LOS ANGELES — It’s a lot easier to find a seat on Sunday morning because attendance at McCarty Memorial Christian Church still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. That’s where Theopholis Green has been going for several years. He was brought up in the Baptist tradition where preaching and politics went hand in hand.

“Right now, we’re facing going backwards. The only way to stop it is for the community and for churches to step up to the plate, do what’s supposed to be done,” Green said.

Eddie Anderson is the pastor at McCarty Memorial Christian Church. He has brought up the recall election in several sermons. He also volunteers with The African American Voter Registration, Education, and Participation Project to encourage people to vote no on the recall.

From the pulpit, though, he isn’t so direct.

“Each person has their own choice to make. I can’t tell you who to vote for. I can tell you where the values lie,” Anderson said.

However, fans saying “vote no” were passed out to people in the pews during the pastor’s message.

Miles away in Newbury Park at Godspeak Calvary Chapel, a recall Gavin Newsom booth sits in the parking lot and the Sunday sermon makes it clear where church leaders stand.

Godspeak defied orders to close during the lockdown and it landed them in court. Co-Senior Pastor Rick Brown believes politics and religion are intertwined.

“Church has quietly been told to shut up, sit down and don’t say anything political. Just stay in your corner, but we see the demise that has happened,” Brown said.

Multiple gubernatorial candidates have spoken to the Godspeak congregation.

Green has been politically active since college and he’s already cast his ballot. He’s not bothered by the political talk on Sundays. Hearing pastors mention the polls could encourage a greater turnout.

“That’s what’s needed. Religion,” Green said.

Church leaders have led people of the same faith to vote differently and that division could determine the future of California.