This political season has been the most unconventional, surprising, and unpredictable that we have experienced in the modern era. Donald Trump has been the source of the established politicians disbelief as he has broken all of the “political” rules but yet is leading the race to be the Republican candidate for president. Media professionals, life long politicians, and experts are puzzled to how someone who has little political experience, who openly defames and criticizes large groups of people, and who generally comes off as a bully can not only maintain popular opinion but seems to be gathering momentum with a significant percentage of Americans. I have seen lifelong politicians and Washington DC insiders predict the downfall of Trump over and over again and then shake their heads in disbelief when he succeeds. We, as a country, have seen potential candidate after potential candidate fail in their election bid because they did not take Donald Trump’s popularity seriously. The organized political system is in shock because people are not responding the way they think they should. Over the coming months our country and our political system is quickly approaching a crossroads where we will need to force ourselves to innovate and rewrite who we are and how we operate or we could potentially face a political and perhaps larger train wreck. The question is no longer will something change in American government and politics, but what will change? Will someone or a group of people lead a change before the train wreck or will someone or group of people lead out of the train wreck?
The rise of Donald Trump’s popularity is something that the American Church should take notice of and learn from because I believe the American Church risks being on the similar tracks that our government and political systems are on. The American Church needs to be learners of culture and adapt our approach to reach lost people for Christ and grow them into disciples. Here are some truths that the American church needs to wrestle with and come up with a plan to lead through.
- Almost every church over 500 people has full blown Donald Trump supporters attending if not in a leadership position in their church. If you doubt that, start asking people, if you dare.
- Trump has unlocked passion in many people – once passion is unlocked, it is difficult to shut down
- Trump’s message has given people permission to speak their mind, no matter how rational or irrational their mind is.
- What Trump’s campaign has unleashed in America will not be stopped – we can not go back to the way it was because that bridge no longer exists
I believe the American Church has an incredible opportunity and perhaps obligation to learn from the Donald Trump experience. If we do not, I believe the American Church will face a crisis in identity, unity, and in success in completing its mission. My hope is that the Church can be the innovator of culture in the coming months as we analyze what is happening and make strategic plans in reaching the American people. My fear is that the Church is becoming close minded and slow to react to the ever changing culture we live in and will face a decline in the months and years ahead.
Here are a couple of things I believe we are learning from Donald Trump
- People are skeptical of the establishment. Whether it is political, business, or spiritual, people have a distrust for the established leadership and process. You can argue whether that distrust is founded or not, but it doesn’t matter – if people are skeptical of the establishment they will not support it and be more likely to listen and support any voice or thought that contradicts the establishment. Church, we must realize that people are skeptical of us, we must choose to invest in building more bridges with people versus portraying ourselves as distant and unapproachable. It isn’t fair, but if we want to reach the world for Christ we must decide whether we will do whatever it takes to reach people or choose the default which is – we know better and people should adapt to us.
- Christians are not as spiritually mature as we are saying they are – I am not saying mature Christians would not support Trump – my point is the arguments and discussions coming from Christians are not consistent with the teaching and life of Christ. Church – we have to ask the question as to where we are missing the marking in developing maturity and then ask how we can do something more effective.
- People have discovered that they were made to live their life with passion. People are finding out that when they express passion, something comes to life in them. They like it and they should. Church we must find ways to channel that passion into productive and advancing opportunities. We must choose to fan the passion into flame or to ignore it and inadvertently tell them that there is no room for passion in the Church. This is the easiest area I believe the Church can respond to and use to advance the mission of Christ, but we have to be willing to invest and get a little messy.
The American Church must learn from the lessons that we are experiencing from the Donald Trump candidacy. We must decide will be innovators and risk takers or will we rely on our establishment and comfort. Change in the American Church is coming, will we lead before the train wreck or will we wait for someone new to lead us out of the train wreck?