Should church leaders align themselves with one political party over another? What happens to those who do?
When we put our trust in any candidate, party or ideology, we step away from God's calling and destiny upon our lives.
Ministers are called by God to be societal change agents. When peoples' hearts change, then their actions change.
Historically, revivals do not follow political actions. Good government follows revivals because the focus switches from self interest to honoring and serving God.
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Transcript of Today's Show
Let’s do a little time travel. The year is 1984. Patti and I are at the beginning stages of planting a new church in a new city, holding services in the local elementary school.
Nationally, the hot-button issue is abortion. Randall Terry has catapulted into the news cycle on every TV screen as the head of Operation Rescue.
For those unfamiliar with this group, Terry enlisted thousands of volunteers to form human chains around abortion clinics. Their aim was to prevent pregnant women from entering by trying to convince them to keep the baby. In the process, they would hand out leaflets and argue with pro-choice demonstrators who also showed up.
Because this activity was against the law, those forming a human chain were arrested and typically spent a night in jail in city after city. Eventually, Randall Terry spent more time in court than praying around clinics.
So, why am I linking this event with today’s topic?
In the middle of a Sunday church service at the elementary school auditorium one morning, a woman in her mid-fifties interrupted my sermons with a question. Not being used to people asking questions in the middle of service, I reluctantly acknowledged her.
She stood up and said, “I just want to know one thing. Are you going to participate in Operation Rescue?”
As a young pastor, I was taken completely off guard. “Why do you ask?” I inquired.
“Well,” said she, “I am not going to attend any church that doesn’t get involved with Operation Rescue because those are the only Christians who really live their faith.”
After a brief pause I replied, “No.” She got up in a huff and left never to return.
Her message was clear. Unless I identified myself exclusively with a specific political organization, I was unfit for Christian ministry.
Here in the US at the time of this podcast, we are ramping up for elections. The media obsesses with one candidate or another. In various democratic countries, you face similar dynamics depending on their election process.
So, how does a pastor properly navigate political issues, candidates, or hot-button topics like abortion, gay marriage and social justice?
It is really critical how you settle this issue in your mind and heart because how you answer will absolutely determine the direction of your life and ministry.
I grew up in a large family with a father who loved to talk politics. Our dinner table nearly always involved some discussion about a candidate or controversial issue. It was not unlike my dad to see which way the wind was blowing among his kids so he could take the other viewpoint. I think he just liked the world of ideas in general.
As a young pastor, I became a political junkie. What do I mean by that? When we got within a year of any election, before the Internet btw, large chun
