ORLANDO, FL - Pastors and church leaders are free to speak up regarding biblical and moral issues relevant to this upcoming election, including educating their members about the positions of candidates.
No church has ever lost its tax-exempt status for opposing or supporting a candidate for political office. Pastors and church leaders can encourage people to register and to vote. They can inform people about biblical and moral values, and they can distribute voter information about the positions of the candidates.
"Pastors and church leaders must be empowered to confront the assaults on our culture, our faith, and our freedom," says Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "This is not about politics. It is about biblical and moral issues that have become politicized. The truth is, no church has ever lost its tax-exempt status for either endorsing or opposing any political candidate. Nor has any church lost its tax-exempt status for supporting or opposing local, state, or federal law," said Staver.
On the annual National Day of Prayer in 2017, President Trump signed an executive order that promotes free speech and religious liberty, making it easier for churches to participate in politics. He has also loosened the unenforceable IRS restrictions on churches regarding political activities, effectively weakening the so-called Johnson Amendment, enacted in 1954.
Liberty Counsel has provided thousands of Silence Is NOT an Option DVDs and booklet to pastors and church leaders. Compiled through decades of experience regarding churches and nonprofit organizations, these resources encourage pastors and church leaders to speak up on important biblical and moral issues. Liberty Counsel's "Patriot's Handbook of Political Action for Pastors and Churches" is also a thorough resource for pastors and churches.
View Mat Staver's video to learn more about pastors' rights to speak on political issues and candidates.
"German Political Scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann coined the expression 'spiral of silence.' Noelle-Neumann began her career working for a newspaper during Hitler's years, where she found that people conceal their views when they think they are in the minority or may face reprisal for their beliefs. We saw how the spiral of silence had devastating results in Nazi Germany. We need to stop the spiral of silence in America, and pastors need to speak up now," said Staver.
Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
ORLANDO, FL - Pastors and church leaders are free to speak up regarding biblical and moral issues relevant to this upcoming election, including educating their members about the positions of candidates.
No church has ever lost its tax-exempt status for opposing or supporting a candidate for political office. Pastors and church leaders can encourage people to register and to vote. They can inform people about biblical and moral values, and they can distribute voter information about the positions of the candidates. 
