As the world gathers for the funeral of Pope Francis, there is a lot of speculation about the next pope. I don’t keep up with Roman Catholic politics and do not know the names of potential candidates, but I do understand how the choice can have significant consequences. Pope Francis’ humble lifestyle choices made him an influential leader. He signaled that his papacy would be different by choosing to live in simple accommodations and drive an old car instead of accepting all of the trappings that some popes have enjoyed. He spoke out in the face of injustice and called for the Roman Church to become more inclusive. While his papacy did not see revolutionary changes in centuries-old policies and traditions, significant changes in the mood and culture of the church occurred.

On the weekend of the Pope’s funeral, the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ has gathered for its annual meeting. As has been the case for most of my life, I look to our Conference meeting for signs of how our church will move in the coming year. There are a lot of meetings ahead of us, but so far, it is fair to say that I am disappointed. I have been looking for bold and specific leadership in the church. This is a critical time in our country's and the world's history. The church needs bold leadership unafraid of proclaiming the truth in the face of oppression. I attended a workshop on advocacy that featured information about Washington’s Faith Action Network. None of the information was new to me. I’ve gotten much more detailed information from meetings at our congregation and my Internet research. Last night’s sermon in our conference meeting focused on being widely inclusive and inviting others to the table, with special attention to those oppressed and silenced. It was a reasonable interpretation of the Gospel message, but lacked specificity about any actions congregations or individual church members could take.

I’m open to discoveries today, but so far it doesn’t seem as if the Conference Annual Meeting will be the source of the urgency needed leadership for these times. I shouldn’t be surprised. The structure and nature of the United Church of Christ are such that authentic leadership does not come from the top down, but rather from the ground up. Local congregations lead the church, and Associations, Conferences, and the national setting of the church often follow behind. Our church is very different in its organization from the Roman Catholic Church. Our General Minister and President, and others who serve the church in its national setting, are often less relevant to the direction of the church than local congregations.

A spiritual and moral crisis in our country's leadership threatens the world's stability. It is critical that churches find their voices and provide leadership not just at the local level, but also in statehouses and the federal government. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel of radical liberation for all of God’s people and stands in stark contrast to oppression. National leaders have distorted the truth, diminished the image of God in others, and abused the language of the church to promote their wealth.

Faithful Christians need to speak the truth to power. Voter suppression bills are not “election integrity.” They are systematic and continuing efforts to erode democracy and disenfranchise specific members of society. “Anti-woke” legislation is not removing barriers for businesses. It is an attempt to erase the history of African Americans and Indigenous people in this country. It is a direct attack on the truth. When government policy serves to cover up the truth, the church needs to speak truth to power. Anti-immigrant policies that treat asylum seekers like invaders, separate families, and deny people due process threaten not only newcomers but also all citizens. Book bans that fear the power of children’s imaginations are attempts at controlling the thoughts of future generations. Cuts to essential support programs for those living with disabilities devalue human lives. These issues are spiritual, and the church needs bold leadership to address them.

Ours needs to be a church that reads the signs of the times and speaks in love in the public sphere. We must refuse to be neutral when laws strip people of their dignity and when public leaders spread lies about our neighbors. We must weep with children separated from their parents and stand with workers demanding living wages.

We have tools that other social reformers lack. We have the power of prayer. When we understand the essential spiritual nature of the struggle, we gain access to the power of the Gospel. We have the example of Jesus. Genuine discipleship chooses courage over comfort and exodus over empire. The bible teaches how Moses stood up for liberation, and how Jesus overturned tables. Disciples are liberators, not bystanders. And we have the power of resurrection. We are resurrection people. We belong to God, who breaks chains, levels mountains, and sets captives free. We confront those who seek oppression with love that refuses to quit.

Most of all, we are people of faith, hope, and love. We are people who believe that these never die. We hear the voice of God calling us to a better future, proclaiming release to captives, health to the injured and ill, and justice to the oppressed. The power of faith, hope, and love that never die is that we are in the struggles of this world for the long haul. We will not turn back. Our courage will not fail. When it appears that injustice and oppression are winning, we will continue to speak the truth and work for justice. We know that our God will be with us no matter how much sacrifice is required or how long it takes.

Justice will come for those who have suffered, liberation will come for those held captive without due process, and the truth will prevail. We are called to bold action in prayer, discipleship, faith, hope, and love.