Angry in the Pews

A president, a bishop, and a call to mercy.

Sitting through difficult sermons can be one of the most challenging experiences in worship. The quality of the writing, the effectiveness of the preacher’s delivery, or the discomfort we feel when our deeply held political ideologies are confronted make up these challenges. We all enter the sanctuary carrying our worldviews, expecting sermons to affirm what we already believe or to validate our perspectives on social and political issues. However, the role of the preacher is not to cater to our biases or to align with any political ideology. The duty of the preacher is, above all, to remain faithful to God's Word. So, what happens when the preacher doesn’t agree to give divine approval to a political agenda and instead points to the Kingdom of God?

In a sermon titled “On Not Meeting People’s Needs at Church,” retired United Methodist Bishop Will Willimon said: “What if church serves people, not as a market transaction, but because it is the people of God? What if our choir works hard on their anthem, not because they hope you will like it and be inspired by it but because the choir knows that we are called to be a sign, a signal, a foretaste, a beachhead of God's Kingdom in the world? What if I’m preaching this sermon, not because I think it’s uppermost on your list of weekly wants, but rather because I believe this is what God wants? What you get out of what is done here should not be as great a concern among us as fidelity to the peculiar nature of God’s Kingdom.”

Bishop Willimon continued, “What is the greatest service the church can render the world? Perhaps the service we render is not necessarily what the world thinks it needs. But the church is not only about meeting my needs but also about rearranging my needs, giving me needs I would never have had had I not come to church.”

Faithful preaching and worship, as Willimon makes clear, are not about catering to our desires or preferences but about aligning ourselves with the will of God. The church exists not as a transactional institution, but as the people of God—set apart to embody God’s Kingdom. A Kingdom that stands at odds with the kingdoms elected officials try to build in their own image.

What does God require of us? Well, the prophet Micah put it like this:

⁶ “With what shall I come before the Lord,

and bow myself before God on high?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,

with calves a year old?

⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,

with ten thousands of rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”

⁸ He has told you, O mortal, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?

Yesterday, Bishop Mariann Budde confronted the newly inaugurated administration with a plea to do just what the Lord said through the prophet Micah.

“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you. And as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”

Bishop Budde called for mercy and justice, reminding those in power of their responsibility to the vulnerable, particularly immigrants and those living on the margins. Her words, grounded in God’s call to justice, reflected Micah’s challenge to act justly and love mercy:

“The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals, they – they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors.”

In these words, Bishop Budde gives voice to those often unseen and undervalued in neighborhoods. The Bishop reminds us that acting justly means recognizing their dignity and contributions and refusing to demonize or marginalize them based on their immigration status. Her plea for justice and mercy calls us to extend compassion to those whose labor supports our daily lives, to advocate for fair treatment, and to reject narratives that vilify them.

Predictably, President Trump did not respond well to this message. Reports indicate that he has demanded an apology from Bishop Budde, accusing her of politicizing the pulpit and undermining his authority. Some of his supporters have gone so far as to call for her to be deported—a striking irony given her status as an American citizen and a leader in one of the nation’s most prominent religious institutions. These reactions highlight how resistant we can be to messages that challenge our priorities and comfort. No one enjoys hearing a prophetic word that calls them to account, especially when it threatens their power or status. Yet, as Micah reminds us, the words of the prophet are not intended to comfort the powerful but to remind all people of what God requires.

To “act justly” means to take God’s justice seriously—to confront systems of oppression, stand with the vulnerable, and ensure that fairness and dignity are afforded to all people. God defines justice as not about retribution or self-interest but about creating conditions where all can flourish. In Micah’s time, as in ours, this meant challenging leaders and structures perpetuating inequality and exploiting the powerless.

To “love mercy” is to go beyond obligation and enter into relationships marked by compassion, kindness, and forgiveness. God’s mercy reflects God’s character and God’s call to God’s people to model it in their dealings with others. Mercy requires seeing others through God’s eyes—not as enemies or obstacles, but as fellow image-bearers deserving of grace.

Finally, to “walk humbly with your God” is to acknowledge that we are not the ultimate authority. It is to surrender our pride, agendas, and power to God's will, trusting that His purposes are higher than our own. Walking humbly requires a deep awareness of our dependence on God and a willingness to prioritize His ways over our preferences or ambitions.

No one wants to hear what they don’t want to hear. I get it. I am the same way. Still, a call to justice, mercy, and humility is at the forefront of what it means for the Church to proclaim the reality of the Kingdom of God. This is the message that faithful preachers, like Bishop Budde, proclaim week after week. God’s words offend our sensibilities and properties because God’s priorities often starkly contrast to our own. Her plea was not merely political; it was prophetic, grounded in the eternal truth of what God requires of His people.

Bishop Budde’s words — “to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now” — is a call to all who claim the name of Christ. This is a call to those who like to say that America was founded on Christian principles (which it wasn’t) to see their neighbors (and Jesus tells us everyone is our neighbor) as God sees them.

The call to justice, mercy, and humility is not an abstract ideal; it is the essence of living as God’s people. It challenges us to see the world not through the lens of self-interest or national identity but through the eyes of a God whose love knows no borders, whose justice demands equity, and whose mercy reaches to the depths of human need. Bishop Budde’s plea reminds us that discipleship requires a willingness to set aside our comfort, prejudices, and political ideologies to embrace the divine call to serve and love as Christ loves.

To have mercy upon the scared, vulnerable, and marginalized is not just an act of charity; it is an act of faithfulness to the God who first showed mercy to us. It means seeing every person, regardless of their status or background, as a beloved child of God. It means becoming a conduit of God’s grace in a world desperate for hope and healing.

The call to mercy is a call to be a means of grace. It is a call to embody the heart of the Gospel—to be a living reflection of God’s justice, love, and humility in the world. And as we answer this call, we do not merely fulfill what the Lord requires; we bear witness to His Kingdom, where mercy flows freely, and grace is abundant for all.