I just came across this web page again today and thought I would share it with you. I know this is often one of many reasons why so many people choose to home church. I re-posted this information by permission by gladly adding the link to their ministry at Free Church Ministry. In reading this one must think and pray if it is time to peacefully walk away and time to do something different. But only you can decide this for your family. Blessings to you! Below is what was posted there….
Unlicensed, unregistered, unregulated under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and protected by HIM and the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
John 8:32 – “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Jesus Christ is Sovereign over His bride the church. HE wants His bride to be without spot, blemish or wrinkle. Does anyone believe Jesus wants a corporation as HIS bride? – Dead, Cold and owing “allegiance” to anyone but CHRIST Himself? Remember the church is a she. Ephesians 5:22 and 1 Peter 1:19
Romans 12:12 – “… be not conformed to this world”
When a church incorporates it becomes a non-profit business which owes allegiance to its creator = the state. When a church applies for and receives the 501-C-3 tax recognition, she (the church) has voluntarily become an it. That exemption recognition comes with a voluntary muzzle and a whole set of “regulations” that are not Biblical, desirable nor would the early New Testament church as in the Book of Acts sought such recognition, accepted it nor did they when they could have.
Acts 5:29 – “… We ought to obey God rather than man.”
1st Amendment to the Constitution of The United States of America (The Bill of Rights) “Congress shall make NO law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …”
Our Founding Fathers were well aware of the atrocities in Europe (and other places) where the Christian Church was regulated or controlled by the State. They determined not to have that in America.
King George III despised the preaching of the patriot pastors (“The Black Robed Regiment”) during the War for American Independence “era”. Actually, during the time period 1730-1805 there was a great amount of “political” preaching concerning the responsibilities of the civil magistrates (Romans 13). The king wanted to license preachers and the churches so he could control what they would say and do. He was a tyrant and wanted to opposition to his evil. Those who refused his license were punished… some even killed. Patrick Henry and James Madison both saw the punishment of these unlicensed preachers and sought to protect the church from an overreaching government.
We are encouraging all preachers of The Gospel of Jesus Christ and all churches who are the Bride of Christ to be free to serve Christ first as Our Heavenly Father intends.
(Revelation 3:15 – “I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot”)
{What to do now that you know}
1) If your church is incorporated… you can unincorporate
2) If your church has a 501-C-3 tax exception recognition rescind it…
3) Become or Pioneer a Free New Testament Church
4) Preach, teach, pray and do The Lord’s will without exception.
Isaiah 33:3, Acts 5:29, Rev. 17:14, 19:16
The Church, the EKKLESIA is not a building, a business, a dead formality, a religious organization… the Church, she is the Bride of Christ (Eph. 5:22)
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The below we found on the website hushmoney.org
“In the matter of changing religion, State favors are stronger than penalties.”
The Framers of America’s Founding Documents relied heavily upon the writings of the French political philosopher, Baron de Montesquieu. Typical of Montesquieu’s brilliant insight, he once wrote that:
- “A more certain way to attack religion is by favor, by the comforts of life, by the hope of wealth; not by what reminds one of it, but by what makes one forget it; not by what makes one indignant, but by what makes men lukewarm, when other passions act on our souls, and those which religion inspires are silent. In the matter of changing religion, State favors are stronger than penalties.”
- The Spirit of the Laws, Baron de Montesquieu (1748)
August 26, 2009 at 6:22 am
I can certainly agree with your bent to home-churching. We were happy to get out of denominational churches.
Please let me put your mind at ease about the incorporation issue, though. A church that does not incorporate fails to use the law to their benefit. Incorporation gives the government no authority over the church.
If someone decides to sue a church (and it happens every day!), incorporation limits the extent of the suit to the legal entity itself. The very worst they could get is your assets held by the church. (Building-centered churches are idiots not to have insurance, too — another expense that diverts money that could go to missions and ministry instead of architecture.) BUT, if a church is unincorporated, there is no “body” to sue, only the individual members. This happened in a case in California many years ago. A person sued a large, unincorporated church; the lawyers sat in a car across from the church one Sunday morning and recorded the license numbers of every family leaving the worship service. Monday morning they began filing lawsuits against every family in the church. They were going after the property of the members to settle the suit. Had the church been incorporated, the families would have been protected from legal action.
We walk in a dirty world. It’s a serpent and doves thing, you know? Best wishes. You have a lovely site.