News Flash!!! The IRS last week approved churches endorsing candidates for public office. Our Baptist ancestors must be turning over in their graves. Baptists of the 18th century went to prison in support of the separation of church and state and nothing is more Baptist than religious freedom.
But there is an even better reason you will never hear me endorsing a candidate from the pulpit or newsletter or anywhere else. My job, my calling, my privilege is to point people to Jesus Christ. If I am doing my job well, I shouldn’t need to endorse anyone from a pulpit because I”ve already preached and taught you how to know for yourself how to vote faithfully according to scripture, prayer and learning from each other. Our ultimate loyalty is not to any politician (thank goodness for that these days) or political party.
I am a minister of the good news of Jesus Christ. There are not enough hours in the day or week to talk about Jesus, about his Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven, to spend time on lesser loyalties and leaders.
The IRS can decide whatever they wish, but for my two cents, this is one more slippery slope away from our best practices, boundaries, and laws. But worry not-, while I believe as Christians we should take our responsibilities as citizens seriously, you will NEVER hear me endorsing any candidate, however great he/she may be. Every true Baptist has stood by this for centuries.
Brave Journey, Bill
