There has been a fair amount of press coverage over the years about pastors preaching politics from the pulpit. I know that I have been both amazed and saddened by the pure ignorance and vitriol that has spilled over from pulpits over the years from both liberal and conservative pastors. I understand the temptation to “change the world” that comes when you have a “captive audience” before you, “great wisdom” floating around your head, and a deep and abiding passion in your heart. However, it doesn’t take too much searching to find clergy who have led people astray because they have been ill equipped to adequately analyze the issues and because they have made idols or false gods out of laws, policies, procedures, and politicians. When I’m tempted to speak about political solutions to the problem of sin I have found it useful to not only bow down before God’s holy word, but also to pay attention to the ways in which “the law of unintended consequences” manifests itself in our fallen world (if you don’t know what that means just click HERE and HERE). We always need to hear the Gospel of how God was at work in the death and resurrection Christ to reconcile us to Himself. The kind of selfless service that Christ demands (Matthew 25:31-46) comes only when hearts have been set free from the power of sin and death, and the Holy Spirit works gratitude within us that spills over into the lives of the least and the lost.
Phil Johnson from Pyromaniacs Blog gave a lecture entitled Politically Incorrect? (How to shepherd your congregation in an election year) at a recent pastors’ conference. Addressed to a group of very conservative Evangelical pastors, Johnson challenges them to stop trying to change American culture through political activism, and exhorts them to return their focus to proclaiming the Gospel. You can download an MP3 version of this lecture HERE. If you want to read the lecture instead, just click on each point below and you will be taken to the relevant article on Johnson’s blog.
Here were four Biblical insights that Johnson argued should guide pastoral practice in political matters.
- Preaching, not lobbying, is how the church makes Truth known. (1 Corinthians 1:21-2:8)
- Gospel, not law, is what changes sinful hearts. (Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:2)
- Service, not dominion, is the most effective way to win people in any culture. (Matthew 20:25-28)
- Christ, not moralism, should be the primary substance of our preaching. (1 Corinthians 2:2)
It’s important to remember that this message is addressed to pastors and focuses on their unique call to publicly preach the Gospel. People as citizens are called to be active participants in the political process.
