Pastor Heart by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Like about half of the country, I was shocked when former President Trump was shot.

And overjoyed when he stood up and raised his fist to show that he was OK.

And then, on Sunday morning, I expected some mention of that event. Some statement about how terrible it was that Donald Trump was shot.

And, at the very least, I expected that the leaders of every local Bible church would take a few moments to pray for him and for his family. To specifically pray for him by name.

To ask the Lord for his health, for his family, and for his continued safety.

That would have taken about 60 seconds.

But nothing of the sort occurred.

A Deafening Silence

The silence of our Christian leaders was deafening to me.

It confirmed what I have been observing for years now.

That our Bible church, like the vast majority of Evangelical churches, has a bias. Which they are not honest enough to admit.

This bias is pushed upon us at every available opportunity. Politely, and yet, consistently.

It’s a bias against Conservative thinking, against traditional Christian style and practice, and against the Fundamental doctrines of the faith.

It’s also a bias toward a more Progressive, liberal-leaning, middle-of-the-road complacency toward the culture and toward apostate religious leaders of our day.

Obsessed With the “Middle Ground”

Now, I’m not saying that my church or all other Bible churches support homosexual or trans behavior. Nor that they support immoral things.

Nor that they support abortion. Which is the murder of a living being made in the image of God.

However, the promotion of popular Evangelical writers, pastors, and theologians who have made friends with the Mainline apostasy of the religious world has become a regular line of thinking, teaching, and practice in our Bible churches.

Note that I am saying “Bible churches” here.

Now this isn’t about singling out the leaders of any specific church. Not at all. This is just about the clear identification of a pattern well-established in our mainstream Bible churches.

They say that they are trying to remain neutral. To not take a position in political matters. And to avoid controversy wherever possible.

And to focus on Christ.

And, on the surface, I can respect that position. On the surface.

Because we don’t want to unnecessarily offend people when our first priority is to lead them to Christ. And to reach people for Christ.

Wait.

Actually, I have that backwards. Our first priority is to glorify Him.

Then to feed His sheep.

Then to reach the world for Christ.

I get confused sometimes when I look at how the Evangelical churches consistently fail to get their priorities in order.

A Call to Honest Consistency

In order for us to be fair and consistent in our preaching and ministries, demands a consistency in which leaders, writers, theologians, and ministries that we promote and support.

Which is clearly evidenced by which of those writers and preachers we quote in our sermons. And the various doctrines we clearly, boldly, and regularly defend in our churches.

Not only in our Sunday school classes or those special prospective-member classes. Where we instruct people on what our church and our denomination believe.

But in the mainstream, online sermons. And on the main Sunday sermons.

You know, the stuff which everyone can see to know who we really are.

Clarity, Clarity, and Then More Clarity

This clarity in our message includes What we clearly say. And What we Don’t say.

You can tell a lot about what a person really believes by his consistent silence on a subject.

Which is where the problem really lies. Where those that have eyes to see and ears to hear can perceive the real bias that our leaders have.

Because our Bible church leaders are not neutral. Not in the least. As very few churches are anymore.

They are increasingly tolerant of political, social, and spiritual Liberalism in many areas. While pretending not to be so.

Even as they scold Christians who dare “to cause division” by simply using the term, “Liberal”. To actually explain what spiritual liberalism truly is.

Which is funny since they have no problem using terms like “Conservative”, “Right Wing”, or Fundamental to criticize us pesky “Traditionalists” that are still hanging around their churches.

How to Subtly Offend People

So, all this pretense of “neutrality” is hard to stomach.

And even though I am somewhat used to all this pretense, it was still a shock for me to me to hear the deafening silence on the Sunday morning following the attempted assassination of former President Trump.

And we need to be clear here. I don’t believe this “absence” of mention occurred by accident. They didn’t just forget to say something. Or forget to pray.

I can’t help but think they were trying to send a message to us all.

Maybe they even thought that their silence was a clever kind of protest against Donald Trump. So they could cleverly dodge any criticism coming from the young leaders, the young couples, the young singles, the “snowflake” older believers, and the many kinds of “seekers” in the church.

You know, by “taking a stand” without actually taking a stand.

Which resulted in giving offense without actually giving offense.

Maintaining a kind of “plausible deniability” about their bias.

Now, even though I say such things, I have great love and respect for our leaders. As I do for all Christians who are trying to fulfill their calling in ministry in our churches.

But this is a very common, dangerous, and growing problem all across the Evangelical landscape.

Which demands our speaking out against it.

By breaking through the consent through silence that is so commonly practiced in our churches.

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay