The Pulpit and Politics

-

Before getting into this controversial topic, I would like to say that I wholeheartedly believe it is healthy to encourage the church to use their freedom to vote during the elections. My family and I also do our very best to be educated in politics, and as citizens of the United States, we cast our votes each time elections are held. I also appreciate the ministries that diligently study the issues, and the candidates, and provide voting and candidate information.

I would also like to encourage you, the pastor, to consider opening up your church to be used as a voting precinct during the elections. This is something I have done faithfully throughout the years, when pastoring churches that have the facilities to hold such events. This is such a great way to practically support your city/county, and practically minister to your community. Free coffee, and snacks are not a bad idea as well.  

However, when it comes to pastors using the pulpit to speak out about political issues, I do not believe this is what pastors, or the church has been called to do. The pulpit is a place to teach the Word of God, and to build up, encourage, and inspire others to live their life fully for God. The pulpit is also a place that pastors and teachers are called to clearly and persuasively present the gospel to those who do not yet know Jesus. Therefore, my primary focus as a pastor and teacher is the Kingdom of God, not the kingdom of man.

When looking at Scripture, it is clear that the main responsibility of the pastor and leaders of a church is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12). This equipping is of course referring to making disciples, and preparing them for the Lord’s service in ministry, which Paul says in his epistle to Timothy, takes precedent over civilian pursuits (cf. 2 Timothy 2:2-4)

With this being said, because the Bible does speak to all issues of life (cf. 2 Peter 1:3), we must never shrink from presenting God’s view on any area of life when teaching through the Bible. When we are teaching through the Word of God and come across certain passages that deal with issues of life that are in the spotlight of politics, we must do our best to use that opportunity to teach God’s people what God’s Word says about each particular subject (i.e. marriage, abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, the economy, etc).

This is a very important aspect of the equipping process, developing and shaping the worldviews of God’s people, through the teaching of God’s Word. It is by gaining a deeper understanding of God’s Word that we are able to better understand God’s will for our life, and in turn are able to make the best discernable choices according to His will (Colossians 1:9-10).

By shaping the hearts and minds of God’s people to live life with a God-centered worldview, they will be better equipped to bring every thought, political issue, cultural concern, and question in life, into submission to all that the Bible reveals (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5). In order to do this, it is essential to teach all areas of Scripture (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17), as the Scriptures clearly speak to all issues of life (cf. 2 Peter 1:3).

Popular posts from this blog

What is godless chatter?

-
Image
What is godless chatter? The term godless chatter is used by the apostle Paul when he exhorts Timothy to, “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some” (2 Timothy 2:16-18, NIV). In context, this passage of Scripture is dealing with the godless chatter of false teachers who were sneaking into the church and trying to corrupt the truth of God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:14-3:9). Paul clearly warns Timothy about them when he points them out by saying, “Their teaching will spread like gangrene” (2:17). Paul likens the godless chatter of false teachers to gangrene, which was a deadly disease that spread rapidly and ate away at a persons flesh. This Greek idiom truly emphasizes the repulsiveness of the ministry of the false
Read more

Knowing Jesus and Making Jesus Known

-
Image
Knowing Jesus and Making Jesus Known The primary vision behind the Christian faith can be simplified down to the following statement; "to KNOW Jesus and to make Jesus KNOWN."  Knowing Jesus and Making Jesus Known, that’s really what our Christian faith is all about.  The verse that has inspired the first part of this this saying “ to KNOW JESUS and to make Him Known”, is found in Philippians 3:10, which illustrates the apostle Paul’s heart for wanting to know Jesus more and more through pressing on daily in his relationship with Him. Paul tells us in Philippians 3:10, “that I may KNOW Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”  This was Paul’s greatest desire in life, to become more like Jesus... by being conformed into His image, and the only way that this could take place was if he continued growing in his relationship with Jesus. In fact, Paul would continue on in Philippians 3, by saying, “N
Read more

John 5:1-15 (Sermon Outline)

-
Image
Sermon Outline When Jesus is your only option; you’re in a good place! John 5:1-15   I.                 Introduction:  Jeremiah’s faith a.      The reason I have that slide up of a blue car, is because last October around Jeremiah’s 7 th birthday, Lyndsey was sharing a heartwarming story with me about a conversation she had with Jeremiah that day. You see, Jeremiah had asked her for a stamp, and when Lyndsey asked him why, he said, “I want to mail a letter to the car people.” Lyndsey didn’t think much about it, but then a couple hours later she found the envelope, and she asked what it was. She said to Jeremiah, “It feels like money is in the envelope.” Jeremiah said, “It is money. I am going to mail  the letter to the car people so that I can buy my favorite colored car.  I want to send them the letter with my money so I can get a blue car.” Jeremiah had found one of the car dealership mailers that came with the junk mail, and took it over to his desk and put it all together to send h
Read more