Churches must influence politics with Christian values, Texas Republican lawmaker says

Republican state Rep. Nate Schatzline of Fort Worth spoke about the need for churches to influence politics Friday during a panel discussion at the state GOP convention in San Antonio.

Schatzline, a former pastor, is the director of operations for The Justice Reform, an anti-human trafficking organization affiliated with Mercy Culture Church in Fort Worth. He spoke during a discussion called “Upholding Our Judeo Christian Heritage and Values,” sponsored by the faith-based nonprofit Salt & Light Council of Solana Beach, California.

“The local church is the hope of the world,” he said. “No one is coming to save you. It’s not an elected position that’s going to bring salvation to our country. It is a revival of the holy spirit that is going to fill us up, turn us around and spark a fire inside of America.”

He expressed frustration with conservatives who don’t follow Christian values.

“I’m tired of politicians that scream ‘faith, family and freedom’ and prostitute the church for a vote and then don’t hold our values once they get into office,” Schatzline said.

Schatzline was Texas Right to Life’s Pro-Life Standout Freshman of the 88th Legislature. He took aim at his Republican colleagues who worry about the popularity of abortion bans among voters.

“I would rather lose every election fighting for the unborn than to answer to God and say, ‘I did not do enough for those that don’t answer for themselves,’” he said.

A 2023 Associated Press poll found a majority of Americans opposed to a total abortion ban.

Schatzline then pivoted to speak on the “sexualization” and “indoctrination” of children in public schools and said conservatives “must continue to flip those school boards.”

Sen. Angela Paxton of McKinney, wife of Attorney General Ken Paxton, said she received a “great public education” in the Mansfield school district, but supports school choice, reflecting on her time at a private school at which her children attended. She worked more than 20 years as a teacher and counselor.

“I’m the first educator to be elected in more than two decades,” she said. “And I think that the Lord sent me here with that background. As an educator, as a school counselor, for such a time as this.”

She slammed schools for having sexually explicit material in their libraries, for pushing transgender ideology and for allowing boys in girls locker rooms.

Paxton spoke about abortion as well and tapped into her own experience as someone who was adopted.

“I’ve been a strong advocate of pro life legislation,” Paxton said. “My life began as an unexpected pregnancy, and I’m so thankful that my birth mother Linda chose life for me.”