Pulpit and Politics: How Local Churches Are Shaping McKinney’s Mayoral Runoff

By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews.com

With early voting set to end on June 3 and Election Day approaching on June 7, a critical civic debate is unfolding across McKinney:
What role should churches play in local elections — and when does faith-based advocacy cross the line into political interference?

Two prominent churches — The Oaks Church in McKinney and Cottonwood Creek Church in Allen — have drawn particular attention this campaign season for their visible involvement in the race, sparking both support and concern among residents.

Churches at the Forefront

Pastor Joel Scrivner of The Oaks Church recently addressed the election directly from the pulpit, framing the race as part of a larger national battle between the political left and right. He accused current McKinney leadership of taking the city in a “very left direction,” arguing that it has not been “church friendly or Christian family friendly.”

Meanwhile, Cottonwood Creek, where mayoral candidate Scott Sanford currently serves  as executive pastor, has given Sanford prominent speaking time during campaign season — a move many residents see as a tacit political endorsement, even though IRS rules prohibit tax-exempt churches from officially backing candidates.

Neither church is technically inside McKinney city limits, but both have large McKinney congregations, amplifying their local influence.

Mayor Fuller Pushes Back

Current McKinney Mayor George Fuller, who is not on the ballot but has endorsed Bill Cox in the runoff, pushed back sharply on these claims, circulating a strongly worded email to local pastors raising alarm about what he called false and divisive rhetoric from Scrivner.

In his message to local pastors, Fuller included a two-minute video clip from one of Scrivner’s recent sermons, where the pastor framed the mayoral race as part of a broader political battle and criticized city leadership. Fuller argued the remarks misrepresented McKinney’s record and spread partisan division. (You can watch the clip here.)

“Our entire Council has and does support our church community,” Fuller wrote. “These are not just careless words. They are fabrications, publicly delivered from a house of worship, without a shred of truth or the integrity to speak to me directly.”

In a follow-up note, Fuller added pointedly:

“I find it beneath the church and God’s calling for a pastor to perpetuate political divisiveness. People do not go to church to hear the pastor’s political views; they attend for gospel teachings, to be encouraged to live Christ-like lives — not political grandstanding, demonizing half of their neighbors.”

A Community Divided

The controversy has spilled far beyond the pulpit. Across local Facebook groups and neighborhood conversations, residents are passionately weighing in on the issue.

Some churchgoers have praised their pastors for “standing up for values” and helping galvanize political engagement. Others, however, are raising alarms — questioning whether this blending of religion and politics risks alienating non-Christian residents or those with different religious views, and whether it muddies the line between spiritual authority and civic leadership.

McKinney, like many fast-growing Texas suburbs, is a diverse city, home to people of many faiths and no faith at all. For residents outside the dominant church networks, the heavy religious tone of the campaign season has stirred concerns that City Hall could start to feel less like a neutral civic institution and more like an extension of certain faith communities.

“What does it mean for civic unity,” one resident posted in a local forum, “when political endorsements — or near-endorsements — are delivered from the pulpit?”

The Legal and Ethical Landscape

Under IRS rules, churches holding tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status are barred from formally endorsing political candidates. While pastors are free to speak as individuals, religious institutions risk penalties if they engage too directly in partisan advocacy.

But beyond the legal questions, the heart of the debate is cultural:

• Should religious leaders use their platforms to influence civic elections?
• How can McKinney ensure that all residents — regardless of religious background — feel represented by local government?
• And how can political candidates navigate faith-based support without alienating voters outside their religious communities?

A Broader National Undercurrent

Importantly, this is not just a McKinney issue. Across the country, cities are wrestling with the complicated relationship between religious institutions and civic life, particularly as communities grow more religiously and culturally diverse.

The First Amendment guarantees both the free exercise of religion and the separation of church and state, but in practice, the lines are often blurry. Political rhetoric delivered from the pulpit — even when technically legal — can shape local power dynamics, influence elections, and reshape how civic belonging is defined.

This election, then, has become more than a choice between two candidates; it is a flashpoint in a larger cultural conversation about who holds influence in McKinney and how the city will define its identity moving forward.

Why This Matters

As McKinney heads into the final days of the runoff campaign, voters are being asked to weigh more than just policy platforms. They are being asked to decide how deeply faith institutions should shape local government, and how the city can balance the values of its religious communities with the rights and representation of residents from all walks of life.

It’s a choice that may have ripple effects far beyond June 7.

We reached out to both Scott Sanford and Bill Cox for comment; no replies were received as of publication.

Early voting runs through June 3. Election Day is June 7.
For full election coverage and candidate profiles, visit TX3DNews.com

Correction (June 2, 2025): An earlier version of this article referred to Scott Sanford as a former executive pastor at Cottonwood Creek. Sanford is currently serving as executive pastor, overseeing finances, real estate, and facilities. We regret the error and thank our readers for helping ensure accuracy.