What Does It Profit a Pastor to Run for Local Office?

When he learned I was on the City Council, my friend remarked, “I did not take you for Constantinian.” At once I felt I disappointed one of my man-crush’s. I also realized how broad brushed generalizations work.

What Does Constantine Have to Do with It?

Trust me, when Jason typed the aforementioned words, I felt staggered for a moment. Then I realized that the reply would be a fitting retort to any Hauerwasian.

Now that I have successfully prompted many to wonder what this insider baseball conversation is about and what does it have to do with running for City Council, let’s see if I can subtly address some important things simply. And I might quickly add that Jason and I are on speaking terms, we understand clergy humor that references church history and neither one of us wants to get into a land war Asia.

Practicing Christianity, prior to the conversion of Constantine,  often brought great difficulty, to say the least. Unless you were required to take a course in church history in college or Seminary, you may not get Jason’s jab in reply to my text that I was running for re-election. Constantine represents a watershed moment. In short order Christianity went from outlawed to religion of the Empire.

The ongoing results of the past election cycle raised awareness that we may be, have been, moving into an era where Christianity took on less a prophetic role in favor of a return to a more privileged role. Over time I have been clear the dangers of desiring power, human power, means the Church loses. Always.

You Keep Using that Word, Politics

Many a minister learns early the value of heeding the axiom, Religion and Politics Don’t Mix. Then something happens. We learn the word suffers the fate of multiple definition. Worse we realize the word gets entangled in polarizing systems. Eventually a word intending to describe how a people determine to live life together becomes an accusation and a reference to a two-party system.

My friends Eric and Nathan got on Skype with me recently and we discussed Plato’s Gorgias. Ever late to the classics I had not read the conversation between Socrates and his friends. The podcast episode will be edited and up soon, I hope.

One thing we discussed is what is meant by politics and how it might be helpful to return to the notion that . . .

Rather than continue, let me invite you to listen in to a conversation I had with Ryan Abernathy and Phillip Larsen.

It Profits and Opportunity

Ryan and Phillip’s Conversation Rules hit it big recently. No that is not a result of having me on their show, though the assertion may have crossed my mind. 91Online.com invited them to take their show on to the radio. This past Monday they invited me to call in and talk about what would prompt a pastor to run for re-election to a City Council.

Take a listen.

 

 

About the Author
Husband to Patty. Daddy to Kimberly and Tommie. Grandpa Doc to Cohen, Max, Fox, and Marlee. Pastor to Snow Hill Baptist Church. Graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Reading. Photography. Golf. Colorado. Jeeping. Friend. The views and opinions expressed here are my own and should not be construed as representing the corporate views of the church I pastor.

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