Pastors in Politics

I was on the plane last night flying home from a wonderful fellowshipping experience with my brother Pastor Keith Witherspoon in South Bend, Indiana, and I picked up this week's edition of Newsweek. Inside of it was an interesting article regarding the Democratic National Convention's impending courtship of conservative evangelicals who have traditionally since 1979, been at the forefront of helping Republican candidates get elected to the office of President of the United States. It was said that both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have made serious overtures to the Evangelicals in order to at least get to the discussion table, which is especially significant because in the past, evangelicals would never even accept calls from Democarats because of their liberal views on homosexuality and abortion. Newsweek had a very telling picture of Pastor Rick Warren, author of the best selling book Purpose Driven Church, holding hands with Obama in a corporate prayer at his church.

This led me to ask myself an important question, where do Pastors fit in the grand scheme of politics. Throughout history of this country, there have been many pastors who have run, even successfully for various offices, but I have to give my own views on it out of the book of Lance Mann, chapter 7 verse 14, which states that I don't prescribe to the idea that Pastors should be politicians. For if that Pastor is a true Pastor, then that Pastor should have the well-being, growth and development of his congregation at the forefront of his heart, and if that's the case, then he probably does not have enough time to handle a secular position. Now I know that somebody will suggest that at mega-churches, most of those Pastors have full-time staff to handle the day to day operations of that church, they should have time for a political career. But I want to suggest that with consistent study of the bible for both exposition on Sundays, bible class during the week, evangelism efforts, expansion meetings, their weeks should still be full to the capacity.

I also feel that when you are a Pastor who gets into politics, he opens himself up to criticism and scrutiny that secular politicians don't have to face. Such as a prominent Pastor in New Jersey was under investigation for who he gave consulting jobs to, secular politicians have been known to do the same things, yet those deeds are ignorned when it comes them, but magnified when it pertains to a Pastor.

I believe that politicians must come to a Pastor in order to become elected as Pastors ought to have influence with politicians, as they come for counsel and guidance, but we have enough to do with the preaching of the Gospel that is designed to change the lives of humanity to become involved that intently with the world's government.