We recently had a special election for a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina. The day of the runoff I fielded several calls from church members and others, asking about the candidates. This often happens around elections because I post about politics on social media and am otherwise politically engaged. I do this even though I’ve been told my entire adult life by so-called evangelical leaders that talking about politics is not fitting for a pastor. However, I believe that “neutral silence” (which is never truly neutral) was not the best way to lead my church. Below are seven reasons why a pastor should speak publicly about politics, followed by four that guide my political speech, and finally a case study from our church.
Seven Reasons to Speak Out
First, pastors are citizens, too. Pastors shouldn’t necessarily be silent about the direction of our nation just because they are pastors. They aren’t just pastors. They are also citizens. As a pastor and a citizen, they should be a model for their congregation, providing a mature example of applying biblical wisdom to the political sphere in which their members have duties. While we talk and pray at church about our pressing political issues, I reserve more partisan, election-related commentary and advocacy for personal social media accounts and private conversations as a citizen. In the same way that a pastor can be a father, simultaneously fulfilling his duties in both of those realms, he can also operate in the public sphere as a citizen.
Second, pastors should lead with transparency and honesty. A congregation should not have to wonder where their shepherds stand on the most consequential issues and decisions of our day. Rather, pastors should be forthright and honest about their convictions and be willing to defend them. In this way, they lead their congregation rather than putting their finger in the wind to determine which issues they can talk openly about within their congregation. Such transparency and honesty breed trust between a pastor and his people.
Third, political speech is a means of discipleship. In a day in which politics touches everything, a pastor has a duty to guide his congregation to navigate political issues faithfully. Avoiding such topics out of fear of conflict or hurting someone’s feelings abdicates his discipleship duties. Someone will catechize them on political matters. It is far better for that “someone” to be their pastor, who will give account for their souls. Further, politics is not some icky, verboten realm where Christians dare not trod. Rather, Christians must bring the Bible to bear on politics, and pastors should help their people do this in practical ways.
Fourth, political speech signals that you are loyal to your congregation. Granted, this may vary from place to place, but in my context, our church is made up of generally conservative Christians. For decades, all the major institutions of society have assembled against them. Advocating for conservative politics signals that I am on their side. I want my people to know that I am loyal to them. National officials may call them garbage, but I will stand in the dumpster with them. They are my people, and I will not sell them out for the approval of their enemies.
Fifth, political speech opens up the permission structures of political discourse. Most people need to feel like they’ve been “given permission” before speaking out on controversial subjects. They don’t want to be left on an island when they express an opinion. Hearing others speak out, especially authority figures like pastors, permits them to do the same. When they hear their pastors weigh in on political issues, they know they are not alone. When enough people voice an opinion about a particular subject, the Overton Window of acceptable positions shifts to include that view. One luxury of my job is that I’m not likely to get fired for my political opinions. Not everyone is in that position, especially if they work for a large secular corporation. By stewarding my freedom well and speaking out, I can help open the permission structures for more free political speech by all, including those in my congregation.
Sixth, political speech is an opportunity for evangelism. There has been a major shift rightward among unbelievers, especially among young men. This presents a massive opportunity for evangelism because many of the issues they care about—nations, borders, sound economy, families, health—are grounded in God’s Word. We have the opportunity to show them a way to find true cohesion between their political beliefs and the rest of their lives. Sadly, many churches have been taken captive by a soft-Left political demeanor. They unwittingly accept the Left’s framing and constantly chide the Right. The result is that many unbelievers assume we don’t understand the stakes of our current moment and have our heads buried in the sand instead. Speaking out in favor of Right-Wing politics from a distinctly Christian worldview raises a flag to the unbelieving Right. It signals that they are welcome in the church and their political positions will not be held against them. We communicate that this church not against them, and they can find hope for their souls here.
Seventh, political speech is a good filter for the church. Of course, we welcome all to come and hear the glorious gospel in our church, and we desire all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. At the same time, I want to protect our church from being infiltrated by progressives and quasi-leftists. Such members can spoil a church’s unity and derail its mission very quickly. Just evaluate the fruit of Wokeness in the evangelical church over the last ten years. It has proven divisive. The forthright application of the Bible to political issues can help those who would not fit within our church to self-select out, thereby protecting our church and its mission. This is not to say, of course, that we only aim to proclaim Christ to political conservatives. Of course not! But it is to say that filtering out progressive Christians helps us better fulfill our mission to preach the Gospel to all people.
Four Principles to Guide Your Speech
I believe the above are good reasons for pastors to engage in political discourse. But his political speech must also be guided by certain principles. Here are four principles that I use.
Principle #1: The more moral weight an issue carries, the more necessary it is to address. Issues such as abortion and sexuality (e.g. LGBTQ+, transgenderism, marriage) carry enormous moral implications. I want to speak clearly and boldly on these issues. While I may have biblically based opinions on tax rates, that issue does not carry the same moral freight, and so I am not likely to address that from the pulpit. I’m not likely to comment on a local zoning ordinance, unless it clearly endangered our community or impinged on a major moral issue.
Principle #2: As pastor, stick to addressing issues of public morality more than engaging in partisan politics. When it is clear that a pastor is speaking in the office of pastor, such as from the pulpit, it is better to avoid stumping for a particular candidate or party. In our polarized political climate, where the parties and candidates operate from diametrically opposing worldviews, the implications of his political speech may clearly point to one candidate as the better moral choice. But addressing the issues as issues rather than candidates and parties avoids the appearance of turning the church into a partisan rally and demonstrates to the congregation that our political decisions are grounded in God’s Word.
Principle #3: Don’t overdo it. The pastor is not a political operative. His primary duties are to the ministries of the Word and sacraments, helping his people along toward eternal life. The political realm is one area where he must apply the Bible for his congregation, but not the only area. Addressing politics is like adding salt to the soup. If you don’t put in enough, it tastes bland. But put in too much and it tastes like the ocean. A wise pastor knows how to salt the soup. He should not be afraid to address political topics, but politics must never become his hobby horse. Brothers, we are not James Carville.1
1. That is, we are not employed to spin the news and campaign for politicians. James Carville was the top campaign strategist and political operative for the Democrat party during Bill Clinton’s administration.
Principle #4: Don’t confuse categories. Pastors are often discouraged from political engagement because it is said that doing so may make the church too worldly. That is certainly a danger. But the danger in the other ditch is pastors treating the government as if it were the church. For example, some say that, because the church is a holy nation (1 Pet. 2:9) and a multicultural, multiethnic one (Rev. 5:9), then the earthly nations must also be multicultural and multiethnic. Pastors must give care to avoid the temptation to collapse heavenly realities into earthly ones.
A Case Study
This past summer, Congressman Ralph Norman was running for the Republican nomination for governor of South Carolina. I was approached by his campaign about him coming to speak at our church. He wanted to speak for five minutes, give his testimony, and then be available to meet and greet congregants before and after the service. While I was personally supporting Congressman Norman in the election, I had to wrestle with the question of whether this was appropriate or not for a Sunday service at our church.
Ultimately, we decided to allow him to come and give his testimony at the very beginning of the service, prior to the call to worship. This meant that our congregation would be able to hear from him at a time when we were already gathered, but that it would not be during our worship service proper. We did this because we believe it is good for public officials to give testimony to Christ, and that it is good for citizens to hear that testimony. We also believed that it was good for someone who had a real shot at becoming our next governor to hear the Word of God preached, and during the sermon, as an application point of the text I was preaching, I told him that, if elected, he was duty-bound to govern according to God’s Word.
The following week, a representative from TPUSA Faith, who was working closely with the Norman campaign, asked me if he could come and set up a voter registration table outside the church sanctuary. While I appreciate the work of TPUSA Faith, I declined that opportunity because I thought it would be too much for our congregation. Also, a voter registration drive did not seem as fitting for the Lord’s Day as hearing Congressman Norman’s testimony and having him worship with us. A second political event just seemed like too much salt in the soup.
Conclusion
When asked why he avoided political endorsements, Michael Jordan reportedly once quipped, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.” It was good business sense for Jordan. But pastors are not selling religion. We are not after market share. We are heralds of the Word of God, tasked with applying all of the Bible to all of life. That includes politics.
So, we must be unafraid and unembarrassed to address the political realm. Rather, we must do so with clarity and courage, with wisdom and maturity so that we may equip those who are seated with Christ in the heavenly places to rule well as citizens upon the earth.
