Volunteer lay leaders serve as political opinion leaders within churches with considerable power to deepen — or bridge — gaps between religion and politics, according to a new study by Baylor University researchers. Yet several Alabama Baptist pastors with strong Sunday School programs believe church leaders should be mindful of the influence that comes with leadership and be careful to lead people according to God’s Word and not their personal preferences.
Research study
The study — “Sunday School Teacher, Culture Warrior: The Politics of Lay Leaders in Three Religious Traditions” — is published in Social Science Quarterly and is based on analysis of the Baylor Religion Survey, conducted by the Gallup Organization.
“Within congregations, certain people’s voices have more sway — ‘culture warriors,’” said researcher and co-author Brandon Martinez, a doctoral candidate in sociology at Baylor. “The clergy may have the pulpit for captive audiences, but that’s not the whole story. Lay leaders have a different and distinct influence from the clergy. People look to them for cues, which could either reinforce or challenge the stance of the clergy.”
The research shows that non-ordained leaders in all three traditions — evangelicals, mainline Protestants and Catholics — are not only the most engaged in church activities, but also the most politically engaged individuals in their congregations. They set the tone for small group interaction by teaching Sunday School, leading prayer groups, chairing committees, hosting social gatherings and organizing community service.
Edwin Jenkins, pastor of First Baptist Church, Athens, described these observations and research findings as “quite illuminating but not surprising.”
Influential people
“The influence which key leaders in our churches have is quite real,” he said. “Throughout the decades that I have been privileged to serve in local churches I have benefitted tremendously from the godly involvement and influence of key lay leaders. Their influence extends to matters within and outside the congregation as well.”
Still “because the church is the body of Christ,” Jenkins believes that “all leaders, whether clergy or laity, need to be very cautious that they are faithful to lead as God directs.” Referencing James 3:1, Jenkins said, “Because of the power of influence we must not lead according to personal preferences or desires. Those who lead must do what they do for the glory of God and the good of His kingdom. We need to be continually reminded that those who teach and lead are held to a stricter standard and to a more stringent judgment.”
There are distinct differences among lay leaders in the three religious traditions examined in the study. Political concerns — whether dealing with the economy, social justice or the morality of abortion, cohabitation and stem-cell research — vary by tradition.
“If lay leaders signal certain political affiliations or attitudes, others in the congregation may be more likely to consider these attitudes as ‘authentic’ or ‘essential’ attributes of the group’s religious identity,” researchers wrote.
Unified base
“Evangelicals have a more unified base of lay leaders than mainline Protestant and Catholics, so the rank-and-file evangelical gets a more consistent message about how to link their religious identity and belief in politics,” Baylor’s Martinez said. “This helps complete the picture of how evangelicals are able to achieve greater levels of political conformity than mainline and Catholic traditions.”
Chuck Ashley, adult ministry pastor of First Baptist Church, Montgomery, agreed that lay leaders are “important in a congregation and the key to small group interaction in the church” but believes the study overemphasizes politics.
“I view politics as divisive,” he said. “In our church, we (Republican, Democrat, Tea Party and Independent) unify around Jesus and His Holy Word and concentrate our efforts to tell others about Him and help our fellow man.
“We don’t talk politics in our church; we talk about Jesus and what He has done for us and what He can do for you,” Ashley said. “I think the [study] misses the main point. It’s all about Jesus and His Word, and the lay leaders’ role there, not … who wields the most political clout.”
Ron Madison, pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Huntsville, believes Sunday School teachers are not the only people in congregations who “wield significant clout when it comes to influencing decisions and positions.”
Yet he said his church’s tradition and his practice as a pastor have been to “focus more on moral, social and ethical issues that are perceived to transcend politics and party due to being rooted in our understanding of Scripture.”
He added, “Any time a church, denomination or pastor becomes too identified with a political party, the risk is great of being unable to speak a prophetic word when necessary.”
(ABP, Sondra Washington contributed)
Share with others: