mea culpa

Something every preacher should know before they teach or preach the first time is that we often need to take a dose of the medicine we dish out - in other words, we often need to hear what we preach.

Tonight I preached (taught - I don't think it was preaching) on the two kingdoms and why we shouldn't confuse the two. I made very strong statements about the church not officially endorsing candidates and keeping the institution of the church out of the political sphere. I believe it and don't think I have ever gotten political from the pulpit, other than to say we shouldn't get political from the pulpit. However, I don't know that I've practiced what I preached so well recently.

I haven't endorsed anyone from the 'pulpit' (we don't even use one at Connexion); however, I recently posted a few articles on the election and some issues, particularly one that is important to me, in which I made it very clear who I was voting for and why. I stand by the content, but repent of posting them. I was posting as a private person believed his blog was read by freinds and family. However, someone today told they had read the posts and questioned whether I should have posted them because I am a pastor. I didn't think I was wearing my pastor's hat when writing those, but that distinction probably wasn't clear to the people who read the blog. When I write on the Connexion site, I am very conscious that I am writing as the pastor, but didn't think I needed to be on my blog. However, I think my friend who suggested that I was blurring a line was probably right. In any case, I have removed those posts and any/every other posting that is remotely political.

I'll do better in the future.

Painfully flawed,
Dan