Hibbs made these comments while speaking at the Family Research Council's Pray Vote Stand Summit at the Omni Shoreham Hotel earlier this month, The Christian Post reports.
The annual meeting was also a chance for many of the leading 2024 Republican presidential candidates to meet and speak with Christian conservatives from across the country.
Hibbs spoke about how Christianity has been "set aside" in the U.S. He encouraged attendees to "take a stand."
"We need to do this Church family like never before," Hibbs said.
"The Church has been viewed as something irrelevant. And listen, let's be honest. Much of that accusation against us is true. Somehow, the Church has gotten out of the lane of being the salt and light that God has called us to be."
He also spoke about how Christians can get involved in politics.
"Should pastors be into politics? Yes, especially if they're going to run for office. I know a lot of pastors that have run for office. Many of them have been elected. God bless them. But, let's remember something," Hibbs said.
"God established His sacred institutions. Israel is one of them. The Church is one of them. Marriage is one of them. The family, right? And listen to this: according to your Bible, God established the government. Did you know that? He didn't invent politics. That's what man invented. When man doesn't want God involved in government, he turns it around, throws God out and makes it political."
Hibbs went on to highlight some of the criticisms he has faced for preaching on hot topics.
"'You can't talk about marriage because that's a political issue.' Really? I thought that was in my Bible. 'You can't talk about abortion because that's a political issue.' Really? I thought that was in my Bible. 'You can't talk about gender. It's a political issue.' Really? I thought that was in my Bible. Do you kind of get the hint of what I'm talking about here," Hibbs asked.
"Everything that you do as a human being and as an American is based in the Scripture. There is no place to set both aside. Jesus said to 'Go into all the world and preach this Gospel, the Good News.' Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. Let's admit it. Our nation is a nation of sin, and we also are sinners," he asserted.
"That's how we qualify for salvation, for crying out loud. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. … And this nation used to preach the cross. … Now, you raise Jesus in the public square, and you better have a helmet on. Why? We are a post-Christian nation, and we are starting to reap the detriment of that position. But how did we get here? We got here by being silent," Hibbs argued.
He added that "all blame must be laid at the foot of the Church."
"When the pulpit waivers, the congregation waivers. When the congregation waivers, then the community waivers," he added. "Then evil fills the void. Then you wonder why in California there is a new majority that we have to deal with that constantly throws us against our faith, our freedom of worship to gather together."
Hibbs is from California.
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Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
