Tax Status and Freedom of Pulpit. Has it come down to this?

[righteousdude2]

I watched an interview with this pastor last night on FOX News, and found it to be alarming. I know that in 2012, our pastor, as he did in 2008, used the pulpit to endorse the GOP candidate! I know some were upset, but overall; the people saw nothing wrong with his comments, as he didn't tell us how to vote, just to be aware of certain things, that maybe, we the voter were not aware of!

It was helpful for some. As for my wife and I, nothing he said would have changed our views and who we were voting for!

Still, this article is what I believe is the tip of the iceberg, and I think many a church will have to decide as to whether to keep their tax exempt status versus their freedom of speech!

As for me and my house, we will give up the exempt status before we allow the government, any government, to dictate what God lays on our heart and from sharing it!

http://www.mercurynews.com/californ...rs-under-fire-politics-from-pulpit-breaks-law

How about you? Will you give up your tax-exempt status or yielded to the government?

 

[General Mung Beans]

Pastors should speak out on moral issues (which incidentally is not limited to abortion and gay marriage) but it should not endorse political candidates.

 

[Revmitchell]

This country was founded on preaching of political issues from the pulpit. I do think that endorsing a candidate is problematic for a pastor. Should that candidate come up later with some moral failure then it looks bad.

 

[Zaac]

This country was founded on preaching of political issues from the pulpit. I do think that endorsing a candidate is problematic for a pastor. Should that candidate come up later with some moral failure then it looks bad.

That's one of the reasons not to do it. The pulpit is for preaching the Gospel and encouraging the Saints to do the work of Christ.

Once you open the door to it for politics, you get a bunch of politic worshiping Christians with nasty, mean attitudes instead of loving Christ worshiping Christians.

So shame on pastors for allowing politics into their pulpits.

When you start endorsing political candidates and speaking of politics from the church, a lot of times it can alienate people that are in the church and visitors who are there.

An opportunity to share the Gospel suddenly becomes a stumbling block because it becomes more important to politic than share the Gospel that saves.

And once you turn em off, that wall goes up and nothing short of you moving them into your house and sending their kids to college is gonna show them you really do care more about people than you do politics. Then you might get a chance to attempt to share the Gospel with them again.

Keep it OUT of the church. Because if today's brand of evangelical "conservatives" is what it has bred, then YUCK!

 

[Salty]

...Keep it OUT of the church. Because if today's brand of evangelical "conservatives" is what it has bred, then YUCK!

Are you saying that Pastors should not preach on abortion, and other moral issues?

 

[righteousdude2]

Ahhhh....

Are you saying that Pastors should not preach on abortion, and other moral issues?

Yes he is....he always speaks against us taking on moral issues:thumbsup:

 

[ShagNappy]

How about you? Will you give up your tax-exempt status or yielded to the government?

Yeah, it's only illegal now... not since 1954, when the law was passed. Just because "Christians" have been breaking the law since 1954 doesn't mean it's a new problem. We have just created so many enemies with our behavior that they are pushing for the law to be enforced.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

Pastors should speak out on moral issues (which incidentally is not limited to abortion and gay marriage) but it should not endorse political candidates.

Absolutely correct.

 

[Zaac]

Are you saying that Pastors should not preach on abortion,

Abortion is not mentioned in the Bible. Thou SHALL NOT kill. Preach THE WORD. What else is there for a pastor to add to that?

and other moral issues?

Preach THE WORD OF GOD. How difficult is that. Leave the issues alone. If you're not preaching the word with the hopes that the power of God will change a heart and lead to repentance, then you're probably just trying to win an argument.

When ISSUES start to enter the pulpit, men tend to trip over pride because it becomes more THEIR preaching than a word from God.

PREACH THE WORD!!!

 

[just-want-peace]

Abortion is not mentioned in the Bible. Thou SHALL NOT kill. Preach THE WORD. What else is there for a pastor to add to that?



Preach THE WORD OF GOD. How difficult is that. Leave the issues alone. If you're not preaching the word with the hopes that the power of God will change a heart and lead to repentance, then you're probably just trying to win an argument.

When ISSUES start to enter the pulpit, men tend to trip over pride because it becomes more THEIR preaching than a word from God.

PREACH THE WORD!!!

But, but, but, abortion is just like getting rid of a tumor; what does "thou shalt not kill" have to do with it??? :sleep:

(Total sarcasm for those with a slow metabolism!:laugh

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Churches should be taxed. That would solve one issue.

Christianity isn't about what you're not supposed to do, it is about what was done for us. That's what we should be preaching.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

Churches should be taxed. That would solve one issue.

Christianity isn't about what you're not supposed to do, it is about what was done for us. That's what we should be preaching.

Curtis, that's twice this week. I agree. :thumbs:

Be afraid. Be very afraid. :laugh:

 

[pinoybaptist]

We ARE to preach against corruption in the leadership of this country, whether it be Republican, or Democrat.
We like to say John the Baptist was the first Baptist, yet we refuse to acknowledge he directly pointed a finger at Herod and exposed his sin to him and the public.
Nathan was sent by God to David to expose his sin to him.
That said, endorsement of a personality from the pulpit is an entirely different matter.
The pulpit is for the gospel, the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD, which incidentally covers corruption, both political and moral, as well as exhortation to God's people to live clean lives worthy of the Name they bear.
If Government's response is to take away tax-exemption, they can do so, and they can have it, because the God I preach and believe is greater than tax exemptions.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

Politicians will disappoint. That is a given. None are worthy to be endorsed from the pulpit where the message should resound regarding Christ, not a politician of any stripe.

 

[righteousdude2]

How?

Abortion is not mentioned in the Bible. Thou SHALL NOT kill. Preach THE WORD. What else is there for a pastor to add to that?



Preach THE WORD OF GOD. How difficult is that. Leave the issues alone. If you're not preaching the word with the hopes that the power of God will change a heart and lead to repentance, then you're probably just trying to win an argument.

When ISSUES start to enter the pulpit, men tend to trip over pride because it becomes more THEIR preaching than a word from God.

PREACH THE WORD!!!

Can one preach the word and not touch on the issues that this world faces? Paul preached in all his letters [Epistles], and he touched on the issues. Check out Romans 1:16-32. Are you going to say Paul was not preaching a Gospel message? He touched on many moral issues facing that church.

Go ahead, task Paul, "How difficult is that. Leave the issues alone. Preach the Word!"

 

[Revmitchell]

Churches should be taxed. That would solve one issue.

How would that solve anything?

 

[Revmitchell]

We should be preaching about issues. Especially about issues like the slaughter of unborn children.


Liberals who will not do that do not need to be in the pulpit.

 

[plain_n_simple]

Boys I believe this is your next battle. As it gets nastier and nastier and snip should be a person's right, bold churches will sacrifice the status and become a rally point for hiring and firing Republican reps. swiftly. Pulpits are powerful and when you can say what you mean about this one or that one, and name names proving with script, you will rule this party. The normal agenda these days for a church is working through a Christian principled government. So it would take a minute or two, but I'll bet the closer we get to polarization, this would be your hour.

 

[Bro. James]

Preaching John 14:6 has never been politically correct. A vast majority of the near 7 billion on this globe do not believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, including many called Christian. The word Christian has been thoroughly watered down since the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

The message is: Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment to come; followed by Jesus crucified--the just for the unjust. We have watered down the sin part--the total depravity. The rest does not make much sense with an admixture of salvation. What ever happened to Hell Fire and Brimstone? Now we have ear tickling.

Is it time to repent and do the first works?


Preach The Word-- reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Preaching against specific sins is probably in the category of reproving.

Endorsing political policy and candidates belongs in the town meeting not the ecclesia. We have a real apathy and complacency at the polls.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

[Revmitchell]

I watched an interview with this pastor last night on FOX News, and found it to be alarming. I know that in 2012, our pastor, as he did in 2008, used the pulpit to endorse the GOP candidate! I know some were upset, but overall; the people saw nothing wrong with his comments, as he didn't tell us how to vote, just to be aware of certain things, that maybe, we the voter were not aware of!

It was helpful for some. As for my wife and I, nothing he said would have changed our views and who we were voting for!

Still, this article is what I believe is the tip of the iceberg, and I think many a church will have to decide as to whether to keep their tax exempt status versus their freedom of speech!

As for me and my house, we will give up the exempt status before we allow the government, any government, to dictate what God lays on our heart and from sharing it!

http://www.mercurynews.com/californ...rs-under-fire-politics-from-pulpit-breaks-law

How about you? Will you give up your tax-exempt status or yielded to the government?

Churches cannot lose their tax exempt status.