be right there with them because they're standing for something that is important to me so yes we need to always look for ways and find the Partnerships that help people in a broader sense than our own very narrowly focused interest I love the examples in the real world examples that you just gave and I could think of another one the pastor of the church that I've been a part of over these last couple of years has done a beautiful job of welcoming people during the the pandemic times into the fellowship who have very different beliefs we have Jewish people at our Christian church and we have even atheists and agnostics who are coming to church not because of any religious reason they simply have the common value of of of loving freedom and these are Surfers and skaters who are being kick who were kicked off of the beaches and and and San is being thrown into their skate parks their streams of Liberty are drying up and so they're moving Upstream looking for the source of that Liberty and what they're discovering is that Liberty is God's idea not man's ideas so they're coming to the church to hear more about where Liberty comes from and and in that context um they're able to to hear the life-giving message of the gospel and and that wouldn't have taken place if we don't look to broaden uh the circle and say where do we have common ground and what can we fight for together I can help you you can help me and that might start a relationship where we have further conversations that lead to further truth that is such a wonderful example Kurt I mean it Thrills me to hear that because it's a great reminder that when Jesus went out into the community he didn't just go to the synagogue and say okay the only people I care about are the religious people the people who think like me he walked out into the community and he found fishermen and tax collectors the most hated people uh in the community the tax collectors and he said you know I want to come to your house that kiss and and have dinner with you that's right this is how we we change the world one person at a time but we do it by loving people not by condemning people and I just think that's a beautiful and a brilliant way it's sort of like that line in the movie Jerry Maguire help me help you that was the line help me help you and sometimes that's what we do as Believers ask people you know help me help you and we do that um what I think is important now is for us to discuss each person's individual role as as an everyday believer um let me ask you this question um some people would say that I have trouble uh standing up for what I believe in because I'm afraid it's going to give people the impression that I'm trying to push my values on them like like how do I how do I advocate for biblical Faith driven values without being pushy and people thinking that I'm trying to make them uh live under my rules what do you say about that a lot of it has yeah I think a lot of it is simple attitude if we give the attitude that look if you don't believe like me you're just dead wrong and you're going to split hell wide open as the saying down south used to be well that's not a very effective way to build a bridge but it's about loving people and saying look I know there's some things with with which we disagree but here's where I'm coming from on this it's important to me but I respect and appreciate if you don't see it that way in other words let people know what your convictions are and why you have them the why is important but don't make it as if disagreeing with you means that we can't be friends and we can't continue the conversation that's what we have to do is to make that divide have the humility to always have a learning Spirit a teachable spirit and that goes a long way even with people that will never agree with some of our Biblical convictions I love that even my wife says Kirk sometimes it's not what you say it's how you say it that's what's making it so difficult right and you're talking about we need to to communicate in kind and gracious ways but you know I I back to this idea of forcing our beliefs on other people and how we some people would say you know of course we don't want to do that well I think the idea of of of values being forced on on everybody in a society is inescapable I mean if you think about it we live in America we are one nation under God and we live under rules called laws and those laws are based on a certain set of moral values and every one of us is equal under the law and all of us have to abide by the speed limit and you can't steal and you can't murder you can't do those things so really the question is not whether or not a set of values can be required to be kept by all the people it's just a question of whose values should be the basis for the laws in the nation and I think it should be the values that are going to produce the most freedom and the most flourishing for both Believers and non-believers alike we never need to apologize for what we believe or why we believe it we just need to explain it some people still won't agree with it but one of the ways in which we should try to work to uh to bring a world view uh into the law and into society and culture is to remind people that we're living by two parallel value systems one is a Biblical worldview which is judeo-christian which unapologetically and without dispute was the moral Foundation upon which the country is founded the other is our Constitution which is that social contract that we have agreed would be the foundation and the the essence of all of the laws that we ever create and say we're just trying to be consistent with that we should never apologize now get it be clear they're going to be people who will be angry if they don't get their way and some sometimes we just have to smile and say you know I'm sorry we won that time here's the what I would say there's three steps in trying to get something accomplished one try to win and when you win win with humility and with a sense of graciousness toward those who didn't win secondly if you can't win influence make sure that you put enough salt in that to preserve something of what your values are keep some light in the darkness so try not to make it an All or Nothing proposition biggest mistake I see people making politics they go into it and it's All or Nothing Now or Never and when you have that attitude you get nothing and you get it forever so if you can't win outright have some influence and finally just make sure that regardless of the outcome that you stick true and faithful to your biblical convictions because at some point when when the other side's attitude for example is saying criminal justice fails miserably they may want to come back and say now what was it that you said and and how would that be helpful so I would just remind people you don't win every time when you don't live to fight another day I I love talking with you Governor because you're so unlike so many politicians you you just you know you exude these well kindness and courage and biblical values but you're also not like a lot of pastors because you're willing to talk about politics most pastors seem to avoid politics like they avoid the coronavirus and I actually appreciate when a man of wisdom and faith is actually willing to engage in cultural leadership positions because that brings happiness to the people and and that's me I'm not only a member of the family of Faith sitting in a church I'm also a citizen of this country with kids and I'm looking for a future for them what would you say to encourage pastors to have some courage and begin to speak on these issues that are affecting schools and businesses and our government well I would ask them if you as a pastor are not going to influence your community whether it's through the school board or the city council or the state legislature are through the National Congress then who is because somebody's going to influence and if it's not you and if it's not other Christian Believers then basically you have surrendered it to people who are with great antithesis toward your own value system so we get what we surrender to which means the reason we have a million abortions a year is because there weren't enough people like Amos and Jeremiah who were prophetic to say that's not right and so we don't have to be angry we're not to be mean we don't have to even make it that our political agenda is equal to our Eternal agenda but we should never be apologetic never should we surrender those biblical convictions because if we believe that their truth then we believe that they're good for people that a wholesome marriage is better than a divorce that loving our children and raising them and nurture and admonition of the Lord is better than ignoring them or beating them or abusing them that being honest with people in business and treating them right is better than cheating people makes for a better economy so everything that we want to put forth has a practical benefit and we need to always remind people of that practical benefit but never apologize because quite frankly if we don't believe in it enough to stand for it we really don't believe in it very much man why didn't you win the presidential election that's another episode I've asked myself that names I don't know wow this is so good I can just talk to you for hours Mike um many people feel like living in America is like living on a slowly sinking ship they feel like our values our faith is just it's been under attack and we're watching the demise of a great nation will you speak to your hope in this country do you think it's possible to right the ship can we turn America around and if so what's the path to being able to do that oh I I definitely believe it can be done and I hope it will be done because you know God is the god of great things he's the god of great turnarounds and so here's what I feel has to happen the people who know him must get on their faces before him repent of the sin of neglect of this country and of our responsibilities and say God here I am here am I send me that's first and then it's uh it's praying and believing that God is going to do something big here's what I do believe it's beginning to happen hadn't happened yet but it's starting people are beginning to wake up to the nuttiness of the Godless worldview that says just do whatever I want to do yep and we're seeing a complete breakdown of family the breakdown of Civil Society riots in the streets people hating the very people who are there to enforce it and saying get rid of the cops I mean that's nonsense and and folks are scratching their heads and saying wait a minute this stuff's gone too far perfect opportunity for us to step in and say there is another way and it's a better way and it's called order decency respect it basically comes down to this one rule taught by a guy named Jesus and that's this do unto others as you would have them do unto you let's live that way it changed the world and that's a message that'll still work I think it works every time I think it's Timeless I think you're exactly right and this could be the church's finest hour

Channel: Kirk Cameron on TBN

Views: 39,048

Keywords: kirk cameron, kirk cameron interview, mike huckabee, huckabee, mike huckabee interview, decisions, decision making, making good decisions, biblical worldview, christianity, bible, biblical worldview vs secular worldview, liberty, common ground, differences, pastors, politics, christianity and politics, kirk cameron on tbn, tbn, takeaways, kirk cameron takeaways, kct10121979, 1012kct1970, kc10121970t, working with others, God, how to make decisions, full interview, making decisions, podcast

Id: iIZ2hhveZdM

Length: 22min 31sec (1351 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 17 2023