Much of the focus over this super-heated primary season has been on who won and the survivors who will face each other in November. Yet on a quieter scale there have been a number of developments, particularly an increasing emphasis on evangelicals' influence in the selection process.

Last week, the New York Times ran a story about evangelical influence in politics in Florida, where the nation's fourth most populous state represented a springboard to "Super Tuesday."

"All the candidates are playing there, and it really is going to be the last opportunity for national attention for a single victory," said Alex Castellanos, a senior advisor to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Concerns over involvement

Despite increasing emphasis on the political process in an election year, pastors rightly have concerns over involving their churches in partisan debates.

The potential of losing one's tax-exempt status leads the way. Both conservative and liberal churches have faced investigations for stands deemed to cross the line between moral advocacy and outspokenly favoring a particular candidate.

The head of one conservative Christian legal organization recently labeled such worries fictitious.

Mat Staver, founder of the Liberty Counsel and dean of Liberty University's law school, points out that since 1934, when a lobbying restriction was added to the Internal Revenue Service code, no church has ever lost its status.

"While churches may not endorse or oppose candidates for elective office, pastors can preach on biblical and moral issues," Staver said, listing such examples as marriage, abortion, advocating voter registration, and presenting overviews of candidates' positions.

According to the Liberty Counsel founder, permissible activities for churches include distributing non-partisan voter guides, registering voters, providing transportation to the polls, holding candidate forums and introducing visiting candidates.

Sowing division

However, another, equally bothersome concern of getting involved in partisan politics is the potential for sowing division in one's congregation. While Staver insists a pastor can personally endorse a candidate, he didn't address the wisdom of making such a risky choice.

Such stands don't have to involve a high-profile national contest, either. Earlier this year, a pastor told me about the contentious nature of a dispute in his community where emotions ran high and taking a stand on either side would inflame the other.

That's why I find a non-partisan effort emphasizing the value of each person's voice, and encouraging Christians to register to vote, a sound example of action individual pastors can imitate.