When Faith intersects Politics

Welcome to CROLCC, we are so glad you are here worshiping with us. I hope you had a wonderful July 4th weekend. We are now officially into the 2nd part of the year and this year has already been an interesting year. I don’t know if the word “interesting” fully describes it, but certainly there were a lot of expected and unexpected things happened in our country and in the world. Not only that, we have the Presidential election happening in November. As a Christian, I constantly think about how we should and need to respond to the world around us.

I don’t know if you have been paying close attention to the presidential campaigns. Politics often isn’t an emotionally neutral topic. It certainly has the power to divide us instead of bring us together. Sometimes I am fearful of the division that I keep my opinions to myself most of the time. But is it ok to have an opinion about politics as a Christian? Especially when we are called to vote as citizens? How should we navigate the political season when we are bombarded by media information all the time? These are some of the questions we will attempt to answer today.

Moving Forward

Republican, Democrat, left or right, we’re all precious in his sight. This political season is an opportunity for us to showcase our political diversity in a way that honors the God who made us so diverse. If we get this right, we’ll learn something. We’ll become a more generous and loving people.

Changing Your Mind

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37–40

Discussion Questions

1. Do politics play a role in your family’s mealtime conversations? If so, do you tend to join the debate or withdraw? Why do you respond the way you do?

2. Think of a political belief you oppose so strongly that you can’t imagine how someone else could hold it. What questions would you ask a person who holds that belief? What value might there be in asking questions?

3. During the message you heard, “Jesus followers should be the most confident, curious, composed, compassionate people in the room.” How do you think a confident, curious, composed, and compassionate person would respond to people who disagree with him or her?

4. Talk about a time when you sacrificed influence with someone in order to make a point. Did you change that person’s opinion?

5. What is one practical step you can take this week to put people first and your politics second? How can this group help you follow through?