The Thrilling and Thriving Ministry to the Nebraska State Legislature
August 2014
For the six years Perry Gauthier has been Ministry Leader to the 49 members of the Nebraska Legislature in Nebraska, he has been working to fulfill the mission of Capitol Ministries: To make disciples of Jesus Christ in the political area in America and around the world.
Some 772 people work in the Capitol building, including staff, lobbyists, as well as Lawmakers.
“The whole building is my primary mission field, but the sweet spot, the bull’s eye of what I do is the Senate,” Perry said.
Nebraska is the only state to function with a Unicameral Legislature, which is a one-house law making body whose members are called Senators.
“Some see me as the Senate Chaplain, but I’m not,” Perry said. “We are independent missionary-pastors for reasons of freedom of speech and our pure, biblical, doctrinal convictions. What I am doing in Nebraska is making disciples of Jesus Christ.
In the beginning only four or five Senators attended Perry’s Bible studies. Determined to see that number grow, Perry built friendships, offered to mentor Senators in learning biblical truths, scheduled private prayer times, offered counseling, provided one-on-one discipleship, held group studies and did anything else he could think of to involve himself in the Senators lives in a pastoral way, and the Senators began to respond.
This year his smallest study was attended by 11 Senators, and his largest was attended by 17.
“One Senator who’s about 6′ 5″ came up to me after one of my studies. I’m 6’2,” and he bowed to my level, stuck out his huge hand, his fingers were like cigars, and he said in a low, hushed tone, ‘Do you realize you’ve got a third of the Senate in here?’ I said, ‘I do, sir. God is good.
“I am working hard year after year, but this is by His grace alone.’ That is thrilling, really. I pinch myself and ask, ‘Why do I get to do this?’ God has been so good to me.”
Raised in Grand Island, Nebraska, Perry graduated magna cum laude from University of Nebraska, Lincoln with a degree in architecture with minors in Greek and Latin. He received training in theology and ministry over 35 years from various churches, church ministries and parachurch organizations.