It’s election season and many pastors seem to have no problem with political endorsements. We’ve recently witnessed many high-profile Christian leaders cozying up to their favorite candidate. Endorsement of candidates by pastors happens on the left and right, and as the old racing adage goes — different horses for different courses.
No matter the horse (candidate), or the course (political bent), there are several reasons why endorsing a candidate detracts from my call as a pastor. Allow me to present 10:
1. I would never presume to speak on God’s behalf as to who the best candidate is, because God is not a Republican, a Democrat or, for that matter, an American. Both major parties put forward candidates that take positions contrary to the Kingdom of God.
2. I have people in my church who might, based on personal conscience and Christian conviction, feel led to vote for another candidate (either in another party or the same party). Choosing not to endorse a candidate keeps me from alienating people within the flock. Christ’s highest desire for the church is unity (John 17) and publicly endorsing a candidate in our politically charged nation jeopardizes that.
3. I strongly believe that separation of church and state is good for both, and that the church and state are both stronger when neither uses the other as a crutch or a prop. That’s not the purpose of the pulpit.
4. If I endorse a candidate and then there is scandal of some sort associated with that candidate, then by default I lose legitimacy as a pastoral leader. Like it or not, guilt by association is a reality in our world, and I refuse to participate in doing something that may bring less authenticity and trust to the cause of Christ, or the gospel.
5. By endorsing a candidate for public office, I would jeopardize my church’s 501(c)3 tax exempt status. This could ruin financial solvency for many congregations, including my own. Legally 501(c)3 organizations exist for explicitly religious purposes, and political speech (among other things) crosses the line in my book and the IRS’s.
6. While I certainly hold my own opinions, I hold them loosely, knowing that I could always be wrong, especially in matters of secular politics. It’s hard to even make an informed opinion because it’s nearly impossible to cut through the misinformation (on both sides) and discern the truth.
7. We are called to live as aliens and strangers in this world (1 Peter 2:11-12). For me, endorsing any political candidate not only negates this biblical mandate, it usurps my responsibility to point people towards God as their hope, and not a political leader.
8. As word in the community spread about my endorsement, efforts to evangelize and engage with people of another persuasion would dry up. As a pastor, I’m called to minister to all people/families in my church and community equally and without bias, and endorsing a candidate or party would send a strong signal that our church favors people with one political outlook over another. See #1.
9. Power is dangerous, and throwing my lot in with a politician to try and increase my influence, the influence of my church, or the influence of a political movement is tempting. The truth is, it can ruin pastors. When you’re too close to power you lose the ability as a pastor to speak prophetically to that power. There are countless examples of this — Fallwell Sr. and Jr., John Hagee, Robert Jeffress, Jesse Jackson, Jeremiah Wright, Pat Robertson. For many, including myself, these pastors lose legitimacy as a voice for the cause of Christ when so often they are little more than the puppet-mouthpiece of a political party, trying to rally a base.
10. What good has it ever done? Preachers have endorsed candidates for decades now (on both sides) and been let down when the politician gets elected and won’t give them the time of day because moneyed interests (lobbyists) actually control what goes on in D.C. politics.
Those are just for starters. There are plenty of pastors (it seems) who have no problem endorsing a candidate or party from the pulpit, (and for people that need that, I’m sure there’s a church for them) however, it’s not going to be my church.