Who Do You Listen To?
A spectrum of voices influencing American Evangelicals
I have an invitation for my:
Trump-voting friends who may feel that their Christian faith and values compel them to support Trump and the MAGA movement
Non-Christian, anti-Trump friends who may be even more skeptical of Christianity due to your rejection of Trump and the MAGA movement.
My motivation with this brief piece is to promote a set of Christian voices who are pro-Jesus but Trump-skeptical, deeply Christian but not remotely MAGA.
Each Evangelical Christian voice exists at some point on a spectrum. That spectrum includes matters of truth and error, fact and fiction, partisanship and independence, profiteering and genuine conviction, grift and character, Biblical and cultural grounding, sensationalism and objectivity, extremism and moderation. Believing in Jesus does not make one immune to all the challenges of navigating our highly polarized political culture.
I am presenting two lists for your consideration.
First, I have a simple list of MAGA-aligned voices who have a large platform among Evangelicals. These individuals typically have varying ranges of valid contributions, concerns, and principles that have attracted many of my Evangelical friends and family to them. Their inclusion on the MAGA-aligned list is NOT in any way intended to be a denunciation, simply a fact that they are (broadly) publicly supportive of Trump and his movement—for a wide variety of reasons.
Next, I present a more detailed list of non-MAGA-aligned Evangelical voices who are theologically orthodox/conservative but more moderate in their political stance and not aligned with Trump or the MAGA movement. I encourage you to take time to listen to them.
My simple invitation is for conservative Evangelicals to give serious consideration to the dozens of honorable Christian voices who are not aligned with the quite recent Trump and MAGA phenomenon. One can critique the movement and still deeply embrace Jesus, the Bible, the Gospel, the Kingdom of God, and the church—as these leaders do. Likewise, my invitation for my non-Christian, anti-MAGA friends is to at least be aware of a range of voices who share and articulate many of your concerns, while maintaining authentic faith in Jesus. I invite you to observe how these individuals I’m highlighting follow Jesus in public in our political moment.
First, a Trump/MAGA-friendly list:
Eric Metaxas, Al Mohler, Franklin Graham, Jim Garlow, Jonathan Cahn, Paula White, Jentezen Franklin, Jenna Ellis, Mike Huckabee, Charlie Kirk, Jack Hibbs, Robert Jeffress, Sean Feucht, David Barton, Tony Perkins, Lance Wallnau, Voddie Baucham, Steve Bannon, Dutch Sheets, Rick Green, Greg Locke, Ken Ham, Steve Deace, Mark Burns, Michael Flynn, Andrew Torba, Lauren Boebert, and more…
These are some of the leaders who are often presented as representing Evangelicals in America today. While they do represent some, they are not the only voices.
I’d like to introduce you to others.
Here is a Trump/MAGA-skeptical list of politically- and culturally-engaged Evangelical voices, with quotation-style paraphrases of some of their key themes:
N. T. Wright – Renowned (British) New Testament scholar; Reframes Christian hope and public theology (the only non-American on this list but profoundly influential to many non-MAGA Evangelicals)
➤ Encourages believers to resist escapist eschatology and culture war politics by embodying the kingdom of God in history through justice, resurrection hope, and faithful presence.
“When Christians trumpet a political figure as a messiah, they betray the gospel. Our task is to call rulers to account, not to worship them.”
Surprised by Hope (2007) and so many more! Ask NT Wright Anything (podcast)
Miroslav Volf – Theologian of reconciliation and public engagement; founder of Yale Center for Faith & Culture
➤ Calls Christians to pursue generous, hospitable public life shaped by the cross—especially toward enemies and outsiders—instead of cultural retrenchment and identity politics.
“To embrace the gospel is to let go of political idolatry. Christ crucified—not the flag—is our center.”
A Public Faith (2011)
Tim Keller (†) – Gospel-centered cultural apologist, intellectual engagement with secularism
➤ Encouraged engagement with secular culture through winsome, thoughtful, gospel-rooted reasoning.
“Confront the toughest questions with winsome truth.”
Center Church (2012); The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (2009)
Mark Batterson – Pastor in Washington D.C., author; Models hopeful, imaginative faith
➤ Inspires bold prayer, imaginative faith, and a joyful, forward-looking spirituality.
“Let your faith dream bigger than your doubts.”
Circle Maker (2011)
Skye Jethani – Writer, Holy Post host; Promotes kingdom theology over culture war
➤ Pushes Christians to prioritize kingdom values like humility and mercy over political tribalism.
“God’s kingdom transcends red or blue.”
What if Jesus Was Serious About Justice (2025); The Holy Post (podcast)
David French – Political commentator, lawyer; Theologized constitutional conservatism with moral consistency
➤ Encourages Christians to pursue political engagement with integrity, humility, and rule-of-law convictions—even when unpopular.
“Character matters more than victory.”
The Dispatch (podcast)
David Brooks – Cultural commentator, NYT columnist; Moral voice in public discourse from a theistic worldview
➤ Calls Christians and the broader public to pursue moral formation, civic virtue, and social trust.
“The road to character is paved with humility and moral courage.”
(Note: While not strictly evangelical, he often speaks at Christian events and writes for a faith-aware audience.)
The Road to Character (2015)
Scot McKnight – NT scholar and author; Emphasizes kingdom ethics, justice, and ecclesial renewal
➤ Urges evangelicals to return to a Jesus-centered gospel and abandon political and institutional distortions.
“Kingdom people follow the crucified King, not Caesar.”
The King Jesus Gospel (2011)
Mark Noll – Church historian; Chronicled the rise, promise, and pitfalls of American evangelicalism
➤ Invites deep historical self-reflection among evangelicals to recover intellectual credibility and global humility.
“The scandal of the evangelical mind is still that there is not much of one” (referring to the undercurrent of anti-intellectualism in many Evangelical circles).
The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind (1994)
Russell Moore – Editor, Christianity Today; principled resistance to MAGA politics
➤ Urges moral courage and resistance to political idolatry, emphasizing integrity over party loyalty.
“Hold your political leaders accountable to biblical ethics—even your own candidate.”
Christianity Today (magazine); The Russell Moore Show (podcast)
Ed Stetzer – Evangelical leader, Director of Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College scholar, public theology advocate, researcher on evangelicalism and culture
➤ Calls evangelicals to resist political tribalism and uphold gospel integrity amid cultural polarization.
“Faithful witness requires truth-telling over partisan loyalty.”
Christians in the Age of Outrage: How to Bring Our Best When the World Is at Its Worst (2021); For the Church (podcast)
Beth Moore – Author, Bible teacher; Public courage against abuse and extremism
➤ Encourages believers to speak truth with courage, especially on abuse and extremism within the church.
“Don’t stay silent if the gospel is being distorted or injustice is being overlooked.”
Highly active on Twitter 2016-2021; Countless biblical studies publications
Esau McCaulley – NT scholar, racial justice voice; Links Scripture to social justice
➤ Teaches racial reconciliation as a biblical imperative rooted in the gospel story.
“Racial justice is not secondary—it is intrinsic to the gospel story.”
Reading While Black (2019)
Tish Harrison Warren – Anglican priest, writer; Faith in secular culture
➤ Invites believers to embody holiness in ordinary life, living faithfully amid secular pressures.
“Your everyday life is a holy liturgy.”
Liturgy of the Ordinary (2016)
Curtis Chang – Discipleship and public theology advocate; Forms Christians against political idolatry, co-founder of The After Party
➤ Equips Christians to resist political identity and tribalism through spiritual formation.
“Your identity is in Christ, not your polling place.”
The After Party (organization)
Michael Wear – Political strategist, Reclaiming Hope author; Thoughtful engagement in politics
➤ Advocates for civic engagement informed by Christian humility, integrity, and hope.
“Serve powerfully but humbly.”
Reclaiming Hope (2018)
Richard Mouw – Philosopher, public theologian, former president of Fuller Theological Seminary; Promotes civil witness
➤ Encourages respectful engagement in public discourse and moral persuasion without hostility.
“Let’s argue ideas with respect, not rage.”
Uncommon Decency (2014)
Justin Giboney – AND Campaign co-founder; Integrates biblical values with justice
➤ Bridges gospel convictions with public justice, encouraging civic faithfulness over partisanship.
“Pursue justice without losing our Gospel center.”
AND Campaign
Peter Wehner – Political writer and former Bush administration staffer; offers conservative public theology and moral critique
➤ Calls for morally grounded political engagement with prophetic clarity and humility.
“Be faithful critics—not just faithful voters.”
Articles in The Atlantic and The New York Times
John Walton – OT scholar, Wheaton; Advances contextual biblical scholarship
➤ Invites Christians to read the Bible deeply and contextually, rooted in ancient Near Eastern understanding.
“Genesis must be read in its ancient cultural setting.”
The Lost World of Genesis One (2009)
John Lennox – Christian apologist, math professor; Science-faith bridge
➤ Demonstrates that science and Christian faith are intellectually compatible and mutually enriching.
“You don’t have to choose between intelligence and faith.”
God’s Undertaker (2007)
James K.A. Smith – Philosopher and cultural theologian; calls Christians to formation through liturgies, habits, and cultural renewal
➤ Urges Christians to cultivate spiritual habits that form our desires toward the Kingdom.
“Our loves shape our lives—and our politics.”
Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology (2017)
Alan Noble – Author of Disruptive Witness; encourages cultural conversation through faithful presence, not polarization
➤ Guides believers to engage culture through presence, humility, and thoughtfulness instead of combativeness.
“Be present in culture, not perfect.”
Disruptive Witness (2018)
Kristin Kobes Du Mez – Historian of American evangelicalism; challenges power and masculinity abuses while affirming conservative faith
➤ Encourages the church to examine how cultural power, gender, and nationalism shape its witness.
“Heroes of a movement are not always heroes of Jesus.”
Jesus and John Wayne (2020)
Francis Collins – Scientist, geneticist, former NIH director; Harmonized evangelical faith with scientific integrity
➤ Encourages believers to embrace both scientific rigor and theological conviction, rejecting false binaries.
“Science and faith are allies, not enemies.”
The Language of God (2006); BioLogos (organization)
I hope that this list inspires you to explore new frontiers—either within your current Christian faith or to possibly consider Jesus through a fresh perspective.
Here’s the thing… At the heart of faith in Jesus Christ is a call to love God with all your heart, love your neighbor as yourself, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, confess your sins, trust in the merciful forgiveness of God the Father, pursue holiness, live a life of service and humility, pursue truth and wisdom, keep in step with the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, and trust God who is graciously sovereign over all.
None of this requires you to align with a particular political movement. MAGA is one expression of a particular political theology at a particular moment in the life of one particular country.
Colossians 1:15-20 describes Jesus this way:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
I invite you to join me in following Jesus, even while you pass on some of the hard right turns some of his more vocal followers have taken over the past decade in American politics.
At the same time, I invite you to engage politics through the lens of following Jesus’ command to “do to others as you would have them do to you.” Let love, compassion, and wisdom be your guide. I think some of these voices will be helpful on that journey.