I’m taking over Bunni’s book club this month. Why? Because this month we’re highlighting Bunni’s own book WHICH IS OUT TODAY!

Bunni loves to read. Especially about her two favorite subjects — Jesus and Politics. People frequently ask her about her favorite books — so for a fun exercise, she writes each month about some of the books she is reading — new releases, classics, books by friends, and books that have shaped her through the years. The Bible is always the most important book to read each day. Start with that — and then be fed by His Body through the wealth of books. Join Bunni’s Book Club here at The Stream each month and discover some great books to empower you in modern America.

 

“When Jesus captures our heart — wherever we are — it’s a life changing experience,” Bunni Pounds said recently. “It’s truly a miracle whenever he finds us, right?”

Bunni’s new book, Jesus and Politics: One Woman’s Walk With God in a Mudslinging Profession is a must-read; not only for those who want a deeper walk with Jesus while working in a secular sphere, but also for those who are interested in politics and making a difference. 

The Grace of God is Sufficient

Brutally honest, Bunni, President of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Christians Engaged — a ministry activating the Body of Christ to pray, vote, and engage regularly — doesn’t sugar coat the experience. “Anything we do in life that has eternal rewards is not easy,” she recently told The Stream. “The Christian life is not easy. But the grace of God is sufficient also to meet us. If we just go to Jesus every day and we realize we need him, and that we’re not going to be self-sufficient in our own strength and talents and gifts, then he meets us with his grace and his power and his conviction and brings repentance in our life and all the things that we need to operate in this space as Christ followers. And that’s really any level of life.”

Bunni, involved with Christ for the Nations as a teen, also worked for Stream founder James Robison as a prayer partner at LIFE Outreach International many years ago. James wrote the foreword for her book. “When I see what Bunni Pounds is doing for freedom in America, hope rises in my heart,” wrote James. “This young woman has created a discipleship ministry that activates the church for the well-being of everyone Jesus gave His life to redeem. She has taken simple weaknesses within the body of Christ that God highlighted to her — prayer, voting, and engagement — and given us a path forward to strengthen our hands. She empowers us to be disciples of Jesus through prayer, meditation on the Word, and worship — and to then go outside the walls of our churches to impact our cities, counties, states, and nation.”

Bunni’s Race for Congress

In 2018, Bunni ran for Congress. She would be representing the Fifth District of Texas in Washington, D.C. The race was tiresome and stressful. “In those intense months of my life, I continually told the Lord, ‘I am willing to go anywhere You lead me, Jesus, even to Washington, D.C.'” Although she put all of her time and effort into the race, she didn’t win. But that didn’t stop her from “continuing to shine the light of my life in politics. … Hard circumstances force us to seek God. In these dark places, He shows us that we need Him. Here is where we find character.”

One story from her campaign demonstrates this building of character. Though crushed by her loss, Bunni did something for her opponent after the race at the prompting of the Holy Spirit that will leave your jaw dropped in wonder. The Stream won’t spoil it for you. 

But Bunni’s new book isn’t just about her experience in politics. “[I wanted] to teach people how to walk with Jesus regardless of what sphere of influence they’re in. What are some of the basics that we need to really understand to walk with God, how to hear from him, how to run to him to the place of prayer, how to meditate on the Word, how to realize that he truly is our identity, whether we’re in our highest of highs or lowest of lows. 

“Every chapter in this book is not only talking about something politically I want people to understand, but also something I want them to understand about our walks with the Lord regardless of where they are.”

‘I Would be Honored’

This is something that Bunni has lived out — like the time she had a divine appointment with Democrat Beto O’Rourke, and even got to pray over him. Bunni, through an unexpected encounter, was led to attend a Beto for Governor rally in Laredo, Texas. When she finally reached the front of the line to speak with the former congressman, she told him that she wanted to pray for him.  And yes, she did mention she was a former Republican strategist. He responded, “I would be honored for you to pray for me.”

In her book, Bunni describes what happened next. “God was there. His presence was real in that quick prayer meeting with Beto. I was at complete peace as his staff member and [someone else], who were listening in, were also impacted. At the end, I thanked Congressman O’Rourke again for the honor of praying for him and his family.” Beto then asked for her phone number and texted her right then with a quick, “this is Beto.” “If God gives you anything else for me, please let me know.”

A Shift in Our Nation

Americans of faith need to get out and vote. “The apathy that we have within our citizenry is exponential,” said Bunni. “Christians don’t vote any more percentage-wise than the average American.” And that’s not a lot. “The American public is only voting 8-12% in primaries and 1-6% in local elections. That’s registered voters. … [T]he incredible power that the body of Christ and the church has if they actually voted in every election and prayed for their elected officials — if they prayed, voted and engaged regularly, we could see a whole shift in our nation, I believe.”

Making a Difference

Bunni wants to encourage the next generation to make a difference in politics in America. “One of my motivations for writing this was to inspire the next generation of Christian young people to be staffers, consultants, campaign managers, run for office, to understand that they can make a difference in America. And to paint the picture. Sometimes we think that we, if we’re fivefold ministry gifts, if we’re evangelists, prophets, pastors, apostles, teachers, that those gifts only have to operate within the four walls of the church or being a pastor or in a pulpit. But we can be walking in the world in culture, fully walking in our call that God has given us if we’re diligent to seek him and to walk with God. And I want to see leaders raised up that really see government and politics as a mission field and will touch a vision that they can make a huge difference in these places.”

‘Not Inherently Evil’

Politics is essential, not inherently evil. That’s what she wants people to takeaway from her book. Politics is “us pursuing what we want in our government.” People of faith can lobby for biblical values, fiscal responsibility, protection of the unborn and so on. “These things are righteous. It’s a righteous thing to do. It’s not an evil thing to do.”

Christians must stop separating the secular and the sacred in their lives. “We think that things that we do in the church are sacred. And we think that things that we do in the world are secular, where everything in our life should be sacred and we should pursue them whether we’re doing business, politics, taking our kids to school as a sacred duty, and we should walk with God in that. That’s what I hope people get.”

Obey God

Christians need to be faithful to do what God has called them to do. “We, as Christians, need to be diligent, just to be simple, and to obey what God’s telling us to do,” said Bunni. “One of the things we do with Christians Engaged is help Christians understand the burden that they’re carrying for America and how they can plug into that. So, taking the pledge to pray, vote and engage on our website, and then starting with our on-ramp to civic engagement seminar will really help a Christian discover what they’re really being drawn to. Those are our two main things, step one and step two. And then our other classes and of course book, hopefully, will help them identify some of the burdens of their heart that they’re carrying. We want to help them.”

Please be in prayer for Bunni and Christians Engaged as they seek to do God’s will in the political sphere. “Pray for Christians Engaged that we’re pioneering and continuing to expand and, as always, this is a faith walk, so pray for our little team that we can have the greatest impact in 2024 that we’re believing for.”

Jesus and Politics: One Woman’s Walk With God in a Mudslinging Profession is out today. 

 

Bunni Pounds is president and founder of Christians Engaged — a ministry activating the Body of Christ to pray, vote, and engage regularly. Formerly a congressional candidate and 16-year political consultant, she is a motivational speaker and bible teacher. Her book — Jesus and Politics: One Woman’s Walk with God in a Mudslinging Profession comes out nationally on 2/6/24. Preorder it now. 

Bunni is also the host of “Conversations With Christians Engaged,” seen here on The Stream each week — a podcast dedicated to helping believers continue walking in faith while navigating the muddy ways of politics and culture. Connect with her on Facebook @bunnipoundsTX, X — formerly known as Twitter @bunnipounds, Instagram @bunnipounds, or her personal website bunnipounds.com.

 

Nancy Flory, Ph.D., is a senior editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.