In my conversations with pastors who have personally ministered to him, I have been made aware that he’s extraordinarily open to the word of God, to the power of prayer, and to growing in the life of the spirit. In other words, he is tuned into the Lord’s movement in his life. This is great news. An open heart and mind and a teachable spirit are vital characteristics for good leadership.

Recently, Trump made his first international trip, and it had the feel of a religious pilgrimage. It brought him to three major religious centers of the world. He visited Saudi Arabia, Jerusalem and Vatican City in Rome. In meeting with the leaders of the Abrahamic religions, Trump was sending a clear message to the world that he was on a mission of peace. The fact that he chose these explicitly religious places shows his conviction that for peace to prevail, it is not enough that political leaders or military leaders do their duty to work towards it.

It is just as necessary that religious leaders do their duty. They are called to teach peace, to activate their congregations to pursue it, and to show the world that peace is the fruit of true union with God.