Where Are The Sacred Desks

I grew up attending (we didn't ask if we were going to church on Sunday, we got up and got ready because we knew we were going) a small "country style," fundamentalist church. And that thing now call a lectern or pulpit stand was called a sacred desk. I am older now (much older) and have adjusted my vocabulary, no longer calling it a sacred desk but usually refer to it as a pulpit stand or pulpit desk.

I am a lay pastor which means I work a secular job as well as pastor a church. Our denomination does not require ministers to have a theology degree but that does not mean we do not have training. During my training it was impressed upon me the sacredness of the pulpit and the responsibility of preaching the Word of God. I was taught that I would not only be held accountable to God for what I preached from the pulpit but if pastoring a church who I allowed to preach and what he preached from the pulpit for which I was responsible.

This is the third year that some pastors across the country, have at the urging and blessing of the Alliance Defense Fund, endorsed political candidates from the pulpit. They have taped their messages and mailed them to the IRS as a challenge to IRS rulings that prohibit such endorsements with the threat of losing their tax exempt status.

I agree in principal that pastors should not be censored by the government for what is preached from the pulpit. That is one of the religious liberties that we cherish in this country. I am grateful beyond expression for the Alliance Defense Fund who defends those (sometimes without charge) whose freedom of religion and freedom of speech rights they believe have been violated. I have even contributed to them but I believe this is an issue deeper than civil law and rights.

I believe that pastors have an obligation to preach Bible based moral and social values. And I shudder to realize that the threat to our right to do so from the pulpit is real. When I first started preaching 20 years ago I thought it would never happen in the United States of America. I was wrong. I also know that political parties and political officials and candidates for political office take positions on moral and social value issues. However, I believe it is deviating from obligation to preach the Word and crossing a line that should not be crossed to call out political parties and individuals by name from the pulpit. God hates sin and God definitely in his Word states positions on issues but God forever loves the sinner. In the story of the woman caught in adultery, Jesus in his infinite knowledge knew who in his audience, was guilty of offenses but never called anyone by name. The Word is sharp and powerful to convict.

This coin also has two sides. It seems the government (IRS) wants to censor ministers speech by not allowing them to make endorsements of candidates, as I've just addressed, but at times (even recently) when it suits their agenda, have asked pastors to endorse government policy from the pulpit. That is equally as reprehensible and hypocritical of government since the IRS is a government entity.

I am an activist and outside of the pulpit do make my endorsements known, especially if my endorsements are based on positions the candidate or party has made in opposition to moral and social issues that are contrary to Biblical principals. But I believe the pulpit should be reserved for strict adherence to Scripture. I urge pastors to uphold the sacredness of the pulpit. Return the lectern or pulpit desk to a sacred desk.