Church image problem, point one: politics
- Does the church have an image problem, and are the article's six fixes good?
- Should Christians and churches stay out of partisan politics to witness better?
The Carey Nieuwhof article walkthrough begins: 'The church has an image problem — six ways to fix it.' The hosts agree the premise — the scandals, abuse, and self-righteousness driving people out have little to do with COVID. Point one: don't wade into partisan politics. A host argues Jesus prescribed the Father's kingdom outside any governmental body and the American church's fantasy of a Christian-aligned government making the world better is simply wrong; change comes through the Holy Spirit in people's hearts, not the political arena. A host addressed as Dan adds that Jesus is above politics and the church's obligation is to teach kingdom morality however it falls politically. The hosts note the image problem is really a God problem — people don't believe in God, so they won't like what the Bible says. A Chosen season 3 anecdote illustrates how biblically illiterate even interested viewers are. The conversation lands on Donald Trump: some in the church treat him like the Messiah, others like the Antichrist for his record with women; a host says he is neither, and he would vote for him a third time only because he comes closest on some issues.
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