Ellis Miller, September 2025
Today I mourn for a widow who has lost a husband who loved her and who loved Jesus. I mourn for two children who will grow up without their father.
I mourn for our nation divided by the politics of left and right, but united in the pursuit of power and wealth and glory. Able to expend energy in social outrage, but unable to love the “other" neighbor as themselves.
While this is tragic, it isn't surprising and it isn't new. Human nature without redemption will always find an enemy – other nations, other races, other religions, other views.
I mourn for the American churches who have joined the flag with the cross, who embrace the Bible with one hand and the rifle with the other. Who don't live as exiles hoping for a heavenly country, but instead celebrate their leader who promises to make this nation great again.
While this is tragic, it isn't surprising and it isn't new. The church has long been tempted with power and with compromise. Constantine and the crusades show what happens when the church abandons the ways of its suffering Savior and takes up the sword.
But even more, I mourn for my Anabaptist brothers and sisters and our churches. How has it happened that we have kept an identity that is plain but lost our identity as pilgrims? When did we move from living as exiles and ambassadors to embracing conservative politics and political figures as our own (whether we vote or not)?
To be clear, I count Charlie Kirk as a brother in Christ. He unapologetically preached Christ and the gospel. For this I am grateful. He was a gifted communicator who challenged many to reconsider both their personal views and their political views. His skill was admirable.
Yet he also unapologetically pushed an aggressive political agenda and was closely tied to a President whose words and life differ sharply from Christ's commands. He attacked political enemies and called for the death penalty for a former president. He saw the US government as Christian ("This is a Christian state. I'd like to see it stay that way.") and believed that Christ’s command to “Occupy until I come" was an instruction to dominate in government and all of society.
His funeral witnessed the confusing marriage of the church and state. His widow gave a moving testimony pointing to Christ and speaking of forgiveness. Other speakers clearly preached the gospel. But the stage was also shared with a political party to preach their agenda. It is clear that this version of Christianity is deeply joined to a particular brand of politics. The two are inseparable in life and in death.
What if instead of hours of politics, the time would have been given to Christ and the cross? What if committed Christians from across the political spectrum had laid down their differences and together preached the risen Christ? This could have been a moment for the church to stand together. Instead, the unity of political views trumped the unity of Christ.
We aren't here to discuss Charlie Kirk. While I count him as a fellow believer, he was from a different faith tradition. His teachings were the clear outworking of his beliefs.
My question is whether our faith tradition will live out our beliefs. Or are they still our beliefs? This message of joining church and state is not unfamiliar to us as Anabaptists. However, it was not the message of our spiritual ancestors, it was the message of their persecutors. It is alien to the way of the kingdom Christian.
We wince when we see a buggy in the lane and a Trump sign in the yard. Yet these symbols too closely represent the hearts of many in our churches. We have brothers who are listening to Fox News more than the Bible, to Tucker Carlson more than Menno Simons.
A friend recently told me that unless we unapologetically embrace and speak about our identity as citizens of another country, it will disappear in the onslaught of social media and conservative political culture.[1]
For those of you who do not embrace this marriage of Anabaptism and politics, we are at a place where silence is probably not the right option. We must prayerfully, graciously, humbly, courageously speak up for Christ and his kingdom.
We are at a turning point.
How will we respond?
Will we embrace Christ's words that “my kingdom is not of this world"?
Will we embrace the instructions of Peter to live as exiles and sojourners?
Will we accept the call to be ambassadors of another kingdom both in this country and throughout the world?
Will we love our enemies and pray for them?
Will we become passionate followers of Christ or will we remain the comfortable quiet in the land?
Will our people be steeped in Scripture and prayer or in social media, entertainment, and distraction?
Will the heritage we pass on to our children be one only marked by hard work and the blind pursuit of prosperity? Or will they have seen us sell all in order to gain the greatest Treasure of all?
Will the Master say “Well done!" when we stand before Him?
Background: I am a member of an Amish Mennonite church in Kansas. This article was written in response to the political perspectives I have seen in the past weeks among those of my faith tradition, the conservative Anabaptists. I pray that it can be an encouragement to others as well in their journey of faith.
Author email: ellisandlynita@findusfaithful.com
This article can be found at https://tinyurl.com/MourningKirkAndAnabaptists
A Prayer For Our Time
Our Father who is in heaven,
May your name be sacred in our churches and in our lives.
May your kingdom come in our communities.
May your will be done
… in our lives,
… In our families,
… in our congregations,
… in our nation,
… in the world
as it is in heaven.
Give us what we need and protect us from what we don't need.
Forgive our sins and teach us to forgive.
Protect us from all the attacks and traps of Satan that would lead us away from you or destroy what you wish to do.
Protect us.
Keep us.
For yours is the glory and the power.
We give our allegiance to you and not to the nations and political movements of this world.
For you are our King.
Forever and ever.
Amen.
[1] Update 10/3/2025 - While I particularly highlight involvement in right-leaning politics because that has most affected conservative Anabaptists, these same concerns apply to left-leaning politics that other Anabaptists have embraced. Identifying as part of either party compromises our primary identity as Christ followers.