Pastors Navigating Politics

Jul 2, 2025

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In this episode of For the Good of the Public podcast, Michael and Phebe present a panel discussion with pastors as they think about their approach to leading their congregation during this current political moment. Rev. Dr. Nicole Massie Martin, Chief Impact Officer at Christianity Today and founding board member of CCPL, leads the discussion with Lisa Cummins, Founder of Urban Strategies, Duke Kwon, Lead Pastor at Grace Meridian Hill and co-author of Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair and Chris Butler, Director of Christian Civic Formation at CCPL and a pastor at Ambassador Church (formerly Chicago Embassy Church Network). They consider the role of clergy when it comes to politics and the local congregation. Their deep insights grounded in practical experience help show how Christian resources provide crucial support for a healthier politics that benefits from positive Christian contribution.

Watch the video recording of this talk on YouTube!

“I think there’s an important role that spiritual leaders–pastors in particular–in our calling, we are called to testify to a transcendent reality… So when our eyes are only fixed at ground level, and our conversations are only engaged in a cacophony of discording voices and vitriol and anger and fear and wrath, that deforms the soul, even of the pastor herself or himself.” -Duke [29:23]

“I think that there is an opportunity for us to begin this conversation–a healthy conversation, biblically-rooted conversation–about what it means to be politically involved using the Good Word, publicly engaged and loving our neighbors.” -Lisa [45:16]

“I’m a preacher’s kid. So I remember when we were growing up, my dad never said the name of the political candidate from the pulpit, because of fear of losing the 501(c)(3). This feels like a different age where preachers are very, very flippant. I mean, they just use anybody’s name as a positive or a negative.” -Nicole [1:02:04]

“You have to dig in and do the work to allow the Holy Spirit to give your words that are going to wake people up and not shut them down.” -Chris [1:02:56]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Intro

[07:19] Meet the panelists

[14:09] Handling political engagement

[26:16] The role that fear might play

[28:32] How to avoid co-opting to a particular agenda

[36:44] The role of the church right now

[46:31] A prophetic word

[52:56] Love your neighbor and your enemy

[55:59] Immigration and how we speak about immigrants

[59:56] Addressing political discipleship

[1:08:41] Outro