Friday Forum: Do Pastors Have the Right to Comment on Politics?

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March 4, 2016

The Friday Forum today is about…

Whether Pastors Have the Right to Comment on Politics

We are all aware that the IRS can take away the tax-exempt status of a church if the pastor takes a political position. Campaigning from the pulpit is not accepted by them; however, many pastors comment to their congregations and teams on how their members should make decisions on issues.

I worked for a pastor who grew a church from 2,000 members to over 12,000 and was very clear that the church did not take a stand on issues…especially political ones. There’s no better way to divide a culture than to take a stand that’s unpopular with some of the members. This pastor taught scripture and Biblical principles and encouraged members to make their own decisions.

• Politics – Do pastors have the right to be commentators on politics?
• Isn’t there enough work to do teaching scripture and letting people make their best decisions?
• Why do pastors feel responsible for making decisions for parishioners?
• Why do pastors feel responsible for guiding the decisions of members?

Please comment below.

Hugh Ballou
The Transformational Leadership Strategist ^{TM
Read about me on Forbes}

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