Pastor Loses 20% of Flock Over Political Issues

There's an interesting article on AOL News regarding a megachurch pastor caused an uproar in over the issue of the church and politics:

Like most pastors who lead thriving evangelical megachurches, the Rev. Gregory A. Boyd was asked frequently to give his blessing -- and the church's -- to conservative political candidates and causes.

The requests came from church members and visitors alike: Would he please announce a rally against gay marriage during services? Would he introduce a politician from the pulpit? Could members set up a table in the lobby promoting their anti-abortion work? Would the church distribute “voters’ guides” that all but endorsed Republican candidates? And with the country at war, please couldn’t the church hang an American flag in the sanctuary?

After refusing each time, Mr. Boyd finally became fed up, he said. Before the last presidential election, he preached six sermons called “The Cross and the Sword” in which he said the church should steer clear of politics, give up moralizing on sexual issues, stop claiming the United States as a “Christian nation” and stop glorifying American military campaigns.

“When the church wins the culture wars, it inevitably loses,” Mr. Boyd preached. “When it conquers the world, it becomes the world. When you put your trust in the sword, you lose the cross.”

Mr. Boyd says he is no liberal. He is opposed to abortion and thinks homosexuality is not God’s ideal. The response from his congregation at Woodland Hills Church here in suburban St. Paul -- packed mostly with politically and theologically conservative, middle-class evangelicals -- was passionate. Some members walked out of a sermon and never returned. By the time the dust had settled, Woodland Hills, which Mr. Boyd founded in 1992, had lost about 1,000 of its 5,000 members.

I don't think I agree with the pastor completely, but I can understand his desire to keep the church focused on God's business rather than petty political disputes. I know I personally have been very disappointed in certain evangelicals who have decided to interject themselves in the politics (and religion) of global warming, whether they know anything about it or not. The same with the evangelicals who decided to accuse the U.S. of torture. Poor choices both.

When you take social or political issues and try to make them religious issues, you're asking for trouble. When someone asks "what would Jesus do" in a certain situation, my stock answer is "Jesus wouldn't have gotten himself into that mess in the first place", so quit trying to play God.