Last weekend a number of Pastor’s around the country decided to stand up, and break the law. Not because they were no longer allowed to preach the word, not because they were no longer to gather together to worship, not even because there Bibles had been banned in some public forums. No these Pastors broke the law to push their own political agenda’s; basically the law states that if churches support a political candidate by name they risk losing there tax-exempt status with the IRS.
All together 32 pastor’s participated in braking the ban on supporting the pan from the pulpit on what was called "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" organized by the Alliance Defense fund out of Arizona. The group claims that it’s important that the church not the IRS decided weather or not the pastor preaches politics from the pulpit.
It also seems these groups did not support a specific canadate, merely the right to endorse that candidate. It seems a number of candidates were supported on this outlaw Sunday, including third party canadate Alan Keys. Keys found support through Rev Wiley Drake pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, California.
All that being said I strongly disapprove of Pastors taking it upon themselves to Stand against the law to "Preach candidates" from the pulpit. And here’s why; you may remember this passage from a month back, but apparently not everyone was reading. Romans 13:1-21 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Form the mouth of Paul himself, inspired by the Spirit of God; we are to obey authorities whom God has placed over us. The only opt out clause is when those laws go directly against the word of God (Read Daniel Chapter’s 3 and 6 if you don’t believe me). Now as I have said before I’m no Bible scholar, but I don’t believe a law telling churches not to endorse political candidates from the pulpit is unbiblical.
On the other side of the coin however I believe some churches go to far the other way. It is fine to speak on social issues that impact our country in a political way. I believe it’s the pastor’s responsibility to speak against abortion and encourage his congregation to vote accordingly. And I believe a pastor could speak on the evils of Gay marriage, and encourage his congregation to vote accordingly. Pastor’s should also encourage there congregations to become informed on the candidates and look at issues like religious freedoms, and the candidates own religious life. However there is not a place for said pastor to stand at his pulpit and tell people to vote for one candidate over the other.
There may also be the right place for Pastor’s to break the law. For example California has bills being looked at that will make it illegal for Churches to preach against homosexuality. If that were to become a law then I believe it would be biblically ok to break it. If public prayer become illegal, as it has in the schools, then I believe we need to break it. If like so many other countries the very word of God became a banned book, then it would be up to men of God to break that law as well. But to stand before ones congregation and say "Alan Keys should be our next president you should vote for him and here’s why". This brings no honor to God.
All of that being said, I believe the church needs to be involved in politics today. We need to vote for Godly men and women who will strive to keep this country on the right track. We need to stand up for our rights, and for the rights of Christendom. I believe quite Christians sat by and let prayer be abolished in school, and did not raise an outcry to Roe V. Wade years ago. We must let our voices be heard, and Pastor’s should encourage their congregation’s to get out and vote for candidate’s who fall in line with foundational truths of the Bible. Yet Pastor’s must be careful themselves to not fall into sin well doing so.
