Americans who have lived overseas immersed a foreign culture for a lengthy period of time - say, minimum of three years - generally have a VERY different perspective on US politics and religion than those who have not. That's especially true for those of us who served churches.

They invariably have a much 'bigger' vision of the world and are not as easily seduced into arguments about or impressed by 'American' hot buttons and desperately despise the invasion of the US political culture into the work and fellowship of the church.

They (we) are especially alarmed by the tendency to identify the Church with a party or ideology. I am not simply dumbfounded by it; I am sickened by it. A more international Kingdom perspective, accompanied by a deep awareness of the struggle others daily face, minimizes...

...the issues which often loom as giants for others, and demolishes the typical 'us vs. them', one issue decides all approach to politics. A global kingdom vision can rescue a soul from the quicksand of petty political partisanship, especially over community with other Xtians

It's one more reason I can't identify fully with 'Right' or 'Left' American categories. Christians will invariably find themselves in greater sympathy with more than one side because neither side is bereft of important issues to champion or good people to lead the way.

Those who've lived/served in other nations will typically be more concerned about the care of the poor, the status of refugees and immigrants, treatment of women and minorities, and violence & war, but also religious liberties and human dignity.

The Nationalist/Nativist streak in some white evangelical churches is immediately repulsive to those who've experienced life in other lands, and American exceptionalism interpreted as American arrogance and either imperialist strategy or withdrawal from global concern is as well.

In short, a Kingdom vision of the Gospel cannot be confined to or easily held within the US political context, and those who seek to do so need to see a larger world and listen deeply to those broader concerns.

Finally, electioneering seeks to divide while Kingdom people invariably seek to unite and find common ground for the Gospel's advance. The entire spirit of election cycles needs to be resisted; it leads to anger. Political decisions are important and we need to make them...

...but always from a very different angle than much of the electorate approaches the issues.