So how are you responding in the midst of these uncertain chaotic times? Are you going from one podcast or meme to another? Are you siloing more deeply into your comfortable tribe? Or are you too fed up with everything that you are just going into emotional dissonance. Maybe you are part of the almost 30 million Christians who may not vote in 2024. (Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Research Center study) Or the wildest I have heard is that almost 10 million hunters do not vote.

Jesus entered into the world even in more uncertain and chaotic times. Mark records His message about good news in one verse, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) The scripture tells us that Jesus came into the world at just the right time in history. When Jesus preached, “The time is fulfilled,” it was a very loaded statement. Not only was it the right time according to God’s grand salvation plan for the world. It was also perfectly right in that it fulfilled many prophecies and catapulted the world into a whole new era as Jesus and the Holy Spirit launched the Church. And now the Church that is to represent Jesus and His Kingdom on earth is to exist in the midst of worldly governments and rulers. This has taken on many different forms and many different conflicts through the ages. So, in our current confusion, chaos and conflict how can we be a stable and powerful force in the culture, to be the “city on the hill,” and “salt and light,” in obedience to our Lord’s commands?

(1) Clarify the Gospel in our Heart

First, I believe we need to clarify the Gospel in our heart. The Church’s understanding of and teaching of the Gospel needs to be renewed and strengthened. Three major aspects that for years have been missing are that the Gospel at its core is first about King Jesus and His coming Kingdom not primarily about our individual experience of salvation. And that at Jesus’ first coming He inaugurated the reign of His kingdom on earth now and has tasked the Church to carry out His mission until He returns with the fullness of His kingdom. And finally, we have to recover in the Gospel that heaven is not ultimately up in the sky, but Jesus is coming back to reign here over all nations and that the Father will bring at the right time the fullness of heaven to earth. All of these have huge ramifications for the Gospel’s work in our heart and soul.

(2) Beware of the Crowd

Second, I believe we need to learn from the Gospel writers how they described the crowd and its influence over people, culture and politics. This needs to be deeply thought through in the Church today. Jesus never catered to the crowd. He called people out of the crowd to follow Him intimately as a disciple. Jesus preached the crowd down, whereas for years we have preached to maintain the crowd. We have believed that if there is a crowd there is fruit and health, but Jesus focused on individual deliverance and transformation and leadership health of a few. The Gospels and Jesus’ teaching make clear that there is danger in the crowd, for the crowd is fickle and can easily become a mob. Today, the power of the crowd has media and technology to fuel its dangers even more ubiquitously. So, beware of the crowd, pursue intimate Christian fellowship over being entertained and be a follower rather than just a Jesus admirer. Jesus doesn’t want admirers, He wants followers.

(3) Let the Gospel and Understanding about the Crowd Inform our Politics

Third, I believe we can take a renewed understanding of the Gospel and insight into the power of the crowd to inform our view and involvement in politics. Christians who have grown up in America most likely have been more deeply discipled into a political party and ideology than they have into the glorious Gospel. So, the first critical step is to become aware of this and take intentional action to change this. Most would say that the scriptures and faith primarily dictate their politics, but this is not very evident. Another task that we all can start immediately is to pray. Genuinely pray for both candidates and leaders on all sides. Let our speech always be respectful and genuinely desiring to understand others perspectives – this is truth and love. Take time to test everything we stand for and promote with the scriptures. Let God speak to us before we speak to others. And if we start to do these things and encourage each other we will be better prepared to get actively involved and vote. And we should be involved and we should vote. It is a God given blessing and stewardship – may we all be faithful.