Not sure how to say this, but it’s been stewing inside for some time. Here it is: we live in a culture where it’s wrong to say something is wrong. That bugs me. I’d rather be biblically correct than politically correct. And I think the church needs to be a prophetic voice to our culture.

Here is what is frustrating to me. It seems like those with tact lack courage. And those with courage lack tact. How many of us have been publically embarrassed by something stupid that somone said in the name of Christ? We need some more voices that combine tact and courage. Voices that speak the truth in love. Voices that are rational and revelational.

I was talking about these issues with a Washington lobbyist yesterday. He’s one of the good guys lobbying for good things! And I referenced the promise Jesus gave his followers in Matthew 10:11:

Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

This is an incredible promise. The Holy Spirit will tell us what to say when we need to say it. The funny thing is that we think of this in preaching terms. But this promise has nothing to do with saying the right thing from behind the pulpit. It is a much broader promise than that.

Does this promise apply to educators who write lesson plans? How about lawmakers as they write legislation? What about journalists as they write their stories? How about programmers who write code? Or screenwriters that write scripts?

God wants to speak through us–through our acting, teaching, writing, counseling, lobbying, parenting, and preaching. We need to recapture our prophetic voice.

We need to stand up for what’s right in a culture where it’s wrong to say something is wrong. No easy task. And we’ve got to do it with a spirit of humility, a heart of love, and a logic that persuades.