How Pastors Can Help their Churches During an Election Year

By Mike Glenn

As many of you know, I stepped away from my role as Senior Pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church back in October. I have a good relationship with my successor and we talk from time to time. The other day as we were talking about leading a congregation in the challenges and opportunities of our current cultural setting, I found myself laughing out loud. 

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

I was laughing in relief. 

I was laughing in  taunting my successor.

I was laughing way too loud and way too long. 

Why? Because I didn’t have to lead a church through another presidential election year. My successor did not share my joy. 

Why? Because election years have become dangerous and treacherous in local churches. The dividing of American politics has split most churches right down the center aisle. One side of the church is blue. The other side is red. Both are convinced their way of seeing things is the only way any Christian should view the issues. Whatever issue a pastor may address, their sermon is guaranteed to anger one half of the church. While every pastor would want their sermon to be prophetic and timely, preaching through political seasons has become a career minefield for pastors. 

Now, understand. No pastor will be fired for preaching about abortion, immigration, homelessness, addiction or racial restoration. They’ll be fired for other reasons such as failure to grow the church, giving short falls or some management shortcoming, but don’t be fooled. The real reason these pastors are being fired is they upset certain leaders when they preached on certain topics. 

First, few people understand how deeply divided politically most churches are. Some of my friends will tell me their congregations are purple. I will remind them that having red members on one side and blue members on the other side doesn’t make purple. It just means red and blue colors are on the same pallet. Most churches aren’t purple. They’re blue and red in the same place, but they aren’t mixed. 

Over these past years, I have been pressured more and more to either endorse this candidate or oppose this candidate (often different positions were taken by members of the same family). I would have to explain again the separation of church and state and why this is so important to our churches and our faith. I would also have to remind our churches that we don’t preach either Republican or Democratic platforms. The church doesn’t endorse candidates. We preach Christ and Him crucified. 

The very idea that a Christian would say we have to elect this or that person in order to save America is the height of blasphemy and heresy. Christ and Christ alone is the hope of the world and of the United States as well. But that is another blog. Back to my original thought. 

How can pastors best love and serve their congregations during the anxiety of an election year?

First, we should offer our congregations some perspective. The church has lived under all kinds of governmental authorities. We lived under monarchs and communist dictators. We’ve lived under chiefs of local tribes and more prime ministers and presidents than I can count. Each time the church has thrived. Christianity has no political philosophy. We can adapt our faith practices to work in varied circumstances and situations. This has been part of the genius of our faith. Our churches should be reminded we’ve survived everything from Roman caesars to the latest philosopher’s challenge to Christianity. We’ll survive the Republicans and Democrats. 

Second, our congregations are anxious. To be clear, there is a serious illness called anxiety that many people are being treated for by a doctor and medications. This isn’t what I’m talking about. I’m talking about unproductive worry. As a friend of mine says, “Anxiety is worry with no place to go.”  Too many of our members are paralyzed by their worry about what will happen to the economy, the border or if we’ll have a war if the wrong person is elected. All of these are serious issues and deserve our best thinking, but our well being doesn’t depend on who’s in office or what laws are passed. Our hearts are guarded by the peace of God. Our congregations forget this from time to time. Now is a good time to remind them.  

Lastly, lead them with joy into the uncertainty of the future. Note, I said, “joy” not “happiness.” Happiness is momentary and situational. We’re happy when we get a new present. We’re not happy when that new present wears out or breaks. Joy remains. Joy is knowing how the story ends and confident that the ending is so glorious it's worth today’s troubles. “This present suffering doesn’t compare,” Paul writes, “to the joy set before us.” Our future is sure within Christ. Our hope in Him has been tested by generations before us and handed down to us as valid. Our lives are secure in Christ and that’s good news no matter who’s elected. 

Remind our people what matters isn’t who’s in the White House, but who’s on the throne. Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords – yesterday, today and tomorrow. Preach Jesus this election season. Preach Jesus every season. After all, who ever got in trouble for preaching Jesus?

Well, OK. I know. Preaching Jesus will always get you into trouble, but that’s another  blog.