Embracing the Discipline of Silence (in Politics)

Christian witness and Christian unity demands a shift in political posture

5 years ago I embraced the spiritual discipline of silence in politics. Even though I have a public leadership role as a pastor, in the years since embracing this mentality I have not mentioned any politician by name or spoken in support of any specific partisan policy in any sermon or social media post.

Most Christians would greatly aid their Christian witness and increase Christian unity if they embraced the spiritual discipline of silence when it comes to politics.

According to Pew Research only 4% of Americans believe that today’s political system is “working very well.” The shift in partisan politics as a source of frustration means Christians must adapt their approach to navigating an increasingly political world.

My purpose in writing this is to show how I come to this politically silent conclusion, and why I think it matters for other followers of Christ. For a more in-depth Biblical examination on this subject, I recently shared a sermon from John 17:13-19 titled “Faithful Presence in a Political World” where I use the prayer of Jesus focused on believers being “in” but “not of” the world as a framework political engagement that aids Christian witness and builds Christian unity (listen on Spotify or watch on YouTube).¹

---

First some important background: I have always deeply valued Christian cultural engagement, and I have been shaped by the conviction that our faith is not meant to be confined to the private sphere. As Abraham Kuyper famously declared, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!’”

This vision of Christ’s lordship over every area of life instilled in me a profound sense that our faith ought to impact every section of society—education, the arts, business, and yes, even politics. I learned to see civic engagement not as an optional add-on to the Christian life but as an essential part of living out the gospel in the world.

This same conviction is echoed in the words of pastor Josh Howerton, who warns, “If the church doesn’t disciple people, the world will.” His point is clear: we are always being shaped by something, and if we as Christians do not intentionally disciple believers in how to think, live, and act as citizens of both heaven and earth, the culture will gladly step into that vacuum.

While my current approach to politics has obviously shifted, I still hold these core convictions by valuing a Christian faith that is knowledgeable, thoughtful, and involved in public life. The call to love our neighbors and seek the good of the city demands nothing less. Though my approach to politics has changed, my underlying conviction remains: Christ is Lord of all, and that includes the public square.

So, why public silence around politics? Let’s dive into my main reasons.

The Damaged Soul

In today’s hyperconnected world, the sheer volume of information we consume daily has become overwhelming—and it’s taking a toll on our emotional and spiritual well-being.

The term “information overload,” coined by futurist Alvin Toffler in the 1970s, has taken on a more urgent and pervasive meaning in the digital age. With constant access to social media, news cycles that never sleep, and endless streams of opinions and crises, many find themselves caught in a state of chronic mental fatigue.

A 2024 report by the American Psychological Association found that 64% of adults feel stressed by the constant stream of news, with many reporting symptoms of anxiety and emotional exhaustion. The overload of conflicting and often negative information can leave people feeling paralyzed, unsure of how to act or respond, and spiritually depleted.

“Knowledge without agency creates anxiety,” is a statement I first heard from Sharon Hodde Miller and I think it helpfully captures the problem that information overload creates. We take in more information, but hardly any of it is actionable.

This kind of anxiety is more than a psychological phenomenon—it affects the soul. Philosopher Byung-Chul Han argues in The Burnout Society that the modern individual, overwhelmed by constant demands for performance and information, is burning out not just physically but existentially.

Our souls are not built to carry the weight of the world’s sorrow every hour of the day. The result is a kind of soul-weariness, a spiritual erosion that can leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves, others, and God.

The wisest and most God-honoring thing many of us could do is take significant steps back from the unending political news cycle.

Transcending Party Lines

Another reason to embrace a different posture toward politics is seen through two of Christ’s disciples who show us that people of divergent political viewpoints can still live in unity under the Lordship of Jesus. The story of Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector is one of the most striking examples of the radical unity the gospel creates. In any other context, these two men would have been sworn enemies. Zealots like Simon despised Roman rule and considered tax collectors like Matthew traitors to their people—collaborators with their oppressors.

Imagine Simon and Matthew sitting at the same table, walking the same roads, serving the same Lord despite being opposed by their ideological backgrounds. This is what Jesus does—He doesn't just forgive sins; He forms a new kind of community, one that breaks down barriers the world says are unbreakable.

This is what the church is meant to be: a living picture of a different way. Our unity, forged not in ideology but in the love of Christ, is how God shows the world that something greater is possible.

Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be one “so that the world may believe.” Unity is not just a bonus to the Christian faith, it’s the strategy of Christian witness. When politically different disciples love one another, serve one another, and worship side by side, it bears witness to a power greater than politics and a loyalty deeper than party.

In Christ, we don’t erase our differences—we submit them to something greater. And when we do, we find that our shared identity as followers of Jesus becomes the foundation for a unity that is beautiful and unexplainable apart from the gospel.

The glue that holds this diverse body together is not uniformity of thought or background, but the presence of God’s Spirit and our submission to Jesus as King. Our unity doesn't mean we agree on everything, but it does mean we agree on the main thing. And that shared confession should move us to love across the aisle, to listen with compassion, and to lay down our pride for the sake of the mission. In a divided world, a unified church is not only rare, it’s revolutionary.

Secondary, Not Ultimate

In a culture where politics clamors for our undivided attention, Christians are invited to embrace a radically different rhythm—one marked by silence, not because we don’t care, but because we believe something far greater is at stake.

The political world around us often functions like a toddler in meltdown mode—loud, demanding, and desperate for attention. Any wise parent knows the best response to the attention-demanding meltdown of their child is to focus their attention elsewhere. Likewise, the wisest response to our politically charged culture is not outrage or panic but an intent focus on something else, or rather, Someone else. We are not ignoring the world, but we are resisting the temptation to let it define what matters most.

Politics today poses as a religion. It claims to offer identity (“I am a Republican” “I am a Democrat”), hope (“once they’re elected things will be better”), and even salvation (“only my party can save us”). But as followers of Jesus, we recognize that those are things only God can give.

When our lives revolve around partisan ideologies or when our joy rises or falls with electoral outcomes, we have subtly allowed a lesser kingdom to take the throne in our hearts.

The church is not meant to be an engine for a political movement—it’s meant to be an outpost of the Kingdom of God. Our mission is not to echo cable news talking points. Our mission is to amplify the gospel, which is good news for everyone, regardless of political background.

C.S. Lewis saw this drift coming. In The Screwtape Letters, he identifies the devil’s strategy to make politics a believer’s religion:

“Let him begin by treating the Patriotism or the Pacifism as a part of his religion. Then let him, under the influence of partisan spirit, come to regard it as the most important part. Then quietly and gradually nurse him on to the stage at which the religion becomes merely part of the ‘cause’, in which Christianity is valued chiefly because of the excellent arguments it can produce in favour of the British war-effort or of Pacifism.”

It’s a haunting progression:

• First, politics is a segment of faith’s cultural engagement.

• Then, politics becomes the most important part of faith.

• And in the end, politics reduces Christianity into nothing more than fuel for a partisan agenda.

And the result of this? A faith that is joyless, divisive, and hollow.

This doesn’t mean Christians can’t have political leanings or be active in the political process by voting. Most Christians I know build their political convictions off of the teachings in God’s Word, but those political leanings are subservient to their allegiance to Christ.

We hold loosely to our leanings to hold tightly to our allegiance.

Church as a Respite from a Divided World

Interestingly, Ryan Burge recently shared new data on pastors and politics which highlights that the overwhelming majority of evangelical Christians do not want their church to focus on politics. In fact, only 12% of evangelicals wished their church talked about politics more.

About this survey information, Burge said of Christian church-goers, “They see Sunday worship as a respite from all the Culture Wars and the talking heads and the political battles that seem to consume our every waking moment.”

Kevin DeYoung had a similar encouragement to pastors in a recent article: “So much of ‘speaking prophetically’ or applying the Lordship of Christ to all of life amounts to little more than slapdash criticism and recycled talking points.” The church must be a respite from a divided world—not an echo of it.

In a culture where voices clamor for attention through outrage and political certainty, the gathered people of God should offer something different: quiet strength, rooted conviction, and a love that transcends party lines.

Yes, we can have deep convictions about political issues, but our public witness must be unmistakably centered on Christ. The church is not a place for partisan platforms but a sanctuary of grace, where weary people find rest. In this fractured age, our calling is clear: to be known not for punditry, but for gospel faithfulness.

Christians today must commit themselves to being a community where:

• King Jesus is ultimate.

• Political differences don’t divide us because our shared identity in Christ is deeper and more enduring.

• Silence on partisan outrage isn’t apathy—it’s resistance to idolatry.

In embracing the discipline of political silence, we make room for Christ to deepen our unity and clear the path for a more compelling witness. With Jesus as the focus, we can lead by example, saying to the world: you are not your vote and you are not your political party. You are a beloved child of God, created for a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.

1. For some books that have been helpful for me in navigating politics today, check out Joshua Ryan Butler’s The Party Crasher and Truth Over Tribe by Patrick Miller and Keith Simon.