Leaning on the non-violent message of Jesus in polarized times

Matt Pritchard

A few weeks ago, Matt Pritchard read “A Confession of Evangelical Conviction,” a non-partisan statement endorsed by more than 300 evangelical pastors, leaders and organizations. Pritchard is the associate conference minister of emerging communities for MC USA’s Central District Conference. It piqued his interest, and he shared it with CDC Conference Minister Doug Luginbill.

Luginbill was also intrigued. “As I hear more about Christian Nationalism, political polarization and the recent willingness of some Evangelical leaders to challenge their parishioners to consider the non-violent message of Jesus, the ‘Confession of Evangelical Conviction’ seemed a

Doug Luginbill

breath of fresh air from these siblings in Christ,” said Luginbill. “While we may not embrace all of the theological statements in the Confession, it is much more aligned with our Anabaptist witness than what we often hear coming from ‘evangelicals’ in the U.S.,” he said, adding that they saw this as a possible open door to engage ecumenically in the communities where they have CDC congregations.

With the upcoming election on his mind, Pritchard penned a thoughtful letter to CDC pastors and leaders on Sept. 10, 2024, asking, “… how do we as Mennonites provide witness to and enliven the peacemaking work of Jesus in the world? How do we protect the vulnerable within our churches and our communities at large?”

He invited CDC members to look at “A Confession of Evangelical Conviction” and its call for revival and asked, “How can we bridge divides and offer support to our evangelical brothers and sisters? How can we forge unity based on the shared convictions it contains?”

Pritchard shared that the CDC staff would be devoting the following week to prayer for revival and invited CDC church communities to do the same.

“Furthermore, we encourage you and your church communities to re-examine our Mennonite history, theology, and practices around peacemaking and political engagement,” he wrote, providing a list of resources for further reading. (See links below.) The letter was signed by Pritchard, Luginbill, CDC Communications Coordinator Sarah Werner and Conference Administrator Emma Hartman.

In one response, the pastoral team at Silverwood Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana, invited the congregation and community to come together in prayer every Tuesday evening leading up to and including Election Day to pray. Every Tuesday, the congregation has prayed collectively, with a focus on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12), and spent time in individual quiet prayer.

At the recent MC USA Constituency Leaders Council meeting, held via Zoom on Oct. 12, 2024, conference leaders from across MC USA met in breakout groups to answer the question, “How are conference and constituency groups resourcing congregations around a polarized fall election?”

Attendees reported their responses back to the larger group. The wide array of strategies included:

Sharing a sermon series on discipleship/following Jesus.
Hosting a Civil Rights tour.
Holding Election Day communion services.
Encouraging pastors and leaders to provide a calming presence in the community.
Coming together in prayer.
Providing resources and discussion packets.
Engaging in pastor peer groups.
Focusing on the kingdom of God.
Staying in conversation/community to address polarization.
Collaborating with local community groups and nonprofits.
Directly engaging in the local community, such as helping people get access to voting.

On Election Day eve, Monday, Nov. 4, the MC USA Executive Board staff is also calling conferences, congregations and constituents across the denomination to join in prayer and fasting.

“In moments like this, as followers of Jesus, we are invited to take a step back and remember that our hope is not anchored in political outcomes, but in the unshakable promises of God,” said Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, denominational minister for Peace and Justice.

Written by Camille Dager.