@nathanrhale I wish I could say these statements from Trump surprise me, but they don't :(
@nathanrhale It’s a crazy time to be in the pulpit! I struggle in the tension of the over-political “sermons" of my progressive peers in the mainline and the call to name evil and admonish my flock. I, too, am being called to be bolder in my preaching.
@marmanold I get that tension. I think one way of navigating through this is considering carefully how we casting politics and political policies in our narratives. Are they either the ultimate villian or hero? Either one is problematic. Are they the primary means by which we accomplish our mission as the church, or the obstacle that deserves the most attention and effort? Again, this gets things out of perspective. If the Gospel of the Lordship of Jesus Christ is front-and-center (and explicit, not just an implicit assumption), we are less likely to make the mistakes we see in "progressive" Christianity AND with the "traditional values/fundamentalist" crowd. It is a crazy and--honestly--scary time to be in the pulpit for me. I have failed in navigating this tension well many times. I need the grace and mercy and power of God so desparately in my preaching.