Jamin Bradley

“Why does Jamin have to be so annoying about politics?” If you’re asking that question, you’re not alone because I’m with you. A younger version of myself never expected me to get a degree in theology and social justice. I’ve never followed politics that closely, and I still don’t always know what the best policies are for every given scenario.

I’m annoying because much of my studies over the years have revolved around Jesus and the poor, the broken, and the outcast. Such stories are heavily imprinted on my heart, and I often see a political disconnect between the church and Jesus in this area of the faith. The mission projects we do and the messages we preach often don’t seem to line up with our political concerns or the policies we want to be enacted.

And yes, I’m especially annoying about Trump because I have watched over the years as some have turned him into an idol. Unlike Jesus, he is not a friend to the poor, the broken, and the outcast. He does not have the character Christians endorse. His rhetoric is deeply disturbing, and some of his supporters not only let him say such things but also cheer him on when he does. It’s clear at this point that the man can say or do whatever he wants and many will either excuse what he said, water it down, or straight up agree with him.

When Trump was president not long ago, I felt like I was always doing damage control. I was constantly apologizing to the world and saying that, “Christians aren’t supposed to be like that,” while also preaching from the pulpit that, “Christians aren’t supposed to be like that.” I had to have unusually complicated conversations around simple topics like racism, often because people’s defenses were up too high to listen. People did not want to hear pastoral opinions on politics and often asked us to stop when we gave them. It was a horrible time to be a pastor during Trump’s first presidency.

It’s silly to think a pastor of a small church in Jackson, MI is going to have any impact on the election. I do not speak because I think I can curve who will be president. I speak because I am an American pastor, and there are many in the American church who are worshipping a person that they have confused with Jesus, a politic they have confused with the gospel, and a country they have confused with Heaven. I am annoying, because I won’t stand for that. Not everyone voting for Trump has this predicament. But for those who do, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins.”