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It’s election season in the United States, and after contentious races nationwide in 2020 and 2022, 2024 promises to bring even more heat.
The Oval Office is up for grabs. All 435 seats in the US House are on ballots, as are 34 in the Senate. Add to that a slate of 13 gubernatorial elections and countless state and local elections, and measures.
What is a church leader to do? Should pastors speak up, speak out?
In this episode, Erika walks church leaders through some of the key considerations they make about political involvement as Election Day approaches.
Some activities, like endorsing or opposing a candidate, may jeopardize a church’s tax-exempt status. But other activities are allowed. Erika provides need-to-know tips for navigating this tricky line throughout the 2024 election season.
SHOW NOTES
“The Tax Implications of Churches and Political Involvement,” by Richard R. Hammar
“Politics, Churches, and Constitutional Protections,” by Erik Stanley
“Politics and the Church: Activism, Speech, and the Tax Code,” by Church Law & Tax
“Checklist: How Various Political Activities Might Affect Your Church’s Tax-Exempt Status” by Church Law & Tax
Download your FREE copy of The Church Attorney Legal Audit® System document checklist here, and check out Episode 29 (“Using a Legal Audit to Position Your Church for the Long Haul”) to learn about the importance of a legal audit for your church.
Questions? Comments? We welcome them! Please contact Erika Cole at erikacole.com. Erika reads each comment and may answer your question in an upcoming episode.
See all episodes of Church Law.
The Church Law podcast is part of Christianity Today’s ChurchLawAndTax.com, a not-for-profit publishing ministry.
Erika E. Cole, Esq., known as The Church Attorney®, is the creator of The Church Attorney Legal Audit® System, a proprietary legal audit process that helps church leaders be confident they are operating with integrity, and avoiding costly risks. She serves as a senior editorial advisor for Christianity Today’s ChurchLawAndTax.com.
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