You Can Now Tell Your Congregation How to Vote
Last week, the I.R.S. issued a statement clarifying the agency’s interpretation of the Johnson Amendment. This amendment—named after President Lyndon Johnson, who introduced it as a senator in 1954—has traditionally prohibited any non-profit organizations (including churches) from endorsing political candidates or parties. Although infrequently (and often selectively) enforced, churches that have violated this rule have been at risk of losing their non-profit status.
In response to a lawsuit filed by two Texas churches and an association of Christian broadcasters, the I.R.S. said that if a church endorsed a political candidate, it would now be viewed as a “family discussion” and not “participation in a political campaign.” Thus, pastors may speak freely from the pulpit regarding their political views without fear of the I.R.S. suddenly taxing all contributions to the church.
This is a good thing.
The Founding Fathers’ concept of the separation of church and state was never intended to prohibit religious expression in the public square. When the Continental Congress convened in 1774, it began with prayer. The House and Senate both continue this tradition today, starting each session with prayer.
Prayers have been offered at every presidential inauguration since George Washington, and each president has placed his hand on a Bible when taking the oath of office.
The founders didn’t fear the church having power over the state; rather, they intentionally placed protections against the government interfering in church matters. The purpose of the First Amendment was to prohibit the federal and state governments from either specifically endorsing or restricting the speech and gatherings of any religious group.
This latest move by the I.R.S. successfully preserves that constitutional principle. No pastor, church elder, or small group leader should have to worry about a government official parsing their words and becoming the judge and jury of their supposed verbal offenses. The state speech police should be restricted from entering the church doors.
Let me reiterate: I believe this ruling is a positive development.
However, pastors, you should exercise this right with extreme caution. Although the constitution allows for freedom of speech regarding political topics, this isn’t the mission of the church. While pastors and churches should address moral issues, it is virtually never in the best interest of the church to support specific candidates or speak out on non-Biblical political matters. Let me offer three reasons why I offer this caution:
- Today’s pro-Christian candidate could easily disappoint you tomorrow. Either with a personal moral failure or a change in their views. Too many pastors have endorsed a particular candidate only to later read a news report about their non-Christian behavior being exposed. Do you really want to spend hours of your time explaining why you supported a person who [fill in the blank]?
- Political speech is conspicuously absent from the New Testament. Remember when Paul addressed the tension between Caesar and the Senate in his letter to the Romans? Remember when James condemned the Roman Empire’s invasion of Britain? Remember when Peter demanded higher pay for soldiers in his first letter? Of course, you don’t. They never addressed those issues, even if they held strong personal opinions on each of the political topics of the day.
Which leads to the third and main reason pastors and churches should shy away from political issues:
- The primary purpose of the church is to proclaim the gospel and not to influence elections. Don’t get me wrong—Christians should exercise their right to vote. We should vote for candidates who support Biblical values. However, when the church gathers, the main purpose is of far greater importance than politics. Over the last two thousand years—through the rise and fall of political parties and governments—the gospel has been proclaimed and has changed lives. This sharing of the gospel has had a far greater impact on our world than any piece of legislation coming out of Washington.
We have an incredible privilege to stand before our congregations each week and proclaim the beauty of the gospel. Feed your people well. Rather than offering a plate of political cheese and crackers, usher them to a buffet of Biblical truths. Be faithful in this, and the political issues will take care of themselves.