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A funny thing happened on the way to support a friend entering politics.

A First Foray

If you happen across my Facebook page you would see I posted congrats to a friend who is a candidate in an Alberta riding when I served as a pastor.

Landen grew up in a local church, is a Bible College grad, former pastor, and we team taught an adult Sunday School class. He is a directional driller by trade. This is his first foray into politics. He wants to make a difference in health care, social support, and education in rural ridings like his.

His choice of orange had people seeing red.

I posted on FB to be supportive, prayerful, and to honour the choice of this new father to walk his talk. The life of an elected official at any level of government is complex. Long hours, intense days, emotional issues, days and nights away from home, and family.

Leading Influence

Social media can be unsociable. It’s bad for dialogue.and prone to echo chambers. Comments were posted about the wisdom of Christians aligning with certain political parties. There was some back and forth. Along with the public postings I received some interesting private messaging.

My friend Tim Schindel leaned into the conversation. He founded Leading Influence in 2006, an organization that provides spiritual, emotional, and relational support to elected Canadian officials. Leading Influence supports all parties at all levels of government.

He wrote, “The values of the Kingdom are spread across the political spectrum. No party has a corner on God’s idea for government. There are redemptive, and sadly destructive elements in each party’s ethos because none of us is perfect.”

Broken World

Tim says, “We live in a broken world. The idea that government should hold to a Judeo-Christian ethic, is long past it’s best before date and that’s a good thing.

When the church started expecting government to do its job around shaping society and we retreated into our buildings we gave up the privilege of having broad-based impact.

The difficulty is that we still think we should have privilege and that our voice should be heard. We haven’t dialed into the reality that while we’ve been holed up in the church, the world has marched on without us.

Where there is no salt or light, only bad things happen.

And, this is why it’s important for people like Landen to step up and serve in parties across the political spectrum, because we need salt and light in places of leadership and influence.

So, disagree with his politics if you’d like, but pray for him as your brother asking God to give him grace and wisdom.

He may win or he may lose, but he’s stepping up, unashamed of his faith and values and that needs to be celebrated!”

For The Good

Landen is a good guy. He would do great work representing his community. Landen could use all the prayer and support available to him. Those who follow Jesus, regardless of party affiliation, would benefit knowing their church has their back.

What do you think about Christians, political parties, and prayer? Please join the conversation and leave a comment below. Thank you.

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Bob Jones

Happily married to Jocelyn for 44 years. We have two adult sons, Cory and his wife Lynsey and their son Vincent and daughter Jayda; Jean Marc and his wife Angie and their three daughters, Quinn, Lena and Annora. I love inspiring people through communicating, blogging, and coaching. I enjoy writing, running, and reading. I'm a fan of the Double E, Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Pats. Follow me on Twitter @bobjones49ers

7 Comments

  • Jordan Majeau says:

    Thanks for this Bob. I’m very proud of Landen, and I honor his commitment to representing his community. I also resonate with what Tim Schindel had to say about the idea that no political party has a monopoly on Christian ethics. No party at any level has fully embraced the politics of the sermon on the mount, and until that happens, we have to vote with humility.

  • Bob Jones says:

    You would remember Landen from your time in Barrhead. Good guy. There are devoted followers of Jesus in all political parties. Painting one as a “Christian’s choice” is unfortunate to say the least.

  • John Baloun says:

    In my view, SOCIALISM is much like Marijuana > Cocaine > Fentanyl

    It is an entry level drug into full blown communism. My Atheist Czechoslovakian parents escaped socialistic communism in 1929. They escaped communism and came to Canada in the cargo barrels hidden in the barge below the main deck which could only be accessed via a trap door in the floor of the upper deck.

    My father often spoke to me about the telltale signs I should watch for to spot the first signs of Communism coming to North America. One of them was SOCIALISM. One of the others was, when BANKS became the biggest buildings in our towns and cities, and would control the citizens of our country.
    Kinda scary stuff to see people being fooled into promoting political parties which promote socialism as the only option. I agree that No political
    parties can lay a claim to being CHRISTIAN, but at the same time, POLITICAL PARTIES can do things that are totally anti- christian.

    It is a well known FACT that when the NDP party were in previous power in Alberta, They legislated that NO CORPORATION could fund any political party, but at THE SAME TIME, THE NDP tied in with the stewards of the NDP party to force anyone working as an Alberta Civil Servant to have to join the UNION and having done that, the employee would have have to sign an agreement that the UNION could, through forced payroll deductions provide a piece of each paycheck to the NDP party, exclusive of all other political parties. COMMUNISM IN FULL MOTION within our own Democracy, and act to destroy FREE CHOICE.

    John Baloun

  • Bob Jones says:

    Hi John. Interesting views you hold. In regards to Civil Servants being forced to provide a piece of each paycheck to a political party, all employees in Alberta have rights at work that are protected by law. This could not happen.

  • Valerie frankln says:

    Good morning Pastor Bob
    We are a free country and we can vote or run for any party we choose. That’s what is great about democracy. I pray for our government and when I vote, I vote the party that upholds the most of my beliefs and values.
    Amen
    Have a great day
    Val

  • M Scheuerman says:

    I agree that people can support which ever political party they choose. Parents that escaped communism in Europe fear and see socialism as the first step. Party names like “New Democratic” remind them of the titles used in Europe to usher in eras of controlling people in the name of taking care of people.

  • Dennis Hoberg says:

    Bob it appears some are making
    completely unsubstantiated claims regarding the actions of the NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY during their tenure. The painting of Democratic Socialism as a road towards a conservative fascist state is laughable. The happiest and healthiest nations have been for decades now are in fact Democratic
    Socialist governments.

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