When the Pulpit Becomes a Platform: A Plea for Spiritual Integrity in a Politically Charged Church

Lately, I’ve been carrying a heavy anger. Not the kind that consumes—but the kind that burns clean through the fog of confusion. Righteous anger. Disappointment wrapped in clarity.

Not at the world. The world has always been in disarray.

But at some of the preachers, pastors, and spiritual leaders who are using their sacred space to stir up political division, call for civil unrest, and wave their opinions around as if they speak for God.

Let’s pause here and say something simple but vital:
That is not the Gospel.
That is not the Spirit of Christ.

When spiritual leaders call for rebellion instead of repentance—when pulpits become podiums for power instead of altars for surrender—we have lost our way.

✦ What Does the Soul Actually Long For?

In mystic language, we speak often of the soul. Not as a vague poetic word—but as the deepest part of you. The soul is the seat of your eternal self, the core of your consciousness, the part of you that knows God when words fail. The part of you that aches for truth and trembles with love when the presence of the Divine becomes real.

Your soul doesn’t want chaos.
It doesn’t want empty noise masquerading as righteous rage.
It wants connection.

Not connection to a preacher’s opinion, but to the voice of God that can still be heard—when all the microphones are turned off and the headlines fade.

That’s what the mystic life is. Not escaping the world, but living in it with clarity. With peace that doesn’t depend on who’s in office. With guidance that comes not from men, but from a Spirit who speaks in the stillness.

✦ The Gospel Is Not Partisan—It’s Transformative

Yes, the message of Jesus has political consequences. It upends systems of oppression. It elevates the poor. It calls out corruption.

But Jesus didn’t endorse a party or build a movement to overthrow Rome.
He said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
He showed us how to transform the world—not through rage, but through resurrection.

We are not called to incite rebellion in His name.
We are called to reflect Him in ours.

✦ What the Church Is Meant to Be

Churches should be sanctuaries, not political war rooms.
Spiritual leaders should be voices of truth and tenderness, not self-appointed generals in a culture war.
And the people of God should be known by their compassion, not their campaigns.

There’s a reason we have a separation between church and state. It was never to silence faith—it was to protect it. When preachers turn scripture into a political weapon, they defile both the gospel and the government.

If your message only comforts one side and condemns the other, it’s not the Gospel. It’s spin.

✦ Let’s Get Back to the Deep Work

If you’re frustrated, good. Let that fire burn away the distractions. Use it to draw closer to God—not the version others sell you, but the Living God who speaks directly to your soul.

Return to the teachings of Jesus—not cherry-picked verses wrapped in flags, but the whole, hard, beautiful truth. Turn off the noise. Ask yourself:

Does what I’m hearing lead me to more love?
More peace?
More truth in how I live and how I lead?

If not, step away.
We don’t need louder voices. We need deeper roots.

✦ A Final Word for Fellow Seekers

If you are a spiritual leader—preacher, coach, prophet, teacher—ask yourself today:

• Am I guiding people into the presence of God, or into my opinions?

• Am I making space for divine encounter, or just echoing the world with church language?

• Am I leading souls, or stoking fires?

If you are a seeker—just trying to find your way—let me remind you:

You don’t need someone to speak for God.
You need someone to help you hear God for yourself.

That’s the work we do here at Contemplative Fellowship with Christ.
We don’t offer easy answers. We offer sacred space for you to wrestle, weep, question, and connect.

Because what your soul truly wants is not a political crusade.
It wants a holy conversation.

And the invitation is still open.