This election season, unlike any other I’ve witnessed in my very short 16-year voting history, has been one of the most stressful and disheartening elections I have personally been through.
We are still a good 2 weeks out from election day, but let’s not kid ourselves, people have made up their minds at this point as to how they are approaching this election. There won’t be much else that will persuade the voter to deviate from their plan. In fact, I think I have, for all intents and purposes, decided I’m done trying to persuade people for this election.
This doesn’t equal silence.
This doesn’t equal an ejection from the discussion.
But I’m not going to waste another moment arguing with people who refuse to acknowledge the place we are in and make excuses for their actions.
Over the last 6-12 months, I feel like I have been beating my head against a brick wall built upon a foundation of people’s situational ethic and mortared together with their stubborn wills. Sadly, this has not been so much with people who I expected to see them vote the way they are….but more so with those who I had a great deal of respect and admiration for, and I’m watching them take steps that seem to be in complete and utter disregard and contradiction to what they have long preached and taught in their own churches, circles, writings, and lives in general.
It has left me with plenty of questions, that is for sure.
Questions about the state of the American Church.
Questions about some of the men I’ve sat under who served as spiritual guides in my life.
Questions about what I’ve been taught growing up in my churches and schools.
Questions about the authority of Scripture in my life up to this point, and in the lives of those who seem to be setting it aside for pragmatic purposes.
Questions about the credibility of “celebrity pastors” and even local pastors.
Questions about how this could’ve gotten so far off track.
Questions about the future of the Church in America.
Questions about the future of America.
Questions about the future for my wife and children as I try and wade through the mountains of contradictions and compromises coming from people I had hoped were setting an excellent example for my children to follow after.
And ultimately….
Questions about where we go from here.
How do we reconcile as a church with one another on November 9th after the election, more or less, has been decided?
How do we reconcile with the family, friends, spiritual mentors, etc. who have become offended by us, spoken out against us, tried to silence us, called us into question, called us every name under the sun, defamed our characters, and built up walls?
How does the church regain its voice that is has so publicly lost in this election?
Who will be the new prophetic voices of biblical authority to the church that has seen their “heroes” fall out of grace and credibility with the people of the church?
How will we counter the disease of situational ethics that has taken root in the American Church?
And so, so, SO many more questions.
I don’t have the answers to all of these questions yet. But, rest assured, I’m studying, praying, reading the Word of God, talking with wise counselors, and seeking the face of God…and I hope to begin to write on these things after the election…or even perhaps in the few short days leading up to the election and then beyond.
Because the reality is our days have not yet come to an end. We are moving into a new era, and as a Church, we must find a way to face these days, people, one another, and situations.
Silence is not an option.
Going back to the way things were is not an option.
Status quo is not an option.
Trusting the government to fix things is not an option.
Begin praying with me now and explore these questions with me. The answers may not be easy. They may not be what we were expecting to hear. They may not be what we want to hear. But we need to answer them. We need to address this behemoth elephant in the room. And we need to do it sooner, rather than later. The credibility, testimony, and witness of the American Church in our nation depends GREATLY on it.
Great Questions…
When you get the answers let me know…
I would like to figure it out too.