I have stayed out of the social media discussions on politics because it’s generally counterproductive and usually creates nothing but parroted cliché or comments in ignorance. So I’m not writing for everyone who knows me so you have another chance to defend Trumpism or your liberal politics.

However, two symbols that were numerous in the protest and attacks on our Capitol made me so emotional that I lost sleep over it: Jesus signs and the Confederate battle flag.

All those Confederate flags:

My family is from Cherokee heritage and while I’m not active in tribal or cultural events, my mom’s family spoke Cherokee at home. She was half Cherokee and endured some of the most hateful racism and prejudice you can imagine as a young woman growing up in Eastern Oklahoma.

So I’ve tried to preach and teach in a redemptive way that prejudice and racism and sexism has to be rooted out of the heart of an authentic Christian. God, the Holy Spirit, really will do that if he dwells in a person’s heart. These racist flags being marched into our Capitol without shame made me sick. Yes, I know the history of the flag… but it makes the blood of some people run cold who are not White Southerners like us. Whatever that flag means for you… Proud Southerner, your heritage, Dukes of Hazard fan… Whatever it means to you, to African American and other minority groups, it says white supremacy and hatred based on your race. If it speaks that to my brothers and sisters then what could possibly motivate you to carry it? It has no place in “One nation, under God.”

I read the report this morning of Trump rioters at the Capitol who tried to take down the American flag flying outside and replace it with a Trump flag to the cheers of the mob. Speechless on that one…

The other symbol, the signs and shirts invoking the name of Jesus, is even more concerning for me.

I am supposed to be in charge of the education process of our church’s district here in West Texas. We have 83 active students in our studies program. (a record high)  I want to say to all future and current ministers of the gospel: Aligning yourself with political parties, cultish political personalities, newly converted famous people and athletes, etc. will never end well. It will hurt the cause of Christ and delegitimize our message of hope. Trumpism has harmed the cause of Christ in our country. God doesn’t need politics or fame to redeem the hearts and homes of people.

We are not called to change the face of politics in this nation or any nation. We are not called to overturn Roe v. Wade as reprehensible as killing unborn babies should be to every authentic person of faith. We are not called to find Trump and America in prophecy and make predictions of how God is going to use him or some other leader to bring a revival to America. (Yes, there are pastors even in our tribe doing this.)

I know as ministers and church leaders we are always tempted to find a cause that might just make us relevant in our culture and community again. But, please understand that we are called to make Christlike disciples in the nations. We are called to love and serve and be the hands and feet of Jesus in the unseen places of our cities and the unnoticed homes in our communities. Pastoring in this day not glamorous. It is hard work and it’s less appreciated than ever in America. Pastors are viewed with suspicion by the unchurched person. We’re increasingly treated like second rate, ignorant rednecks by academia on one side and cancel culture thinkers on the other. The current American expression of the church and Christianity seems more and more fleeting and it is an unnerving moment in Church history for us all. But God will always do a new thing to bring the authentic Gospel to people in ways they can hear and receive it. We’re called to find ways to connect people to his life-changing message and Presence. Always… And it will never happen through politics and certainly not through this politician.

Please leave your Jesus sign and t-shirt at home if you are going to riot, desecrate the Capitol and commit horrid acts in the name of a particular politician. Pastors, please don’t preach the virtues of anyone except Jesus. I’m amazed when I read how so much of the German Church supported Hitler and twisted Scripture passages to legitimize or even make prophetic the Nazi movement. Trump is not Hitler, but Trump is not in the Bible. Neither is Biden or the next leader who comes along. Period…  Stop getting sermon material from YouTube videos and fringe prophecy preachers. Dig into the Word and the tried and true message that we are called to preach and live. Love people. Teach the basics because our people don’t know the basics anymore. Preach Jesus simply, clearly and with Power.

Does anyone not understand this week why the peaceful transition of power built into our Constitution is not optional or negotiable?  I am certain now that Trump has used the disenfranchised, evangelical Christian sub-culture to gain power and give him the ability to claim to have the moral high ground. Maybe I’ve been wrong all along about him being a charlatan who fell into the ultimate personality cult opportunity. But this appears to be who he really is.

I know how much we want someone to confront the old establishment politics of our government. I hoped that was what would happen with a non-career politician in office. I am pro-life, for lower taxes, for maintaining freedom of religion, and a lot of the conservative policies you can name. I’m thankful for the constitutional jurists placed on our Supreme Court. I can persuasively win the argument on those issues with almost anyone who really wants to have an exchange of ideas. I understand that, as conservatives and Christians, we feel like we’re losing the culture war. But the Church and her ministers have no business supporting a politician from the pulpit and much less someone who is willing to destroy democracy for his own purposes or to feed his narcissistic personality disorder. The end does not justify the means for the church in this one, brothers and sisters. There is a better, more difficult but legitimate Way.

Let’s work to identify and embed the church in this point in history with the message of hope and holiness, not with a message of division and hatred over cultural policies. Be known behind the scenes for what we stand for, not to be recognized in public for all the things we’re against. Whoever is elected the leader and whatever path our form of democracy takes in the future; we must fulfill our calling and never fix our eyes on chasing influence through politics.

Praying in the early hours for our nation and for our churches.

A follow up but related question might be this: Why is the church growing exponentially in Communist China and countries like Sudan and Bangladesh and diminishing at an alarming rate in America? There are some simple but primary activities in the churches in other countries that are afterthoughts in the American church at large. Maybe those things will work anywhere! Just a thought…