Eugene Cho - Thou Shalt Not Be a Jerk: A Christians Guide to Engaging Politics

What people are saying about

Poll after poll has shown that the involvement of Christians in divisive politics has deeply damaged the witness of the church in America. Eugene Cho has given us an important wake-up callreminding us that our most powerful witness is not found in politics, but in the moral and spiritual power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Richard Stearns, president emeritus of World Vision US and author of The Hole in Our Gospel

You see, the thing about Eugene Cho is that hes committed to a holistic understanding of the gospel. But his commitment to Jesus is not merely intellectual, its actionable . Whether you lean Right or Left or in-between in your political perspective, you will be challenged, encouraged, and equipped by this robust work.

Dr. Derwin L. Gray, founding and lead pastor of Transformation Church and author of The Good Life

I have been waiting for this book because the Church desperately needs this book more than ever before. So many leaders and believers regularly ask me for wisdom around how to navigate our Christian faith and politics. While this book may not have all the answers, Rev. Eugene Cho has written an incredible and timely resource by providing a biblical, theological, and practical framework to both encourage and challenge pastors, leaders, and all believers. He bravely balances the pastoral and prophetic and urges us not to abandon politics but to faithfully work to ensure that our theology as followers of Jesus informs our politics and not the other way around. Indeed, we need to hear and embody this message!

Dr. John M. Perkins, founder and president emeritus of John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation and founder of Christian Community Development Association

One of the great challenges in the US church today is for Christians to effectively engage in politics without being overtly partisan and to resist the temptation to completely disengage politically because it can be so toxic and wearing. This book provides an essential framework for how Christians can engage in the public square to be salt and light, to demonstrate the love and good news of Christ for all people by engaging the systems and structures in which we live. Choosing to be apolitical is not an optionits how we engage in politics well that will allow us to fully advance the cause of Christ to a watching and waiting world.

Jenny Yang, vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief and coauthor of Welcoming the Stranger

How do we engage politically as Christians when our political disagreements have ended friendships, divided families and church communities, and left people bruised, determined to avoid anything political? In Thou Shall Not Be a Jerk , Eugene Cho is not reductive about the prayer-filled yet significantly divergent political views Christians hold. But he doesnt give up either. Instead, Cho calls us beyond apathy, avoidance, and echo chambers, equipping Christians to listen and engage politically with humility, integrity, conviction. This book is both challenging and inspiring. And a valuable resource as we seek to navigate a polarized climate with grace and truth.

Jo Saxton, speaker, author, and leadership coach

Conversations about how Christians should engage with politics have always been difficult, but are needed now more than ever. Im grateful that Eugene has always strived to approach these questions with a humility to learn and try to first and foremost understand what God would want us to do. Im still continuing to learn and am grateful for the guidance and insights that this book provides.

Jeremy Lin, professional basketball player and 2019 NBA champion, and founder of Jeremy Lin Foundation

Eugene has thoughtfully challenged us to engage with politics in the backward way of Jesus, with humility, love, and passion. Goodness, we need a new way to engage our worldand he has challenged us to it.

Jennie Allen, author of Get Out of Your Head and founder and visionary of IF:Gathering

Eugene Chos tome is a welcome and instructive guide to Christians of every political stripe who in this time of deep political divide are in profound need of a cartography to engage in the political sphere while reflecting their primary allegiance to Christian discipleship and the kingdom of God.

Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, pastor of Calvario City Church and president of National Latino Evangelical Coalition

THOU SHALT NOT BE A JERK

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (Public Domain); NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org ); and NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Control Number 2019948025

ISBN 978-0-7814-1115-8

eISBN 978-0-8307-7891-1

2020 Eugene Cho

The Team: Michael Covington, Alice Crider, Nick Lee, Megan Stengel, Jack Campbell, Susan Murdock

Cover Design: Jon Middel

First Edition 2020

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Family.

To my parents: Thank you for your couragein fleeing for freedom during the Korean War and later immigrating to the United States so that your children might have opportunities you didnt have in your life.

To my wife, Minhee: I love you and am so grateful to be on this journey of serving and honoring Christ together.

To Jubilee, Trinity, and Jedi: I see you, love you, and believe in you.