In January, The Dallas Express interviewed Bunni Pounds, a North Texas author who combined two topics commonly regarded as taboo into one book: Jesus and Politics.
Almost a year later, we reconnected.
While much has changed in her life due to the growing spotlight, the author and former political consultant has remained dedicated to sharing the gospel and embracing the opportunities that God’s grace has provided.
“It’s been an incredible year,” said Pounds, explaining her journey and goals.
Pounds told The Dallas Express that one of her goals is to connect with a million Christians by Election Day and involve them in a system that encourages ongoing voting well beyond this election cycle.
Pounds is making significant progress in her outreach efforts.
Through her partnership with the national organization Family Policy Alliance, founded by Dr. James Dobson, nearly 900,000 Christians have already been engaged in the initiative. They are confident they will reach the one million mark before the upcoming presidential election.
“We’re using the political fervor right now around the presidential election, which is a crucial election, but we’re using that to mobilize a million Christians to take ownership and responsibility that they need to be praying for our government ongoing; they need to be voting in every election, and they need to be engaging in some form of civic education or involvement for the wellbeing of the country,” said Pounds.
When asked to expand on what this looks like, Pounds explained that they are “running ads around the country, specifically in battleground states. We’re sending millions of emails to get Christians opted in into a system that would push them out for their local elections next year, their primaries … We need to build a standing army of Christians ongoing, not just Christians who are voting or we’re marketing to every four years or two years.”
Pounds continues her work as the founder and president of Christians Engaged, a non-profit organization that encourages Christians to make an impact through their prayers, voting, and engagement.
During the summer, Christians Engaged merged with the Family Policy Alliance Foundation, which allowed Pounds to cast a wider and deeper net to empower Christians to take the pledge to pray, vote, and engage. Pounds is now the senior vice president at Family Policy Alliance and Family Policy Alliance Foundation.
According to the Christians Engaged website, “Christians Engaged exists to awaken, educate, and empower believers in Jesus Christ to:
- PRAY for our nation and elected officials regularly
- VOTE in every local, state, and national election to impact our culture
- ENGAGE our hearts in civic education or involvement for the well-being of our local communities and our nation”
The site provides access to devotionals, video classes, curriculum packages, voting reminders and resources for each state, and a biblical guide to the 2024 elections. The guide compares party platforms on key issues like freedom of speech, gender, and borders.
Look here for a free downloadable copy of The Christians Engaged Biblical Roadmap To The Party Platforms: A non-partisan reference guide for the 2024 General Elections.
To take the pledge to join the goal of reaching one million voters who will commit “to pray for our nation, vote in every election and engage in the process of civic involvement,” follow this link.
By signing up, participants will receive timely reminders for every election in their state, prayer prompts, and access to free educational resources.
Pounds drive is hard-earned and has come with many ups and downs.
She was featured on the 700 Club in February, where she recounted her journey of running for Congress in 2018, a campaign filled with challenges and lessons. In a fiercely contested Republican runoff, she ultimately lost the race by a narrow margin — just 2,700 votes out of a total of 43,000 cast. Throughout the campaign, she faced nearly a million dollars’ worth of negative advertising directed against her, which took a toll on her.
However, her experience didn’t end with defeat.
A year later, Pounds demonstrated resilience and sportsmanship by approaching her former opponent, recognizing the financial burdens he faced post-election. Through her efforts, she helped raise approximately $40,000 to assist him in paying off his campaign debt.
Pounds remains dedicated to the political process, focusing on building connections and educating others. She travels across the country to inspire Christians to engage in elections and campaigns, encouraging voters to advocate for policies that align with their values and vision for the future.
Additionally, Pounds emphasizes the importance of mentoring the next generation in the electoral process and equipping them to run for office through Christians Engaged’s 1630 initiative, which includes summer trips to Washington D.C., civic and bible classes, and free online courses.
“Good policy blesses people, and bad policy hurts people,” said Pounds. “We are the hands and feet of Jesus … we have to participate. No one is going to hear the gospel if we don’t open our mouths and share the gospel. In the same way, if we don’t vote and just stay home, then we’re relinquishing our responsibility and stewardship that God gave us.”
Pounds explained that they can reach a Christian in a battleground state for $2 and need help investing in this drive to “activate Christians, not just in this election, but in every election in the future.”
You can give by going to this link, which helps to equip Christians “with the education and tools needed to make an impact within their cities, states, and nation.”
“Can you imagine a world if Christians started voting ongoing and taking their biblical values to the polls as they do that – it would literally shift America,” said Pounds.