When the Guard Changes, Our Calling Remains

After nine and a half hours on the road, Karen and I have arrived in Washington this evening to find the changing of the guard already underway.

Across Capitol Hill, newly elected senators and representatives are preparing for the 120th Congress, which convenes in January.

More than 120 new members are expected to take their places in the United States Congress—almost a quarter of its 535 voting members. Some familiar faces will be missing.

Some have retired. Others have been defeated. Many are preparing to leave offices they have occupied for years, while their successors begin learning the unfamiliar corridors, customs and responsibilities of Congress.

It is a remarkable moment in the life of the American Republic.

This year, the United States marked 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. The great American experiment continues, despite the terrible trials of its history, including the Civil War, slavery, the struggle for emancipation and the long, unfinished work of securing liberty and justice for all.

The Founders designed the House to remain close to the people, requiring its members to face the electorate every two years. And now, we are witnessing one of the largest changes in congressional membership in generations.

Some will celebrate this renewal. Others will mourn the departure of leaders they have admired and supported.

But an election does not, by itself, heal a divided nation.

A change of leadership offers an opportunity. What we make of that opportunity is another matter altogether.

Where Are the Statesmen and Stateswomen?

As these new members arrive, I find myself wondering who among them will become the statesmen and stateswomen our nation needs.

Who will have the courage to listen before speaking? Who will recognise that conviction need not require hostility, and that cooperation does not demand the surrender of principle?

Who will discover friendships across the aisle that endure beyond the arguments of the day?

And who will have the humility to recognise that holding public office is not the same thing as possessing wisdom?

The bitterness of our political discourse, particularly across social media, can make reconciliation seem impossibly distant. Winners celebrate, the defeated protest, and too often each side appears to regard the other not simply as mistaken, but as an enemy.

Yet the people of this nation deserve more.

We must pray that this new Congress will produce men and women prepared to lead with courage, conscience, humility and a willingness to seek the common good.

And we must be willing to meet them, encourage them, pray with them and walk alongside them.

A Calling That Outlasts an Election

This December, Karen and I will mark twelve years of ministry on Capitol Hill, preparing to serve through our eighth Congress.

Our work continues a tradition of congressional fellowship and prayer that emerged during the dark days of the Second World War, when Abraham Vereide encouraged American legislators to gather around the name and person of Jesus.

It was a simple but remarkable proposition: men and women divided by politics, denomination, tradition and background could set those differences aside to pray together and build relationships grounded in Christ.

More than eight decades later, the need has scarcely diminished.

Through Leaders & Followers Foundation, we seek to offer a ministry of Presence, Prayer and Peacebuilding to members of Congress, their families and their staff, without fear or favour.

The Apostle Paul's instruction remains our foundation:

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority…” — 1 Timothy 2:1 (NIV)

Paul continues by explaining that we pray so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in godliness and holiness, and that this pleases God, who desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Notice that he does not tell us to pray only for those we admire, agree with or helped elect.

We are called to pray for all those in authority.

Our John 17 Family

In His great High Priestly Prayer, recorded in John 17 (NIV), Jesus repeatedly speaks to His Father of those He has given Him.

“Those you gave me.”

Those words have become deeply meaningful to Karen and me.

We speak often of looking for our John 17 people—those whom God, in His providence, brings into our lives and entrusts to our friendship, encouragement, prayers and care.

Some of our dearest friends are now leaving Congress.

But their value to us has never depended upon the title they hold, the office they occupy or the influence they exercise.

They remain our friends, and we will continue to walk with them and pray for them in the next season of their lives.

Others are arriving whom we have yet to meet.

We pray for those God-ordained encounters—a conversation in a corridor, an unexpected introduction, a moment of prayer, a shared meal—through which strangers become acquaintances, acquaintances become friends, and friends become family in Christ.

We have not yet met all the people God intends us to love.

And this ministry of friendship extends beyond elected members to their staff, many of whom serve under considerable pressure, often sacrificing more lucrative careers and precious family time in the process.

Our calling is to people, not positions.

Present in Washington. Present in the World.

Over these years, God has also opened doors beyond Capitol Hill.

We have been privileged to support, develop and sustain relationships between American leaders and their counterparts in more than twenty countries, often in places marked by political division, conflict and uncertainty.

From Washington to the Baltic states, the Visegrád countries of Central Europe, the Balkans and the Caucasus, and onward to the Levant, the wider Middle East and North Africa, we have witnessed how friendships formed around the person of Jesus can build trust where suspicion once prevailed.

These regions have different histories, traditions and challenges. Yet across them all, we encounter leaders and communities who recognise the need for friendship, encouragement, prayer and reconciliation.

And as we look toward 2027, those relationships are opening new doors.

Already, we are receiving invitations to return to Europe, including Italy, Austria, Latvia and Albania, with the possibility of travelling further afield to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. We particularly look forward to helping convene international gatherings in Riga and Vienna, including the tenth anniversary of Austria's National Prayer Breakfast.

These invitations come at a time when many of our brothers and sisters across Europe and beyond are facing uncertainty, division and mounting pressures upon their communities and institutions.

From the United Kingdom to France, Italy, the Balkans and beyond, we are reminded how much we need one another, and how important it is that we stand together in prayer.

We do not travel simply to attend gatherings. We go to be present with people, to disciple and encourage those carrying responsibility, to strengthen friendships across borders and, wherever God opens a door, to help make peace.

We do not claim to possess the answers to the world's conflicts.

But having grown up amid the divisions and violence of Northern Ireland, and having subsequently been involved in the difficult work of peacebuilding and post-conflict transformation, I have learned something about what it takes to move beyond hostility.

Relationships matter. Presence matters. Prayer matters.

Peace is rarely secured by agreements alone. It must take root in the hearts and relationships of people who have learned to see one another not simply as adversaries, but as fellow human beings.

Yet, as followers of Jesus, we believe that reconciliation begins somewhere deeper.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that God reconciled us to Himself through Christ and entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18–20 (NIV)).

Our reconciliation with God is the foundation of our calling to be reconciled with one another.

It is through His grace and transforming power that we can overcome hostility, sit together, listen and recognise one another's humanity—each person made in the image of God.

And so, reconciliation often begins not with a grand declaration, but with hearts changed by Christ and people willing to meet one another across the divisions that once separated them.

We don't build stages. We set tables.

Faith for What We Cannot Yet See

As 2026 draws toward its close, we are not without concerns for our nation and our world.

But neither are we without hope.

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) reminds us that faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

The Greek word elenchos, translated as assurance in the NIV, also carries the sense of evidence or conviction.

Our faith is not wishful thinking. It rests upon the faithfulness of God, even when we cannot see what lies ahead.

And of Abraham, the writer tells us:

“For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” — Hebrews 11:10 (NIV)

What a perspective for those of us who spend so much time among the institutions of government.

Administrations change. Congresses come and go. Political fortunes rise and fall.

But our hope rests not in the occupants of earthly office, nor in the institutions themselves, but in the One whose kingdom has no end.

This Is Our Time

For those who are anxious about the direction of our nation, this is not a time to retreat into fear, resentment or despair.

This is our time to be present.

To show up. To listen. To pray. To encourage. To build friendships across the divisions that threaten to define us.

To seek leadership led by God.

And to remain faithful to the people He places before us.

As we prepare for the coming year, Karen and I ask for your prayers.

Pray for those leaving Congress, that they will find purpose and encouragement in their next season.

Pray for the incoming members and their families, that wisdom, humility, courage and genuine statesmanship will emerge among them.

Pray for President Trump, the members of his administration, and all those entrusted with authority across our nation.

Pray that the spirit of cooperation might overcome the bitterness and hostility that have become so familiar in public life.

Pray also for our brothers and sisters across Europe and beyond, particularly those serving in places where conflict, political uncertainty and divisions place considerable burdens upon leaders and communities.

And please pray for us, that God will grant us wisdom, discernment, courage and those unexpected, God-ordained encounters with the people He would have us serve.

As we look toward 2027, we also ask you to consider supporting this ministry financially.

The opportunities before us are growing, both in Washington and internationally. Responding to invitations, bringing leaders together, maintaining relationships and being present when encouragement and prayer are needed all require resources.

We are deeply grateful to those whose faithful generosity has sustained this work. If you already support us, thank you. If you have been considering becoming a partner, we would warmly welcome your help, whether through a year-end gift or ongoing support in the coming year.

Your partnership helps us answer the call to be present.

As we enter a new Congress and a new year, we invite you to continue walking with us.

The guard may change. Our calling remains.

With faith, hope and gratitude,
Mark & Karen Finlay
Leaders & Followers Foundation
Ambassadors of Reconciliation