In my 37 years of ministry I have made it a steadfast point to never endorse, or oppose a candidate from the pulpit. The churches I have served have always had a widely divergent political make up. I have been thankful for that. This political cycle has sorely tested my resolve in this area.

I do not resist the temptation to either endorse or oppose due to the IRS regulations (though that should always be kept in mind and heeded). I do so because of my love of the gospel and my desire to not cut off the ears of some in the pews.

However, this does not mean I do not address issues and confront the social injustice of our day. There is plenty of fodder to deal with when it comes to living out the Kingdom of God in our communities. To me, that is part of the preaching of the good news.

For me it is simple – I want to preach Christ and lift Him up. I do not want to put the stumbling block of my political views on candidates in the way of anybody.

Agree or disagree – but please understand my heart.