The storming of the Capitol building on January 6th and the heated and hateful rhetoric expressed over these last days and years from all corners has pushed biblically-grounded pastors into a tough spot as they try to shepherd their people from the pulpit.

No doubt, you too have friends and family on both sides of the political divide—with varying expressions of each political party. Yet, when it comes to preaching in the aftermath of riots in the nation’s Capitol and numerous cities and state capitals across the country, preachers are asking themselves, How can I preach to a politically divided congregation which reflects the immense political divide in the nation itself?

Let me suggest two realities that a preacher of the gospel is committed to as he or she demonstrates faithfulness to this gospel.

Preach Truth to Your People

Preach the truth of the centrality of the gospel

What is the truth to which we’re committed that we’re to communicate to our listeners? The gospel. What is the gospel? It is the truth of the life, death, resurrection, and promised return of Christ, who redeemed men and women from their sins—and calls them to become Christ-like. The gospel is our first commitment above anything and everything else. It informs how we live. We preach this truth to our people.

Therefore, we live our lives as Christians not for a political party—Democrat or Republican—but we live for the gospel. To be clear, neither political party is Christian. There are faithful gospel men and women in both political parties.

Scripture is clear that we are not to put our trust in this world—or we’ll be conformed to it (Rom. 12:1-2). Instead, we’re to be shaped by the gospel and commit ourselves to the kingdom of God, which isn’t the United States of America, but the kingdom of God is a much larger, expansive vision.

Preach biblical truth to move believers to maturity

In the present climate, disagreement means demonization. The polarization of opinion has created a challenge to healthy and godly discussion, even among Christians. I have seen friendships fractured and families divided because of political partisanship.

If the gospel informs our character, then the contours of the gospel are to shape how we live our lives. The prioritizing of a political position over one’s faith (even though one might think that his or her faith is equal to the political position) dare I say, is a demonstration of spiritual immaturity.

Take a look at posts on Twitter or Facebook by people who profess Christ. These posts appear to reflect more commitment to one’s political party than to the gospel. The gospel seems to be absent from their posts. Instead, what one finds is meanness, hatefulness, spitefulness, certainly not characteristics of a maturing, growing Christian (e.g., Gal. 5). Page through the New Testament and you’ll see that one of the qualities of believers is that they are to have a good reputation among those who aren’t believers (e.g., 1 Tim. 3:7). Christians who push their excessive political party priorities in a disparaging manner do damage to their reputation as a believer and to the gospel.

I write this because I come from a family where several members aren’t believers who’ve observed the politically charged actions of people who profess Christ and are turned away from the gospel because of it. Certainly, these nonbelievers might be using this conduct as an excuse to come to faith—but there’s no excuse for a believer to conduct himself or herself in a way that repels non-Christians from the gospel. Remember, as followers of Christ, we’re to embrace and live the centrality of the gospel.

Preachers, we have a responsibility to move our listeners to maturity (see Paul in Col. 1:18), helping them to see that we are to give up our rights so that others may come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

Preach about the need for gospel discernment

In a clouded atmosphere of confusion of commitment, many Christians who hold fast to their political commitments have been swept up into thinking with their emotions rather than with gospel discernment. When one places political priorities first, even the Bible is read with partisan lenses.

Last summer my wife and I were visiting a church where the Suffering Servant passage from Isaiah 53 was read. Sitting behind us was a man who spoke to his wife in a whisper that could be heard by those seated around him while the passage was being read, “Sounds like the president,” he bemoaned. The passage about “he took our infirmities” has nothing to do with anyone in political office. Such a careless interpretation reflects spiritual immaturity. Instead, we are called to teach our listeners responsible biblical interpretation. The Bible wasn’t written to affirm our political perspectives.

Gospel discernment is desperately needed, but it doesn’t come without spiritual maturity.

Additionally, gospel discernment means that we are responsible to ask probing questions about the information we receive. We want to be aware that there are those who would want to influence us for their own selfish end. We want our listeners to make biblical assessments of what they read, watch, or listen to, and not embrace unorthodox or heterodox ideas that can be used against them or against the gospel.

One of the disappointing discoveries I’ve seen among those who call themselves Christian is an uncritical assessment of the news sources they access—using the unreliable platform of Facebook as one’s sole source of news. This is a dangerous position in which to be as a believer and is a poisonous witness of the gospel. All of which demonstrates a less than mature spiritual Christianity.

Some people can’t handle the truth

When preachers make the gospel their ultimate commitment, there will be those in our congregations who’ll reject what is preached. As noted above, disagreement means demonization; you may become the enemy. Don’t be surprised that telling the truth can turn people against you.

I was guest preaching this past summer when I encountered someone after the service who wanted to engage me in conversation. During the service I had led in prayer asking the Lord to guide those who are in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Apparently, she wanted me to agree with her political position, sharing with me various conspiracy theories. When I questioned her about her sources and shared with her alternate sources and pointed her to Scripture, she became quite agitated with me—I obviously didn’t agree with her. I walked away from the conversation—that really wasn’t a conversation—feeling polluted from an exchange that rejected gospel discernment and reflected spiritual immaturity. I had become the enemy.

To quote the character Colonel Nathan R. Jessep, played by Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men, some people can’t handle—or don’t want to handle—the truth.

Preach Truth to Power

Preachers have the responsibility to preach truth to power. This means that on occasion, when political leadership flies in the face of the gospel, preachers are not afraid to address it.

African-American preachers and other minority preachers are more familiar with preaching truth to power than white preachers. Non-minority preachers can learn a lot from these preachers who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. There were preachers in other times who spoken truth to power. For one, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor who, in light of the rise of Nazism took a stand for the gospel and spoke out against Hitler and his regime in his preaching. He was executed by hanging.

Bonhoeffer’s example is extreme, yet, not as extreme as we might think. African-American preachers have encountered untold punishment for such preaching. Thousands of so-called Christians embraced the heterodoxy of Hitler’s positions. Through spiritual immaturity the church was lured into a lethargy that turned away from the power of the gospel.

Preacher, you may be rejected, scorned, even hated, but there is a need to preach truth to power.

Commitment to the Gospel

As preachers we’re called to preach truth to our people and to preach truth to power. We do so because of our commitment to the gospel.

The flocks under our care are in need of careful caring, otherwise they’ll be fleeced, used, and injured by careless manipulation by those who want to use them for their own purposes and power.

But our listeners, those who claim the name of Christ, have a responsibility to place the gospel at the center of their lives, to move toward maturity, to pray for and practice gospel discernment, and to be willing to accept the truth. We, as preachers, have the responsibility to help them get there.

Paul reminds the Philippian believers as they lived in the oppressive culture of their day with these words, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Phil. 1:27). These are good words to remember and to put into practice as we engage in a tumultuous time, keeping the gospel central in all we do.

Preachers, preach truth to people and preach truth to power. You can do it, because you have Christ with you every step of the way (Matt. 28:20).

Scott M. Gibson is the Professor of Preaching and holder of the David E. Garland Chair of Preaching at Baylor University/Truett Seminary in Waco, Texas. He also served as the Haddon W. Robinson Professor of Preaching and Ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, where he was on faculty for twenty-seven years.