I take voting very seriously. I never miss an election. I follow political news extensively. Among friends I enjoy debating political issues and candidates. But I never talk about politics in our church. I feel like I'm living a dichotomy. I have yet to sort through how to join together my role as a leader in a local church with politics.

Government shapes the world we exist in. It is ordained by God to create laws that maintain peace and justice, and we should obey and pay our taxes. I have no problem praying for government leaders (1 Timothy 2). But how do I talk about politics in church settings?

This tension became very real for me when Proposition 22 was on the ballot in California back in 2000. The proposition sought to prevent the recognition of same-sex marriages by the state. At the time, I was the young adult pastor at a wonderful and loving conservative church. The leaders' hearts were golden, with a focus on evangelism, but they decided an announcement should be made in all ...