Date: 11/03/2008 – Disclaimer

I figured it’s safer to share this via video because you can’t stone me.

I want to make highly charged statements that will cause divisions and ultimately split our church. Okay, that’s exactly what I don’t want to do.

One of the things that struck me early on is that a lot of the churches in DC want to tell their members how to vote and what to think on matters of domestic and foreign policy. I have opinions, but I don’t think that is our job as a church. All of this stuff is important, but I think that our job as a church is to make disciples. We certainly want to teach things that affect all aspects of our lives, including politics. We need to think critically, biblically and tactically about every issue. I think we need to have more Christians called to culture shaping positions like politics, but all to often our politics are obstacles that keep some people from getting to the cross. Jesus didn’t come to set up an earthly kingdom but a spiritual kingdom that would transcend every earthly kingdom. When people wanted to make Jesus an earthly king, he resisted them. Why? Because he was setting up a transcendent kingdom.

Here’s what I want to do this weekend. I want to share some biblical principles that should shape our politics. I know some of you are disappointed.

Point 1 – Blood is thicker than water.

Family comes first. Your friends will come and go, but family is forever.

Here’s the bottom line. Were an incredibly diverse congregation. We have people who have been inspired to work on the McCain campaign and the Obama campaign. So essentially, we cancel each other out (j/k).

Galatians 3:26-29 – …you are all one in Christ Jesus.

If Paul had been writing in the 21st century, he probably would have included Republican and Democrat.

Those divisions disappear in Christ Jesus, we’re all one in Christ. What Paul is saying is that our allegiance to Christ comes first, the family of God second, and politics or whatever else third.

The blood that runs through God’s family is thicker than water.

I remember that one NCCer who was looking for a job on the Hill years ago was in a small group that fasted and prayed for him to find a job, but the thing that was most impressive was that there were people in his small group from both sides of the aisle.

We’re to take our obligation to love each other more seriously than our allegiance to either political party

Point 2

Philippians 3:20-21 – We are citizens of Heaven.

Yes, we’re citizens of the U.S. And I’m proud to be an American.

I don’t think you can look at the history of our nation and not see that we’ve done some things wrong as well as some things right, and I believe that we are a blessed nation.

I know some of you are looking for clues as to who I’m voting for, and this might seem like a clue, but it might just be a jedi mind trick. Caring for the poor, homeless, sick, etc. is not a political agenda, it is a Godly platform. The government has gotten involved because the Church has dropped the ball. The church in too many instances has abdicated its responsibility.

Donald Miller’s church started something called the Advent Conspiracy. It’s an organization that promotes less materialism at Christmas and instead to help others with the money you would have spent on yourself.

BTW, Donald has publically endorsed Obama, and I didn’t know that when we met. When I say that, some of you like him more, and some of you like him less. We didn’t even talk about politics, but I got e-mails from people who were angry. There’s an issue on which I disagree with Donald. Some people would even call it a litmus issue. I may disagree with him, but I can’t disagree with the fact that he biked across the U.S. to raise $250k for (kids with cancer?).

We need to be the blessing. We need to be going into our schools and ask how we can be a blessing. We need to be volunteering our time and serving our communities.

Let me put a dream on the radar. We held an event called the “Convoy of Hope” a few weeks ago. It was amazing, we distributed groceries, had a job fair, etc. But we realized it was just a means to an end. I believe that in the next year we will have a ministry center where we can care for the physical and spiritual needs of the community. Call it a Dream Center.

I believe politics is a noble calling. We need people in culture-shaping position. I believe God places people in strategic places. Joseph in Egypt.

John 6:14-15 – After people saw the miraculous sign Jesus had done, the people wanted to make him King by force, so Jesus withdrew.

People wanted to elect Jesus, Jesus for president, but political policies are not ultimate solutions. The Lord’s Prayer, the will of God being done

Point 3 – Don’t pass judgment on disputable matters.

This is incredibly important when it comes to politics. Therea re issues in the Bible that are Black and white, and when you turn something that is black and white into grey, that is called relativeism, and that is wrong. I believe we need to stand our ground on political issues that are black and white, but when we take issues that are grey and make them black and white, that is called legalism. Both are incredibly destructive.

Romans 14:1 – Don’t pass judgment on disputable matters.

There are some doctrines that are fundamental.

But there are other issues, the rapture, eternal security, whether or not to sing the 3rd verse of a hymn that we have always debated.

Rupertus Meldenius – “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.”

I know there are one or two issues that some people are the only important issues, and there are one or two that I weigh more heavily than others.

Not everyone is going to be passionate about the same things that I am passionate about. Sometimes we think that if everyone doesn’t care about the things we care about then their lukewarm Christians. We need people who care deeply about health care, about life, about the environment.

We need our differences, and when it comes to disputable matters or matters of conscience, we need some latitude.

Point 4 – If you don’t vote, don’t complain.

The Israelites were always complaining and grumbling. I think we need to stop being part of the problem and start being part of the solution.

You know what, if you do vote and your person doesn’t get elected, then don’t spend the next four years complaining.

Here’s what’s going to happen this week. We’re going to go to the polls, and unless there are lots of hanging chads, we’ll know who wins. If your candidate wins do a little dance. If your candidate wins, maybe it’s time to enact Matthew 5:44 – But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Maybe if we started praying, it would change the political tone in our country.

You know what, when I’m gossiping about someone, I can’t look them in the eye, but when I’m praying for someone, I can.

Point 5 – Respect those in authority

Romans 13:1, 7

I know what some of you are saying, “Paul didn’t live in 21st century America.” No, he lived in Rome, which was worse.

It’s fine to joke, and I know some of us have trouble showing respect to certain candidates/officeholders, but we need to show some level of respect for their office.

I know it’s not always easy, but if you have the courage to follow the example Jesus set, I think you can make the same difference Jesus did.

Jim Collins, who wrote Good to Great, talks about Level 5 Leaders. He said what makes someone a Level 5 Leader is humility, which may be surprising. When we lead in a humble spirit, when we engage in a humble spirit, ultimately, it’s change we can believe in.

Alleviating suffering and caring for the poor is not a political agenda; it’s a God agenda. God is bigger than a good president or a bad president. The church ought to be an example of unity for Capitol Hill. Proverbs (?): true wisdom has two sides.

Final thought:
When the election is over, it will be 4 years until the next one. How about the church helps solve problems in the interim.

Shane Claiborne: What’s more important than how we vote on Nov. 4 is how we live on Nov 3 & 5.

Related posts:

1. National Community Church – The Elephant in the Church – The Evolutionary Elephant – Mark Batterson
2. National Community Church – The Elephant in the Church – The Unchristian Elephant – Joel Schmidgall
3. Group Life 2008 – Heather Zempel & Mark Batterson – Where Community Grows Best
4. The Political Elephant
5. Leave Online Political Analysis to the Experts