Jeremy L. Berg

Pastor Mike Glenn posts every Friday on my teacher Scot McKnight’s Substack. He’s a man of wisdom and deep insight. Today’s topic shouldn’t require either; this should be so basic and fundamental, but sadly isn’t. So here’s a good reminder as we careen toward the November apocalypse election riding our collective bicycle down treacherous terrain trying not to topple this rickety cart full of good and bad apples. “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt 7:16). -JB

By Pastor Mike Glenn

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past several months, you’ll know our nation is in the middle of an election year. We can’t seem to go five minutes without someone telling us on social media that democracy is at stake in this election or that this or that candidate is lying about whatever the issue of the moment. I think we’d all agree these are very intense, confusing and demanding times. Our country seems to be split right down the middle and what is true of our culture, is also true of our churches. Like our nation, most of our churches have become political minefields where one misstep can end a pastor’s career or ministry. 

First, we need to remind our congregations that nothing comes between Jesus and us. My friends in AA remind me all the time that their number one commitment for the day is to stay sober. They don’t do anything that puts their sobriety at risk. Every believer must have the same radical commitment to Jesus. If anything gets in the way of us following Jesus, we don’t do it. Remember, Jesus said if our hands or eyes get us into trouble, get rid of them. In the same way, if being involved in the political process causes us confusion in our discipleship then we don’t do it. If we can’t watch a debate or listen to the news without getting angry, if we can’t talk about politics without risking our friendships then DON’T DO POLITICS! What good does it do us if we back the right candidate (whatever that means) and lose Jesus in the process?

Every day, in every conversation, local pastors are trying to walk through this minefield without blowing up themselves or their churches. As much as we’d like to, there’s no way pastors can avoid this moment. Our congregations, and rightly so, want to hear from their spiritual leaders during these times. They want to know how to think and act faithfully during these days. One of the problems we have in our local congregations is too many pastors have refused to engage the political questions of our society and the faithful have had to look elsewhere for information and insights on these issues. Let’s just say the results have been mixed. 

Second, we need to be reminded we are, as the Apostle Paul says, “ambassadors for Christ.” As ambassadors for the kingdom of God, we represent the values and interests of our King. Whatever we say, whatever we do has to reflect the thoughts and desires of our King. Our opinions are not our own. Whatever aspect of the political process we choose to be involved in, we must remember we’re not there for our own purposes. Even in politics, Christians represent their King. 

Remembering this will allow us to turn down the temperature of our political discussions. For us, nothing of significance is at stake during these elections. Think about it. Our identity isn’t at stake. Who we are as persons and our value as human beings isn’t defined by the political process. Our identity is created and protected in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our ability to serve Him isn’t compromised by our political process. We can still do good. In fact, the history of the church is about how the church learned to thrive doing the very things no one else in the world wanted to do. The church cared for the victims of the plague. The church rescued abandoned babies. Mother Teresa cared for dying lepers. We don’t need legislation to do these things.  We simply need the courage to obey in what Jesus has told us to do. 

The Kingdom of God isn’t at stake during this election. The United States of America isn’t the Kingdom of God. King Jesus rules and His kingdom will have no end. We don’t get a vote on this. This has been declared by God before the founding of the world. Yes, the next president will be a sinner and has fallen and will continue to fall short of God’s teaching. This isn’t a crisis for the church. We’ve always lived in a fallen world and under fallen leaders. This is simply another version of the worldly status quo. 

Yes, our nation needs Christian men and women involved in the political process. We need believers serving on school boards, city councils and state legislatures. We need believers in Congress and in the Senate. We need Christ-followers to run for President. Political leadership, in its best form, is a way to love and care for our neighbors. 

And who better to do that than Christ-followers who need nothing from the world around them? We don’t need to be loved by the world. The love of Christ fills us to overflowing. We don’t need to be validated by the world. The cross of Jesus established our worth for all eternity. Our nation needs more Daniels, Josephs and Esthers who understand they have been placed in positions of worldly leadership for “such time as this.”

Yes, we’re having an election, but let’s remember we’re not voting on anything that lasts. Jesus is on the throne. His kingdom is forever. That’s true today. It will still be true on the day after the election as well.