A Letter to Evangelical Christians

Dear Evangelical Brothers and Sisters,

I know that you’re still in the throes of angst with the results of the presidential election. While it’s understandable to be disappointed, bitter, and angry, please remember:

1. Jesus wasn’t concerned about politics. In Luke 20, the religious leaders tried to bait Jesus into picking a political side when they asked him about paying taxes to Caesar. They tried to get him to pick a side: Rome or Israel. He confounded them all and refused to be co-opted by a political movement. Jesus isn’t as concerned about Tuesday’s election as you might think he is.

2. Don’t be a bitter Christian. The lost and hurting in this world don’t need you to be bitter and angry. They need you to be a light. Suck it up, be gracious in defeat, and be the hope of the world.

3. Don’t let the demographics of the Republican party become the demographics of the evangelical church. Looking deeper into Tuesday’s vote showed a disturbing trend: Romney got the majority of the white vote and older vote, while Obama got the majority of the young vote and minority vote. Our nation is increasingly young and increasingly racially diverse. If our churches mirror the Republican party (predominately white and old), we will continue to lose influence in America in the years to come.

4. Political power isn’t the ultimate answer. We can’t legislate morality. The culture wars of the religious right is a failed experiment. Politics shouldn’t be our ultimate hope; Jesus should. This election did not change that fact.

5. Take that negative energy that you might focus on the president and use it to build God’s Kingdom. If you’re angry, don’t get angry at a person or a party, get angry at sin. Instead of being a part of the problem, be a part of the solution. A political party has never saved someone, but Jesus has. Work with Jesus to save some people these next four years.

6. Democrats shouldn’t have the corner on social justice. The church should. The church should be the ones championing the cause of the poor, the widow, and the orphan. Don’t allow a political party to take what should be the responsibility of the church. Be a part of a church that helps “the least of these.”

7. If you’re truly mad, unplug. Don’t vent your frustrations on social media. Facebook and Twitter don’t need to forever digitally record rash statements you made in the heat of emotion. Go hit a pillow or something.

8. Turn off Fox News for awhile. We pretty much know what they’re going to say for the next four years. Be about something better than partisan politics.

9. If we disagree with the president on moral issues (such as abortion), let’s solve the root of the problem. Roe v. Wade isn’t going to be overturned anytime soon. Rather than waiting on the government to legislate morality, let’s help solve the roots of the problem. The majority of abortions happen to younger women who grow up in homes of poverty with poor parental influences. Let’s help build families and offer hope to the fatherless, making the need for abortions irrelevant.

10. Honor your president. As I wrote about yesterday, although we probably didn’t vote for Barack Obama, he is our President. We are commanded to show him the proper honor and respect. Let’s be known for what we’re for (love, honor, respect) rather than what we’re against. Pray for your President and show him honor.