Posted October 20, 2026
If you’re like everyone I know, you’re being inundated these days with texts from political candidates and parties. You might agree with the person who said, “I’ll vote for any party that stops sending me texts.”
I wouldn’t hold out hope. It turns out that, per a 2021 Supreme Court decision, political texts are exempt from the Do Not Call Registry that prevents us from getting an onslaught of telemarketing calls. Political texting is effective because, unlike emails, people check their phones whenever they receive a text in case it came from family members or friends. As one political science professor put it, “Text messages are a great deal because they’re very cheap and they work.”
I can’t help you with political text messages today, but I would nonetheless like to think with you about the upcoming midterms.
Early voting in my state began yesterday. Voter turnout in midterm elections is typically much lower than in presidential elections, which is unfortunate. At stake in this election is control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as a plethora of offices that directly affect states and local communities. As an indication of their urgency, these are set to be the most expensive midterms on record, with more than $15 billion raised to influence the outcome.
Because ours is a nonpartisan ministry, I will endorse no candidate or party. Rather, I’ll discuss an overview of biblical principles that relate to participating in a democratic republic such as ours.
Let’s begin with what the Bible calls us to do regarding our citizenship:
In addition, I believe every Christian should be engaged in the political process of our democratic republic. We should pray about running for office and supporting those who do. The editor George Jean Nathan was right: “Bad officials are the ones elected by good citizens who do not vote.”
Along the way, we should remember that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20) and that we are God’s “ambassadors” in this fallen world (2 Corinthians 5:20). We are to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21), always with our highest allegiance to our Lord and King (Acts 5:29).
As regards voting, we can view our decision in the context of three priorities that are interconnected like legs on a chair.
The first is public policy. Paul explained that “rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad” (Romans 13:3). Their proper role is to ensure justice in governance. As such, we should judge individual candidates by their policy positions as they affect our lives and the common good. Tony Evans is right: “Every voting choice you exercise ought to be for the candidate, platform, party, or policy that will best represent the values of the kingdom of God.”
The second is party alignment. American politics largely function within a two-party system, so that the party that elects the majority of the House and the Senate controls them. Each party has clear objectives and platforms; to vote for their members is to empower their party. There can therefore be occasions when we vote for a candidate primarily to elect their party or prevent the election of the opposition party.
The third is personal character. Some suggest that this is not relevant to political leaders, that we are electing politicians rather than pastors. I disagree for reasons that deserve a longer explanation.
As Solomon began building the first temple in Jerusalem, the Lord said to him,
Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel (1 Kings 6:12–13).
Note that in both instances, “you” in the Hebrew is singular, making clear that the Lord addressed this call specifically to King Solomon. The king then blessed the people and led them in sacrifice and worship (1 Kings 8:14), dedicating himself and his nation to the Lord (vv. 22–66). But when he later fell into personal immorality, his kingdom fell into division (1 Kings 11–12), and when the nation followed his lead, Babylon destroyed his temple and exiled his people (cf. Ezekiel 43:7–8).
Our best leaders in any context are those God is able to bless, women and men he can lead and use. Political leaders especially normalize their personal ethics as well as their public positions. Both are foundational factors in their success or failure as leaders.
Because our candidates are as fallen as the rest of us, balancing public policy, party alignment, and personal character will typically require discernment. So, let us pray for the candidates and our decision, cast our vote, and then pray for those who are elected.
Democracy is a privilege afforded to few across Christian history and one we dare not fail. As founding father Samuel Adams reminded us, a citizen who votes is “executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.”
Daniel Webster was right:
“Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.”
Let us be both, to the glory of God.
“We shall not adjust the Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God’s grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible.” —Charles Spurgeon
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