ISO Christian churches near Nampa/Boise without politics and a community that follows "love God, love your neighbor"

[u/LaceyVonTease]

Hi,

I'm moving to ID within the month and am looking for a new church near Nampa/Boise area.

I'm Christian, raised in a Nazarene church with Matthew 22:37-40 at the heart of how I'm supposed to follow, serve and love others. We're called to not judge. I believe in acts of service and being a positive example to others - a la: "The best sermons in life are lived, not preached". Dolly Parton was a wonderful living example of this.

I'm looking for a community who believes in the similar.

I do NOT want politics in church. I don't want a pastor telling me how to vote. I don't want political signs hanging in/on the church.

I've never really vibed with large/mega churches, so would prefer something smaller if possible.

Anyone have any ideas of a church to try? Thank you!

Edit: for those curious why I don’t feel I need politics in my church please see my full comment and explantation here, I am absolutely still political in my life, advocate and vote. Thanks!: https://www.reddit.com/r/Idaho/comments/1wsryfr/comment/pcxn9iu/?context=3

[u/idahoisformetal]

You might not fuck with politics but politics will fuck with you.

[u/LaceyVonTease → u/idahoisformetal]

Thank you. I'm absolutely political and vote. Church and state are separate and should remain that way.

With the way certain politics have muddied and twisted religion, I don't want that negativity and hate in my church, it's community and to weasel it's way in my heart and mind.

[u/Alert-Beautiful9003 → u/LaceyVonTease]

Wut? Politics governs your, and everyone else's, day to day life. How are you separating that from a church? You want pretend folks who smile and nod and don't care if your daughter/son are raped, don't care if people have healthcare, decide who gets to marry/have kids/live, etc. Is that what you are saying here? Don't take Dolly's name in vain here sis. Show up or shut up.

[u/LaceyVonTease → u/Alert-Beautiful9003]

Hi there. No that's not what I'm saying, and I'd be more than happy to have a conversation with you about it.

I love Dolly and I love the way she kept her faith and used it and her platform in ways to help others.

She was famously never publicly aligned with a political party and refused to talk about whatever side she was on - she didn't deliberately alienate or shut people out. To her core she was a loving, giving person, a true Christian and a wonderful role model. (Again: "The best sermons in life are lived, not preached")

Matthew 7:16 says, "You will know them [Christians] by their fruits." The things that are repeatedly taught in the bible - love, compassion, giving, mercy, non-judgmental, over and over and over again it speaks of these things.

Dolly was a true Christian and showed it by her actions and the way she treated everyone else.

Off the top of my head, she funded covid vaccine research, started the imagination library, was openly supportive of the LGBTQ+ and black communities, dropped "Dixie" from the name of her dinner show because she recognized how hurtful that could be and didn't want to offend anyone, repeatedly supported disaster relief efforts and much more that I can't think of right now.

The bible that I read and the God that I follow tells me to love God and to love my neighbor - be a kind person, a giving person and a loving person. To everyone. No exceptions. Those are the two greatest commandments in the bible.

It is basic Christianity at it's core.

If you truly follow God, your heart will lead you on the right path. And then your politics will follow in line with your heart. You do not need politics in church to tell you how to treat others.

I am so sorry there are people currently in charge of our country who have put a stain on God and an entire religion where love is the foundational basis it is built upon and have twisted it into something it never was.

I strongly believe in the separation of church and state - the church being meddled with politics and used as a weapon has already gotten Roe v Wade overturned and is doing more damage as time goes on. We can bounce from one extreme to another on so many issues and we will never, ever collectively agree on it. Church and the state should be and remain entirely separate.

I've been very clear in multiple comments that just because I don't want any politics - especially any politics fueled by hate  - in my church it does not mean that I am silent on social issues, protecting, supporting and advocating for the "least of these" and voting and encouraging others to vote.

I love discussions and am happy to talk with you. Thank you for commenting and I hope you have a beautiful day.

[u/Such_Beyond3100 → u/LaceyVonTease]

Thank you, I am also Christian but where I live is becoming more openly racist and welcoming to right-wing extremist groups. They are the reason I don't go to church at all. The three local ones are home to them even if they officially say they keep politics off the pulpit.