The ReAwaken America Tour certainly engaged in partisan politicking while at Cornerstone’s 20-acre property this past weekend. “Once you start pulling out those partisan terms, Democrat, Republican, and you put a capital letter at the beginning of them, then you're almost certainly engaging in partisan politicking,” Neiheisel said. “So the idea that they can't engage in any politics is a bit off,” Neiheisel said.Ĭhurches, via things like sermons and newsletters, can express opinions on political issues of the day - as they often do with abortion - and can even invite candidates to speak at their premises, but they can’t advocate for or against specific candidates. It defines churches and other tax-exempt 501c3s as organizations that don’t “participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.” Johnson, who introduced the provision to the U.S. The tax law in question is the Johnson Amendment, named after President Lyndon B. “I think what the IRS should be going after will be some kind of expressed statement from the pulpit to the entire congregation saying, ‘This is the way you need to vote, and it's for this particular person.’ And that absolutely does happen, but it's just very rarely ever dealt with at a bureaucratic level.” “Over time groups have learned that they can skirt the lines, if not crossover a little bit, and still be largely OK,” said University at Buffalo associate professor of political science Jacob Neiheisel, who studies the Christian right. The rules surrounding tax-exempt churches and politics leave plenty of gray area, and even when there are violations, the rules are rarely enforced. We can't yell fire in a crowded theater, obviously, but issues that everyday Americans in my congregation deal with, there is nothing that I cannot talk about.”Īnd under the current regulations and enforcement, Doyle may not be wrong. I think we can talk about anything that we want to. “I think we do have a right to talk, no matter what the topic is. “I'd like to test the Constitution,” he said. “To let the IRS know that this church is engaged in explicitly political activity,” said Genesee County DSA member Gregory Lebens-Higgins.Ĭornerstone Pastor Paul Doyle said he’s unconcerned about his tax status, and is confident it’s his legal right to essentially say whatever he wants from the pulpit. The Genesee County Democratic Socialists of America is calling on community members to file complaints against Cornerstone with the Internal Revenue Service. That same scrutiny is now on the nondenominational Batavia church that hosted ReAwaken America last weekend, Cornerstone Church, a registered 501c3 under the name New Hope Ministries. This group gathers together to create and pray over prayer shawls, blankets, and squares that are given by HOPE to others in various moments of life.Pastor Greg Locke speaks at the ReAwaken America Tour event at Cornerstone Church in Batavia Aug. Learn more about the book at the link above! + Micro Groupsīeing a part of a micro group is a wonderful way to grow together with a few people who are in a similar spiritual place as you! You pick a category and we tell you where to start! Learn more about micro groups. It is a great group for anyone looking to connect with others while talking about what God's grace means for our often tangled up lives. This group will read and talk about the book The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out. This group meets offsite at a home in Voorhees, NJ
This group is geared towards those who want to learn more about physical, spiritual, and emotional healing or Shalom people who desire transparency in sharing, and opportunities to pray for others and to be prayed for. This group will be reading the book, To Be Made Well: An Invitation to Wholeness, Healing, and Hope by Amy Julia Becker.
MOMENTS OF HOPE CHURCH SERIES
This group will watch the second season of the series together and engage in conversation about each of us can relate to the lives of the men who said yes when Jesus invited them to follow him.
MOMENTS OF HOPE CHURCH TV
The Chosen is a deeply moving TV series that brings to life the lives of the disciples as they follow Jesus.
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