As a fellow ministry leader, I understand that for many of us, Donald Trump was not our first choice as the Republican nominee for president of the United States. He’s obnoxious. He’s vulgar, and yes, many of the accusations against him regarding women, power and fame are probably true.
This leaves many of us in a quandary. We feel that the policies of Hillary Clinton would take our country in the wrong direction, but we have a high level of discomfort with the personal qualities of Donald Trump. I’m among them. But I’m equally concerned about what this country would look like under a President Clinton. Like you, I have to place a vote in the ballot box in November, and I don’t see a third party candidate as a viable option. Like it or not, I must find a way to reconcile this dilemma.
The first thing I remind myself is that we’re electing a Commander in Chief, not a Pastor-in-Chief. Even if you are among who regularly winces when Donald Trump opens his mouth, I believe we can find some common ground that tips the scale in favor of his presidency rather than that of Hillary’s.
Here are three things I am considering when I enter the ballot box in November.
1. We are electing someone who can fix the economy.
I am going to look at the policies of both candidates and decide who will take a broken economy and quickly turn it around so God’s people can prosper and live the abundant life Jesus said we should be living. Ministries rely on the donations of others, and I can personally attest to the negative impact of projected church budgets missing their targets year after year. America can do better.
In 2016, we have one candidate who will propose policies reflecting pretty much more of the same and another who will propose policies that have been proven to grow our economy quickly.
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump has regularly proposed the following:
- Tax relief for middle class Americans: In order to achieve the American dream, let people keep more money in their pockets and increase after-tax wages.
- Simplify the tax code to reduce the headaches Americans face in preparing their taxes and allow them to keep more of their money.
- Grow the U.S. economy by discouraging corporate inversions, adding a huge number of new jobs, and making America globally competitive again.
As a ministry leader, I have to decide which of the two candidates will implement policies that best reflect what I’m looking for in order to advance my agenda, which is spreading the good news of the gospel both here at home and around the world. A continued weakened economy will keep of me and all ministry leaders from accomplishing our purpose—to seek and save that which is lost. On that front, Donald Trump gets my vote.
2. We are electing someone who will appoint one if not more Supreme Court justices and potentially sway the balance of the Court for decades to come.
This needs to be a wake up call to pastors, ministry leaders and all those whose work it is to help awaken a spiritually sleeping nation. Think back to just 15 years ago when we were told about how abortion, gay marriage, and other social issues that defy God’s laws would be the biggest onslaught we would have to fight against in the very near future. Many of us laughed and said it would never happen here. Now, just turn on the television!
Many of our present day challenges can be traced right back to recent decisions of the Supreme Court, not to mention the over-reaching presidential executive orders.
As it stands right now, there is one Supreme Court vacancy still needing to be filled. One candidate will appoint a liberal-thinking judge, while the other has already given us a list of appointees that are far more conservative. These picks include conservative federal and state judges like Steven Colloton of Iowa, Allison Eid of Colorado, and Raymond Gruender of Missouri. Also on the list are Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania, Raymond Kethledge of Michigan, Joan Larsen of Michigan, Thomas Lee of Utah, William Pryor of Alabama, David Stras of Minnesota, Diane Sykes of Wisconsin, and Don Willett of Texas.
In a statement, Trump said the list “is representative of the kind of constitutional principles I value” and that, as president, he would use this list as a guide to nominate our next United States Supreme Court justices. This seems to provide Christians some relief that, if appointed by a President Trump, the highest court in the land will remain balanced and continue to protect Christians from more government persecution.
3. We are electing someone who will have a strong impact on the pro-life agenda.
It’s true that Trump has changed his views over time, but Trump’s current position (which is what we must go by) is that he supports the pro-life movement. By her own admission, Hillary does not. If I had to bet my life savings away as to which candidate is going to protect the sanctity of life, I have to go with the one who tells me he will protect life as opposed to the one who has a clear record of doing the opposite.
Describing himself as “pro-life,” Trump told Bloomberg News (January 2016) that he believes abortion should be banned at some point in pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest, or life of the mother. While acknowledging that he was pro-choice in the past, Trump explained to the Christian Broadcasting Network back in 2011 that he had changed his mind on the issue. In his book The America We Deserve, Trump then wrote that he supported a woman’s right to choose.
Contrast with the views of Hillary Clinton. During a recent interview on “The View” (January 2016), Hillary Clinton said an unborn child just hours before delivery should have no Constitutional rights. Her comments came just days after Clinton said unborn children do not have any Constitutional rights at all. This includes the fundamental right to live.
Path to the Ballot Box
As Christians, are our options ideal? No. But this is an election where Isaiah 1:18 is certainly in play—”come let us reason together.”
Donald Trump is not the perfect candidate. He is not the best choice for Christians. However, we don’t live under Old Testament covenant where severe consequences await those who choose evil leaders. We live under a Romans 8:28 promise that says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
By electing someone who is not perfect but in some ways closely fits with our moral viewpoints, I believe God will make the rest of it turn out for our good.
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