Pastoring a Church in a Diverse, Left-Leaning State: Three Principles That Guide Us

By Dudley Rutherford

It’s no secret that California, where I live and pastor, is a blue state when it comes to the voting majority. However, not everyone leans to the left. Here you’ll find not only Democrats, but also Republicans, independents, and everything in between. Our church, Shepherd Church, is located in Southern California and is a reflection of our city’s great diversity. When I stand up to preach each weekend, we have people from every political persuasion, race, socioeconomic status, and background sitting in the audience of our worship center. Unlike many other churches across the country, every political viewpoint is represented equally.

Over the years, many people have asked me what it’s like to lead a church in a left-leaning state that promotes social ideas that are contrary to the Word of God. I say without hesitation that we are a melting pot of different cultures and viewpoints, and there’s no place I’d rather be. I consider it an immense privilege and honor to pastor in this great state. I would also share that so many different kinds of people living together in one city brings with it not only the blessing of beauty and variety, but also some challenges. Through it all, Shepherd Church has remained steadfast and focused.

Three principles have guided our leadership and mind-set as we shine a light for Jesus in one of the most liberal states in the country.

OUR MISSION IS CLEAR

How can we be discouraged by the culture around us when our mission is clear? Shepherd Church exists to “lift up the name of Jesus that the world would believe” (see John 3:14, 15; 12:32; 17:21). We live out this mission in two ways: by preaching the gospel and by sharing the love of Christ in our city as we strive to meet tangible needs.

Under that banner, I also set an annual theme for the church. For example, last year our theme was, “I Love L.A.” So in 2019, it was our mission as a church to shower our city with Christ’s love by ramping up our service projects and monies raised to fight major societal issues in our own backyard—homelessness, hunger, human trafficking, and the foster care crisis. Though we have a new theme each year, our mission is and always will be to lift up Jesus by preaching the good news and serving our city with love.

 Moreover, by examining those who have gone before us, we are encouraged to stay the course. The apostle Paul was tenacious and laser-focused in his mission. Despite everything he suffered as an ambassador of the gospel, Paul was persistent. He outworked everyone else in finishing the assignment God had placed before him—to share with Jews and Gentiles alike the saving truth about Jesus Christ.

In Acts 20:24, Paul wrote, “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Wow. Every one of us should live with such passion and purpose. We should not chase after temporary things or become distracted by the noise around us; instead, we should focus on reaching the world with the gospel. There is truly no greater mission.

WE SEEK UNITY, NOT UNIFORMITY

Our mission is also what unites us. Our love for Christ and each other is paramount. It takes precedence over all other topics, ideas, or forces that might seek to divide us. As I mentioned before, we are a church filled with people from all different backgrounds, races, cultures, socioeconomic standings, and political preferences. I wouldn’t expect every person in our church to think the same way about wide-ranging topics. How boring would that be? A rainbow has many colors. A diamond has many facets. A garden has variety. People are entitled to their own opinions about politics. What’s important is that we are united in love, and that we agree about what matters.

I recently heard pastor Jeremy Treat from Reality LA, another wonderful church here in our city, preach a sermon on Ephesians 2:19-22 about our heavenly citizenship and how Christians can graciously navigate the dicey world of politics. One point he emphasized is that as followers of Christ, we are called to unity—not uniformity. Uniformity literally means “identical; without variation in detail.” As Christians, we aren’t required to think the same exact way about politics; we are called to be unified in the faith. Paul makes it clear,

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13, emphasis mine).

At Shepherd, we never seek to ostracize or promote any political party, but we do encourage people to get involved in the political process because Jesus has called us to be salt and light in this world (Matthew 5:13-16). When Jesus said, “Go into all the world and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19, author’s paraphrase), we interpret that as going into Hollywood, the education system, the foster care system, and the political system and making disciples. Our hope is to raise up people in both parties who would keep Christ as a priority in all their decision-making.

I disagree with the notion that if you are a Christian you shouldn’t be involved in politics. As believers, it is important to uphold biblical issues such as defending the poor, the foreigner, the unborn, the widow and orphan, the marital union between a man and a woman, as well as religious liberties. We don’t see these as political battles, but as standing for biblical principles. I believe it is this approach, and the grace and blessing of God, that has allowed Shepherd Church to remain unified all these years.

COME WHAT MAY, WE WILL FINISH THE RACE

Our convictions as Christians have occasionally clashed with the politics in our state. Most recently, we as a church have been involved in a lawsuit because our state ruled against allowing churches an exemption on providing abortion services for staff. I don’t know what the outcome will be, and I hope we will be allowed to uphold our values about the dignity of unborn children and their right to life. But whatever happens in this or any other case, we must finish the race set before us.

No matter what we may face as a church in our state and in our nation, it surely pales in comparison to what the apostle Paul and so many other believers have faced throughout history. In his mission to share the gospel with as many people as possible, Paul suffered floggings, beatings, near-death stonings, shipwreck, prison, hunger, thirst, sleeplessness, cold, nakedness, and danger from every side (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). Despite all this, he was focused on the race God set before him. He didn’t dwell on all the terrible things that had happened to him, nor did he put confidence in his impressive Hebrew pedigree, his knowledge of the law, or his zeal. Instead, he said in Philippians 3:7, 8 that he considered it all a “loss” and “garbage” compared to the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

Toward the end of his life, Paul declared this: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Throughout the Bible, the Christian life is compared to a battle and a race (for example, 1 Corinthians 9:24, 25; Galatians 5:7; 2 Timothy 4:7, 8; Hebrews 12:1, 2). With every hurdle we encounter, and despite opposition, we must persevere. Our capable Father, the Lord God Almighty, is in control. He will never leave or forsake us. His plan will be accomplished on earth and result in the coming of his Son Jesus, who will make all things new. In the meantime, we work, we fight, we run, and we keep the faith.

Our love for Christ and his life-changing, heart-transforming message is truly the one thing on which we can all agree. We constantly share with our congregation that the government and politics will not solve our problems. The only person who has promised to never leave or forsake us is the Lord Jesus Christ, so we promote and uplift him.

It is tempting to look around and become distracted or discouraged by the political strife or cultural whirlwind surrounding us. But no runner has ever run a race by looking backward or around at his environment. We are the church of Jesus Christ, and we must stay focused on our mission: the gospel, the hope of the entire world.

Dudley Rutherford is the author of Compelled: The Irresistible Call to Share Your Faith (available at all online retailers) and the senior pastor of Shepherd Church, which has three campuses in the Greater Los Angeles area of Southern California.