Sunday, September 26, 2010

Pulpit Freedom Sunday

On Sunday, September 26th, over 100 pastors nationwide participated in Pulpit Freedom Sunday. The pastors and the non-profit group, The Alliance Defense Fund, (ADF) planned this event "as a reaction to a law stating that churches are not allowed to support politicians from the pulpit." These pastors and church leaders were willing to risk their non-profit status with the IRS to defend their right to free speech.

The ADF claimed:

“ADF is not trying to get politics into the pulpit. Churches can decide for themselves that they either do or don’t want their pastors to speak about electoral candidates. The point of the Pulpit Initiative is very simple: the IRS should not be the one making the decision by threatening to revoke a church’s tax-exempt status. We need to get the government out of the pulpit.”
In 2008, 33 pastors took part in the first Pulpit Freedom Sunday, when they defiantly spoke of politics to their congregation. Though not an election year, many also participated in 2009. Each pastor, as instructed by the ADF, was to videotape their sermons and send them directly to the IRS.


According to Richard Hammar, certain types of involvement by the church in political campaigns, while an American tradition, seriously jeopardize a church's 501(c)(3) status. Click this link to view Hammar's article in the Spring 2010 Enrichment Journal.

What is your opinion? Should pastors participate in such an event? How far should a pastor go in speaking about "political issues?"

How do we define the difference between a "moral issue" and a "political issue?" Should a pastor publicly endorse a candidate?

What, in your opinion, is the benefit or down-side of a pastor participating in politics?

Friday, September 3, 2010

Welcome to the blogging presence of the Ohio Ministry Network!

Welcome to the Faith & Works Forum, an online conversation for the ministers and ministry leaders of the Ohio Ministry Network.

As the name implies, the intent of this site is to encourage Ohio's leaders as they routinely encounter opportunities to apply both the spiritual and the practical which, as James chapter two reminds us, are inseparable.

We invite you to read along and, better yet, jump into the dialog with your perspectives!