Facing heat for a fiery sermon on voting last week by Lakepointe Church Senior Pastor Josh Howerton, the church seemingly softened the message yesterday in remarks to the congregation.
Last week, Howerton said not voting is “passive rebellion” against God and stated that both presidential candidates may be “flawed,” but “Jesus is not on the ballot guys. Get over it.”
Howerton also titled his message, “How to Vote Like Jesus,” after a new book by Howerton’s friend and mentor, controversial pastor Mark Driscoll.
Howerton claimed, “If we go back to ask the original question, ‘Would Jesus vote?’ Yes. Yes, He would, because He wouldn’t abdicate the responsibility that God has given Him.”
But this week, Mike Breaux, teaching pastor at the Dallas-area megachurch, seemingly softened Howerton’s message, saying Howerton wasn’t trying to be the “Holy Spirit” for congregants.
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Instead, Howerton was challenging “you and me to live in a higher kingdom—to recognize, as followers of Jesus—we are citizens of heaven, who are just trying to do some earthly good while we’re here as the salt of the earth,” Breaux said. “We’re trying to preserve goodness, slow down decay, and point people to the only one who can actually save.”
Howerton’s message sparked controversy online with one pastor contending on X that voting isn’t the only way to participate in politics. Another user wrote, “It is an American privilege to vote, not a Christian obligation. Don’t add criteria for faith that are not in the Bible. That is legalism.”
A Canadian pastor argued that Howerton’s message is the contemporary, American version of ‘eat the idol meat, you weakling!’ You are shaming brothers into participating in something that triggers their conscience, causing disunity in the body.”
At the start of his message, Howerton told congregants that Christians have become passive in their political involvement because they believe “churches and pastors should avoid politics and stay away from commenting on politics or political leaders.”
“I just need you to know that concept is completely and utterly unbiblical,” he said. “You cannot read the Bible about Moses, Daniel, Esther, Nathan, Nehemiah, John the Baptist, and think that the church and pastors should avoid addressing government and governmental leaders. You just can’t do it.”
Howerton warned that if Christians aren’t vocal and vote, then godless voices will triumph.
“If godly people won’t lead their nation, godless people will,” Howerton said. “If godly leaders, godly pastors and godly voices all go silent or refuse to be clear on issues related to politics and government, then the only voices that are left are the godless ones.”
He also compared not voting to husbands who fail to lead in their homes.
“It’s a form of passive rebellion against God in the exact same way that it would be wrong for a husband to refuse to lead his family, and it would be wrong for a pastor to refuse to lead his church. It would be wrong for you to refuse to take part in the leadership of the nation that God has put you in.”
According to research from Arizona Christian University published earlier this month, about 32-million Christians are projected to abstain from voting this November.
Howerton argued that while some are worried the church in America has become too political, it’s the government that has overstepped its boundaries.
He cited the government’s involvement in “redefining marriage, erasing gender, reframing abortion as reproductive rights and then using the government school system to indoctrinate everybody’s kids into believing those things.”
Howerton said Bible-believing churches and believers need to fight back. He explained that because God established the concepts of family, church, and state, Christians are expected to defend these institutions by ensuring they are being led by godly people.
Napp Nazworth, executive director of American Values Coalition, told The Roys Report (TRR) he agreed with some of what Howerton expressed in his message. But he said Christians should focus on being “good citizens” through more than just voting.
Christians need to be involved in the public square through actions, such as writing letters to Congress or by becoming informed citizens, Nazworth said. He added, “We should think of the whole, not just that one act of voting.”
Nazworth also said that Howerton calling abstaining from voting a “passive rebellion against God” was “too strong (of) language.”
“We can talk about things being inadvisable or unwise, without going all the way to rebellion against God,” Nazworth said. “I don’t use the ‘rebellion against God’ language, but certainty the way we get involved in our political life we have been a horrible witness (to God).”
Christians need to be Christ-honoring in their political expressions and treat others with dignity and love, regardless of opinion differences, he said.
He added that Howerton’s statement that Jesus would vote is “sort of a silly way of thinking about it.”
“Christ came at a particular place at a particular time for a particular purpose,” Nazworth said. “The purpose of Jesus wasn’t to come and ensure any particular type of government, or person in government, or political party in government.”
Nazworth appreciated that Howerton did not endorse a specific candidate in his sermon, though Chron reported that Howerton seemed to imply that Donald Trump is merely “flawed,” while his opponent is “wicked.”
A recent study from Lifeway Research found that a growing number of Americans are supportive of pastors endorsing political candidates, as TRR recently reported.
Howerton concluded his message by reminding people that they aren’t primarily their identity of Republican or Democrat; they are primarily Christians.
“You must be born again . . . that is the only thing that ultimately matters in eternity,” he said.
Howerton has previously made headlines for alleged misogyny and plagiarism. Also, last May, his church urged congregants to sign up to drive repeatedly through an intersection to manipulate the findings of a traffic study.
Liz Lykins is a correspondent covering religion news for The Roys Report, WORLD Magazine, and other publications.
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54 Responses
This is a bizarre and unbiblical viewpoint.
What Mr. Howerton fails to realize is that not voting can be just as much a political act as voting. He would be far better off in helping his congregants discern the idolatry of Christian Nationalism, and encouraging them to fix their eyes on Christ and not partisan politics.
Seems like Josh Howerton thinks that laws are an effective way to address moral flaws amongst a population. Gee, sure would be nice if the Bible had anything to say about the ability of the law to produce righteousness.
When you have a party that has become anti-God,anti-Ameircan and anti-Israel, as a Christian you cannot vote for them but have a right to stand against their policies.
Believers who oppose Trump do so based not on his policies (or those of Harris), but largely for two reasons.
First is the hypocrisy of criticizing Bill Clinton’s immorality but not registering the same level of righteous indignation toward Trump. My atheist neighbors want nothing to do with any church that embraces Trump. Yes, I desire that governments on earth act in accordance with biblical values. But concern for the eternal destiny of the unsaved in my circles of influence should be greater. As one sage recently reflected, what does it profit the church to gain the whole Supreme Court and forfeit its gospel witness to the world?
Second is that Trump’s autocratic aspirations and flagrant disregard for the rule of law threaten to undermine our system of checks and balances. If Trump suppresses the civil liberties of those who disagree with him, your own “right to stand against . . . policies” of future administrations “as a Christian” may likewise be compromised. (Please do not take offense to my quoting from your comments. I wish only to highlight the fact that dictators respect “rights for me but not for thee.” When subsequent officials apply the same methods, regardless of their public policy goals, everyone loses.)
Many readers will disagree with the above perspective. Understand that it reflects a long-term approach to evangelism and to preservation of civil rights for all citizens.
Thank you Cec for stating the stark reality that our non christian neighbors see better than church goers: backing Trump who blatantly disregards the law and lies about everything destroys our credibility as reliable witnesses in society. We do not need any outside force to destroy our Christian witness – we are doing it ourselves by backing Trump!
Supporting Trump is what’s called “making a deal with the devil”. The man is entirely transactional – he will throw a few bones to Christians to get our votes, but cares nothing about us and cares nothing about the rule of law. If you back an unprincipled man when he says he will give you what you want you’re kidding yourself about the outcome. We know because we all saw it- Trump was willing to let his own VP Pence die on Jan 6 in order to get what Trump wanted.
It’s your choice if you vote for a convicted felon, known rapist and man who boasts that he didn’t like paying his workers. But stop pretending it’s “the Christian thing to do.”
Goodness Jerry, ‘God, America and Israel’? Sounds like a worldly redefinition of the Trinity. Perhaps this is part of the problem with all this nationalism & political ideology being peppered with Christianity.
Jerry,
We also have a party that has devolved into a hack, partisan cult – willing to overlook literally any sin including hate-mongering, any form of abuse, endless lying and dishonesty, serial adultery, fraud – and I could go ad nauseum
Likewise this cult party is doing everything it can to shut down the American people’s access to the ballot – including the oppression of gerrymandering –
And the worse sin – shilling the name of Jesus for its own fleshly power and control.
The party you refer is NOT anti-God or anti-American – in fact it was the cult party that tried to overthrow the free and substantiated American election – that statement is itself blatantly dishonest.
Yes, my friend – it is time to turn off the worldly, fleshly cult mis-information….
When I listened to the sermon I thought it was a thinly veiled endorsement of Trump, which is concerning in many ways. Another big problem is Howerton’s views on leadership: if Christian men don’t lead in the home and church then Satan will step in and lead. What does that theology sound like to single moms or to women whose husbands can’t or won’t lead? That they are doomed to Satan leading them to hell? At best, Howerton has some pretty sloppy theology.
Barbara Boyd, concur. In its entirety, the sermon was not as provocative as the article’s title suggests. Howerton makes some valid points and emphatically concludes that Jesus alone, not politics, is the answer to our world’s problems.
On several issues, however, he stumbles. First, his understanding of recent history is backwards. Howerton asserts that a stay-out-of-politics perspective began about 45 years ago. Instead, this attitude was prevalent during the decades prior to the 1980s rise of the Religious Right. Since then the GOP has combined American exceptionalism, conservative politics and evangelical faith into a salad whose ingredients can be impossible to separate.
Second, his brief discussion of leadership left me concerned about women. Yes, Satan will use the absence of a husband, father or pastor to his advantage, but God protects his own. And women do not lack volition or agency.
Finally, Howerton claims to not endorse either major candidate and even declares that doing so is unwise. But he clearly prefers one of them. Trump’s policies may indeed be the lesser of two undesirable choices, but that’s a flawed standard of excellence that begs the question of how low we will go.
An acolyte of Mark Driscoll being misogynistic and plagiarizing? What a shock…
I am reminded of Rev. Len Vander Zee’s great quote about Christ’s final temptation in the wilderness with Satan; at the cost of just bending the knee to the devil, Jesus could have dominion and leadership over every kingdom of the world.
(And oh. We really want that for him, don’t we?)
But he said no. Because power corrupts. It always corrupts. (Even though those kingdoms are rightfully His! Imagine the global scale of ‘good’ Jesus could’ve done as their earthly leader! But our Lord knew better, praise God.)
The church in the west has not said “no,” to that temptation.
Do these people know that there’s nothing about voting in the Bible? It seems like that, in itself, would be sufficient reason to get a grip.
Cynthia Wright:
Actually, when lots were cast to replace Judas, it was a form of voting. Indeed, some Bible scholars have translated the passage that way.
https://wartburgproject.org/faqs/2022/04/acts-126-lottery-or-election
Howerton – as Driscoll and many others – is simply another theocrat with no respect for American democracy – but will pursue power and control REGARDLESS of how contrary this orientation is to the basic gospel.
Jesus does NOT want to be king of America, He already has a kingdom (Jn6.15, Jn18.36, Phil3.20,21, etc., etc.). In contrast, Howerton, Driscoll et al are grasping for secular kingship and in doing so place sheer madness into control. We well remember who the greatest supporters of the Third Reich were – those that used Jesus as a prop to their own itching ears to fulfill their lusts….
We can hope God does intervene – there may not be another chance. Anti-Christ is the one who promises peace – but he is not just one man but the entire system that will be in place.
Had a wry smile at Howerton comments, about not letting godless people rule over the country, knowing how many godless pastors rule over the church.
it’s especially ironic that he’s literally encouraging people to vote for Godless people ruling over our country, with a wink and a nod of course. And these Godless people are ruling USING GOD’S NAME to get votes.
So gross.
Young Howerton has a built in mentor in Teaching pastor Mike Breau. What a breath of fresh air he has to offer.
There’s a lot you could unpack in what this article speaks to. Not least because multiple persons nominally of the one faith and relying on the same Biblical hermetic, are here expressing significant fundamental disagreement.
My own relation to the resultant discourse, rests on the idea and value of coexistence. Crucially the coexistence of Biblically grounded faith with all the other ways of being human that the Earth encompasses.
Josh (Howerton) is then a radical Christian, in as much as he appears to rule out coexistence that non-Christians would accept. While Mike (Breaux), and other commentators cited, lean in to faith that accepts coexistence, or even embraces coexistence as a core dimension of Christian faith.
Paradoxically, while leaning heavily into his personal understanding of Jesus, Josh’s faith dynamic may more echo an OT alternative to coexistence.
Josh then builds his faith testimony from articulated ideas, that various other Christians disagree with. Where utility is had across both Josh’s radical articulation, and the responding articulation of disagreement by others.
If we avoid being drawn into taking sides, these disagreeing articulations potentially drag us through useful insight and thinking.
For the Christian, it’s a SIN to not vote. There was a lot of prayer prior to the 2020 election and Trump still lost. Why? Because millions of Christians did not vote. James 2:17 & 20 says “Faith without works is dead”. Well, voting is a WORK. Praying and not voting is like praying for a job but then not making the effort to go online and search for that job.
Then there is the issue of people who identify as Christian but vote for the Party & candidates whose policies & platform do not align with Scripture. In 1st Corinthians chapters 5 & 6, Paul instructs the church “to not associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people!”. I wonder if this is just a partial list and could therefore include sins like voting for candidates whose policies are anti-Biblical. I also wonder whether these types of Christians will be included in the Rapture.
Perhaps God answered prayer by allowing Biden to be elected…. If you don’t think God will answer the people’s will by allowing bad leaders to lead, go read Judges.
Also there’s likely no single candidate whose platform and lifestyle aligns with scripture. By your argument, we have no one to vote for. Ergo, we should not vote.
Or take this a step further, those verses could stand for voting for someone like Trump who says he’s a Christian and behave in grossly unchristian ways.
Many of us “Bible-believing Christians” prayed that Trump would lose (because he spreads Christian nationalism, militarism, misogyny, etc. which are all anti-Christ). Just like we prayed that so-called evangelical Christian Bolsonaro would lose the election in Brazil (because he and his capitalist buddies were destroying God’s creation and decimating the most marginilized people in the country…which is anti-Christ). And thank god they both lost.
“to not associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people!”.
this litany describes Trump, nearly exactly. I guess HE doesn’t claim to be a believer except when he needs your vote, but plenty around him claim he is, and that he gets grace because he’s a “baby christian”, and he was bad “before he was a christian”.
regardless, probably shouldn’t associate with him by your vote!
I’ll be voting for the party that welcomes the stranger, feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, houses those who are unhoused, and fights for justice for those on the margins, including sexual minorities. Like Jesus would.
Based on Craig Richmond’s response, two points can be inferred. 1) “Voting is a work.” He cannot demonstrate biblically that voting is a work. It is a privilege, but so is driving. For instance Israel cried for a king, not a candidate, because they wanted to be like the pagans who did have kings. But their long-awaited king was to be Jesus; yet God honored their request with Saul and Saul continually sinned. As did David. As did Solomon. I cannot find a precedent for voting. We’re to honor those in authority and, in the context of the time, that was Rome. 2) Richmond cannot support Trump according to the 1 Cor. chapters he cited. “to not associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin (Trump’s numerous affairs, bragging that he could get women to do anything he wanted including “grabbing them” without consent), or is greedy (Quoted from Trump For Vets Rally, January 29, 2016: “My whole life I’ve been greedy, greedy, greedy. I’ve grabbed all the money I could get. I’m so greedy. But now I want to be greedy for the United States. I want to grab all that money); or worships idols (See greedy remark), or is abusive (demeans migrants and people of color and mocks disabled people), or is a drunkard (well-documented Adderall use: https://www.drjohnkruse.com/trump-nose-best-adderall-use-is-nothing-to-sniff-at/), or cheats people (hasn’t paid cities for costs incurred to protect him in multiple cities across the USA and has cheated subcontractors in his many real estate projects. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/06/09/donald-trump-unpaid-bills-republican-president-laswuits/85297274/). Not to mention the unceasing false and misleading statements he makes (read: Lies.) So, Mr. Richmond, for whom will you be voting?
Trump doesn’t claim to be a believer.
For whom will I be voting? For the candidate whose POLICIES are most aligned with Scripture.
In 1st Corinthians chapters 5 & 6, Paul instructs the church “to not associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people!”
One can also wonder if this describes Trump himself.
Then what?
1.) Trump does not claim to be a Believer. 2.) Paul’s instruction is to Believers. 3.) I believe Paul would include voting behavior in his list of sins, i.e., voting for a candidate whose policies & platform do not align with Scripture.
Craig
Why is it a sin not to vote? What specific text do have to demonstrate this – and that abiding by one’s understanding of the Word of God is not more important than voting?
Do you think you have been influenced by the worldly notions of a theocracy – that we are to wrestle against flesh and blood in the political arena??
It’s a sin for Christians not to vote because of the consequences to our country (and to the world) when the wrong people are in control of our government. Where have you been for the past 4 years???
Perhaps take a good long hard look in the mirror and ask yourself the question you ask in your last sentence.
Thank God for pastors like Josh Howerton who still love the people enough to speak God’s truth instead of the deception of Satan & his disciples who have infiltrated the body of Christ. All one has to do is pay attention to what is going on in every area of life in America today. If you say you are a Christian (a follower of Christ) then the lest one should do is read the Word of God & interpret it correctly. Thanks for sharing the message of truth. The more people who hear Paster Howerton’s message, the better chance America has to return to God’s will for this country & the world. Satan & his minions want to destroy pastors like Josh Howerton, but it always backfires.
Dear maam, while the Bible may be infallible, your interpretation is clearly not. If you pay attention, it’s Donald trumps supporters flying nazi flags at his rallies. Wake up! The sun is in your camp!!!!
Josh Howerton has lost the plot. he’s well on his way to destroying himself, satan or no satan.
Don’t worry. He’ll likely offer an apology plagiarized from Joby Martin in next week’s service. (And Joby will then double down on supporting him via his personal Facebook page).
Tell us you attend Howerton’s church without telling us you attend Howerton’s church.
Where does the Bible specifically talk about voting? Teach us to interpret correctly.
What it DOES say is pray for your leaders, whom God has appointed. Yes, even the “bad” ones.
Let that sink in.
Voting for an unrepentant liar, thief, and rapist who claims not to need God’s forgiveness is most certainly a sin.
Tim Olsen:
Voting for POLICIES, not people. Remember that.
I really appreciate Josh Howerton’s sermon and I am one of those Christians who think the right choice in the 2024 election is exceedingly clear. I don’t see how anyone reading their Bible everyday and who is a serious Christian who practices the morals taught in the Bible could vote for Harris and Walz. They are clearly anti Biblical in their LGPTQ policies and abortion and illegal immigrant policies and are Marxist liberals. It’s a very clear decision and quite simple: TRUMP/VANCE 2024 !!!!
Josh’s style of dress and lack of maturity reminds me of some horny teenager whose parents forced him to attend a Christian school. The qualification for reverence is a low bar these days.
Anyone who thinks a president will eliminate the sins of “this” world, reminds me of the religious leaders who were disappointed to discover “Christ Kingdom is NOT of this world”.
AND believing one of the most pervasive sinners of our time, will deliver holiness to the land is mind blowing.
Pontitus Pilate was not a disciple of Christ, but he could not believe the people wanted Barabbas,
a common criminal.
“I” don’t see how anyone reading their Bible everyday, thinks Trump’s lack of character pales in comparison to anyone.
“I” don’t see how any American that loves this country, thinks the warnings of Pence, the Generals, those who refute his lies, and his OWN cabinet members, are meaningless.
Debra Howard:
In God’s eyes, there is no such thing as “one of the most pervasive sinners of our time.” If you think so, you have missed the Gospel message entirely.
Carolyn. I’ve been thinking about what the issue of “illegal immigration” has become in the USA and elsewhere. In pretty much every economically advanced country, there is a demographic problem; where there are not enough younger working people to sustain the economy and pay taxes to provide pensions for the elderly. One short-term solution is immigration, legal and illegal; where in the USA illegal immigration is warding off the demographic problem. One problem there, is political and cultural opposition to a prevailing ethnic composition: where those wanting to keep the USA predominantly white and Christian, for example, tend to rail polemically against “illegal immigration”, while failing to offer an alternative solution to the demographic problem.
Colin Bowman:
The solution is called “Legal Immigration.”
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And in my book, that right choice is the American Solidarity Party candidate, Peter Sonski.
God save us from pastors who would blunt the sharp sword of the truth of God ,and His word. The church is beggered by the pastoral gifting gaining the preeminent position in most churches. We wonder at the immaturity of the body while we ignore the ascension gifts or relegate them to the past. Pastors in charge: God help us!
People need to stop speaking with authority on topics where the Bible is silent. Inferences and opinions are just that, and should be positioned accordingly, followed by “I encourage you to get in the Word for yourself.”
At one point in the sermon Howerton says
“38:29 whatsoever if you don’t think they’re serious about it the Democratic pulled up mobile abortion clinics like – 38:35 taco trucks outside of the Democratic National Convention mockingly celebrating murdering infants with banners and hashtags like shout your abortion as I watched that on TV there”. This is not true, here is a quote from the article shown in the link listed below.
“Although not officially connected to the convention, the location and timing of the mobile clinic drew significant attention. The move comes as Democrats shift attention and messaging to expanding abortion access ahead of the November elections.”
https://irishrover.net/2024/09/democratic-national-convention-features-mobile-abortion-clinic/
Bartle Bull Sr. writes in the WSJ 10-17-24 his opinion at age 86: “Like many, I will be doing (voting) so in the European way, voting for a party and its issues, rather than in the American way of supporting someone I like.”
He is a lifelong Democrat who will vote for Trump this time.
Regardless of who he is or isn’t voting for, I’m reminded of the all the Christians who wouldn’t vote for Romney because he was Mormon. Then these same Christians complain about the policies, cultural shifts and laws that were passed they didn’t like.
If you’re party isn’t elected, they can’t represent your values.
I am in strong disagreement with Trumps personal character, and with the republican party as whole because of my christian values. Republican policies have been especially detrimental to the poor, minorities, and people without power since Regan began concentrating power and wealth toward the top, and began dismantling the middle class. I cannot, in good conscience, vote for anyone in the republican party- let along trump.
Europeans LOVE talking about how they “do things the right way”, and how we Americans “bastardize” how things are to be done.
Without getting into all the “wonderful” things spread around the world by this “allegedly” right mindset (Naziism, Fascism, Communism), I’ll say this: given the recent rise of extremist, far right, nationalist groups in Europe – many of which are led by people who have openly spewed xenophobic and racist rhetoric – I wouldn’t take my cues from Europe.
We should take our cues from scripture, and our conscious before the Lord. No one has yet shown me scripture that says individual character doesn’t matter in leadership; instead I read about how the Lord disciplined, rebuked – and in some cases, struck down – leaders for their disobedience, idolatry and lack of character.
So it will continue to matter to me. No one is perfect – I’m not looking for perfection – but I am unwilling to completely dismiss, downplay or justify any character traits that make me question, doubt, or mistrust someone’s ability to lead this nation during these crucial times.
“Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s”. Many evangelical Christians want to have the government do work for them. For example, easier to elect politicians who will carry out an agenda to ban abortion than to get to know and counsel a woman facing this decision. You’re called to change hearts not Congress.
Thank you, Tim. I really appreciate your bringing this up. I believe that if more of us sat with women facing the decision of abortion, fewer of us would make such condescending generalizations about these women as I’ve read on this site – and MORE of us would understand the humanity of these women, and the brokenness that has them facing such a decision. More of us would understand that you don’t change hearts by making sweeping judgements and assumptions about people. More of us would understand that changing laws does not change hearts (and in this case, leads to underground moves of desperation that can be even MORE harmful). More of us would understand – and actually live out – our calling as disciples.
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless.
Not to speak is to speak.
Not to act is to act.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer