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What manner of spirit?
When did I promote Pastor Mike? The only thing I have said in this entire thread that was positive of Pastor Mike was in post #25 "Mike Hoggard is my favorite teacher,
Now your backpeddling. I've read your posts, ALL of them. You've been promoting these men since you first started posting here. Defending men/Hoggard is exactly what you've been doing in this very thread.
Your posts give you away.
"...be not ye the servants of men"
Accusing me of backpedaling is not an answer to my questions but that is ok.
Your first link is a document filed with the State of Missouri listing Bethel Free Will Baptist Church of Festus
Missouri as a non-profit corporation. The emphasis is on State, this document has nothing to do with the
feds. Your second link is a faq sheet for tax exempt organizations that meet irs 501c3 criteria. This link does
not indicate what it takes to meet those requirements.
I on the other hand have found the actual irs tax code that controls 501c3 status. The link is
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/508.
This is on the Cornell Law school website. The relevant part of the tax code is:
(a) New organizations must notify Secretary that they are applying for recognition of section 501(c)(3) status
Except as provided in subsection (c), an organization organized after October 9, 1969, shall not be treated as an organization described in section 501 (c)(3)—
The important part is the phrase "Except as provided in subsection (c)".
Subsection c says:
(c) Exceptions
(1) Mandatory exceptions
Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to—
(A) churches, their integrated auxiliaries, and conventions or associations of churches, or
(B) any organization which is not a private foundation (as defined in section 509 (a)) and the gross receipts of which in each taxable year are normally not more than $5,000.
The important part of this is the phrase "mandatory exceptions" and the word "churches". This means a
church is explicitly exempted from 501c3 status unless the church chooses to not be exempt. So a church
can be tax exempt and non-501c3.
With this information I will take Mike's word for his non-501c3 status.
Thank you for this conversation, it has been very informative.
