A Strategic Offense - Election Sermons

From http://www.covenantnews.com/trewhella080717.htm


A Strategic Offense - Election Sermons
By Pastor Matt Trewhella
The Covenant News ~ July 17, 2008


Every year, evil organizations like People for The American Way, and others, send out hundreds of thousands of letters trying to intimidate churches into silence when it comes to "political issues" because of their 501(C)(3) status. Most of what they say in their letters are lies.We all know most churches have voluntarily silenced themselves. They do not believe the Bible addresses all matters of life, so they do not speak of so-called "political" issues voluntarily. They cry that they are a 501(c)(3) and that their statues as such would be jeopardized if they spoke out is nothing more than a handy excuse for their self-imposed silence. But there are some churches that sincerely would speak out and are intimidated into silence.The Alliance Defense Fund has come up with what I consider a strategic offensive to counter these bogus letters from these Christ-hating organizations. They are calling on pastors everywhere to preach an election sermon on September 28th this year. If the church is attacked by the IRS, ADF will defend the church! Click here for all the details!This is strategic for two reasons: First, it will send a message to pastors everywhere that these intimidating letters are lies. Second, hopefully many pastors will preach an election sermon for their first time. And third, hopefully it will cause conversation in churches and amongst Christians across this nation.The truth is churches should NOT become 501(c)(3) corporations of the state to begin with. We should not place the Church of Jesus Christ under the jurisdiction of Caesar! Nevertheless, this is a good offensive strategy and will hopefully begin discussion so that churches and church leaders and Christians in general will begin to look into these matters.

Please download the information when you go to the link and present it to your pastor or church leaders. If your pastor or church leaders do not want to try and participate, I encourage you to start looking for a new church to attend.p.s. I recently went to a pastors legislative briefing in Washington, D.C. attended by about 70 pastors. We heard from 9 congressmen and 2 senators. FIVE of the eleven legislators brought up the 501(c)(3) as a tool the state uses to muzzle churches and encouraged the pastors to dislodge themselves from its tentacles, nor be silent because of it!

Matt Trewhella is the pastor of Mercy Seat Christian Church (http://www.mercyseat.net) and the founder of Missionaries to the Preborn (http://www.missionariestothepreborn.com). He and his wife, Clara, have been blessed with five sons and six daughters.