April 1, 2025
Greetings,
I suppose I could start with a joke since today is April Fool’s Day. Recently, I commented that I found it interesting that it’s also election day here in Wisconsin. Something about that is almost poetic. I’ve often said that I don’t preach on politics or make political statements from the pulpit. Why is this?
I’m sure some think I fear the loss of our 501c3 status. Since I am very familiar with that portion of the tax code, I can say that such fear does not even show up as a blip on the radar. I could say a great deal if I chose to. I choose not to. Once again, why?
Some have tried to argue that I do not understand political choices’ religious and moral implications. They feel that I should point these things out. They seem to believe I do not see political issues as important enough to address. They are wrong. So, why do I not say more?
In the pulpit, I choose to concentrate on the gospel of Jesus Christ and those things we can personally change through the Spirit’s power. First, the full gospel is glimpsed in the Great Commission. We must make disciples by baptizing and teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded. We have limited time together. If we concentrate on the Word of God, we will eventually touch on many of these subjects. But we approach them from the Word, instead of approaching the Word through the news.
There is one more reason given above. I seek to concentrate on those things we can change. Let me share a story. When I was still a young pastor, I lived in Northern Idaho. While there, I became very active in local politics. During one meeting, the people spent hours complaining about things happening on the Federal level. After listening and waiting patiently, I raised my hand and said, “We have been discussing this for hours. But is there anything this committee and our local party can do to change any of this?” They admitted there was nothing we could do. I continued, “Then why are we wasting time that could have been used to accomplish things?”
What can our church change? Will we outlaw abortion? Will we change national immigration policy? Will we rework the social safety net? Will we accomplish anything with these policies? As citizens? Perhaps. All we can do is vote, contact our legislators, and run for office. I encourage you to do all of these things. But when we assemble and concentrate on the Word, we transform this world, one changed life at a time. We show the world what love is. We demonstrate grace, mercy, and forgiveness. We point people to Christ, the one source of peace and purpose. This is what we should concentrate on as a church. Then, when elections come, we should take part and vote. But the political parties will not save the lost or transform hearts. Romans 13 tells us God ordained the governing authorities for a specific role. The rest of the New Testament describes the role of the church. As a pastor, that is my primary focus, always.
In Christ,
Pastor Ken