Megachurch Pastor Josh Howerton Says Christians Who Don’t Vote Are Sinning & Rebelling Against God
Lakepointe Church pastor Josh Howerton is under fire by critics for telling congregants that they are rebelling against God if they choose not to vote in the upcoming election.
Howerton made the comments during his October 6 sermon “How to Vote Like Jesus,” where he lamented the lack of political engagement and silence from church leaders on political leaders, saying the choice to be silent is “completely and utterly unbiblical.”
“You cannot read the Bible about Moses, Daniel, Esther, Nathan, Nehemiah, John the Baptist, and think that the church and pastors should avoid addressing government and governmental leaders. You just can’t do it. It’s all throughout the Bible.”
He continues:
“What’s happening right now is, the church is not getting more political, politics are getting more theological, and politics are getting more spiritual. When the government moved past things like building roads, issuing driver’s licenses, and teaching math, to things like redefining marriage, erasing gender, reframing abortion as reproductive rights and then using the government school system to indoctrinate everybody’s kids into believing those things … the church didn’t move, politics did.”
Then concludes:
“I’m going to say something that has a bit of an edge to it, but I need you to understand this biblically. When Christians do not vote, what they’re doing is they are abdicating their leadership position in the constitutional republic that God has placed you in, and it’s a form of passive rebellion against God.
In the exact same way that it would be wrong for a husband to refuse to lead his family, and it would be wrong for a pastor to refuse to lead his church, it would be wrong for you to refuse to lead/take part in the leadership of the nation that God has put you in. Does this make sense?
If we go back to ask the original question, ‘Would Jesus vote?’ Yes. Yes, He would, because He wouldn’t abdicate the responsibility that God has given Him.”
While some have criticized this statement, this is Protestia’s position, and we believe he’s spot on. Howerton later clarified his position on X/ Twitter.
