Some Christians may try to avoid any connection to politics or even choose not to vote.
But the Rev. Dr. Fraser Venter, the Free Methodist Church USA’s strategic catalyst for love-driven justice, believes we have the sacred responsibility “not to avoid this conflict, but to enter in as shalom ambassadors.”
Venter noted that it is not new for Christians to wrestle with political involvement. John Wesley wrote in his journal on Oct. 6, 1774: “I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them (1) To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy; (2) to speak no evil of the person they voted against, and (3) to take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”
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“God’s law for all human life, personal and social, is expressed in two divine commands: love the Lord God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself.” – The Book of Discipline
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Agents of the King
Missionary and theologian Lesslie Newbigin wrote that the church “is not meant to call men and women out of the world into a safe religious enclave but to call them out in order to send them back as agents of God’s kingship.”
Venter sees this level of involvement in his denomination’s history.
“Historically as Free Methodists, we have demonstrated a holy, socially sensitive conscience by participating in the longing and losses of the communities we have been called to serve — whether in our neighborhood, state or nation — and in doing so, to bring the hope and the power and the name of Jesus,” Venter said during a session on political engagement that was part of the Network of Undeniable Blessing’s “Crossroads Conversations” series.
Venter emphasized that he was “not speaking for every Free Methodist in the world. I’m speaking from this Free Methodist’s heart.”
He noted the church’s “Book of Discipline states that Free Methodists openly rebuke anything in law, persons or institutions which violate the dignity of persons created in the image of God. They are committed to taking advantage of opportunities where as individuals, societies, conferences and a denomination, they can minister healing and redemptive helpfulness in the world.”
The Book of Discipline also states, “God’s law for all human life, personal and social, is expressed in two divine commands: love the Lord God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself. These commands reveal what is best for persons in their relationship with God, others, and Society. They set forth the principles of human duty in both individual and social action. They recognize God as the only Sovereign. All people as created by Him and in His image have the same inherent rights regardless of gender, race, or color. All should therefore give God absolute obedience in their individual, social, and political acts. They should strive to secure to everyone respect for their person, their rights, and their greatest happiness in the possession and exercise of the right within the moral law” (¶112).
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“We must still think and behave as Jesus might vote and engage in these times.” – Rev. Dr. Fraser Venter
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Stewarding the Skills
Theologian “Stanley Hauerwas reminds us that we must carefully steward the skills necessary to honor how we vote in our elections. It’s a power that has been given to us not to position us in idolatrizing our nation or leaders,” Venter said. “Actually, we are to be in submission to God’s will, seeking that which will create the most flourishing of shalom for His creation in the witness of the kingdom rule.”
While we may wish simply to vote for Jesus Christ directly as our candidate, Venter said, “we must still think and behave as Jesus might vote and engage in these times. Jesus, as the King of our kingdom, gives us confidence to our allegiance, that we are first citizens of the kingdom who actually now get to participate in a holy way into this amazing nation called the United States of America.”
Venter said God isn’t anxious about election cycles, but “He is concerned with how you will act, behave, and participate in them, so we submit first to the kingdom of God, His rule, relationship and revelation to all creation.”
Biblical passages to help Christians as they vote include the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) that Venter called “a great template to put over any kind of election cycle,” Matthew 23 (which includes a warning against hypocrisy), Matthew 25 (which specifically references “the nations” in verse 32), and Luke 4 in which Venter noted that Jesus “describes His very mission to bring the message of the good news, and we will see it is to the marginalized people.”
Instead of following popular ideologies, Venter said, “we should be ready to speak truth to power, being concerned with righteous exercise of government, and, as N.T. Wright says, ‘seeing it bent towards the arc of justice and fulfilling the service that God expects of governing authorities.’”
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“Don’t put your trust in the chariots of those in government. We submit, and we pray, but we act.” – Rev. Dr. Fraser Venter
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The Local Level
Many Christians follow national news media and concentrate on national politics, but they may not be involved in their local communities.
While considering “how does my kingdom living represent the King in this realm,” Venter encouraged Christians to ask: “Do I seek to be a witness of the King’s saving miraculous activism in my daily communities?”
“I know the national scene is massive, and it’s always in front of us, but keep in mind I was just there, and they tell me all the time, ‘Things move so slow in Washington, D.C.,’” said Venter, who serves as the denominational representative to the D.C.-based National Association of Evangelicals. “Our best action is: Vote local. Get involved in your local communities. You’re called to shepherd that city.”
He also encouraged engagement with state government.
“Vote state. Think about what your state is doing in relationship to the rest of the nation, and then think nation,” he said.
While we should vote, if we only participate on Election Day, “we have lost the opportunity to witness in between election cycles,” Venter said. “Don’t put your trust in the chariots of those in government. We submit, and we pray, but we act.”
Click here for more of the conversation via the FMCUSA’s YouTube channel.
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