Evangelicals have moved to politically influential positions in recent years, especially in the United States. Reinhard Sink, head of the German Evangelical Alliance, is concerned about the outcome.
In a bystander at the European Congress on Evangelism in Berlin in May (an exclusive interview with Christian Daily International hosted by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association), Sink discussed the need for Christian leaders and politicians to take responsibility for each other, to maintain unity rooted in authentic fellowships and to maintain the faith of children facing potential threats.
“Compared to before Trump and a few years ago, many evangelicals had the opportunity to take responsibility in society, and responsibility was delegated, and the power of attorney had political influence.
Opportunities and dangers of influence
Sink influences moral, gender and abortion laws and public debates, reflecting that it is a minority voice that is often ignored by evangelicals.
“All of a sudden, we hear our voices, we have the opportunity to shape society and have an impact within the legal production process,” he said. “On the other hand, it is very easy to compromise on the possibilities and the power you have, and I think this is not only an opportunity, but also dangerous for Christians in these positions.
He urged his followers to approach opportunities with a “right attitude and right mind” and avoid adopting the same selfish tactics as secular politics.
Concerns about Christian nationalism
Sink acknowledges widespread concerns about the rise of Christian nationalism, reflecting comments made several days ago, and is the former European director of the mission and is now director of the Schumann European Studies Centre in Amsterdam. Speaking to the Swiss Evangelical Alliance, Fountain warned that Christian nationalist ideology would distort Jesus’ teachings and compromise the integrity of faith.
Sink agreed. “Whenever we look at history, whenever our followers tried to establish God’s kingdom with human power, it didn’t end well,” he said.
He argued that the challenge was to appreciate influence while maintaining a pure heart and a proper mindset. “It’s really about Christ,” Sink said. “It’s not about us, and we can’t ‘it’ at the end of the day. ”
The power modeled after Christ
To understand the correct approach to power, Sink pointed to the example of Jesus. Jesus showed both the great humility he had when he washed his disciples, saying, “He was driving out the devil, healing, speaking words, and stilling the storm.”
“We need to keep these two aspects together,” Sink said. Paul’s warning to the Romans said, “should not conform to this world’s patterns.”
The danger of the “Lonely Ranger” leader
Another concern for Schink is about leaders who are seeking “cowboy style” who are prominent leaders without accountability. As he explained, he aims to become a “big leader” or keynote speaker without submitting to the supervision of his fellow followers.
He warned that isolation and pride could lead to backslides. “It’s about me and what I’m doing for the Lord, and then suddenly it moves from him to what I’m doing,” he said. The power and money he warned could corrupt.
For evangelicals of political status, Sink recommended a disciple structure rooted in both local fellowship and peer accountability. “To make this decision, ‘I will be responsible for God’ also means accountability for my fellow believers,” he said.
The Lord said that every day’s quiet time before “important” was also sitting at Jesus’ feet, referring to the prayer of Psalm 139:23-24.
“We need to have people by our side who allow us to say something important in our lives and to fix us,” he said. “And perhaps, if someone else is blessed rather than us, we need to learn to enjoy it.”
Beyond and above
Sink said that for Christians as citizens of heaven, it is “inappropriate” to be strongly matched to the right or left, noting the difficulty of defining “extreme” beginnings and ends. The same attention applies to theological divisions such as charismatic and non-literals, he said.
Labels are distracted from focusing on shared goals, he argued. “We’re standing” should be a priority, he said.
He provided prostitution and modern slavery as examples. Christians agree that these practices violate biblical values, but their approach may differ, such as whether to punish clients and pimps but adopt a Scandinavian model rather than a sex worker.
“If ‘what’ is clear, then we can leave the ‘way’ to political discourse,” Sink said. “No matter which way we don’t agree, we are still siblings.
Learn from the first disciple
Sink said disagreements should not hinder fellowships. He imagines his first disciples – from tax collectors to fishermen, fishermen, and those sympathetic to armed resistance, he discusses local politics and other issues, but stays together to share their love for Jesus.
He compared this to the story of Luke 24 of his disciples on the road to Emmaus, where Jesus began his conversation with questions. He said that even though dialogue can open up, evangelicals today “rarely ask questions.”
The moment of recognition was not a theological argument, but when the disciples’ hearts “before they came with Jesus” when they broke bread. Looking back, they said, “When we spoke to us on the road and opened the Bible, did our hearts not burn within us?” (Luke 24:32)
For Schink, the story shows that while theology is important, “Jesus began his journey by discussing theology.” “We need to come with you,” he said.
Pre-consensus Fellowship
Sink warned against the evangelical tendencies awaiting full theological consensus before pursuing fellowship. That approach would mean limiting our understanding of Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection from our theological thinking,” he said.
Instead, he said, “If we say that Jesus is Lord about everything… and this fellowship is the foundation of our current understanding.”
This balance between theological dialogue and relational fellowship is deeply related to how evangelicals navigate political influence, he added.
The blessings of challenging times
Sink believes evangelicals live in both “interesting” and “challenging” eras, but they also live in seasons of bounty. He has seen believers attract more close than they had in the past 20 years and cherish their intimacy with Christ, who grew up in this age.
“There is blessing in the challenging situation we are facing right now,” he said. “The Lord speaks to his people.”
With the war in Ukraine reconstructing Europe, Sink agreed to Franklin Graham’s call to pray and emphasize that at this moment we will learn from the Lord “the very simple truth of faith.”
Quoting the apostle Paul, he said that believers should remember that God will begin and complete their faith: “Lord, you will begin my faith… You are the one who will assure me that for your grace I can finish it.” Proclaiming this simple truth in my life truly brings us a new kind of peace. ”
Whether facing political power, armed conflict or ministries, Sink said the church can trust Christ’s promises. “You said the gates of hell will not overcome your church.
“In times like these,” he concluded. “We don’t need huge, deep thoughts… we need this simple faith and we stick to it.
