When dc talk No Longer Talks: The CCM RECKONING

Thoughts From a Childhood Fan & Pastor

It was 1999, and years after my initial commitment to Christ, I was taken to a Christian bookstore up the road from our house where I was introduced to the world of Contemporary Christian music. I was reluctant to even try to listen to Christian music, but it was suggested that I give this band, dc talk, a try. I bought their album, Supernatural, and I was hooked. I can honestly say looking back now, that God used dc talk’s Supernatural album to do something supernatural in me. The three voices of dc talk blended with melodic symmetry in a powerful way and with the deep lyrics throughout the songs of that album, it helped take my relationship with God to a new stratosphere. I listened to songs from the album every single morning on the way to my high school for two years. I thought about God a lot more and was inspired to be more passionate about my faith from my childhood “Jesus Freak” heroes: TobyMac, Michael Tait and Kevin Max. But the legacy of dc talk for me and for many others has suffered irreparable harm with the series of bombshell revelations and allegations concerning Michael Tait that have come to the surface this past summer.

If you’ve been off the grid with CCM buzz for the last several months or in denial, allow me to help bring you up to speed. In January of this year, Michael Tait, frontman and lead singer for the Newsboys, abruptly announced his departure from the band in a social media post that didn’t mention any specific reason for this decision. What was clear was that the Newsboys were caught off guard by the decision and there were rumors circulating online that this was about more than taking time off or starting a new musical chapter. Still, the Newsboys scrambled to move forward, re-recording music that had previously been done with Tait’s vocals and questions swirling Michael Tait’s abrupt exit seemed to fade into the background for months until news broke from the Roy’s Report that Faith Live Canada, a Christian promoter, was canceling the Newsboys upcoming summer tour due to the sinking ticket sales and the lack of transparency concerning Michael’s exit.

Then, just a few days later, allegations involving a series of incidents involving Michael Tait sexually assaulting men began being published, again starting with the Roy’s Report, over the course of several weeks which really felt like a gut punch to read. Each allegation has taken me further through some of the stages of grief, going from disbelief to depression to anger. Tait confessed in a social media post in the initial wave of allegations to having “touched men in an unwanted sensual way” and rightly called it sin, and I remember being taken by how he seemed to own what he did unlike so many other Christian leaders that get caught in scandal. But my admiration was too soon, as Tait did not go far enough in his confession. Subsequent allegations published have shown, not just a pattern of immoral behavior, but criminal behavior, with detailed allegations involving drugging victims, molesting them, and drugging a woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted while Tait watched. It was sickening to me. I went from being shocked to sad to angry at the alleged actions of someone whose voice and message had inspired me for decades.

The latest allegations against Tait date back to the dc talk years, and with that, something that meant so much and had a special place in my heart has been tarnished. If Michael Tait is guilty of the several allegations of criminal conduct that have been alleged, he should go to prison, and some hard questions need to be asked. Why has TobyMac and so many other leading Christian artists chosen to stay silent? Their silence is deafening. This scandal is not just about Michael Tait, but about a culture surrounding this industry that allows this kind of behavior to continue for decades, even as many inside the industry have seemed to acknowledge was, at least to some degree, well known. It should be concerning to every Christian who loves Christian music when a scandal of this magnitude from one of the main pillars of one of the most successful pioneering CCM bands of all time plays out like the Harvey Weinstein story. The world is certainly watching and the ripple effects of failing to face the reckoning that this moment demands will hurt the name and cause of Christ.

If there is one thing that the Bible makes clear, it’s that God is passionate about His name, that He is passionate about bringing justice where there has been injustice, that He is angry when anyone harms His children, and that what is done in darkness will be brought to light. The CCM world needs to be reminded that there is an audience of One and that all of us will be held accountable one day to the One. Is our priority being on song charts, getting fame and earning fortune or is it bringing glory to our Creator through our gifts? There needs to be a reckoning that demands that this story, this scandal and this moment is not ignored, covered up or buried until time passes but rather that there are real conversations throughout the industry on how to ensure that victims are always heard rather than ignored, that transparency is encouraged from management to band members, and that above all, integrity is cherished for there is no greater song that the world will notice more than the way we live. As Scripture says, “You are a letter from Christ” (2 Corinthians 3:3).

Yet sadly, the Newsboys have chosen to respond to this reckoning that calls for sincere reflection by suing the Christian promoter that stood for all those things, Faith Live Canada, because that sure helps Christian witness, eh? That speaks volumes of exactly what is wrong with the CCM world. A Christian band going after a Christian promoter for doing the right and honest thing. The world is watching, and when someone like Netflix inevitably one day does a documentary on this mess, how will the story end? Now is the time of choosing for the CCM industry. Some have called for the CCM world to burn to the ground, but I do not believe that’s what God wants or is doing through all this. It sure does need good refining though, and we all have a part to play in that process. Christian music fans should speak up and demand accountability and transparency from everyone and every artist who was remotely involved in this scandal and every Christian music artist should do so with some sincere reflection on what matters most and who it’s all supposed to be for.

For now, I was in my church office and had a framed photo with the autographs of all three members of dc talk. I recently took it down. The other day, I heard a dc talk song on the radio, and I just could not listen to it anymore, knowing what I know now. It is ironic, because decades ago, I did the same thing with some secular artists I used to listen to.

“The greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” -Brennan Manning, featured on dc talk’s “Jesus Freak” album

Pastor Stephen Mitchell is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Maryland. He also is the host of a regular podcast, Real Christian Talk with Pastor Steve, available on all podcast platforms.

A Plea for Pastors to Not Become Partisans

By: Pastor Stephen Mitchell

Growing up, one of my evangelical superheroes was always the Reverend Billy Graham. I personally came to faith in Christ as a teenager watching one his many televised crusades, where thousands of people would respond to his presentation of the Gospel and the anointing and power of his preaching was always inspiring to me. Graham was well known in our culture and had unique access to political power throughout his several decades long ministry. Is it any wonder then that I was drawn to reading a book years ago called, The Preacher and the Presidents, about Billy Graham’s relationships with every US President from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.

The book was a fascinating read, with each chapter focusing on Graham’s unique access and relationship with each President, talking about the different spiritual pastoral counsel the minister would give, and what was surreal was that he had a bridge with republican and democrat presidents alike, something that is hard to fathom in today’s politically polarizing world. Yet what stuck out the most to me was Billy Graham’s regrets toward the end of his life and ministry career, which the book and subsequent interviews revealed, concerning the evangelist’s relationship with politics.

“If I had to do it over again, I would have avoided any semblance of involvement in partisan politics. An Evangelist is called to do one thing and one thing only: Proclaim the Gospel”, Graham said in an interview in his later years. The irony is of course that with a recent federal filing, the IRS has announced changes in its interpretation of the Johnson amendment that will make it a lot easier for pastors, Christian leaders and churches to do the very thing that Billy Graham warned against. Pastors are now permitted to make political endorsements from the pulpit without fear of their respective churches losing their tax-exempt status. Supporters of these changes argue that some churches and clergy have long been doing this anyway, while others have been subtly going in this direction in recent years. Some even frame this change as a win for religious freedom, as though preachers have been muzzled from being able to address issues like abortion and sexuality from the pulpit, but is that true? I know I’ve never shied away from addressing tough topics through a biblical lens, and we should always do that. But is it a good and wise thing for clergy to blatantly endorse political candidates?

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, I always found it fascinating that the Devil, of all things, showed Jesus earthly power, in a bid to distract him from his mission on earth, and then it dawned on me that the allure of political power has sadly and tragically, seldom been a temptation the church has resisted throughout its history. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely, and marrying Christianity with political power never ends well, for what matters most. The resolve that the Son of God demonstrated in the face of this temptation was a reminder that I believe we need to be reminded of: “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10). Pastor and author, John Piper, posted on X following the election last November, “Here are the Presidential election results: God has spared us one evil and now tests us with another. “Worship the Lord your God and Serve Him only”.

As an evangelical Pastor, I believe the church in America is now at a watershed moment where we must decide who we will worship and what message we believe we are called to proclaim. The Scriptures are clear: we are called to preach the Word of God, not partisan political talking points, we are to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not to endorse political candidates and even if it’s currently legal to become blatantly political in the pulpit, it’s spiritually dangerous and would be detrimental to our mission, to our witness and to our focus. The Great Commission given to us by Jesus Christ is to win hearts and minds with the good news of the Gospel, not win elections or attain political power. If there is one thing the Devil would love more than anything else, it’s for us to be more passionate about talking about politics than talking about Jesus.

A couple of weeks ago, we drove our kids to a well-known civil war battlefield, and talked to them about how more Americans died fighting each other than in any other war we’ve fought in. Sadly, we live in polarizing times in 2025, with our society rapidly losing the concept that one can agree to disagree on big issues in a civil way. The church is one of the last bastions left in our country where people’s politics should be set aside to come together in loving unity and community, all the while learning more about what it means to know and follow Jesus Christ. However, if the church becomes tainted with blatant partisan politics, the church will look like the world with polarizing division. The church is supposed to be a refuge from the world, not an imitation of it. Jesus said the world would know we are Christians by our love and unity, what will become of that if the litmus test for fellowship is no longer what you believe but who you vote for?

The Bible says there is only one name who can save, one name who truly brings us hope and one name that will outlast the pyramids, and that name is Jesus. If we become partisan from the pulpit and the church is used as merely another campaign stop for politicians, our focus will no longer be on advancing the spiritual kingdom we are called to represent and expand in a world that so desperately needs the salvation and hope Jesus offers. My plea to my fellow pastors is this: Let’s stick to the word of God and leave partisan politics for the pundits. In a world where everything seems to be becoming politicized, let’s refuse to allow our Lord and Savior to become politicized. Jesus is no one’s political mascot.

“Evangelists can’t be closely identified with any party or person. We must stand in the middle, in order, to preach to all people, right and left.”- Billy Graham

Pastor Stephen Mitchell is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Maryland. He also is the host of a podcast, Real Christian Talk with Pastor Steve, available on all podcast platforms.

The Call of the Christian in 2025

The call of the Christian in 2025

By: Pastor Stephen Mitchell

My wife and I recently got a new edition of the video game, ‘The Oregon Trail’, for our family Nintendo switch. If you are not familiar with, The Oregon Trail is a video game all about settlers heading out to journey on the Oregon trail traveling West through all challenges that came for those who would take the journey. When we first started playing, sure enough, someone in our fictional wagon party died quickly of dysentery and was given a tombstone that read: “Here lies Charles- where there is love there is dysentery.” Yet playing the fun fictional game got me thinking about the many hardships and difficulties that those who would brave the journey west had to endure to reach their destination. Many did not make it. And that got me wondering, in a spiritual sense, what kind of challenges do Christians in America have to face in 2025?

Following the 2024 Presidential Election results, Pastor and Author John Piper posted on X (formerly known as Twitter): “Having delivered us from one evil, God now tests us with another. ‘The Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:3).” What did he mean by that? I believe he meant that with the return of Donald Trump to the White House, most evangelical Christians breathed a sigh of relief, with the expectation that religious freedom will be more secure, and that perhaps there might be a reprieve to some degree from the cultural clash against Christian values and beliefs in our country. However, even so, that does not mean there are no challenges facing Christians in America. In fact, the obstacles we face in some ways are more nuanced and subtle so that we may not even realize what we are going to be dealing with moving forward.

I was recently having breakfast with a fellow Pastor and friend, discussing the issues of the moment we live in and what the greatest challenge now is facing Christianity in America in 2025. He thought for a moment in between bites at Dennys and said, “The greatest threat to Christianity in America at this moment is losing what it means to be Christian.” Seeing the true message of Christianity get hijacked or misused or minimized or weaponized are what we need to be watchful of. The credibility and authenticity of our Gospel witness is at stake. What does it mean to be a Christian in 2025? What does it look like to follow Jesus amid a “crooked and perverse generation” (Philippians 2:15) that is highly polarizing, divided, and angry and how can we stick out for the right reasons on this journey we happen to be on toward our destination?

A Christian is an alien, a stranger, a pilgrim whose identity is to be found not in a political or ideological tribe nor in any of the other spectrums that society tells us to base our identity from but rather a Christian’s identity is in Christ. We are citizens, ultimately not of America or this world, but citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) and we are here to build a spiritual kingdom while we are here, not a physical, national, political, or ideological one. We are Christians first, Americans second, and political third, and it must be in that order. This world and this incredible country we love is not our real home and must not be our primary focus.

We belong to a heavenly country and a strong indicator of whether we have our identity where it should be is whether we desire that heavenly country and long for the home of heaven. We are part of a family, a community of believers that are not just local, or national, but global and while the world around us is divided, we must remain united by our common bond: The cross and our need for the forgiveness of the Savior who was on that cross.

A Christian should have compassion as well as conviction. Christ implores us to not be indifferent to the plight of the hurting and helpless around us. Jesus said how we treat them, reflects how we treat Him. The tendency in 2025 is to demonize the ‘other’ to the extent that one forgets that every human being is made in the image of God, and every human being is loved by Jesus Christ and therefore, should be loved by us. We must remember what happened to Jonah, the Old Testament Prophet, who was so filled with hate for his enemy that he initially refused to even share the message God gave him for the people of Nineveh. The God of the Bible is compassionate, and His people must be characterized by this as well.

A Christian also, however, must also adhere to biblical conviction. In a world that claims we cannot be compassionate and loving if we do not affirm and condone that which God in the Bible condemns creates the conundrum facing us today. A Christian must be compassionate and loving but not at the expense of biblical truth, even if it earns us being unfriended, unfollowed and unliked. Jesus walked in grace and truth, and we must do the same.

Finally, a Christian is called to share the Gospel with a lost and hurting world. Jesus is not an option; He is the answer for all our dilemmas. The problem and challenge before us is to not let the Good News of God loving the world so much He gave His Son to be lost in the noise of the drama, confusion, angst, and polarization of our time. If winning is everything, God wants us to be about winning souls for His Kingdom. That is what He’s up to in 2025 and that’s what we should be up to as well.

A Christian should reflect Christ in all that we say and do, so that we bear His name with honor.

“Proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”- 1 Peter 2:9

Pastor Stephen Mitchell is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Severna Park, Maryland. He also is the host of a regular podcast, Real Christian Talk with Pastor Steve, available on all podcast platforms.

What’s Really at Stake in This Election

By: Pastor Stephen J. Mitchell

I’ll never forget the first time I really paid attention to a Presidential election. It was the 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. The stakes were high for the direction of the country and all the pundits predicted a close election, but no one foresaw just how close it would be. I stayed up late watching the results, despite still being in high school at the time, and I went to bed late with the impression that George W. Bush had won the Presidency. I woke up the next morning and suddenly everything had changed, and it was unclear who the winner was. The next two months saw drama and division with Bush ending up in the White House but with lingering backlash to his being declared the winner. Unfortunately, since the 2000 election, it seems as though every political election year has seen the polarization and divide grow wider in our country. Americans were used to disagreeing with the other side politically, but today is different and this election that is now upon us threatens to be the ugliest aftermath we’ve seen yet.

Brett Farve posted on X recently something that resonated with what I’m observing: “In all the elections I’ve seen over my lifetime, I’ve never seen one where there was so much hate. It’s certainly sad to see.” My heart aches for America, the hateful and toxic rhetoric from both the left and right have created an environment of such hatred that the only thing both sides seem to agree on is that our republic and American democracy will implode if the other side wins. This is a dangerous game we are playing. The two visions for leading our country could not have more of a contrast and elections do have consequences. The stakes are high in a number of ways, and as a Christian who cherishes the freedoms of our country and cares deeply about a number of issues where faith and society collide, I for one, urge fellow believers to vote their conscience and participate in the political process, but I also would caution that we must be mindful of the stakes this election poses for our witness.

What do I mean? There is something that will long outlast the results of this election and that is our Christian witness, namely, how we represent Jesus Christ and the Gospel amid a pivotal polarizing time in modern American history. Are we called to be partisans or prophets speaking the truth in love? Will we adopt an identity centered around our political opinions and affiliation or will we keep our identity centered on Christ? Which citizenship takes precedence: American or Heavenly? Will we allow theological truths to be used as political slogans and for Jesus Christ to be used as a political mascot to help achieve political power all at the expense of the credibility and sincerity of our message? Is winning elections more important to us than winning souls for the Kingdom of God?

Do we see those who have yard signs with political messages we disagree with as the enemy who should be hated and demonized or do we see them as our neighbor who we are called to love? Is our hope and trust in a political figure or outcome for this election or is our hope and trust in Christ alone who the Bible says is, “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (1 Timothy 6:15) which really means that regardless of who wins the 2024 election, Jesus Christ remains on the sovereign throne of history. Christianity is not partisan cannon fodder; its message is the only hope for the world. Jesus of Nazareth and the Gospel will never fit into the mold of a political tribe, whether on the left or right. The Gospel will step on the toes of liberal and conservative in different ways. The Church will prevail no matter what the outcome of this election may be. A Christian should be led by hope not fear, and how we respond to this moment will have ripple effects for how a generation perceives evangelical Christianity and its message.

We’ve been told that this election will be the most pivotal and consequential in modern American history. While we have been told that several elections now, there is a lot of truth to how much of an impact the outcome of this political contest will be for America and for the world, and for the church for that matter. There are major concerns evangelicals have for different issues that this election could affect. But what we also need to consider is this: What will be the impact of our witness for Jesus with how we view and respond to this moment. The church has often given into the temptation before in its history to focus on attaining the ring of power at the expense of the Sermon on the Mount, as Brian Zahnd said. Let’s resolve to remember a few things as we vote our conscience and as this election unfolds:

Let’s remember that we are Christians first, Americans second, and republicans or democrats third. Let’s remember that we are called to be prophets in this age, not partisans. Let’s remember that while we should vote, we should not place our hope and trust in any political figure or political outcome, because our hope is in Christ alone. Let’s remember to not hate or demonize those who vote differently or believe differently than we do. And finally let’s remember that Jesus is Lord and on the throne of History. While elections do have consequences, the fate of the kingdom of God does not depend on the outcome of an election. Jesus already won.

It’s Getting Dark: We Need to Shine the Light this November

By: Pastor Stephen Mitchell

Fall is upon us. Slowly but surely, temperatures are starting to cool. Leaves are starting to change color and images of fall décor are starting to come out. Yet, the other day while walking our dog, I came across a sight that I must admit I’ve never seen this early before: Christmas décor put outside in September. The memes and jokes every year as the holiday season approaches are about how early is too early to start playing Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas” but this neighbor beat the retail stores this year. Then, I thought to myself, whelp, 2024 might be the year to begin focusing on the light of hope surrounding Jesus Christ because things have been getting darker as of late. It’s not only fall that is upon us, so is election season, and not just a typical presidential election but one filled with ugly rhetoric, assassination attempts, divisiveness, and dread from both sides about whatever the outcome could be. With this election bringing out the worst in us, with anger and fear in the air, how should followers of Jesus respond? Jesus tells how: “Let your light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16).

American politics has always been a rough sport, but it’s gotten particularly ugly in recent years. Don’t believe me? Watch YouTube videos of CSPAN Presidential debates from 30 years ago and compare them to our recent ones. Biblically, God tends to give us the leaders we deserve. After all, in American politics our leaders are elected to represent us, but they also reflect us. Our country is divided, our society is fractured and the love of many has grown cold. Right is called wrong and wrong is called right. There has never been a better time in modern day America for those who claim to follow Jesus to live like they do, there has never been a better opportunity to share the good news of the Gospel in an environment that thrives on negative news. There’s never been a better time to show our fellow neighbor the love of Christ than now, even if they have a sign in their yard for a politician you don’t like or share a message you disagree with. Come this November, we have the chance to practice what the Bible tells us: “Be Kind to all” (Ephesians 4:32), no matter how ugly the aftermath of this election becomes.

This November, we can show those around us, what our hope in Jesus looks like, especially if the outcome of this election is not how we’d like it to be or there is uncertainty in the air. One thing both the left and right have agreed on is that the sky will fall and our republic as we know it will end if the other side wins. Yet if one follows Jesus and believes the Bible, and approaches the upcoming election with a Christian worldview, we can have confidence in the face of uncertainty that no matter who is President, Jesus is King. Recently, I attended a D-Day commemoration event for the heroes who saved our democracy. At the event, I was interviewed by an Italian reporter who asked my thoughts on the upcoming presidential election, and I shared my concerns. My concerns about the state of politics in general and of this election but I told him ultimately, I’m optimistic because of my faith in God’s providential hand over history. The only hope for America and the world is Jesus Christ, not Kamala Harris or Donald Trump.

Politics does matter and Christians should vote their conscience and participate in the political process, as there are issues where our faith and politics collide, but we must be careful not to fall into political idolatry. If you are more passionate about talking about politics than talking about Jesus, you’ve put your hope in a political figure rather than Him and that is misguided, and you will be disappointed. If you’re more concerned about winning elections than winning souls, you’ve lost sight of our mission and our identity. We belong to a heavenly King and country first and foremost. We are Christians first, Americans second and political third and it should always be in that order.

As November approaches, let’s meet this moment with grace and truth, with peace and love. No matter how ugly this election outcome could become or how frightening or disappointing it may be, let us resolve now to keep our eyes on Jesus and to be the light in the darkness. Finally, be sure to pray. America is going to need it.

“For the true King is on his throne and ever shall be.”-Anonymous

Democracy in America is On Suicide Watch

By: Pastor Stephen Mitchell

This past memorial weekend felt different for me. I was taking my dog for a walk on a beautiful sunny day and was noticing the sights and sounds of Memorial Day weekend. The community pool was open for the first time this year, and you could hear kids having fun. You could smell the grill as neighbors were grilling, and what stood out the most to me were the several houses flying the stars and stripes. Yet the irony, for me, was that while this looked and seemed like just another Memorial weekend where we remember the sacrifices that secured our freedoms and enjoyed the unofficial start to summer, this isn’t like any other Memorial Day weekend in our lifetime. We are well underway in a Presidential election year, but 2024 isn’t just another election year. American democracy as we know it is on a collision course that could bring about a full constitutional crisis the likes of which we have never seen in modern American history. It could well unravel our republic and it could fundamentally reshape our system of Government and the role the United States has in the world. Some even fear we could be headed for some kind of civil unrest or civil war. And yet most of us are either in denial, or disconnected from seeing where this seems to be heading.

Years ago, my family and I had the privilege of visiting Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence, and it was surreal for a history lover such as myself to be in the room where America’s founding fathers debated and dialogue to declare freedom and independence as a nation. What stuck with me the most from the visit though was what our tour guide said before we left. She talked about the Constitutional Convention and what Benjamin Franklin is purported to have said when asked whether America will now be a monarchy or a republic, he said “A republic, if you can keep it.” The tour guide reminded all of us of the challenge that is set forth to each generation to ensure that our republic continues, and that democracy prevails. The problem is that, as John Adams is also quoted to have said, “There never has been a democracy yet that hasn’t committed suicide.” And if one has been paying attention, America seems to be headed that way unless something changes.

Maybe that sounds like a drastic statement to make. But let’s look at the signs and symptoms we can see. We’ve gone from political gridlock to political polarization. Both the far left and far right view each other and those who vote according to their political ideology as a greater existential threat to America than outside geo-political threats like Russia or China. Our elections have increasingly been distrusted, with some on the left objecting to the election results of 2004 and 2016 with most republican voters on the right to this day rejecting the results of the 2020 election. Both the far left and far right have elements which seem to want to impose a form of government that is closer to authoritarianism on those who have views that diverge from the majority. And even though most Americans don’t want a rematch to the 2020 election, it appears a sequel is at hand this fall. If we do not respect those who have different views than we do, if we are not willing to dialogue with those who belong to the ‘other side’ and if we don’t have mutual commitment to the rule of law, the results of our elections and the peaceful transfer of power, Houston we have a problem.

As our country seems to be sleepwalking toward some kind of reckoning, where does this leave the church? What role should Christians play? Which ‘side’ should we be on? Where does our identity lie? First and foremost, we must remember that we are Christians first, Americans second and we are republicans or democrats, liberals, or conservatives third. If one is true to the Bible, we cannot fit entirely within any political or ideological tribe. While we should certainly do all we can to vote according to our conscience, we should never lose sight of a simple yet important truth: Neither Trump nor Biden can save America. Neither party having more power is going to save America. There is no political savior or messiah who can deliver the church from an increasingly hostile culture. And even though Jesus himself dealt with this, that hasn’t stopped us from looking for one. What America needs is true revival, to sweep through our broken and dying land, to win over hearts and minds to Jesus Christ, and we should do our part to welcome revival beginning within us, our marriages, our homes, our churches.

The Bible never prescribes a form of Government. Governments and Empires and Superpowers, we are told in the book of Daniel, come, and go, permitted under the sovereignty of God to exist for a time until the end of time when Jesus Christ will return and reign in glory. And yet, while we wait and hope for that culmination at the end of history, I would put forward that we as Christians should cherish and pray for the continuation of democracy in America. Why? Because whether it’s from the far left or far right, authoritarianism will prove to bring more distress for our cause and for the church. Even now around the world, there are authoritarian governments in power that are hostile to Christianity and to the church, shutting churches down, arresting pastors and even bringing death for practicing Christians in some countries. What of an authoritarian government that is friendly to evangelical Christianity? Would that be so bad? Every instance of that in history has led to the church compromising its witness and worse, being complicit in abhorrent acts that go against what we profess to value and believe. Gaining political power is not our mission. Betraying the Gospel to get it leads to short term gains but big picture tragedy with what matters most.

At this time of year, we often say, “Freedom isn’t Free”. It isn’t. Maybe this year we should add, Freedom is worth keeping.

“Aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may live properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

A Time of Choosing

Reflection from Pastor Stephen Mitchell for 2024

New year’s is always fun in our household. Games, snacks all day, the Twilight Zone marathon on Syfy, a toast and of course watching the countdown in Times Square. This year, our small kids stayed up with us and we had so much fun together as a family, excited and hyped as the ball began to drop and we saw the digits for the new year light up. Still, beneath my excitement, there was some apprehension and almost some nervousness building within me alongside the anticipation, because 2024, for anyone who has been paying attention, is going to be a very pivotal year of choosing. It will be a time of choosing for our country, with what will likely be an intense and chaotic election year, and it will be a time of choosing for evangelical Christians, for what our response will be to this moment and what our message and focus will be be as our nation and world reels with uncertainty, chaos, fear, division, and anger. What will be the hope of the Christian? What will we be known for? What matters the most? These are all major questions that this year we will need to answer, for ourselves, and for the world that is watching.

My wife and I recently watched a movie that resonated with us. It centered around a family that rented a house to get away from, only soon after their vacation started, the family they rented the house from returns to it, as bizarre things start happening. Wi-fi goes down, technology that we’ve become largely dependent on stops working, loud screeching noises occur, animals behave strangely, and leaflets are being dropped by drones in a foreign language warning of, ‘Death to America’. As these two families, one white and one black, struggle with trusting each other to try and figure out what is happening, and if “normal will ever come back”, things go from bad to worse with one of the kids from one of the two families getting a mysterious illness. Who can they turn to for help? Eventually they head to a loner for help, known for being a survivalist preparing for an apocalyptic freefall of society.

As they ask him for help, at first, he refuses, saying to them, “Haven’t you been paying attention to what’s been going on out there”? Things get intense as the loner survivalist threatens to shoot them despite having known one of the families for years. The confrontation turning into violence is narrowly averted but it causes one of the main central characters of the movie to reflect on what he believes is happening. He speculates that individuals or groups have committed cyber terrorism to spread disinformation and use our divisions against each other so that we would descend into all out civil war and chaos. The movie was frightening but not because of its scary moments or plot but because of how realistic it seemed. As said in the movie, have we been paying attention to what is going on out there?

America is heading not just to an inflection point, but a collision point of sorts and the fate of our democracy and republic as we know it is at stake, and ironically, that is something the far political right and left can agree on, but for vastly different reasons and interpretations of reality. Our nation’s fragile experiment is in peril as our political and ideological tribalism has continued to further divide our nation to such a degree that as a God-fearing patriot, I am concerned for what future America my children will be growing into adults in. Once visiting Independence Hall in Philadelphia, we were reminded by the tour guide of Benjamin Franklin’s quip and warning that we have a republic, “if we can keep it.” Will we be able to keep our republic and preserve the peaceful transfer of power? This is the question that is before us as citizens.

But there is another question that is before us as Christians. Will we in 2024 be able to keep our witness? Will we be able to maintain authenticity to the outside world? Will we be able to vote our conscience and stand up for what we believe in but without violating what we believe in? Will we stay on mission with carrying out the Great commission or will we be more passionate in sharing partisan opinion? Will we see those we disagree with on major things as demons who should be hated or as human beings who are loved and wanted by God, enough that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ for them? Will we stay loyal to Jesus Christ, or will we be willing to be disloyal to Him, trading His message for another, and choose to get caught up in the heat of the partisan moment rather than to stand out for the light and love of Christ we should be projecting to those around us.

As Christians, the times we are living in are perilous, as the Bible forewarns. Society is on a downward moral and spiritual spiral in various tragic ways, and as always has been the case throughout history, true followers of Jesus are always called to go against the grain of culture. We should defend religious freedom, we should defend the unborn, we should be willing to stand up for what we believe in on every major issue where culture, our faith and politics collide, but we should not be willing to sell out our values and our faith for the sake of political power and influence. We should not be willing to marry Christianity with any political figure or party, because any such marriage will be an unholy one that will inevitably lead to corruption and hypocrisy.

We must choose what our message will be to the world around us. Will it be partisan, or will it be prophetic? Will we be more enthusiastic about political bullet points to own the other side, or will we be passionate about sharing Jesus with liberals and conservatives, republicans, and democrats? Pastor Shane Pruitt said, “One of our biggest problems is that a lot of Christians are being discipled by the nightly news more than they are the Good News.” As Christians we are commissioned to share the good news that God so loved the world, He gave His Only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16), is this the message we are sending and sharing? There is a spiritual enemy that absolutely wants us to be more distracted on saving America than on saving souls, which wants us to be more about an election outcome by any means necessary than on maintaining an authentic witness to an increasingly secular and unbelieving world.

We must choose whether we will be led by fear or by hope. To be sure there are many scary and concerning things happening all around us, but repeatedly we are told not to be afraid, in fact we are told in Scripture, “Be not frightened of anything by your opponents” (Philippians 1:28), and yet it would seem as if we were afraid. Yet no matter what happens this year, or beyond, our hope and assurance is in knowing that God is ultimately sovereign over history and that ultimately, Jesus will win. Do we really believe that? Do we function as though we believe that?

We must choose whether politics will inform our faith, or our faith will inform our politics. We must not allow our faith to be hijacked and used to manipulate others into cannon fodder for political ambition and power or be reduced to a left vs. right political and ideological struggle. As Rich Villodas said, “The church is not to be found at the center of a left/right political world. The church is to be a species of its own kind, confounding left, right, and so-called middle, and finding its identity from the center of God’s life.”

Do we want as evangelical Christians to be identified by the outside world for how we vote and who we support in an election or by how we live and how we love and how we speak the truth in love? That is the choice we must make in 2024…

“Choose this day whom you will serve.”-Joshua 24:15

The Choices Christians Have To Make

By: Pastor Stephen Mitchell

A few years ago, a friend of mine from High school who used to consider herself a Christian, encouraged me to check out a book that she thought I would like. The book was called The Unlikely Disciple and to this day it is one of my favorite reads because it offers a unique perspective, a perspective that recently came to mind in reflection with the times in which we live. The book centers around a college student from Brown University who decides that instead of doing a semester abroad in a foreign country, he would instead do a semester in an environment that is just as foreign to him: Attending Liberty University.

Kevin Roose, the author, and central figure of the book, pretends to be a Christian, even though he is himself agnostic and politically and ideologically liberal, and he writes about the perception he has of evangelical Christians from spending a few months at the largest conservative Christian college in America. The book was not an attack on Christianity at all, but the experience of reading the book was like looking in a mirror and seeing how outsiders to the faith see us. It was an honest look from his interactions with other students and seeing what we are really like, what we profess to believe in and how much our actual walk matches our talk. The truth of the book that echoes in my heart for what has been burdening me recently for the church in America is a simple yet profound truth: The world is watching us.

Ronald Reagan once said, “You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children, this, the last best hope of man on earth or we will sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.” Reagan was talking about America and the Cold War, but the essence of that message speaks to the crossroads moment that I believe Evangelical Christianity faces here in America in 2023. In case you’ve been living under a rock, we are in trouble in many ways. America is divided and teetering, our society is collapsing, Judeo-Christian influence seems to be eroding, and while it is certainly perilous times in which we find ourselves, it is also the opportunity of a lifetime for every believer in Jesus and for the church at large. The question is, how will we respond to this moment?

Christians can stand out or blend in, we can speak up or shut up, we can live out and reach out to others with an authentic faith in Jesus or we can damage the name of Jesus. We can either hold to compromise our convictions or stand by them, we can either show others compassion or we can give into the undercurrent of anger and lack of civility that increasingly seems to be dominating our culture. Jesus called Christians to be the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. The question facing us is whether we will rub off on the world or whether the world will rub off on us.

America is more divided than at any time since before the Civil War, so is the church rising to this moment with displaying Christian unity or will the church itself and Christians become as divided with each other over secondary issues and over politics to an extent to where we look as divided to the world as our country is? Our culture is clearly sick and confused, seen clearly in topics like Sexuality, Gender, and Abortion rights, will we speak the truth in love, or will we in the name of love omit biblical truth or in the name of proclaiming truth, leave out love?

Our society is becoming increasingly toxic, and polarizing seen especially over the mass shootings plaguing our nation, the cyclical debates over the causes of them and over continued injustices in our society, are we going to be “kind and tenderhearted” (Ephesians 4:32) or will we be just as hateful, nasty, and tribal? With the cultural crescendo we are amid which Covid seemed to accelerate, and with the 2024 Presidential Election cycle upon us, America and the church in America have arrived at an inflection point where it needs to be asked: What is our mission? What do we want to be known for? How will we respond to this moment? Will we as Christians be counter cultural or will we get caught up in the culture wars raging around us?

The far left pushes a message, in part, that will conflict with what the Bible says when it pushes its agenda on Sexuality, Gender ideology and euphemisms that minimize the barbaric nature of abortion but the far right pushes, in part, a message of political retribution and nationalism that conflicts with the sermon on the Mount and that can cause us to forget that ours is a spiritual kingdom to advance not an earthly one. The truth is the church, and the Christian should not be able to fit entirely with any political or ideological camp because the Gospel is above all that and both liberals and conservatives need Jesus Christ.

Christians should be careful to remember Jonah, who was so caught up in demonizing the other side and so filled with anger and vitriol to the oppressive people of Nineveh that he ran from carrying out his mission to proclaim God’s message of compassion and warning of Judgement because truth be told, he hated them too much and wanted them to perish. Christians, Jesus said should be known for their genuine love for each other and for the outsider to the faith. We must not lose sight of our mission given by Jesus Christ, which is not to gain political power or influence at all costs but rather to proclaim the life changing power of the Gospel of Christ, in the hope it will change hearts and minds and in so doing, ultimately change the world. Jesus does not say in Matthew 24 that He will return for the church once it’s sufficiently proclaimed political and ideological talking points or once enough elections have been won. Jesus said He will return once the Gospel has been shared with everyone.

For anyone watching, it seems to be clear, not only that we are in for difficult times ahead as a country and world but that our politics are ugly and getting uglier from all sides. We must stand out by not allowing the toxicity of our cultural and political climate to rub off on us, we need to rub off on it. And while, certainly, Christians can and should participate in the political process and vote our conscience, may we be careful not to betray our values and beliefs in the name of advancing them.

The world is watching.

“Do all things without complaining or arguing, that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:14-15).

A Thrill Of Hope

An empty manger at night under the fog.

The other day I happened to be at the grocery store and was striking up a conversation with the cashier as she was checking out my items. We were talking about the weather, and then about how the Holiday season is upon us already. When we started talking about the Holidays, her entire demeanor changed. She looked truly downcast, and she said, “I always get sad during this time of year, and I honestly don’t even know why.” At that moment, I struggled with what to say back to her. I had just paid and there was a long line behind me, so I felt pressure to hurry it up and leave, but I want to finish our conversation. I want to tell her about the reason for the season, the one reason why she can have hope during this time of year even if she is overwhelmed with sadness and depression and discouragement that this time of year triggers. But the truth is, she is far from the only one who feels the way she feels during the “most wonderful time of the year”, and we all could use reminding of where the hope, joy and peace of Christmas truly lies.

There are many reasons why the spectacle, the cheer, the shopping, and the hoopla of Christmas time can be difficult for some of us to deal with. It’s hard to have joy this time of year if you’ve lost a loved one and you’re having to walk through the holidays without that person there. It’s hard to have hope for the future if you’ve lost your job or are struggling to make ends meet. It can be tough to be excited if you’re facing major challenges in your life. It could be tough to have peace if your world is upside down, your marriage is collapsing or you’re struggling with mental health. The world around us has seen another year out of what has felt like an episode of Stranger Things between pandemic aftermath, War in Ukraine, political polarization, economic hardships, and above all, true weary fatigue from a third straight year that has read like a Stephen King novel. Where is hope? Where is Peace? Where is Joy?

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2). The true light of hope that shines in our darkness of despair comes not in the form of new appliances or new clothes from Kohls, it doesn’t come in the form of jewelry from Zales. The true light of hope that shines in our darkness of despair doesn’t come in the form of a new career, or end of year bonus or in a romantic relationship or lifestyle. It doesn’t even come with Christmas parties or Holiday traditions. It came on a dark night in the form of a baby born in a manger surrounded by animals and shepherds who now is ready to enter any heart that is open and willing to accept the greatest gift of hope ever given, the gift of a relationship with the Creator of the Universe through Jesus Christ.

“Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11). To a fearful, anxious, and weary world 2,000 years ago, the angel announced that there was “good news”, and that news is just as good and needed today as it was then, and that news brings joy to every heart that believes and receives the child born in Bethlehem. He came to save us from our sins, He came to live in us and be with us now and always. He came to offer us a peace that surpasses all understanding, a peace within, a peace during any storm in life, a peace with God. He came to bring joy to every broken, hurting, and empty heart. And through it all, He came to offer Hope. The Christ of Christmas brings us a hope amid despair, loss, and uncertainty that is not a wishful thinking type of hope, but a confident certainty that as the Christmas classic says, brings us a “thrill” of hope, and we sure could use it.

As we go through this time of year, you may have many reasons to dread it and despair in it, you only need one reason to have hope, and his name is Jesus.

“In Him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”- John 1:4-5

The Greatest Threat to Christianity in America

As a lover of Clint Eastwood westerns, it’s no wonder that a particular scene from one of my favorites, Pale Rider, came to mind recently. In the film, a group of miners are under threat from a gang of intimidating men who are determined to drive the miners off the land. They almost succeed until Clint Eastwood’s character, “Preacher”, arrives to help them. The leader of the gang arranges to meet Preacher and he attempts to bribe him. He offers to build him a beautiful church, give him lots of money, new clothes and even to give him opportunities to preach in the town square. All he would have to do is give up caring about what happens to the miners. Preacher responds to this generous attempt to lure him with a smile, and he says to the gang leader, “You can’t serve God and mammon both.” The church and specifically Evangelical Christianity are facing a similar moment of temptation and the allure that I believe is being used is the altar of partisan politics.

The Great Commission that Jesus gave His church is not to save America, but rather to save souls. Our mission is not first and foremost, to win elections or to gain political power for favorable laws on issues we feel passionate about. It’s not even to win culture wars or to advance a political and ideological movement, even if some aspects of it align with our beliefs and worldview. Our mission is not to berate and hate on those we disagree with, but rather as “Christ’s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14), our mission is to share and show Jesus Christ to our neighbors, and that is hard to do if you view your neighbor as the enemy.

To be clear, as an evangelical Christian I believe in speaking up about issues where our faith and culture collide, and I also believe it’s important for Christians to be politically involved, to participate in our democracy and to prayerfully vote for candidates for office that would best represent Christian values. But where we can get into trouble is when we attempt to marry the Gospel with politics or political ideology. We get into trouble when our identity as Christians becomes secondary to our political identity, and when we become obsessed with winning a political struggle that we neglect to do our part to win the spiritual one that is taking place every day for the hearts and minds of those around us.

Over the years, I’ve written about various threats to evangelical Christianity in our society and culture. There are many challenges facing the church today from: increasing hostility toward Judeo-Christian values to the aftermath of Covid to the latest statistics showing a concerning trend with shrinking Christian influence over the up-and-coming generations. And yet, personally, and pastorally, I believe increasing efforts to marry Christianity with partisan politics is the greatest danger and threat to the Gospel and the church in our society. It strikes at the very core of what it means to be an evangelical Christian. Are evangelicals known today in America for who they believe in and what they believe or for what politics they tend to support? Are we as passionate in talking about Jesus as we seem to be in talking about politics?

Voting a certain way or adhering to a left or right political philosophy is not the litmus test that the Bible gives for what it means to be a Christian. And yet these things are tempting the church in America to be focused more on the temporal, and less on the eternal. The biblical truth is that evangelical Christians should not be regarded as just another special interest group that can be bought but rather, we should be known as the salt of the earth and light of the world (Matthew 5:13,16). Christianity is not right wing or left wing; it goes beyond the political and ideological tribes which demand that we adhere and pledge unquestioned loyalty. Aspects of God’s word will step on the toes of liberals and aspects of God’s word will step on the toes of conservatives. The left-wing attempts to conform Jesus to its image, and the right-wing attempts to conform Jesus to its image, but if we truly follow Him, He will be conforming us to His image.

Any marriage between the cause of Christ and political power throughout church history has always led to corruption and compromise. The stakes are too high to forget who our real enemy is. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12). The opportunity to stick out and speak up for Jesus is too great to pass up. God is not looking for us to be partisans but rather prophets in the times in which we live, to speak biblical truth in love. To remember that our identity is ultimately not in who we vote for, or what political party affiliation we have but rather that we are, “Ambassadors for Christ as though God were making His appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). And we are commissioned to make that appeal to liberals and conservatives, democrats, and republicans.

As the highly upcoming contentious mid-term election cycle approaches, we are blessed to have the opportunity and responsibility to vote. As evangelical Christians, we should prayerfully vote in accordance with our conscience and with who we believe would best serve the interests we hold dear in our faith and convictions. We should absolutely be involved in the political process we are blessed to have in this great country in which we live. And we should be absolutely prepared for whoever is elected to let us down, because they will. After it’s all said and done, we will be reminded yet again, that our only true hope is Jesus.

“Almost all crimes which Christians have perpetuated against each other arise from this, that religion is confused with politics.” -C.S. Lewis

Pastor Stephen Mitchell is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Maryland. He also is the host of a regular podcast, Real Christian Talk with Pastor Steve, available on all major podcast platforms.