Stitt thanked father for ‘pouring into me.’ What did he mean?
In his State of the State speech on Monday, Gov. Kevin Stitt emphasized the importance of fathers in the lives of their children and thanked his own father, the Rev. John Stitt, for “pouring into me.”
The phrase and the word “pouring” have some biblical and spiritual connotation, according to scholars, but it’s not necessarily always used in that context.
“The concept or the idea of pouring out or pouring in is a biblical term,” said Terry Tramel, director of Global Outreach for the International Pentecostal Holiness Church.
In the Old Testament, in the book of Joel, the prophet said that in the last days, God would “pour out his spirit on all flesh,” Tramel said. Peter, in the New Testament book Acts, cites that prophecy and “the idea that the church was born when the spirit of God was poured out,” he said.
“That’s the theological basis for that language.”
Stitt and the first lady, Sarah, are longtime members of an Assemblies of God church in Tulsa. Stitt’s father was the pastor at an independent charismatic church in Norman when Stitt was growing up. The governor talks openly about his Christian faith and drew fire from religious and non-religious groups after his November re-election for saying in a prayer that he claimed “every square inch” of Oklahoma for Jesus.
The governor recently met with Jewish leaders concerned about his public statements regarding religion. In the past, Stitt has been open to talking with members of other faiths. He was the first Oklahoma governor to welcome Muslims at their annual event at the state Capitol.
“Governor Stitt is a man of faith, who believes that every Oklahoman should have the right to religious liberty and freedom to worship,” Kate Vesper, a spokeswoman for the governor, told The Oklahoman recently.
“He enjoys working with and meeting leaders of different faith groups across the state, including his recent meeting with Oklahoma City’s Jewish Federation.”
Tramel said the phrase used by Stitt wasn’t limited to a spiritual context.
“I don’t know even if the governor was thinking about it in spiritual terms because I’ve heard others use that phrase,” he said. “If he said his father was pouring into him, I would probably take it to mean he had invested in him, he had spent time with him, he had given him instruction and guidance and just prepared for him where he is in life.”
Paul Abner, executive director of the Oklahoma Faith Coalition, said, “Stitt comes from a very strong and very conservative theological background, so those types of terms come very natural to him.”
Abner, ordained for more than 40 years in Oklahoma, said the phrase was a “common term for someone who would mentor you, teach you. I’ve heard it all my life without any real explanation. It’s just one of those you hear enough that you figure out what it means
“It basically means pouring your life into someone … just a very important mentorship.”
After thanking his father, Stitt made several comments about the need for fathers to be present and involved with their children. He recognized guest Marquess Dennis, a former prison inmate who founded a group in Tulsa called Birthright Living Legacy, which offers programs for fathers.
In his speech, which also focused on tax cut proposals and school choice, Stitt said fatherhood was an important piece of building a “pro-family culture” in the state.