Making an Impact in Our Nation

October 10th, 2008

Dear friend,

The election of the next president of the United States and many members of Congress is less than a month away. The campaign season that has been in full swing, it seems, for over a year and a half, is coming to a crescendo. Perhaps you’ve been listening to the debates and weighing the issues as Election Day approaches. Brother Kenneth Copeland has said, “Your vote is your seed.” It is important to vote; we all know that. But it is also crucial to understand that as you make your voice heard, you are being faithful to God and sowing a seed for not only your future but that of our nation as well.

BSU Speaking Engagements

Over the next several weeks my wife, Kellie Copeland Swisher, and I will be speaking at churches and pastors’ conferences across America. The many topics we will discuss include what churches, ministries and pastors can and cannot say with regard to candidates and issues. Be sure to visit www.believersstandunited.com for an updated schedule of our appearances. If we are anywhere near you, plan on attending. We would enjoy meeting and visiting with you personally.

Things to Remember

In this edition of our BSU update I want to share a few guidelines with you that I believe will be helpful in the days ahead.
Here are some pertinent details:

As a 501(c)(3) exempt organization, a church:

1. Is exempt from paying corporate income taxes, and donations to it are tax deductible on federal returns
2. May expend funds for religious, charitable and educational purposes, and an insubstantial amount on lobbying and to promote legislation

An exempt organization, however, may not:

1. Participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Thus, a church may not participate in a political campaign for or against a candidate by expenditure of its funds or use of its facilities.
2. Participate in activities that can influence the election of a political candidate. These are broad and range from contributions to a candidate to activities such as publishing a voting record of incumbents who are running for re-election.

Issue advocacy, however, may not be limited by the government and can be freely engaged in by churches. Issue advocacy includes the discussion of issues of public concern, the actions of government officials in office and even the position of candidates on issues. As long as one does not use explicit words expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, one is free to praise or criticize officials and candidates with regard to their positions on certain topics—this is called issue advocacy.

A political candidate may appear at a church service under these conditions:

• All legally qualified candidates should be invited
• The questions should be prepared and presented by an independent, nonpartisan panel
• The topics should cover a broad range of issues of interest to the public
• Each candidate should have an equal opportunity to present his or her views on the topic
• The moderator should not comment on the questions or otherwise make comments that imply approval or disapproval of the candidate

Any individual, including pastors, may participate in campaigns, as long as they do so as individuals and not in the name of the church. In addition, political candidates may be introduced at a church service, or may preach or read scripture without any restrictions. However, public officials who are also candidates may be invited without complying to the above requirements if: no reference is made to the public officials’ candidacy, the public official speaks only in his/her capacity as a public official, and there is no campaign activity in connection with the appearance. Also, churches may allow political candidates to use church facilities for meetings or campaign appearances on the same basis that other civic groups are allowed to do so. If other groups are required to pay for use of the property, the candidates should be charged the same amount.

Be aware of these issues and remember that state laws may be more restrictive than these guidelines. So before applying them to specific state candidates or state elections, a local attorney should be consulted.

Timely Message for Today

In a recent worship service my sister-in-law, Pastor Terri Copeland Pearsons, focused on a special time of prayer for the upcoming election and our nation. I want to share this video link with you, encourage you to share it with your family and friends, and to spend time in prayer about this very important time in America. Watch Pastor Terri’s message now.
Thank you for your friendship and partnership with Believers Stand United. May God continue to bless you and those you love and may God richly bless the United States of America.

Dr. Stephen Lowell Swisher
Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Thank you again for joining us in this endeavor. Together we’re making a difference!