A Pastor's Role in the Church in an Election Season

In an age where churches often face immense political pressure, the pastor's role is to remain steadfast in their identity as ambassadors for Christ, guiding their congregations with spiritual integrity rather than political bias. The message is clear: a shepherd must be committed to preaching biblical truth about sin, compassion, and salvation.  We remind the congregation of the ultimate source of authority and truth — the unchanging Word of God, and not to engage in partisan politics from the pulpit.

The pastor's message emphasizes that faithfulness to God's Word, rather than any political allegiance, must be the defining characteristic of Christian ministry. Though pressures are high, especially during election seasons, he believes that the role of a pastor is to shepherd God's flock and stay rooted in Scripture. In this light, the act of voting is seen not as a display of political favoritism but as a stewardship responsibility for believers to uphold their values in society.

A key reminder from this message is that true and lasting change comes not from political conviction but from personal conversion to Christ. Ecclesiastes 8 highlights the need for God's wisdom, encouraging believers to reflect, respect governing authorities, and recognize that even in tumultuous times, God's sovereignty reigns supreme. The pastor underscores that while Christians should participate responsibly in civic duties, our ultimate hope and trust must rest in God's eternal kingdom.

Finally, the pastor calls for unity and love within the body of Christ, transcending divisive political affiliations. He should challenge the congregation to pursue gospel conversations over political ones and to engage others with grace. By keeping the Great Commandment and the Great Commission at the heart of their actions, believers can bring light and hope to a world that desperately needs it.

Thoughts from Sunday'a message on our Articles of Faith

In this blog post on the 16 Articles of Faith, we reflect on the Nazarene beliefs around the Resurrection, Judgment, and Destiny, drawing from Revelation 20:11-15. Over the past weeks, we have explored fundamental Christian doctrines—from the Trinity to salvation, grace, and the Church—each building toward a comprehensive understanding of faith in Christ. While some of the theological language may have been challenging, the series served as a reminder that we are part of a larger body in Christ, united by shared beliefs.

The 16th Article addresses the realities of resurrection and judgment. Scripture tells us that both the righteous and unrighteous will be raised from the dead, to stand before God for judgment according to their deeds. This teaching may feel countercultural in a world that values tolerance and relativism, yet the Bible speaks clearly about a final judgment, where eternal life awaits those who follow Christ, and eternal separation for the unrepentant. This is not about spreading fear, but about underscoring the importance of genuine faith—a faith that transforms both heart and actions, reflecting God's love and grace in our lives.

Our hope rests in the resurrection. As Paul notes, without Christ's resurrection, our faith would be futile. But because Christ triumphed over death, we too can look forward to eternal life with Him. This victory over death is central to our faith, a promise that we will one day gather with believers from all backgrounds, unified in Christ. This hope calls us to live each day with purpose and conviction, knowing that our faith in action bears witness to God's grace. In the end, we will be known not by our denominations but as redeemed people, forever alive in Him.

Daniel Fast Day 8 Devotion - March 20th

2 Chronicles 16:9  NIV

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..."

We talk about seeking the face of God.  Did you know that God seeks us, too?  No matter what we are doing, He is looking on.  He is looking for people who say, "This is my life.  I'm going to dedicate to Him."  Our lives may be very ordinary and unglamorous. They may be far from ideal in our eyes, but God is not inviting us to dedicate to Him and ideal. He is asking us to dedicate our actual ordinary lives to Him because He is able to accomplish astonishing things through Him.

He doesn't ask for perfection.  He asks for commitment.  He's looking for loyalty and dedication to doing His will in the world, loving our neighbors as ourselves.  He's seeking servants and friends who will partner with Him over the long haul, even when it's difficult. He doesn't ask us to be strong―he'll provide the strength if we provide the commitment.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  God is searching us out, looking for hearts that are fully committed to Him.

Daniel Fast Day 7 Devotion - March 19th

Psalm 17:5  The Message Bible

"I'm staying on your trail; I'm putting one foot in front of the other. I'm not giving up.".

Dr. Mark Hyman says that what you put on your fork dictates whether you are sick or well, slim or fat, depleted or energized.  With all that riding on what you eat, it would be easy to feel overwhelmed.  But there no pressure to change instantly, gradual change over time is sustainable.  Just put one foot in front of the other.  There's plenty of grace while you are in the process.  When you have a bad day, what matters is that you decide to get back on track and that you don't give up.

What do you tend to do when you have a bad day, when you feel lousy or you eat the wrong foods because you're busy or stressed?  Be gracious with yourself, because God is gracious with you.  Over time you will have more good days than bad ones, and the changes will be long-lasting for your health.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  God is gentle with you while you are in the change process.  The goal is progress, not perfection.

Daniel Fast Day 6 Devotion - March 18th

Colossians 3:23  NIV

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters..."

What motivates you to get healthy?  It's completely legitimate to do so out of love for someone else, such as your spouse or your grand kids?  It's also legitimate to do it for yourself, so that you feel better or are able to participate in activities that requires energy and focus.  Many other motivations are equally valid and lead to numerous rewards for pursuing health.

God gives you all these incentives to get healthy, but he also has one more he would like you to consider.  Do it for Him.  It's a great energizer if you decide that all the work of getting healthy is ultimately not for anyone but the Lord.  That's a motivation that can help you  through whatever setbacks come your way.  As the apostle Paul said, "SO whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  Pursue your goals with all your heart, and whatever your other motivations, do it ultimately for Jesus Christ our Lord.

Daniel Fast Day 5 Devotion - March 17th

Philippians 4:13  NIV

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

What positive changes in your life could happen if you relied on God's unlimited  power instead of your limited willpower?  That's what faith is:  doing God's will by God's power instead of on your own.  God will help you as you rely on Him to give you the ability to change what He wants you to change.

God understands you better than you understand yourself.  God knows what makes you tick―He knows what energizes you, what fatigues you, what makes you sick, what makes you operate at your best.  Doesn't is make sense to trust him to help you?

Without God's power in your life, you are like a laptop that is unplugged; the battery will eventually drain and shut down the computer.  So why live like that?  God created you for so much more.  When you think about change, don't limit yourself to only the changes you know you can make on your own.  Dream of what you can become when God empowers you.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  God wants to bring about amazes changes in your life.

Daniel Fast Day 4 Devotion - March 16th

Psalm 31:9, 12  NIV

"Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress...I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery."

Ever feel like everything is against you?  Or like you are stuck in negative thought patterns?  One pattern to watch out for is over-generalization.  This usually involves words like always, never, every, time or everyone.  These thoughts make a situation out to be worse than it really is.

For instance, "I have always struggled with health issues, it will never change" or "Every time I get stressed, I fall into bad patterns."  Are these thoughts accurate? Do you know it will never change?  Do you have to fall into bad patterns every time, without exception?  Of course not.  Over-generalizations make you believe you have no control over your actions and that you are incapable of changing them.

If you tend to think in over generalizations, write them down and challenge them.  Then turn your heart to what you know is true:  the power of the Holy Spirit is within you.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  God is merciful, he will free you from those old thought patterns.