A Detroit pastor told Fox News Digital that it’s “impossible” for pastors and Christians to be politically “neutral.”
“The gospel message is a political message. The Bible is a political book, from Genesis to Revelation. We see that the Bible is a political book,” said Lorenzo Sewell, pastor of Church 180 in Detroit, Michigan.
“It is impossible to be politically neutral,” he added.
Sewell, a Republican, spoke at the last Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July. He supported President-elect Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election and hosted the then-GOP presidential candidate at his church last summer.
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Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, speaks during a campaign event at 180 Church, Saturday, June 15, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
He was previously a critique of identity politics.
“It’s important to be spiritual because you’re political. You can’t be a spiritual person without being political,” Sewell added.
Sewell responded to a Washington Post article detailing a Los Angeles pastor’s struggle to unify his church before and after the presidential election.
Reverend Jonathan Hall, 41, originally from Alabamapastored the First Christian Church of North Hollywood for two years. First Christian is part of the Disciples of Christ denomination and serves more than 1,000 members. “Persuading Republicans, Democrats and independents in his pews to stay and pray with each other is becoming increasingly complicated,” the Post reported.
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Lorenzo Sewell, pastor of 180 Church, will speak at the RNC Thursday (Getty Images)
Several worshipers left the church due to their political differences. One member cited a film Hall planned to show about Christian nationalism that was “too one-sided” and “anti-Republican.”
Others left after discovering their peers were attending Trump’s inauguration.
Responding to the Washington Post article, Sewell stressed the importance of bipartisanship.
“We have to understand that you can’t make progress without being bipartisan. We understand that you have to work with the Democrats and you have to work with the Republicans now in order to make real progress,” the east Detroit native said. “So we have to be discerning.”
Pastor Lorenzo Sewell points while speaking at the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Sewell told Fox News Digital that there are Democrats in his church.
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“We think it’s very difficult for you to be a Bible-believing Christian and a Democrat. We believe that. Do I have Democrats in my church? Absolutely. We don’t believe that every Democrat is a demon, but we think the Democratic platform is evil,” he said.
“Conversely, we do not believe that all Republicans are revivalists. We do not worship a donkey or an elephant. We worship the lamb that was slain.”
Fox