On the front page of the New York Times yesterday was a story about a Baptist Church in Waynesville, North Carolina. The headline read, "political split leaves a church older and grayer."
The turmoil started last October (near the end of a heated presidential race)when Pastor Chandler told his congregation, "The question then comes in the Baptist Church, How do I vote?"; let me just say this right now, if you vote for John Kerry this year you need to repent or resign. You have been holding back God's church way too long." And he added, "And I know I may get in trouble for saying that, but just pour it on."
The article states, "the split over his comments amounted to more than ordinary congregational squabbling. It involved critical fault lines pitting conservative, and generally older, Democrats of the Old South against younger Republicans, who seemed to be looking to the pulpit for political as well as spiritual guidance."
So the question of the day is: How far should a local church go in promoting the politics of both the city, state or nation?
Is there is balance in the presentation of where we are headed politically in our country? Can you legislate morality?
I am interested in hearing your thoughts.
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I think that the church needs to preach the Word and how it relates to the world, in this case the political situation at the time. The church should not be telling the congregation who to vote for nor judge them if/when they do not vote the way the church would like them to vote. Judgement still belongs to God...we need to hear the views of our politicians and how they line up with God's Word; then let the individual members of the congregation vote for whomever they decide to vote for...the decision is an individual one and one that should be undertaken with a significant amount of prayer. I have yet to find a single politician that will stand up and support, without some qualification, all of the guidance found in the Word...it would be refreshing to have a politician that would do so. I believe that we are expecting a minister from the other side of the state to run for the Senate so maybe this will change...but are the people of this state ready for that change in truth, or only giving it lip service? I think that the figure is 86% of Americans believe in God but I'm absolutely sure that the number of them that will support Him in the political arena is much, much less...pity, isn't it?
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