Trump Derangement Syndrome has apparently infected some church houses across the fruited plain. I write about this predicament extensively in my upcoming book, “Culture Jihad: How to Stop the Left From Killing a Nation.”
Last week Franklin Graham called on pastors to hold a special day of prayer for President Trump. On Sunday the president made an unannounced visit to McLean Bible Church where Pastor David Platt delivered a moving prayer before the congregation.
Washington Post points out it was a peculiar choice because the pastor is known for his opposition to materialism and has preached that the church should not promote nationalism.
And former White House staffer Cliff Sims told Christianity Today, Platt had been conflicted about possibly speaking at a White House prayer breakfast.
Knowing that, I find the pastor’s prayer and pastoral leadership even more admirable — and dare I say – Christ-like.
However, some in the congregation were reportedly offended by the notion that a preacher would dare to soil the “sanctity” of the church house by praying for a fellow sinner.
Pastor Platt posted a note about Sunday’s prayer on the church’s website — perhaps to soothe the wounded souls of the Trump haters in the pews.
“My aim was in no way to endorse the president, his policies, or his party, but to obey God’s command to pray for our president and other leaders to govern in the way this passage portrays,” Platt wrote in a letter to the congregation.
By the way, let’s clear up some of the fake news surrounding what happened, too. Politico incorrectly reported Pastor Platt apologized for the prayer. They later corrected the story.
The pastor’s letter to the church was simply an explanation of the events leading up to the prayer as well as a biblical explanation of why he prayed for the president.
“I wanted to share all of this with you in part because I know that some within our church, for a variety of valid reasons, are hurt that I made this decision. This weighs heavy on my heart,” the pastor wrote. “I love every member of this church, and I only want to lead us with God’s Word in a way that transcends political party and position, heals the hurts of racial division and injustice, and honors every man and woman made in the image of God. So while I am thankful that we had an opportunity to obey 1 Timothy 2 in a unique way today, I don’t want to purposely ever do anything that undermines the unity we have in Christ.”
It’s unthinkable that any Bible-believing Christian would take offense at someone being prayed for simply because of their politics or their spiritual condition.
You may think that President Trump is the worst sinner in America, a wretched heathen. Well, that’s all the more reason to pray for the president.
President Trump came to a church house searching for spiritual guidance and he should’ve been warmly embraced by every Christian in the sanctuary. Those of us who profess to be Christian are all sinners saved by grace. We all need prayer — no matter our lot in life.
So here’s some friendly advice to those Christians across America who seem to believe the president is beyond redemption: Before casting stones, the pious pew dwellers should consider pulling the plank out of their own eyes — lest they hit the wrong person.