Politics, no pun intended, is the invisible elephant in the corner of many churches. Moral and ethical issues are on the line in many elections, and plenty of churchgoers wonder how much of an obligation they have to vote based on moral issues. If they feel abortion is wrong, does that mean they have a responsibility to vote for a pro-life candidate even if they disagree with all the candidate’s other policies? 

Pastors should not force or pressure a congregation to vote a certain way, but they should be willing to discuss political issues with members of their congregations. Bible studies should not have to tiptoe around hot button topics such as LGBT issues or abortion. Christians are meant to live out their faith in the modern world, but doing so sometimes comes with internal conflict as Christians wonder where and how to draw the line between “love they neighbor” and disapproval of a coworker or family member’s lifestyle. Such things need to be discussed in church lest devout Christians be left to flounder helplessly in a political climate that is already predisposed to be hostile toward them.