501c3 church myths 1.) A church or church ministry must be 501c3 in order to avoid paying taxes. 2.) A church or church ministry must be 501c3 in order to be tax deductible. 3.) Churches should comply with all the laws of the land because Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Mr 12:17). Therefore, it is only right for a church to become a 501c3. 4.) Being a 501c3 helps to legitimize a church in the eyes of the world. After all, Paul said, “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.” (2Co 8:21) Myths #1 & 2 have been promulgated for years by swarms of attorneys, as well as some accountants. Both myths are patently false. When it comes to legal and tax matters, most people just assume that the “licensed professionals” know what theyre talking about. Little do people realize that far too many attorneys never personally study the law for themselves, and are merely parroting what theyve heard other attorneys say. Once a myth gets started in the legal profession, it tends to spread like a wildfire, particularly when the myth can make a lot of money for the tens of thousands of attorneys who want to take advantage of it. We’ll debunk these myths using the IRS’ own publications. Myth #3 is often promulgated by folks who misconstrue the statements of Jesus to justify placing His church under State authority. Theologically, this is referred to as “Erastianism,” a position that holds that the church is, and ought to be, subordinate to the State. Myth #4 is often promulgated by those who are preoccupied with pleasing men in order to win their approval. This is problematic because it inevitably results in worldly compromise. The emphasis in Pauls teaching is first upon doing what is honest “in the sight of the Lord.” Only then are we enabled to do what is honest “in the sight of men.”
Posted on: Sun, 19 Jan 2014 13:38:32 +0000