This past week, while at worship, I heard a member of the preaching team share a moving sermon on mercy. Forty-nine years ago during my first interview with a church’s pastoral search committee, one of the committee members asked me this question: “Do you preach politics from the pulpit?” Without hesitation, I answered “Yes!”

Now, I have never preached partisan politics or told anyone whom they should vote for. I have always been pastor to people on both sides of most every issue.