Pastors, Remind Us What Is True

As America approaches its 60th presidential election, the political fires are burning hot. The demand for pastors to not only speak, but to speak in favor of a particular candidate seems to be growing in recent years.

Striking the right balance that does not fuel political idolatry is growing increasingly difficult. Yet now more than ever, the Lord’s people need to hear from their shepherds. They need to hear not what they want to hear, but biblical truth that helps them see government the way God sees it. Pastors, we need you!

Citizens of Heaven

A good place to begin is reminding people that this is not our home. It is our place of temporary residence. We are no longer primarily citizens of this world, but citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). Our ultimate loyalty and identity are not found in this place; they are found in the kingdom of God, whose king holds our ultimate allegiance. This place is our temporary residence, and as temporary residents we are to be ambassadors of the kingdom to come by representing our king’s culture and desires.

Because of our heavenly citizenship, Christians should be nonpartisan in our heart and approach to government. This does not mean you do not register or vote for a particular political party. It means your worldview and allegiance belongs to the Lord and his Word, not an earthly party, ideology or institution. A pastor can model a nonpartisan approach by ministering to people on both sides of the aisle and proclaiming the truths of Scripture that are inconvenient for all people, regardless of political affiliation.

Government for Our Good

Christians need to be reminded that government is not an institution of man but of God. Romans 13:1–4 show us that God created government for our good. Government is a blessing. It is a gift of common grace that brings order to a world full of sin. God, in his mercy, gave us government to hold back the full destructive power of sin.

Romans 13:6 goes so far as to say that those who serve in government are ministers or servants of God. In Daniel 2:21, we learn that it is by God that kings rise and fall. This means that the people who are currently ruling have been placed there by God. He commands us to pray for them (1 Timothy 2:1–2), honor and submit to them (1 Peter 2:13–17; Romans 13:5).

Do we pray more than we complain? Do we speak honorably of our leaders? If you want to shine as a light in our world today, speak respectfully and pray for those in authority. If the early church could do this for the Roman emperor, how much more can we? Pastors, as our shepherds, can lead and model the way to honor and pray for our leaders.

The Church Holds the Gospel

Christians must also remember that government does not hold the gospel, the Church does. The Church is God’s timeless institution that brings transformative change. With Christ as its head, the Church brings hope to all humankind, regardless of who they are and where they are from.

Our world, including its governments, desperately needs the Church. People are physical and spiritual beings, and every physical problem is rooted in a spiritual one, which means every physical solution is rooted in a spiritual solution. Government and our world need the timeless guidance of the Church to navigate the spiritual world that lies at creation’s roots.

The Church should be the primary sought-out resource in our communities. Pastors can lead their people to be a light in their communities and build the Church as a resource for government, regardless of party affiliation.

Politics vs. Governance

Christians must be reminded that politics is a game of the world to gain power, but governance is of God. Governance provides incredible opportunities to love and serve our neighbors. For millennia the Lord’s people have served kings and spoken truth to them. The Lord’s Church today must model the relationships we see between kings and the Lord’s people as in the stories of Daniel, Esther, Joseph and Nehemiah.

America does not need the Church to engage in its political wars. America needs the Church to remind it of the bigger purpose of government and the incredible institution that God created it to be. Who else could do this if not the Lord’s Church and its shepherds? Let us shine the light of Christ this election season.?

Greg Baker is the founding director of the Church Ambassador Network and the executive vice president of The Family Leader Foundation. At The Family Leader, he connects pastors to governing authorities with the goal of developing intentional relationships where these two shepherds can build into each other as people, fellow shepherds, and partners in meeting community needs. The Church Ambassador Network has connected over 2,200 evangelical churches in Iowa, facilitated over 8,000 pastor visits with governing authorities in all three branches of Iowa’s government, and has expanded into 19 other states through The Daniel Impact. Baker graduated with a degree in history and political science from the University of Iowa.