Attention, Evangelical Leaders Who Opposed Trump: We’re Still Waiting for an Apology by NOLAN LEWALLENÂ for Charisma News
Strikeouts, RBIs, home runs, yards rushing, yards passing, 3-pointers, free throws, fouls: These and other statistics make athletes incredibly accountable.
Unfortunately, many endeavors in life, particularly where Christian leaders are concerned, don’t carry that kind of accountability. They are far too seldom called out when they get something wrong. I’m aware of 1 Chronicles 16:22a (MEV): “Do not touch My anointed.” But does that make them infallible and therefore insulated from any kind of scrutiny? And aren’t all of us who are in Christ anointed? (See 1 John 2:20, 27.)
Paul’s Mean Tweet
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Let me be clear: I believe we’re to respect and pray for those in leadership positions (1 Tim. 2:1-2). The apostle Paul once appeared before the Sanhedrin and said to Ananias, the high priest, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!” (Acts 23:3b). That’s a pretty mean tweet! But he later apologized, saying he didn’t know Ananias was the high priest (v. 5). He respected the position, even though Ananias had him punched in the mouth.
There were many evangelical leaders who vehemently opposed Trump in 2016 and/or 2020. They include Max Lucado (author and pastor of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio), Russell Moore (then president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission) and Beth Moore (Bible teacher and president of Living Proof Ministries) to mention a few of the most prominent. I’m not attacking any of them personally or professionally; I respect the fruit they’ve produced for the kingdom of God. But they got this one dead wrong, and I think their “strike-out” stats should be brought out into the open.
Quite frankly, I believe many evangelical leaders owe the body of Christ an apology. They are influential, and in my view, at least a little implicated in this hideous position in which we find ourselves.
Blessings and Curses
Trump was the most pro-life, pro-religious freedom, pro-Christian values and pro-Israel president we’ve had in my lifetime—maybe ever.
