BOB FROM PENNSYLVANIA
I filled Articles of Corporation paperers here in Pennsylvania as a non profit ministry. is this different then a church? Am I required to have 50 (1) C (3) status ? My ministry will be online and speaking engagements. Thanks, Bob Segalla
I don't know how to answer, you haven't given me any details about what it is you do or teach.
Hi Chris, thanks for getting back to me. I am an ordained minister I preach the gospel, that you must be born a gain and baptized in the name of Jesus. Become a disciple by renewing your mind through the study and meditation of the Holy Scriptures. I was a pastor at several different churches over the last 35 years. God has put a desire in my heart to start a ministry where I use music that I write that is worship music and music that preaches the word of God as well as teach and preach God's word. I filed articles for a non profit ministry here in the state of Pennsylvania. My question is do I need to have a 501 c 3 to do this type of ministry since I am not a church. Can you give receipts to people for their financial support without it? How do you handle financial support for Creation Liberty Ministries since your not a church?
What's fascinating to me is that you claim to preach the Gospel, and have done so for 35 years, and yet, you think that preaching the Gospel of Christ is somehow disconnected from His church. If you do anything on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ, then 501c3 ought to have been offensive to you 35 years ago. The reason I'm saying that is because your questions don't make sense from someone who claims to be of Christ, especially one who claims to have taught Scripture for 35 years. If you teach the Bible, then you ought to know it.
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
-Mat 13:23False Converts vs Eternal SecurityI see a lot of traditions of men in your response (
Col 2:8), and perhaps you don't see it yourself. For example, I can tell from your questions that you think the church is a building, which is not what Scripture teaches (
1Co 6:19); that's why you say that "
Creation Liberty 'Ministries' [is]
not a church." This not only means you know nothing about us, nor what I do or teach, but it also means you have a lot of basic principles to learn about Scripture before you even get to the topic of 501c3. Again, if you actually read my teaching, 501c3 is not the source of the problem; 501c3 is only a symptom of the underlying problem. (i.e. You're trying to address the symptom instead of the cause.)
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
-Heb 5:14You're asking about "giving people receipts" and "handling financial support" which means you're thinking solely about the money in this situation. You ought to be ashamed.
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
-2Pe 2:3Furthermore, all you're trying to do is do everything the 501c3 leavened church buildings are doing, but without getting the contract, and the reason you're doing that is because you likely didn't read the entire book I wrote, and you definitely didn't understand it; namely, you think if you get rid of the contract, you'll be right with Jesus, but I can see leaven in you just from what you wrote to me in your letter.
If you want to learn the principles of Christ, I would be more than willing to help teach you that, but in my experience in dealing with so-called "pastors" with decades of experience, I'll probably never hear from you again, because the truth is offensive to such men. Most likely, in this situation, the article you really need to read from our ministry is this one:
Is Repentance Part of Salvation?That will be far more important because whereas I'm sure you think you've got tons of knowledge and experience, I can tell from your letter that you have very little understanding of Scripture. I have far more I would like to recommend you read or listen to, but if you can't understand that teaching on repentance, then you're not going to understand any of the others, and you especially won't understand you're leavened, and that getting rid of a 501c3 contract will not clean out your heart.
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
-Mat 23:26
NOTE: He never responded.
