Some Little Things that are Bigger than you Thought:

When confronted with the questions that often come from discussing or explaining the control issues involved in the 501-c-3 and or the Corporate issues of Churches, sometimes we need to remember that those we are dealing with have been so deeply programed through their denominational controllers, their liberal and unbiblical over all world view and/ or their simple lack of biblical study that our languages and thought patterns are simply not even close to being the same. "Well brother Slattery, when they (the government or their denominational board) start telling me what to preach or teach or how to run this church, I'll stand with the Lord and tell them THEN they need to get out.. OR I'll Obey God rather than men... etc". What I generally see, however is that the government or denominational body has already subtly gotten in and there are ear marks within the church that already show the signs. The Sermons are already avoiding huge segments of the Bible and those areas that are a little tender are simply glossed over or regulated to children's church and a flannel graph presentation.

Lets look at a few subtle symbols and practices that many simply do not notice but which are representations of a surrender of authority and a submission to alien control within the church.

1. A Flag: THE US FLAG: Generally what I have noticed is that someone has donated a flag to the church. It is positioned to the left of the Pulpit(when looking towards the pulpit, yet from the pulpit it is to its right, generally that flag has a gold fringe about it and has an Eagle above it on the pole or stand it is connected to. Does this sound familiar?)

Other Voices:
The Rev. James Ayers, writing in Presbyterians Today in 1999, offered good thoughts, and briefs, in the "Q and A" section:
He says, "Whatever your view on saluting the flag, the Christian perspective insists our true citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and our final loyalty and allegiance are due to Jesus Christ Himself - not to our nations, not even to our families or ourselves (Luke 14:26)."

General History: Franklin Roosevelt made a proclamation for flags to be flown in all U.S. Churches during WW2. FDR was a High Level 33 Degree Freemason. I read that this idea was suggested to him by his secretary of War Henry L. Stimson who had previously been appointed as Secretary of War by President Taft prior to WW1. Stimson went to Yale university and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa as well as a Member of the Skull and Bones Society. Phi Beta Kappa was founded by John Heath ( he was only 15 years old) and a Freemason named William Short. Nine of the original members became FreeMasons. The Organization, PBK interprets as "Philosophy is the guide of life". Willian Taft, the president who appointed Stintson to his position was also a 33rd degree FreeMason who was initiated on February 18, 1909. President Taft was made a "Mason at Sight" within the Body of Kilwinning Lodge No. 356, Cincinnati, Ohio, by Grand Master Charles S. Hoskinson. His father and two brothers were also Members of this Lodge. President Taft addressed his fellow Masons, saying, "I am glad to be here, and to be a Mason. It does me good to feel the thrill that comes from recognizing on all hands the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man."
So we have Taft, and Roosevelt, high level FreeMasons choosing Stintson, A Skull and Bones, phi-beta Kappa member to be their Secretary of War. So to make sure that all different churches had something in common they were able to use WAR and patriotism. Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, now can all come to a common alter (Freemason Terms).

Taft was president in 1909.

Baptist Connection: Frances Bellemy 1892 the INVENTOR of the Pledge to the Flag, was a "baptist" minister and high level FreeMason. "This was done for the Columbian Expo of the same year. Published in a September 8th issue of the popular children's magazine The Youth's Companion as part of the National Public-School Celebration of Columbus Day, a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's Alleged discovery of America, conceived by James B. Upham." This was highly supported by the Catholic Military Society the "Knights of Columbus"
At any rate Bellemy (FreeMason socialist) and James B Upham published the Pledge. The Salute was created by Upham, (a fellow Socialist) to be used by School Children, as he and Bellemy were members of the National Education Association. "The Salute was first demonstrated on October 12, 1892 according to Bellamy's published instructions for the "National School Celebration of Columbus Day" Upham, according to Bellemy, clicked his heals together stuck out his right arm stiff with his open hand and began his salute...Just like the Socialists in Germany and Italy did just a few decades later. The interesting thing is listening to the apologists explain that the Socialists in Germany and Italy were imitating the Romans Salute when the ONLY historical evidence they can produce is "trojians" pillar. PROBLEM: no one on the Pillar is saluting with their arms out stretched like the Socialists are doing in the 20th century. The Idea is from 17th and 18th century romance art work glorification of the State and various totalitarian rulers.

OK So back to the Churches, Why would a Christian church place a flag within its area of worship? Tradition? But all traditions start someplace and with someone.... Flags represent control and authority and ownership and allegiance. They are not merely decorations. They tell a story. When a country "discovers" a land for conquest, they plant a flag... On the North Pole Perry planted a U.S. Flag, when a soldier is being buried he is draped in the Flag of his country and so on.

Questions: Who is Lord over the Church? Who is the HEAD of the Church of Jesus Christ? Who is the Final Authority of the Local New Testament Church? What Document contains the only written set of Instructions for the Church of Jesus Christ?

State worshipers need an alter too. They need a place where they can feel comfortable and a place where they can sit and know that their God , their Caesar has a place. In Rome it would be represented by the Imperial Eagle or the pointed javelin over their banner. What is above the Flag in your Church's Main room of worship ...An Eagle? (go take a look I'll wait here... hmm hmm hmm...see told you)
Anyway.. Here let me share with you WHY your flag is positioned where it is inside your church.. Remember the one's who started all this flag ceremony stuff were Masonic folks..
Here is the Flag Code of the United States Code Title 4 Chapter 1 Section 7 subjection (k) and I quote:

k."When used on a speaker's platform, the flag, if displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker. When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience.

So as you can see the American Flag above any other flag holds the position of honour... NOT your Christian flag or banner, and that is why it is where it is.... Your Church is being COMPLIANT with its lord... Look again at the flag code established by the Masonic leaders :In Section 8 of the same U.S. Code in Subjection j we have an amazing confession of faith for the State worshipers to make, Not only do they view their state as supreme in all things, their flag is the State manifest in the Flesh! Please note carefully how similar this statement is to the Catholic concept of transubstantiation where inanimate objects are given LIFE and are then to be received as the reality of that which they would only represent :

j.No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.

CLICK here to read it your self

I would venture to say that other countries feel the same way about their flags and have through the years figured out various ways to get their flags within the walls of the houses of so called worship. Some by force and others (as has been the way here in America) through infiltration. Let the state educate the masses in the Masonic Religious concepts and then send them to the Churches. You say that is not how it is... yet that is exactly how it is...

The eagle above your flag: WOAH the Roman republic with Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, their patron gods had Eagles over their Banners too!

As you see on this ROMAN standard above their flag or banner found in Hungary the Roman god Jupiter combined with the Canaanite god Baal. He is the one standing on the Bull, they called him Jupiter Dolichenus. ABOVE him was the Eagle or the manifestation of the king of all the Roman gods.. JUPITER himself. OH but the Eagle on your Flag is different.. Even as the Eagle on our Money is different I suppose.. However the Facts and the imagery are still the same. God Hates Idolatry... In The Roman world of Idolatry their Jupiter who the Greeks called Zeus, turned himself into an Eagle and went after a certain young man named Ganemede who Zeus felt was extraordinary and wonderful, he wanted to make him his "cup bearer and servant of the gods". So Zeus turned himself into an EAGLE and swept down and snatched the boy up and brought him to Olympus. Eventually after a competition with Zeus' Daughter Ganemede became the official cup bearer etc etc. Anyway the Romans and the Greeks , always making statues and looking to have representations turned this young man into another god and said that Zeus had rewarded him with godness like status and even created the constellation Aquarius for him. ( giving himself the Constellation Aquila-the Eagle).

In order to see the Eagle that is on the top of the American Flags and the Eagle that is on the Coinage of the Franklin Half Dollar and the walking Liberty Half Dollar all one needs to do is pick up a book on Roman Mythology or Vatican Art and behold Jupiter as he was known to the Romans and Zeus to the Greeks. He was their KING and so he was ON TOP.
The standard typical Flag sold to most churches that they place to the right of their pulpit somewhere in the room. Notice the Jupiter Eagle on the top of the staff. Sometimes they use a spear.
Here we have Zeus or Jupiter. The Papists have adopted this and other statues and renamed them St Peter in other places.. more on that another time. The Lincoln Memorial (Temple) in Washington D.C. is a replica of the temple of Zeus with Lincoln being an American version within...Notice the Jupiter Eagle that is identical to the one on the Flag? On the Franklin Half Dollar? On the German Nazi High Command Headquarters? ALL representing the same thing..

God Hates idolatry...

This is one of my personal favorites as there is a Church in the town that I used to pastor in, that was head up by a truly 501-c-3 hireling name Wayne King, he had this very statue in modern paint on their front yard sidewalk, the only difference being a fish in one of its talons. It was surrounded by flags and a war memorial..I'll find the picture I took of it so you can see the comparison...
Romans on their way back from conquest of the Barbarians... IE GENTILES..

The Eagle Represents The Final Roman Authority. Imperial Authority under the Roman God Jupiter and the Greek God Zeus. and NOW it is on your Flag, On the Capital Buildings, on our Money and IN your Church with anything under it being in submission to it. Anything to the left of it being in an inferior place of honour. Jupiter must rule.

A Little Roman History: Way back before Rome went imperial and was still a republic( of sorts) the Roman legions would use various emblems on top of their poles. Pliny the Elder lets us know that the Romans used not one but four different animals on top of their standards: A wolf, an eagle, the Minotaur, the horse and the boar. A few years pass and as things developed and new leaders and generals came about one being Gaius Marius who was pretty popular, he was elected to the position of Counsel a record 7 times, at any rate, he was said , as a young man to have come across an eagles nest with seven chicks in it, well he knew right off this must be a sign or omen from Jupiter, well after he was elected seven times everyone knew it must have been a sign from Jupiter and so Gaius Marius got rid of the the several different animals that used to be carried about and replaced them all with a SILVER or BRONZE Eagle as the representation of Jupiter himself. So just think had it not been for this particular superstitious pagan, all those American flags in all those churches might have pigs on them or dogs or possibly even a Minotaur. Regardless the idea was strictly a Roman one.

.. And what about all that Gold fringe on the Flag with in the supposed realm of Christ?

BUT FIRST SOME PICTURES WITH MORE PROOF:

Above: Here we have the Coin of non other than Mark Antony! Notice the Eagle on the Roman Standard?



I took this Picture my self, this is in Greeneville Tennessee and the monument Grave marker with the ROMAN EAGLE is to none other that High Level 32Degree Freemason ( so the park ranger bragged to me) Andrew Johnson, surrounded by friends and family and Looking down on the Flag. The eagle here looks very much like the romance art of Jupiter in his abduction of Ganymede...

the Eagle in this wreath is one of the OLDEST, if not the Oldest depiction we have of Jupiter, the Roman Eagle with in a wreath ( Merry Christmas)

Here with the Wreath in its Beak , Jupiter is depicted on the Altar of the 6Th Roman Legion..

Who was it that suggested the Eagle for the Emblem of the United States?

Well it is an interesting story as the Man who submitted the final design after incorporating a few ideas from others was one Charles Thompson, who Freemasons say was not officially one of their members, however his personal philosophy was most certainly Masonic as we shall see using symbolism to hide his true intents. In the Book "The Eagle and the Shield, A history of the great Seal of the United States" written in about 1976 it is noted that Gaillard Hunt the department of states first official publisher back in 1892 wrote that Thompson's motto : "can be traced more definitely to the poetry of Virgil.He then noted, as the Department of State's first publisher on the seal in 1892, taking official notice …. "Annuit Coeptis, was described by Hunt as an allusion to line 625 of book IX of the Aeneid JUPPITER OMNIPOTES, AUDACIBUS ANNUE COEPTIS (All-powerful Jupiter favor [my] daring undertakings). The last three words appear also in Virgil’s GEORGICS, book I, line 40: DA FACILEM CURSUM, ATQUE AUDACIBUS ANNUE COEPTIS (Give [me] an easy course, and favor [my] daring undertakings).
Thompson changed the imperative ANNUE to ANNUIT, the third person singular form of the same verb in either the present tense of the perfect tense. The motto ANNUIT COEPTIS the subject of the verb must be supplied, and the translator must also choose the tense. In his 1892 brochure, Hunt suggested that the missing subject was in effect the eye at the apex of the pyramid … and he translated the motto-in the present tense-as “it (the Eye of Providence) is favorable to our undertakings.”

OK A little slower.. What was the sacred Bird of Jupiter and the Zeus? What did Zeus turn himslef into when he wanted to come down to human land? Who was the King of the Roman gods? Who did the originator of the Great Seal of the united States get his idea of the great seal from? JUPITER... This is kinda deep... The Poetry of Virgil, who wrote about his great God Jupiter on line 625

of book IX of the Aeneid JUPPITER OMNIPOTES, AUDACIBUS ANNUE COEPTIS (All-powerful Jupiter favor [my] daring undertakings). Thompson deliberatly left the SUBJECT out of the phrase as any good FreeMason Sympathiser would have because as a FreeMason ANY GOD WILL DO. the topless Pyramid leaving a Place for an eye of providence that any one of any faith would be able to place their God's name in and feel welcome.. In other words a common Alter. The fact that Thompson then proceded to USE a Jupiter Eagle is supposed to be purely a coinsidence? Remember the Standard found in Hungary of the Pyramid with the Jupiter eagle and the HalfGod Jupiter Dolichenus? AHH yes..

OK Lets look at the Franklin Half Dollar before we look again at the Flag in the Church. I took this picture close up and magnifid 14 times. Question: Could an eagle even stand this way or is this a guy in an Eagle suit flexing his muscles?

The Ben Franklin Half Dollar was first minted in 1948 and continued through 1963 being replaced with the Kennedy Half Dollar. before the Franklin was the Walking Liberty. Both the Kennedy and the Liberty contained the Jupiter Eagle on their reverse. Does this Eagle look like the same eagle used by the Romans? Sure it does .. PLUS it has the form of a Man. PLUS Ben Franklin was a High Level FreeMason as well as a member of the Hell Fire Club.

Jesus Christ walked on the waters and calmed the sea. His Churches sale on these rough seas and like Noahs arc there is safty within Christ. He is our refuge in a time of storm. he is our lawgiver and our Lord and King. And all the people said AMEN. What Flag would Jesus sail under? In maritime law, that is the law of Merchants and Seamen "a ship owner who sends his vessel into a foreign port gives notice by his flag to all who would enter into contracts with the master of the ship that he intends the LAW of THAT FLAG (that he is presenting)to regulate such contracts, and that they must either submit to its operation or not contract with him" Blacks Law Dictionary Pagen 766 ( FLAG ,LAW OF)( Blacks Law Revised 4th 1966). So when Folks walk into a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ should they then see in the place of honour and authority the Flag of any nation, let alone the flag of a Nation under Jupiter?

This is not as far fetched as you might first think, the problem is that our history books are simply of the same 501-c-3 mentality as the Churches that fly the flags. Ignorance is said to be bliss, but the reality is that the Apstle Paul said over and over again " I would not have you to be ignorant breathren..." The fact is that christians are so easily manipulated by Satan and his worldlings and their gods into dishonouring the God of the Bible in favour of so many false gods and they do not even know it. That is the rub , so to speak.. they have pulled the whool over your eyes... you have been HOODWINKED into serving false Gods and even hoist them up into positions of honour. And the modern pastor has no idea. It is Public Policy of a Masonic Government to Control or manipulate everyone to one degree or another into submission to its self and its State religion. Under the Eagle of Roman Law it was the same way. By the time Christ was born the Ceasars were the considering themselves God's and all Religions under the Roman Empire had to first pay homage to the State as represented in Ceasar himself. In about 45 BC or so he was actually declared a god. He had even god so far as to have his own likeness placed upon the coins of his world ( he first time a living person was placed on Romes coins) and his own image placed on the Banners as they went conquering. So when Jesus asked whos image and superscription was on the penny the people told him Ceasar's. Jesus the told them to render to Ceasar that which was Ceasars , and to god that which was God's. Do you think they ran out an put Roman Eagles and Flags in the temple and the Local churches after that? Do you suppose that those verses apply today? Should your Church place within its walls or fellowship an Authority other than the Lord?

THE NET:
the Corporate Church, that is a church that has been INCORPORATED under the laws of a particular State has done today EXACTLY what those ancient pagan Cults did so many years ago, and they have done EXACTLY what the early Church refused to Do, and for what they were persecuted for. They refused to take a liscence from the state. The State in Rome was personified in her Ceasar who was recognized as a God himslef. The early Christians Liscence requirement would have been to burn some insence and paythe fee ( make an offering) aknowledging that Ceasar was God and the Roman State supreme. They could worship any other God that they wished, including Jesus, the only tipulation being that they also worship and acknowledge Ceasar as well. The early Christians Simply refused to bend the knee to ANY ROMAN GOD whatsoever and where POLITCAL and RELIGIOUS existance was one and the same to reject ALL the known gods including Ceasar was treason against the state. The Christians were considered Athiests, There God could not be seen, he was not confined to anyone place and He claimed to be ovr ALL .,ROME had taken over the whole world and each time they took over a new area they took into its pantheon the gods of that particular area as well. YOU HAD TO BELIEVE IN A SUPREME BEING that was lisenced or recognized by the state. To Reject Their gods or the gods they approved and lisenced was to reject the authority of the State. NOTE: In all matters in law and property in Rome, an oath was required to be performed before ones god, Plutarch, who was born around 46 A.D. and who achieved roman citizenship noted that Religion was the necessary basis of Civil Government (Thomas Armatage, History of the Baptist pg 99) Plato concidered someone who rejected "all gods" a criminal. The Greek Drakon, 6th Century B.C. concidered rejecting the gods a capital offence, (then again he thought almost every violation of his posted law should be punished by death.) According to Armitage, Tully, whose real name is Cicero, who lived at the time of Mark Antony "thought the gods inspiried Roman wisdom when it regulated religion to the control of the rulers , so that it became a science in civil jurisprudence and a prop to the public safety. On this ground Augustus Ceasar required each senator to worship some god before he took his seat in the Roman Senate." Christians did not worship any of the gods of the Roman or Greeks or any other of their provinces or conquests, in fact the Christians said that all the other gods were in fact not real at all and their statues were mear idols. If this were true of the Pantheon gods and the that the temples were in fact houses of devils, what could be said of the Emperor who was also said to be a LIVING GOD in his own right? The Christians were athiests as far as Roman law was concerned and so therefore Christianity was contrary to the Law and the Christians were traitlrs to the republic and treasonous. The Jews cried out "we have no King but Ceasar" What they were really saying is we have NO GOD but Ceasar, at least as far as the Romans were concerned. The Christians had no King or God other than Christ, who the Romans could not see, as Christ forbade the making of images unto himself both through the Old testament Law and the Law of Liberty and grace that those who were born again now lived in. Pagan Rome needed her Armyies filled with Good citizens who could take an oath to a known God, yet the Christians would not enlist in Romes armies, their FAITH was not in the God State it was not " National" as Armitage puts it, Their FAITH was in Christ. They had a different King and that made the Roman God King very nervous. They had one allegience and could not PLEDGE ALLEGIENCE to an Alien King. Their God forbid such things. Rome then put them to death for treason. Was this not the very charge that was laid against Jesus Christ himself?

"Luke 23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting
the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is
Christ a King."

To Be Continued:...

Pastor Greg Dixon and Pastor Michael Slattery Interview on Live Radio

On this radio broadcast Pastor Mike Slattery had as his guest Dr. Greg Dixion sr. This broadcast will get more then a few folks very upset as they discuss openly the reasons that might be behind surrendering the Lordship of Christ over his churches to the state.. please listen and share it with as many as possible.. This interview was held last year around Mid November. There is one other interview with Doctor Greg Dixon that will be in two parts that will also be posted here soon.

the Controlled demolition of the Corporate Church Part ONE and TWO

Today was a little different. Pastor Slattery has interviewed several folks from around the country on very important issues in relationship to Freedom,Christian Liberty,Biblical Inspiration,politics relating to Church and Freedom issues and even taxes and their proper lawful function.This however was a little different. Pastor Slattery was contacted by a brother who will be referred to as Gordan Comstock ( Orwells 1984) Gordan is putting together a website on Freedom Issues that looks at the conspiracies that are tearing freedom apart. He understands the Masons the Vatican and a host of others who are against Jesus and so he called pastor Slattery after having listened to him on Sermon Audio on these same issues and expressly the 501-c-3 issue and how is muzzles the Churches of America and he asked to Interview Pastor Slattery on this issue. What followed is a 1 hour and 40 minute interview. pastor Slattery gave the interview as he was walking about in his yard on Saturday evening. The interview is in two parts for easy downloading time. but be warned it is very to the point and exposes this whole mess in detail that 99% of the pastors of America ( even the good ones) will not be comfortable with. This interview has a few memory lapses on Pastor Slattery's part on dates, but hey what do you want he was walking around the yard at the time.. (Smile) Please download these and share them or e-mail them directly to every news group or church group you have on your list.

A Listeners Comment after hearing this interview:

Isaac Baccus from Massachusetts (1/23/2007)
“ GREAT SERMON ”

All in two messages the 501-c-3 is nailed to a post. This interview is a must hear for anyone thinking of entering the ministry if he wants to have a church that is free. The State controlled Church is the tool, or soon will be the tool, of the New World Order Government of the Anti-Christ..The Catholic Church has through history established it's own form of 501-c-3 agreements with dictators around the world and so is it any wonder as America becomes more and more Catholic that the various "churches" would be more and more in line with the idea of Government controlled Churches... it is after all the Papist model.

Rita BeckettContact via email (7/9/2007)
“ Great Sermon! ”

Hi Pastor Mike, I just finished listening to part one and two of What is Wrong with being 50l-c-3 and I'm just beginning to understand it now. I'm a novice at this and I've taken down four pages of notes from the two interviews. I need to be prepared to answer some of the questions that will be thrown at me as I attempt to explain to people up here in New Jersey why I won't join a 50l-c-3 Church. And since I can't find one that isn't, I will continue with the small home Church that we have. Thank you for this informative talk and it is scary to see how the Churches have compromised and handed their authority over to the state government. God Bless, Rita Beckett

bro Mike (1/26/2007)
“ Good interview ”

What times we live in. It literally is a flood spewing forth from the enemies mouth seeking to deluge the saints. I bless God that there are other voices being raised across this land against this great evil. As a side note, I listened to the message by John Weaver about beards referenced in your interview with Gorden. It's been on my heart for a while and today I retired my razor and shaving cream. I pray God will give me the grace to make what really will be a radical change for me. To the LORD be the Glory. Let us pray for more men being men and more women being women as per the Lord's word. A start is for us men to wear beards, and the ladies to wear dresses.

Tax Exemptions are Subsidies!

Are Tax Exemptions Subsidies.
Whose Pulpit is it?

Pastor Slattery is writing a booklet called 'Dear Pastor' as a means to address Local Bible believing Pastors about the dangers of the 501-c-3. This sermon was at the beginning of our regular Lord's Day meeting, Pastor Slattery was going over some of the information in the bulletin that contains the inserts that are the chapters or sections in the new book. Part Three involved the issue of Tax exemption as a Government subsidy. Most biblical pastors have not so much as thought about this topic and have no idea how it is controlling or will be controlling what is going on behind the pulpit. After listening to this brief sermon/lesson THEY WILL. Remember the bible said they went out taking nothing from the gentiles? Well 98+% of churches today are doing just the opposite in so many ways, this is just one of them. Is Government Subsidy through Not for Profit Tax Exemption controlling the churches of America? It is as though there is a subtle mind control over most pastors , even those who understand the corporation issue, they do not grasp that they are being subsidized by the government when they allow deductions on offerings or when they apply for Exemption from sales and property tax.

Another Wake up Call to Pastors

A Wake Up Call To Pastors, Elders, Deacons and members of All Christian Churches 10-4-04 by David Layton Wilson

Was it necessary for your church to ask the state's permission for the privilege of existing as an artificial entity [nonprofit corporation]? And then file Form SS-4 for an Employer Identification Number?


Was it necessary for your Board of Directors to file an IRS Form 1023, Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, for contributions [and tithes] to be tax deductible on members' IRS Tax Returns?


NO!


If so, and it is, then WHY?

The IRS answers this on page 4 of Instructions for Form 1023, thusly, "An organization cannot rely on the advice of a qualified tax professional if it knows or should know that he or she is not competent to render advice on filing exemption applications or is not aware of all the relevant facts." [underline emphasis added]

The relevant facts are that churches were automatically tax exempt then as now and that contributions were automatically tax deductible then as now. Churches have been Deceived by Omission of Material Facts by their Professional Advisers!!!

If you are vexed by Pastors being state Censored in their Sermons, Newsletters, email and websites; fearful of being victimized by IRS informers monitoring every word - there is a remedy and that remedy lies in each of you:


Petition Your Church Officers to Reclaim the Sovereignty of Jesus Christ as Head of Your Church. The legal definition of "church" as found in Black's Law Dictionary, 4th Ed., states:

"In its most general sense, the religious society founded and established by
Jesus Christ, to receive, preserve, and propagate his doctrines and
ordinances;"

and of Christian:

"Pertaining to Jesus Christ or the religion founded by him; professing Christianity. As a noun, it signifies one who accepts and professes to live by the doctrines and principles of the Christian religion; it does not include Mohammedans, Jews, pagans, or infidels;"

and of "reclaim,": "To claim or demand back; to ask for the return or restoration of a thing; to insist upon one's right to recover that which was one's own, but was parted with conditionally or mistakenly; as, to reclaim goods which were obtained from one under false pretenses."

The Remedy? Dissolve the corporation. Revoke 501 (c)(3) status. Free Your Church from State Servitude as Idolatry.

FAQ's:
Q~How will this effect church finances and contributions?

A~Should have no effect as long as procedurally correct paperwork is timely filed.

Q~What are the effects of maintaining the status quo?

A~When benefits of the state are accepted when conditionally offered, a silent contract comes into effect you are not aware of that demands reciprocity. That reciprocity is compliance with whatever the state determines to be "public policy," and "politically correct."
When such benefits of permission to engage in 'Caesar's Commerce' are accepted, any claim under the "establishment clause" and "freedom of speech" of Article I of the Bill of Rights is waived.
In reality, the Church has become duped into a quasi-state instrumentality, rendering unto 'Caesar' that which is NOT Caesar's – an assembly of Believers in God's image.
In reality, surrendering your children to the absolute control of the state, particularly if your church has a day care or school – to the detriment of parental authority and the church, is, in my opinion, child endangerment.
In fact, to remain silent in light of the Truth, is your admission and consent to all false presumptions. Unrebutted presumptions stand as true. To remain silent now is your future consent to be ruled and taxed by the atheist collectivist dominated United Nations imposing their version of a one world religion – and that religion doesn't include Jesus Christ.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected
knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing
thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6 [AKJV]

No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the
other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon.
Jesus speaking, Matthew 6:24

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and
be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1

A Petition/Demand to Disolve a Corporate Religious Charity and Then Establish a Free Church

Petition to Dissolve the Corporate Charter and
Revoke Section 501 (c)(3) Status

By David Layton Wilson

Modified by Pastor Michael Ernest : Slattery (red) 3/25/2006



To the Board of ___________________________ Church, Incorporated.



GREETINGS TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS MAY COME.

By my signature below, I certify that I have read and understand the pertinent parts of Title 26, United States Code, Section 501 (c)(3) and IRS Form 1023, that pertain to churches.

WHEREAS, there is no law making it mandatory for a body of believers in Jesus Christ to exist as a legal fiction nonprofit corporation thereby replacing the authority of Jesus Christ as the head of the church with the statutory authority of the state, and

WHEREAS, even if there were a law of man making it mandatory for a body of believers in Jesus Christ to exist as a legal fiction nonprofit corporation or any other form of legal entity thereby replacing the sole authority of Jesus Christ as the head of the church with the statutory authority of the state, that law would be null and void on it’s face as a lesser authority can not bind a greater. To wit a creation of man can not wield authority over a creation of God.

WHEREAS, churches have never been technically exempt from taxation but rather immune from taxation and contributions have always been tax deductible on Form 1040's of those who are liable to file such form; this being automatic without the church applying for Section 501 (c)(3) tax exempt status, and

WHEREAS, most likely church directors/officers were misled by, albeit, well-meaning Professional advisers, by withholding material facts, the effects of such uninformed decisions having devastating unintended consequences on this body of Believers and their children, and

WHEREAS there is the possibility that Church directors/officers were indeed traitorous to Christ and his Local Church, knowing full well the fact that no servant can serve two masters, but that they did with malice intent surrender the headship of Christ over his local Church for filthy lucre sake or some other nefarious intent to the state,

WHEREAS, by dissolving the corporate charter of this Church and revoking Section 501 (c)(3) status should have no adverse change in this Church's finances, there is no valid scriptural reason for maintaining such status quo, and

Petition to Dissolve the Corporate Charter and
Revoke Section 501 (c)(3) Status
(continued)



WHEREAS, it is necessary to carry forward these actions timely, to reclaim and restore or establish this Church to a pristine status under the sole Sovereign authority of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Bible as the inspired perfect written representation of that Authority and to preach and teach the whole counsel of God's Word.

NOW THEREFORE, I strongly urge (DEMAND) the Board to dissolve the corporate existence of this Church by written resolution and revoke the Section 501 (c)(3) status attached thereto; with proper Notices to appropriate officials to follow.

____________________________
Printed Name
____________________________
Signature


Dated: ______________________

Circle One: Pastor – Elder – Deacon – Member

Tort Liability Of Unincorporated Churches

Jane Jones is a member of the Praise the Lord Church, which is an unincorporated church in Bear Grass, North Carolina. On her way to choir practice, Jane steps into a hole in the church parking lot and breaks her ankle. Jane loves her church, but she really needs a new car. Jane then files a lawsuit against her church alleging that it failed to properly maintain its parking lot.

Does Jane have a cause of action against the church? No, the law in North Carolina prohibits one member of an unincorporated church from recovering damages from the church for the tortious conduct of another member. In the case of Williamson v. Wallace, 29 N.C. App. 370 (1976), the plaintiff, a member of Greystone Baptist Church, sued the trustees of the church to recover damages for bodily injury she sustained which she alleged was caused by the negligence of the church when risers collapsed on her. The Court of Appeals upheld summary judgment for the defendants based on the following rule of law:

That the members of an unincorporated association are engaged in a joint enterprise, and the negligence of each member in the prosecution of that enterprise is imputable to each and every other member, so that the member who has suffered damages to his person, property, or reputation through the tortious conduct of another member of the association may not recover from the association for such damage, although he may recover individually from the member actually guilty of the tort.

The Williamson Court based its ruling on the holding in Goard v. Branscom, 15 N.C. App. 34 (1972), where a plaintiff sued a church for failure of its employees to take reasonable care to keep oil and grease off the sidewalks after she slipped on oil and sustained injuries. The Court held in Goard that because an unincorporated religious congregation was, at best a quasi corporation and not a true corporation, its members were neither licensees or invitees, but merely engaged in a joint enterprise with all other members. For that reason, the Court found no legal grounds upon which to authorize a member of a church or denomination to recover from the quasi corporation for the negligence of an agent, employee, or another member thereof. Based on the quasi corporation theory, the plaintiff, as a member of the church, was one of the persons in possession of the premises involved and for that reason could not be a licensee or an invitee. Rather, each member of the congregation "was engaged in the joint enterprise of worshipping Almighty God in fellowship together according to the dictates of his own conscience."Conclusion: When investigating a claim against a church, one of the first things you should determine is whether or not the church is incorporated. If it is incorporated, then it has the same status as any other corporation. If on the other hand the church is unincorporated, the claim may be barred by the applicable law. It is important to remember, however, that the law bars a claim against the church but not against the member, who is guilty of the tort.

If you have any questions regarding this E-Flash or other Tort Litigation issues, please contact E-Flash author Steve Rowe at 252.972.7108 or srowe@poynerspruill.com or the Group's chair, Nick Ellis at 252.972.7115 or jnellis@poynerspruill.com.

Isaac Backus, Early American Baptist AGAINST INCORPORATION

"Basic to the Baptist position was the belief that all direct connection between the State and institutionalized religion must be broken in order that America might become a truly Christian country."8 In other words, the Church should not allow the State to govern in matters which belonged to the Church. Among these infringements which Backus saw were taxation to support State churches, tax exemption only for churches with ministers recognized by civil authorities, and various other matters. . In his last years, Backus fought against the desire by some Baptist churches to be incorporated by the state. This desire for civil recognition derived from the early American policy of taxing citizens to provide salaries for ministers. Backus was totally opposed to this practice. Incorporation gave the State authority over the church and this was unacceptable.


Backus offered a Bill of Rights for consideration to friends at the time of the writing of the American Constitution. His second right read as follows:


"As God is the only worthy object of all religious worship, and nothing can be true religion but a voluntary obedience unto His revealed will … every person has an unalienable right to act in all religious affairs according to the full persuasion of his own mind, where others are not injured thereby …"

FREE CHURCH Thanksgiving Fellowship, Nov 18 and 19

Greetings everyone, I would like to take this opportunity to let you all know about our Unregistered Baptist Fellowship meeting to be held November 18th and 19th here in Marion County Florida, Speakers will include John Weaver, Dr. Greg Dixon Sr., James Lyman, Dr. Scott Johnson and a few more besides. Please go to our Church web-site at www.preachingfreedom.com for more information. Please feel free to call me with any questions.
In Christ
The Preacher.

5 Reasons Why Christians Should Not Obtain a State Marriage License by Pastor Matt Trewhella

Every year thousands of Christians amble down to their local county courthouse and obtain a marriage license from the State in order to marry their future spouse. They do this unquestioningly. They do it because their pastor has told them to go get one, and besides, "everybody else gets one." This pamphlet attempts to answer the question - why should we not get one?

1. The definition of a "license" demands that we not obtain one to marry.
Black's Law Dictionary defines "license" as, "The permission by competent authority to do an act which without such permission, would be illegal." We need to ask ourselves- why should it be illegal to marry without the State's permission? More importantly, why should we need the State's permission to participate in something which God instituted (Gen. 2:18-24)? We should not need the State's permission to marry nor should we grovel before state officials to seek it. What if you apply and the State says "no"? You must understand that the authority to license implies the power to prohibit. A license by definition "confers a right" to do something. The State cannot grant the right to marry. It is a God-given right.

2. When you marry with a marriage license, you grant the State jurisdiction over your marriage.
When you marry with a marriage license, your marriage is a creature of the State. It is a corporation of the State! Therefore, they have jurisdiction over your marriage including the fruit of your marriage. What is the fruit of your marriage? Your children and every piece of property you own. There is plenty of case law in American jurisprudence which declares this to be true. In 1993, parents were upset here in Wisconsin because a test was being administered to their children in the government schools which was very invasive of the family's privacy. When parents complained, they were shocked by the school bureaucrats who informed them that their children were required to take the test by law and that they would have to take the test because they (the government school) had jurisdiction over their children. When parents asked the bureaucrats what gave them jurisdiction, the bureaucrats answered, "your marriage license and their birth certificates." Judicially, and in increasing fashion, practically, your state marriage license has far-reaching implications.

3. When you marry with a marriage license, you place yourself under a body of law which is immoral.

By obtaining a marriage license, you place yourself under the jurisdiction of Family Court which is governed by unbiblical and immoral laws. Under these laws, you can divorce for any reason. Often, the courts side with the spouse who is in rebellion to God, and castigates the spouse who remains faithful by ordering him or her not to speak about the Bible or other matters of faith when present with the children. As a minister, I cannot in good conscience perform a marriage which would place people under this immoral body of laws. I also cannot marry someone with a marriage license because to do so I have to act as an agent of the State! I would have to sign the marriage license, and I would have to mail it into the State. Given the State's demand to usurp the place of God and family regarding marriage, and given it's unbiblical, immoral laws to govern marriage, it would be an act of treason for me to do so.

4. The marriage license invades and removes God-given parental authority.

When you read the Bible, you see that God intended for children to have their father's blessing regarding whom they married. Daughters were to be given in marriage by their fathers (Dt. 22:16; Ex. 22:17; I Cor. 7:38). We have a vestige of this in our culture today in that the father takes his daughter to the front of the altar and the minister asks, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" Historically, there was no requirement to obtain a marriage license in colonial America. When you read the laws of the colonies and then the states, you see only two requirements for marriage. First, you had to obtain your parents permission to marry, and second, you had to post public notice of the marriage 5-15 days before the ceremony. Notice you had to obtain your parents permission. Back then you saw godly government displayed in that the State recognized the parents authority by demanding that the parents permission be obtained. Today, the all-encompassing ungodly State demands that their permission be obtained to marry. By issuing marriage licenses, the State is saying, "You don't need your parents permission, you need our permission." If parents are opposed to their child's marrying a certain person and refuse to give their permission, the child can do an end run around the parents authority by obtaining the State's permission, and marry anyway. This is an invasion and removal of God-given parental authority by the State.

5. When you marry with a marriage license, you are like a polygamist.

From the State's point of view, when you marry with a marriage license, you are not just marrying your spouse, but you are also marrying the State. The most blatant declaration of this fact that I have ever found is a brochure entitled "With This Ring I Thee Wed." It is found in county courthouses across Ohio where people go to obtain their marriage licenses. It is published by the Ohio State Bar Association. The opening paragraph under the subtitle "Marriage Vows" states, "Actually, when you repeat your marriage vows you enter into a legal contract. There are three parties to that contract.
1.You;
2. Your husband or wife, as the case may be; and
3. the State of Ohio."

See, the State and the lawyers know that when you marry with a marriage license, you are not just marrying your spouse, you are marrying the State! You are like a polygamist! You are not just making a vow to your spouse, but you are making a vow to the State and your spouse. You are also giving undue jurisdiction to the State. When Does the State Have Jurisdiction Over a Marriage? God intended the State to have jurisdiction over a marriage for two reasons - 1). in the case of divorce, and 2). when crimes are committed i.e., adultery, bigamy. etc. Unfortunately, the State now allows divorce for any reason, and it does not prosecute for adultery. In either case, divorce or crime, a marriage license is not necessary for the courts to determine whether a marriage existed or not. What is needed are witnesses. This is why you have a best man and a maid of honor. They should sign the marriage certificate in your family Bible, and the wedding day guest book should be kept. Marriage was instituted by God, therefore it is a God-given right. According to Scripture, it is to be governed by the family, and the State only has jurisdiction in the cases of divorce or crime. History of Marriage Licenses in America George Washington was married without a marriage license. So, how did we come to this place in America where marriage licenses are issued? Historically, all the states in America had laws outlawing the marriage of blacks and whites. In the mid-1800's, certain states began allowing interracial marriages or miscegenation as long as those marrying received a license from the state. In other words they had to receive permission to do an act which without such permission would have been illegal. Blacks Law Dictionary points to this historical fact when it defines "marriage license" as, "A license or permission granted by public authority to persons who intend to intermarry." "Intermarry" is defined in Black's Law Dictionary as, "Miscegenation; mixed or interracial marriages." Give the State an inch and they will take a 100 miles (or as one elderly woman once said to me "10,000 miles.") Not long after these licenses were issued, some states began requiring all people who marry to obtain a marriage license. In 1923, the Federal Government established the Uniform Marriage and Marriage License Act (they later established the Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act). By 1929, every state in the Union had adopted marriage license laws. What Should We Do? Christian couples should not be marrying with State marriage licenses, nor should ministers be marrying people with State marriage licenses. Some have said to me, "If someone is married without a marriage license, then they aren't really married." Given the fact that states may soon legalize same-sex marriages, we need to ask ourselves, "If a man and a man marry with a State marriage license, and a man and woman marry without a State marriage license - who's really married? Is it the two men with a marriage license, or the man and woman without a marriage license? In reality, this contention that people are not really married unless they obtain a marriage license simply reveals how Statist we are in our thinking. We need to think biblically. You should not have to obtain a license from the State to marry someone anymore than you should have to obtain a license from the State to be a parent, which some in academic and legislative circles are currently pushing to be made law. When I marry a couple, I always buy them a Family Bible which contains birth and death records, and a marriage certificate. We record the marriage in the Family Bible. What's recorded in a Family Bible will stand up as legal evidence in any court of law in America. Both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were married without a marriage license. They simply recorded their marriages in their Family Bibles. So should we. (Pastor Trewhella has been marrying couples without marriage licenses for ten years. Many other pastors also refuse to marry couples with State marriage licenses. This pamphlet is not comprehensive in scope. Rather, the purpose of this pamphlet is to make you think and give you a starting point to do further study of your own.

If you would like an audio sermon regarding this matter, just send a gift of at least five dollars in cash to: Mercy Seat Christian Church 10240 W. National Ave. PMB #129 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53227.


NOW THIS FROM A National Unlicensed Church Conference SUMMERY IN May/June 2001 by Norman Edwards:( Servantnews.com)

Are Marriage Licenses Biblical?
Ralph Ovadal gave a very interesting presentation from the viewpoint of “what honors God and what is right?” Marriages were frequently handled by contracts or simply recorded in family Bibles during the early years of this country. State laws still recognize such marriages, but if everyone stops using them, they may eventually be repealed.
When the state asks couples to fill out forms and take tests to obtain a marriage license, the couples cannot help but believe that when the state approves them, they are ready to be married. In reality, the entire emphasis should be upon “does God think you are ready to be married?”
The state has no righteous purpose in determining who gets a marriage license. Spouse beaters, criminals, habitual divorcees, homosexuals and people with other serious problems all can get licenses. Wisconsin marriages are still considered valid by the state even if the wrong forms were used or if wrong information was supplied on them. Nevertheless, the state collects a fee of $49.50 for each marriage, primarily to require social security numbers and medical tests designed for people who live a promiscuous life style. While the authority of the state is not now exceptionally oppressive, with no resistance, will it continue to grow?
Furthermore, when couples have trouble in their marriages, they frequently turn to the state who gave them their licenses—which is also more than happy to give them divorces. If people saw that their marriage was an agreement between man, wife and God, they would be much slower to consider a divorce.
Marriage licenses do easily take care of each spouse’s legal rights to the other’s property, insurance benefits, government benefits, inheritance, etc. All of these things can be done without a license, but more work may be required. A couple should not bypass a marriage license without learning about these things. On the other hand, once a marriage license has been obtained, there is no way to rescind it—the state remains a part of the marriage forever.
Mr. Ovadal and others at the conference spoke of successful marriages where no license was involved. They recommended keeping records signed by witnesses, putting pictures and articles in the newspaper, legally changing the woman’s name, and recording the marriage with the county recorder.

The State is Sovereign over its Corporations!

The State is Sovereign over its Corporations
Richard K. McPherson " the truth about Church Incorporation" excerpt of definitions

Having briefly examined the biblical definition of a corporation, let us now look at the legal definition of a corporation. According to the U.S. Supreme Court:

1. "A corporation is a creature of the state. It is presumed to be incorporated for the benefit of the public. It receives certain special privileges and franchises and holds them subject to the laws of the state and the limitation of its charter. Its powers are limited by law. It can make no contract not authorized by its charter. Its rights to act as a corporation are only preserved to it so long as it obeys the laws of its creation. There is a reserved right in the legislature to investigate its contracts and ascertain if it has exceeded its powers" (Hale v. Henkel, 201 U.S. 43).

2. "[A corporation is] an artificial person or legal entity created by or under the authority of the laws of a state. An association of persons created by statute as a legal entity.... The corporation is distinct from the individuals who comprise it (shareholders).... Such an entity subsists as a body politic under a special denomination, which is regarded in law as having a personality and existence distinct from that of its several members." Black's Law Dictionary West Publishing Company, 1991; 6th Edition, page 340.

3. "A corporation derives its existence and all of its powers from the State and, therefore, has only such powers as the State has conferred upon it. Power is used here to mean the legal capacity to execute and fulfill the objects and purposes for which the corporation was created, and the source of this power is the charter and the statute under which the corporation was organized." Len Young Smith and G. Gale Roberson, Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 796.
Note: A corporation is created by, and derives its existence from, the State. In contrast, the church is created by, a creature of, derives its existence from, subject to, and obeys the Law of, Jesus Christ.

4. "Corporate existence is a privilege granted by the sovereign upon compliance with specified conditions" Len Young Smith and G. Gale Roberson, Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 931. .

5. "Corporations are not citizens.... The term citizen... applies only to natural persons... not to artificial persons created by the legislature" Paul v. Virginia, 8 Wall. 168, 177; see also the Opinion of Field, J., in the Slaughterhouse Cases, 16 Wall.36, 99.
Note: God teaches that Christians, his church, are citizens of the household of God (Eph.2:19, Phil.3:10).

6. Every corporation has obtained a charter from the State of Incorporation. This charter is simply permission to exist given to the corporation, without which, its operations would be considered illegal. In addition to the charter are the articles of incorporation: "The objects or purposes for which a corporation is formed are expressly stated in its articles of incorporation, which delineate in general language the type of business activities in which the corporation proposes to engage" Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 798.
Note: Is the church of God involved in any type of business activities? (Matthew 21:12, John 2:16).

7. "Instances of non-profit corporations are educational institutions, athletic clubs, library clubs, fraternities, sororities, hospitals, and organizations which have exclusively a charitable purpose" Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 789.
The reader will notice that "churches" are conspicuously absent from this list of non-profit corporations. That is because our law-makers are fully aware that incorporation involves creation, and the Church simply cannot be created by the State. Furthermore, the Church's ordained purpose of preaching the Gospel can never be illegal, so no special license is required from the State to do so.

Though not all of our founding fathers were genuine Christians, they nevertheless understood that the Church of Christ is under the sole jurisdiction of its Lord, and that the civil magistrate therefore should not dare to encroach upon that authority. Because of this healthy respect for the Church, the very first sentence of the Bill of Rights reads as follows:

"Congress shall make no law regarding an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" (U.S. Constitution, First Amendment).

A Prophet in Camel HairBy R. C. Sproul Jr.

A Prophet in Camel HairBy R. C. Sproul Jr.

To whom are we to speak our prophecies? The pattern in the Bible seems pretty clear. For every one time a prophet is sent to give warning to the heathen, ten times that prophet is sent to warn the children of Israel. The wicked, more often than not, are left to wallow in their ignorance. It is the righteous who are commanded to repent and keep covenant. Judgment, after all, begins in the house of God. Our focus ought to be on the sins within the walls of the church. Before we start boycotting Disney, we ought to be boycotting the PCUSA. Before we start complaining about the inanities that come through the television, we must deal with the inanities coming from our pulpits. We need, as we have argued before, to be about the business of tending our own garden. That most of the time the prophets spoke to God's people, however, is not at all the same thing as all the time. That we should major on ourselves doesn't mean we never speak outside our own walls.

John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets, (that is, he ministered before the beginning of the earthly ministry of Jesus) and the greatest, Jesus tells us. His message was certainly more significant than the messages of those who preceded him. He was not merely bringing a particular suit against the children of Israel. Instead he was to prepare the way of the Lord. This he did most of all in calling the children of Israel to repentance. Out there by the Jordan he was busy letting those who thought they were well know that they were sick indeed. And, the Bible tells us, all Israel went out to hear him.

John was not, however, a one note wonder. He didn't find himself in trouble with the local authorities for telling Jews to repent. John became a martyr because he prophesied to the king. He told the king of his sin in marrying his brother's wife, and before long John was dead.

We, of course, no longer prophesy to the king. We will wail against the culture in general, calling it to task for assorted social ills. We'll fuss at Disney World, or Hollywood, but not at the king. It's not as though what has changed is the behavior of our kings. We have recently had a king who didn't take his brother's wife into his bed, but a father's daughter into secret hallways. We more recently have a king who courted the favor of the church, only to determine to finance experiments on the remains of unborn babies. There is plenty to prophesy against. But by and large, we have been silent.

There's a reason for that. The American church has exchanged the mantle of the prophet for the alms bowl of the beggar. Herod has cut a deal with the church. He has promised that He will give the church all the protections afforded a corporation, and in exchange the church has promised not to call him to repentance. But wait, there's more. Herod has also promised that, in exchange for putting on the gag, he would promise to oversee the church, that if it should fail to serve the state's purposes, he will take it over. Isn't that nice? Who would even want to prophesy against such benevolence?
It would be bad enough if the church signed onto this deal in exchange for tax advantages. It is true that donations given to 501c-3 corporations are tax deductible. But it is also true that donations given to churches are tax deductible. That is, no church needs to be a 501c-3 in order to get the tax benefits. Granted, Herod doesn't tend to advertise this fact, but it is true nevertheless. (For more information I encourage you to check out Peter Kershaw's website, www.hushmoney.org.)
When the church asks the state to recognize it as a corporation, legally, whether it intends to or not, it contractually affirms that it is subservient to the state, its maker. Objections after the fact are useless. The state understands well that the clay cannot say to the potter, "why have you made me thus?". And so the church has instead chosen its 501c-3 pottage. What we gave up was not only our birthright, but that which we need in order to create still more births, our manhood.

John the Baptist knew better than to make a deal with the King. He asked for no quarter, because he knew that he could give none. He knew better to make a deal with Herod because he knew that the true King was coming. He knew that he could serve only one master. He knew who would establish the church. For that knowledge he lost his head. For that knowledge, he had the honor of martyrdom.

Is our calling any less? If we conclude only that John the Baptist was special, that he was a man of courage, are we not then concluding, to our everlasting shame, that we are cowards, that we are not men at all? And didn't Jesus Himself say that "he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matthew 11:11)? We who live on this side of the cross, we who have heard the promise of Christ that He has already overcome the world, must we not then be bolder still than this great prophet? We who know and love and are loved by the King of Kings, why should we fear those kings?
Those who have silenced themselves by cutting this deal with the government, I know, often have no idea that such is what they have done. Churches most often incorporate out of ignorance rather than wickedness. But that ignorance is culpable. And it must not be invincible. Before the church can rise up and call the state to task for failing to kiss the Son, the church must stop kissing the beast.

NOTE: I do not think that a Church should seek TAX advantages.. it is a moot point, Churches are Tax immune, if the State wishes to tax the Churches and the Churches pay, they deserve each other... Let God Judge them both.
The Preacher

A True Church cannot be Represented by Lawyers

A Church governed by Christ cannot be represented by lawyers!

I realize this is not going to be a popular subject...and I won't belabor the point. But, it is time that the church of Jesus Christ realizes that their defense is in the Lord and not in the law! When God brings the battle to us (and we should wait for Him to do that), we need to be ready to stand on the WORD OF GOD and let God protect His own and give the victory. When that happened, God get the Glory!

Daniel didn't present a single legal argument, yet God saved Him and got glory throughout the Kingdom.

Shadrack, Meschech and Abednego argued no law or privilege, yet the Lord delivered them and God got the Glory for it.

Peter and the Church in Jerusalem wrote no Habeas Corpus motions, yet God delivered Peter from prison and the heart of the church was encouraged.

When we turn to legal arguments, instead of leaning on the Word of God and the Power of God, we take away from the glory that God wants to bring to himself.

We must realize also that lawyers are officers of the court. The are there to uphold the rule of legality...even at the expense of Law. the very act of being represented by an attorney causes the church two major problems in any legal battle.

1. The church is subject to the jurisdiction of the court by the very act of appearing by way of an officer of the court. A Lordship church is not subject to any court because it is not a statutory organization (i.e., corporation or unincorporated association). The jurisdiction argument is lost immediately upon the entrance of an attorney.

2. The Church, in order to enter into a contract for representation by an attorney, must be a legal entity (i.e., corporation, unincorporated association,etc.). If the church is a legal entity, rather than a spiritual one, it is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts ... and under statutory authority.

A study of the New testament 'lawyer' will indicate that that the attorney of today functions in much the same way as the 'lawyer' spoken of in the new Testament; interpreting and seeking to manipulate the law to the advantage of the 'client.'

Here is what the bible has to say about it.

Luk 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

Look 11:45-46 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! For ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

Luk 11:52 Woe unto you, lawyers! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

Luk 14:3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? Luk 14:4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

Excerpted from : "A Treatise on Church Incorporation" WRITE/TOWNSEND
Copied from the book' What on earth is the TRUE CHURCH' Dr. Charles Mainous
Fundamental Baptist Publications 7399 N. High St. Columbus Ohio
(614-888-5121)