Why the Church Must Engage in This Election

I have been a Christian minister for over 50 years. I voted in my first election in 1976 when a Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher and deacon named Jimmy Carter ran for president. I was 26 years old and supported Carter for the sole reason that he unashamedly professed his Christian faith. You might say I was a “single issue” voter. My single issue was that he said he was born again. And I voted for him.

But over those next four years, I received a valuable education about politics: Actions speak louder than words.

Jimmy Carter said all the right things from my Christian perspective, but whether on life (he was pro-choice) or a free market economy (he imposed price controls) or national defense (his defense policies emboldened the Soviet Union), his actions said otherwise, leaving America weak and demoralized after four years, paving the way for a B Western movie star to become one of America’s great presidents, giving us a new “Morning in America,” replacing despair with hope. Ronald Reagan became the next president.

Today, we are faced with rioting, looting, the defunding and assassinating of law enforcement officers and COVID-19 which has empowered a new kind of “divine right” ruler in America: Governors and mayors who are imposing their dictates on churches and picking and choosing winners and losers in our economy without our consent.

It’s now time for pastors across America to stand up and throw off the tyranny of governors and mayors who are trampling under our religious liberties. That is the subject of my podcast this week. Please download and share it. {eoa}