Matt Chandler: Christians should engage in politics correctly during election season

With the election season heating up, Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Texas, encouraged Christians to remember that the coming election is in the hands of God. He also gave a reminder for Christians to engage in politics the right way.

Speaking in a podcast together with pastor Josh Patterson and church staff Anne Lincoln Holbaugh and Kyle Worley, all from The Village Church, Chandler said that God controls the country's political process.

"The Lord's at work in this political process. He's not panicked or nervous — He already knows who our next president is," he stated.

Chandler added that Christians should engage in politics "the right way." They should be mindful, first of all, about where they get their information so they can engage correctly. He also encouraged them to be involved especially at the local level.

They also talked about the pros and cons of the Democratic and Republican parties.

Worley said problems often arise when people expect too much from politics.

"If our hope is in Christ and the kingdom of God then we'll be able to expect from modern politics what it can deliver and not expect more than what it can deliver," he said, and the other speakers agreed.

All four speakers believed that Christians should let their values and convictions dictate how they view laws. The issue of being pro-life, for instance, should not exclusively be about the unborn. It should also encompass other concerns like poverty and war.

The November elections should urge Christians to be more discerning about the country's issues while keeping God's purposes in mind, the speakers said.

The podcast was concluded by a reminder from Patterson that God's people should be more prayerful, "maintain a posture of humility," and recognize that "God is the ultimate hope."