Navigating Election Season as a Church Leader
Election season always brings tension, leaving church leaders walking a fine line: How do you shepherd your congregation through pressing social and moral issues without risking your 501(c)(3) status—or fracturing your church?
Further complicating matters this year are questions about whether the Johnson Amendment is even enforceable.
In the latest episode of Under the Steeple, Matthew Dillingham and Marie Burrus unpack the legal boundaries and operational wisdom required during election cycles. While recent court cases and Treasury updates have created noise around internal speech, the IRS rules under the Johnson Amendment do still remain the official standard. But what does that mean??
While knowing the law keeps you out of trouble with the IRS, operating with wisdom protects the unity of your local church.
What Your Church Can (and Can't) Do
Understanding the legal boundaries protects your tax status while freeing you to lead with confidence. While the constraints of the Johnson Amendment might be loosening, here are a few guidelines to keep your church out of the fight:
You CAN preach on biblical and moral issues: Addressing scriptural truths on sanctity of life, religious liberty, or caring for the vulnerable is fully protected, even when those topics overlap with public policy.
You CAN host non-partisan events: Churches can run voter registration drives, host neutral candidate forums where all candidates are invited equally, or allow candidates to speak strictly as uncompensated subject-matter experts.
You CANNOT endorse specific candidates: Endorsing or opposing a candidate or political party from the pulpit, on church social media, or through official church communications is strictly prohibited.
You CANNOT use church assets for campaign activity: Church funds, staff time, email lists, or facilities cannot be used for partisan campaigns or single-candidate rallies.
Legality vs. Wisdom
While knowing the law keeps you out of trouble with the IRS, operating with wisdom protects the unity of your local church. Pew Research shows that the vast majority of churchgoers—across the political spectrum—do not want houses of worship endorsing political candidates.
As a leader, your ultimate goal is to remove every unnecessary stumbling block so that the gospel remains the main issue.
Listen to the full episode of Under the Steeple on Apple Podcasts or Podbean for a deeper dive into candidate forums, social media rules, and shepherding your congregation through political seasons.
How can you shepherd your church well to live out their convictions without putting your nonprofit status at risk?