Christian Sebastia

Tom, I’m not entirely sure whether to take that as a compliment or a concern 😀, but I do know this: it opens the compass toward deeper and more necessary conversations. And for that, I’m grateful. Any faithful reaffirmation of Christ’s lordship should always move us beyond our immediate agendas and invite us into greater discernment together.

Thank you, Faye. Amen. May our prayers shape our hearts to trust God’s sovereign rule, seek His wisdom with humility, and remain faithful to truth and justice as we bear witness to Christ in a broken world. This understanding serves all involved, regardless of political position.

Thank you, Eric. I appreciate your words. My prayer is that pastoral faithfulness remains rooted in truth, humility, and trust in God’s sovereign work, even in complex and painful moments.

James, thank you for engaging so directly. I hear your concern, and I want to be clear that this statement was not intended to justify violence, endorse any administration, or avoid the Gospel. Its purpose was pastoral: to name suffering truthfully, call for accountability, and anchor our hope in God’s sovereignty rather than in political power. I would invite the same exercise I mentioned elsewhere: take this statement and apply it to any government on earth, including the United States. If it still holds, then it is true. Truth is not partisan, and neither is the Gospel. Christ is the Prince of Peace and also the Truth who exposes injustice wherever it is found. My conviction is that proclaiming the Gospel requires both moral clarity and pastoral restraint, so that our witness remains faithful to Christ rather than captive to any ideology.

Thank you, Marion, for that careful and generous reading. You are right. The intention was never to endorse political positions, but to call the church to prayer, to the truth of the Gospel, and to a hope that does not rest in human power, but in the King of kings, whose justice and shalom we long to see fully revealed.

Thank you, Mike, for that thoughtful and gracious response. I appreciate the way you hold together concern for the vulnerable, faithfulness to the Gospel of peace, and respect for differing contexts and callings. I agree that the church bears witness to Christ in diverse ways, and we need one another as we seek to proclaim God’s kingdom of righteousness and peace with both courage and humility.

Thank you, James, for your gracious clarification and apology. I receive it in that same spirit. These are painful matters, and I appreciate your desire for the church to continue discerning how to speak faithfully in complex moments. May we all remain anchored in Christ, the Prince of Peace, as we seek truth, justice, and humility together.

Thank you, Sarah, for the clarification and for stewarding this space with such clarity and generosity. I appreciate the  commitment to fostering thoughtful engagement and faithful dialogue within our shared life and ministry.