Senator John McCain’s pastor convinced he’s in heaven

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By David Roach —

McCain at Grace Bible Church August 25, 2009 in Sun City, Arizona.

The Southern Baptist congregation late Sen. John McCain called his “church home” hosted his Arizona memorial service Aug. 30, 2018. The service included references by Pastor Noe Garcia to “the faith he has placed in Jesus Christ.”

Sen. John McCain died Aug. 25 at age 81, a year after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.

During the funeral’s invocation, Garcia called McCain “a true American hero” and “a man loved by this church.” Garcia prayed, “We will mourn, Father. But we will do so with a different hope because of the faith [McCain] has placed in Jesus Christ. We can with confidence grieve with the hope to know that this very moment he is spending eternity with Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.”

To close the service, Garcia said McCain is “more alive than he’s ever been” because “he knew” Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23 and John 3:16. He read each of those Scriptures.

McCain, a two-time presidential candidate, attended North Phoenix for more than 25 years, though he was raised Episcopalian and never joined North Phoenix. His wife Cindy is a North Phoenix member and was baptized there.

A “man of quiet faith,” according to Religion News Service, McCain “sometimes spoke in person and online of his reliance on prayer.” Author Stephen Mansfield told RNS McCain was “cautious” about mentioning his faith “very publicly because he does not want to be identified with the religious right.”

Yet when McCain worshiped at North Phoenix, Garcia told Baptist Press, the congregation could see fruit of his faith.

After McCain had become the presumptive Republican nominee for president in 2008, then-North Phoenix pastor Dan Yeary told BP, “He has a strong faith and is committed to Christ. I don’t have any doubt about it.” Still, as “a historical Episcopalian … if you and I sat down with him and started talking Baptist talk, he just doesn’t have that kind of vocabulary.”

One of McCain’s favorite stories about his faith — one told at his funeral — occurred when a friendly guard at the Vietnamese prison where he was held as a prisoner of war drew a cross in the dirt by McCain with his sandal then rubbed it out a moment later.

“For a minute there,” McCain told California pastor Rick Warren at a 2008 campaign event, “we were just two Christians worshiping together.”

At the same event, Warren asked McCain what being a Christian means. McCain replied, “It means I’m saved and forgiven.” — Baptist Press

 

2 COMMENTS

  1. People of “quiet faith” disturb me. He was more concerned about not being associated with the “religious right” than proclaiming his faith in Jesus Christ to the world. What is WRONG with “the religious right?” I do not live in the USA, but I cannot see the problem. One can only hope he made it. To withhold sharing about Jesus Christ for fear of losing your place politically seems dangerous to me.

  2. L.C.
    God has all kinds of children. As a pastor, I have learned that most of God’s children have a “quiet faith.” Some will enter on in and perhaps become like the TWELVE, or the INNER CIRCLE (Peter, James, and John) But, most will have more of the common way of faith.
    The Scriptural model here is Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. (see their lives in the gospels) These great men were more reserved about their faith, or secret disciples for fear of being associated with the larger faith community. We must not be critical of this throng of believers that are more of a quiet strength and faith, for they are near and dear to God. I do think the Bible teaches that the more bold we are about our faith, the greater our reward in Heaven. God bless

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