Yesterday, October 29,  MFI President Emeritus Kris Mineau had the distinct pleasure of smashing a slot machine with a sledge hammer in front of the Statehouse to emphasize VOTE YES on QUESTION 3! Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy,” and we can’t think of a more fitting epitaph for the scourge of casino gambling and its chief source of revenue, the one-armed bandit. 

This will be the final Sunday before Tuesday’s critical election and we urge you to exhort everyone you know to PRAY and VOTE YES on QUESTION 3!

• Please download and distribute our IRS approved Church Bulletin if you have not already done so
• Some excellent resources for prayer and sermons can be found HERE 

AND PLEASE REMEMBER THAT PASTORS AND CHURCHES ABSOLUTELY CAN TAKE A STAND ON PROPOSED LEGISLATION, REFERENDA AND  BALLOT QUESTIONS.

At a recent regional Pastor’s Forum the audience was incorrectly told that churches that engage in lobbying risk losing their tax exempt status. This is, regrettably, a widely held misconception because the IRS clearly allows pastors to “lobby” on issues. From the IRS website:

Lobbying http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Lobbying
In general, no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying).  A 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status.

Legislation includes action by Congress, any state legislature, any local council, or similar governing body, with respect to acts, bills, resolutions, or similar items (such as legislative confirmation of appointive office), or by the public in referendum, ballot initiative, constitutional amendment, or similar procedure.

In IRS rulings, a “substantial part” or “too much lobbying” has been established at exceeding 10% of an organization’s activities or budget. We have never known of a church that even comes close to spending 10% of its activities or church budget in lobbying. And for the record, there has never been a church that lost its tax exempt status for lobbying in the history of the IRS.

VOTE YES on 3!