Decidedly not taking a side

I have received a lot of e-mails and had a few conversations about why I'm not more political as the preacher of an influential church. Well, there are legal considerations that require me to not endorse one candidate over another...some church leaders have been sued and lost tax exempt status recently...but this is not my primary motivation. Here are some reasons you will never hear me taking a political stance for any candidate (presidential or otherwise): 1. God is completely in charge. Why talk about small time players like presidents, governors, or representatives when you can talk about the KING of the universe. No matter what the election brings...God will be on the throne. 2. Government leaders do not change people. Politics is not the way too change people. If it were, I'd run for president. People are changed by the living Word of God from the inside out...period. Rules and laws govern people but they don't change them. I'm in the heart change business...so I preach Jesus. 3. Time spent on political objectives could be spent in better ways. Have you ever thought about what might happen if every Christian political activist or just Christians who spend hours discussing, listening, and watching on t.v. the latest political stuff INSTEAD spent all of that energy being Jesus to their neighbors and each converted one person to following Christ. That would be changing the world. I don't politic because I have more important work to do...I represent Jesus and so do you if you follow him. 4. Good Christian people land on both the republican and democrat side. This may seem crazy to some of you...but neither platform represents completely Christian values. Take the honoring of life for instance. The democratic platform is pro-abortion and many Christian republicans would say, "how can you be democrat when killing babies is wrong?" and they quote Scriptures about he sanctity of life. On the other hand, the republican platform is pro-war and many Christian democrats would say, "how can you be republican and kill tons of innocent people in war?" and they quote the SAME Scriptures! In other words, a republican Christian and a democrat Christian don't believe whole-heartedly everything their party or candidate stand for. 5. We should drop all affiliations other than the body of Christ. When you come to Jesus, you are a part of His body the Church...and that is the only real organization you belong to. Your energy, giftedness, passion, and service are to be for the Body of Christ. When we lose focus of this truth, we miss God's point for our lives. 6. Politics are devisive and the church protects unity. There is no wriggle room for this, disunity is sin and if we make distinctions between the wide variety of Christian brothers and sisters who are a part of our fellowship; we have erred greatly in Satan's favor. If Jesus is your Lord and your are living a life of following him, then you are my brother or sister...that's all...nothing can cause me to not love you or be separated from you. Well, I could go on...here's what you need to know about me. I celebrate fourth of July, I get a knot in my throat when they sing the star spangled banner, I love America and fly our flag in front of my home, I love basebal, hotdogs and apple pie, I'm thankful for the freedom I have and those who died for it, and I'll root for USA in the summer olypmics....but all of this is worldly stuff and it will fade away. I have my eyes set on a higher place, my eternal reward with Jesus...until then He is my only cause.