By Michael Quinn Sullivan | Commentary, Texas Scorecard
It has become all the rage within the woke circles of evangelicalism for “conservative” pastors to take Donald Trump to task in a way they never have with other occupants of—or aspirants to—the White House. They focus on his style without considering results or substance.
This isn’t surprising since that’s how many operate in their own ministries. They want us focused on how they play the right music, have fun social groups, or are aspiring members of the new intelligentsia. They hope we will ignore the scripturally irrelevant self-help pablum dispensed from their pulpits.
The real problem is that too many pastors and other church leaders are threatened by a “profane” businessman who delivered on his promises to accomplish their ends.
The modern church—even the allegedly “Bible-believing, theologically conservative” brand associated with American evangelicalism—has become a sinkhole of soft leftist ideology. Too many pulpits are filled by pastors more concerned with the faint praise of the godless elite than with substantive reform of our culture. They are embarrassed by the Trump-supporting rabble and want to be loved by the modern Roman overlords.
For decades, conservatives have been urged not to see themselves as voting for a “pastor” when selecting a president. We have been told to overlook adultery in the Oval Office. We had to tolerate forever wars. We were told to ignore unconstitutional power grabs in the name of “safety.” We were told to understand that funding Planned Parenthood was a necessary “concession” for our so-called friends to gain political power.
But the power to do what?
In 2016, conservatives finally relented. We elected someone who made a different bargain. Rather than go with the guys who pat the electorate on the head and offer some soft patter about their conversations with their ol’ pal Jesus, voters went with a straight-talking, results-promising newcomer—even if he’s occasionally crass and unabashedly self-promoting.
No one could confuse Donald Trump with a pastor. But we weren’t supposed to be electing a pastor, right?
Instead, Americans elected a man to get a job done. He made explicit promises and seemed like a guy who would deliver.
For years, Big Evangelical programmatically failed to deliver policy results but lined its pockets with the proceeds of promises for “next time.” These same political pastors have told us to tolerate professional politicians who’ve made a good living on “fighting the good fight” without ever putting a win on the board.
For more than 30 years, American presidential candidates promised Christians they’d move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem; they never did it. Donald Trump did.
Republicans for 50 years ran on the agenda of protecting the unborn and ending abortion but did precious little. Donald Trump banned the use of federal dollars for abortion with the stroke of a pen. He appointed to the Supreme Court justices who exposed and overturned the vile Roe v. Wade for the unconstitutional infanticide that it was.
The hip pastors who preach about social justice talk a good game about prison reform, but Donald Trump did it.
The emasculated “men” who wring their soft hands about Donald Trump’s awful tone seem incapable of looking at the results of his presidency—the very results they long claimed to cherish. It makes me think a great many of these pastors don’t want to solve problems. They seem more comfortable spouting moralism from comfortable, book-lined offices while fleecing their flocks.
The problem is not that Donald Trump is a morally flawed man like the rest of us. The same woke pastors who tell us to metaphorically stone Donald Trump nonetheless refuse to speak out against the sins of Kamala Harris. They will loudly damn Trump supporters for his failings but won’t do likewise for those backing Harris. Indeed, some have even endorsed her to show their “outrage” at the man who got their things done.
And that is their problem with Donald Trump. He did what he promised. He fought for American greatness. Even when he failed to deliver, he did not fail to fight.
You don’t like Donald Trump’s attitude? Then don’t invite him to dinner. King David was a murderer and an adulterer. Solomon levied horrendous taxes to fund a lavish lifestyle. Matthew was a tax collector. Paul condemned Christians to death.
Rather than pander to the left, Donald Trump has fought for the right. Pastors should emulate his willingness to fight off the wolves to defend his flock. Too many of them would rather be friends with the wolves.
When he was shot on July 13, Donald Trump didn’t collapse into the arms of the Secret Service to be bundled off to safety. Instead, he stood—with blood flowing across his face—to show people he was not giving up. “Fight! Fight! Fight!” he yelled, pumping his fist defiantly in the air.
How many shepherds leading our churches would do likewise?
Even when so many pastors have been unfaithful to us, Donald Trump kept faith with America. We’ve had more than enough nice guys who don’t fight, so now we’ve got a fighter who isn’t always nice.
The uncomfortable question we should ask is this: Who has done more for liberty: the pulpit-approved nice guys or the fighters?
As for me, I’ll be ignoring the cowards in the pulpits. I want fighters.
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