Deconstructing Church part 7 The Business of Church and 501c3 Incorporation

Should a church become a non-profit 501c3 organization?

If you do not know what this means, please google "501c3 church" to find out.  by Rory Moore    The fact is we absolutely do not need to incorporate and register as a 501c3 non-profit corporation, yet most have, including every denomination.   There was Constitutional protection for churches for nearly 200 years and churches were just fine.  But in 1954 an ungodly, wicked man named Lyndon Johnson pushed through the 501c3 law and churches enroll for tax benefits and deductions.   Should we exchange our "giving in secret" for the benefit of a tax write off? 501c3 Incorporation is OPTIONAL  and the supposed "benefit" of tax deducting and "legal protection from lawsuits" is but another way for government to track and monitor you. Some Biblical History might help us choose. At the time of Christ, circa 30 A.D., there was agreement between the leaders of religious Israel and government. In fact, the Jewish religious system and leadership over God's people were threatened by the Word and ministry of Jesus. Because they too were in agreement with the government of Rome  (whose symbol was (coincidently?) the eagle), they feared the loss of their status, position, and authority.   Notice they said: John 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. Because the religious leaders of Israel were corrupted by the love of money, position, and status, they sought to preserve the system from which they benefited. Does this sound familiar? It should. The present system of "giving" in the church as  we know it benefits the modern clergy just as it did in Jesus' time.  Jesus referred to the clergy "hierlings", and rightly so.  But the 501c3 church is an un-necessary agreement, a marriage, a union, a contract, an "unequal yoke" with the state for financial benefit and state recognition. As it was in Jesus' time, the clergy and most "ministries" today benefit most from the financial system imposed on God's people.  The devil in the details. This agreement by law, conforms the church to IRS corporate law and requires the creation of:  unscriptural church boards  an unscriptural CEO President, (usually the pastor)  unscriptural membership enrollment unscriptural recording of one's giving for tax reporting  and unscriptural submission to governmental regulation of what may or may not be taught  in the church assembly. 501c3 legal notes: 1."A corporation is a creature of the state... " Its rights to act as a corporation are only preserved to it so long as it obeys the laws of its creation..." (Hale v. Henkel, 201 U.S. 43) 2."[A corporation is] an artificial person or legal entity created by or under the authority of the laws of a state." Black's Law Dictionary West Publishing Company, 1991; 6th Edition, page 340 3. "A corporation derives its existence and all of its powers from the State and,therefore, has only such powers as the State has conferred upon it. 4. ... the source of this power is the charter and the statute under which the corporation was organized." Len Young Smith and G. Gale Roberson, Smith and Roberson's Business Law, West Publishing Company, 1966, page 796 Romans 12:2(NET Bible) Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. As we conformed by agreement to 501c3 law, we volunteered to permit the secular state to have lawful authority over the churches. Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.   Who are the wolves? The scriptures tell us they are hierlings, leaders of God's people that take authority, position, and their living from those under them. The wolves have willingly become yoked to a worldly kingdom of rulers who are run by their spiritual head, i.e. satan. We are non-political and do not believe in political salvation by any political party. God will use good and evil people in politics to bring His people to their cross as He has done with His people over and over starting in Genesis. The 501c3 is a physical-and lawful agreement that brings the "leaven of Herod" into the pulpit. It also turns a church into a non-profit business. Under the guise of having the benefit of donations, tithes, and offerings being tax-deductible, churches have been snared by the government into a union with a satanically ruled system. Many churches are a denominational franchise, a family-run business, or a "non-profit corporation". Forgive my blunt assessment, but we will gladly and cheerfully give in secret and our Heavenly Father is far greater a rewarder than a tax write off.   Actions to take: 1. Ask the Lord about the ideas and scriptures in this writing. IF you are persuaded, 2.  Find out if your church-denomination or organization is a 501c3 corporation. 3. Renounce and disavow all unscriptural  legal "membership" (yokes) from churches and man-made organizations. 4. Ask the Lord where He would have you give and to whom apart from the manipulation and scripture perversions from people that personally benefit from the offering plate. 5. As God leads, you may need to repent and withdraw from an anti-christ beast system that has taken the church into captivity. 6. Be prepared for leaders who are part of the system to "explain" and justify these ungodly practices in an attempt to persuade you to stay. 7.  You can withdraw "membership" without leaving your assembly as it is the "system" we are departing from, not the church which is the spiritual body of Christ. For more truth about this, we invite you to read: "Should the church HIRE a Pastor?" "Two Ways to Answer God's Call"

Will a man ROB GOD?

Will a man ROB GOD??? 

-by Rory Moore

James 3:1 Do not be many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we (teachers) shall receive heavier judgment.

... a good friend has been corresponding with several Texas ministers that teach Christians should "tithe" to the church, i.e., the 10% of members income should go to them or the ministry.

-His questions and challenges have alienated him from people there. “HOW could our pastor be wrong” as they explain tithing to the church?

---But my friend found the church leaders will not answer his questions nor have an honest dialog with him.... Instead they do "damage control" and seek to confirm the error by fraudulently mis-teaching God's Word, or charge non-tithers with selfish withholding.

“Dave” was focusing more on communion yesterday when talking about Gen. 14, then talked about the tithing aspect.
 Melchisedek brought out the bread and wine when meeting with Abram, so Dave said that was like communion. I don’t see how he came to that, but whatever.  I need to add that he did say that we’re not under the law to tithe in the NT now, but he made it a point to say that Abram gave ALL because he had faith that his God would provide. So now the 10% went to ALL.

  <because he questioned them> I do believe that they now understand that tithing is not biblical, but they’re doing damage control to still make people believe they have to give.  For example, in the service that I sent you from 1/31, “T” starts out that we don’t have to tithe, but if a person has a problem giving 10% to God, then I have concern for their soul.

Here is my response to my friends email, and I give him credit for being brave enough to question the pastor and his associate ministers:

Dear bro. ------

Why question a persons soul over 10%?? It is Christ’s nature and fruit of the Holy Spirit to give to others.
Why pick 10% out of the air when that was never taught by the apostles or given to any church in the epistles or Acts?

Abraham tithed?
 Why didn’t Abram record a tithe on his wealth in the context of Genesis 13?
(2) "Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold".

Why didn’t Abraham tithe on the gifts in Gen. 20:14?   And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
15   And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before you. Live where it pleases thee. 16   And ... he said, Behold, I have given <Abraham> a thousand pieces of silver. (silver and gold is money)

If 10% was a universal amount from everyone, all the time, why then did God only ordain agricultural tithing in the law from Sinai?

Was the temple tax a 10% tithe?
Exodus 30:13      This they shall give, every one that passes among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) a half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering to the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

So when they try to impose a 10% “measure”, they cannot go to the apostles who wrote Christ’s commands, they must refer to the covenant that was “disannulled” at the cross (Heb. 7), the “ordinances blotted out” (Col 3, Eph. 2:15).

What they are doing is sowing that 10% law of men and reinforcing the error among people that think the 10% is God's set amount and teaching performance to a duty.. (as we know).

How much better it is to have the Lord direct us in our stewardship over the 100% He owns and what He has allowed us to steward? 

We ourselves have heard the Lord MANY times direct us in giving telling us to whom and how much or what He wanted us to do. In doing so, we have been very blessed.

-Tithing robs the people of this blessing, it robs those that could benefit from our giving, and robs the ministers of truth. It corrupts them into believing the tithes should go to them.

-Tithing robs people of the blessing of giving in secret and robs those that have needs.

-It robs bishops and ministers of the blessing of honest labor and setting an example for other men and often leads to a self-indulgent lifestyle.. It appeals to the greed within the hearts of ministers who grasp the fact that more tithers = more $$$.

-Even Pastors T, D, and J must know and have observed that. We sure did with many ministers in our church association.

FYI: Acts 20.. Paul speaking to the *bishops*:
33 I have desired no one’s silver or gold or clothing.
34 You yourselves know that >>>these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those with me.
35 By all these things, I have shown you that by WORKING IN THIS WAY *WE* (ministers) must help the weak,  and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, >>> ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Examples of Spirit filled saints not tithing:

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

32  And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one [of them] said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Again, Spirit filled saints not tithing..

Acts 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.

no tithes here either. Acts 4:34 For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

35 and laid them at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need.

 If we do not go to God with our questions and seek *Him* for Truth, we will be deceived by our faith in ministers, teachers, church, denomination, priest, pope, politician, and by our own depraved nature.

Why didn't the Levite Barnabbas just tithe?
Acts 4:36 Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Act 4:37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. 

Why did Ananias and his wife die for giving a “portion”?

Act 5:1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, :2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. I don't believe they were required to give all the proceeds, but what they did was lie.

-And the apostles did not keep the proceeds for themselves, it was distributed among others.

 Why didn't Paul mention a tithe when collecting for the Saints in Jerusalem?
 1Co 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do.

1Co 16:2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

You see, it is the nature and fruit of Christ to give.. Not just from finances. We give from what we are given and accumulate.. Yet we are not under compulsion.. We give in love and compassion to real people and real needs, not just a dutiful feeding of a plate being ritually passed.

 The only excuse for tithing a tenth might be under Luke 6:38   give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure you use it shall be measured to you again. But even here Jesus did not suggest 10% as a baseline.

We might compare the doctrine of tithing as taught in churches today with other doctrines taught in churches today using similar reasoning and twisting:
"Transubstantiation" the act of a Catholic priest in magically turning the "host" into the actual body and blood of Christ.
"all are saved, nobody goes to hell",
"ye are gods": men become god-like.

What money tithing has in common with these commonly believed teachings is that all of them sound religiously correct, but can only be taught as such by perverting the scripture.

Abraham Failed to Tithe Before the Law?

 Did Abraham Fail to tithe,  before the law?

We were often taught to pay tithes of 10% on income to our churches... Abraham "before the law" was often cited to make this appeal to our congregation.

But, as Paul Harvey said "Here's the REST OF THE STORY"...   

The reasoning went because Abram gave the king-priest "Melchizedek" tithes from the spoils of battle, we should follow suit if we are true to God. 

An emotional appeal to show our own thankfulness to God through a 10% expression may be followed by a verse or two read from the Bible, usually a passage from the law such as Malachi 3:9-10.   

What is NOT pointed out by well-meaning leaders that may benefit from those tithes is: 

 1. Abram only tithed ONCE........... *once in scripture*

   (Genesis 14:20)

 2. Abram then gave the other 90% away also! ........**hmmm** ......:
     (Gen. 14:23)

 3. A few chapters later, we find out a little secret, that in Genesis 20:14 Abraham was bestowed with sheep, oxen, and servants as a free gift, including a financial increase.
   And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. (16)  And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver..... 

 -What?!  1k of SILVER, besides "sheep and oxen and women servants"? 

What happened to Melchizedek?
What happened to faithful Abraham tithing?
Where's the tithe on his increase?

Did Abraham "rob God"?
How come the Man of God in the Suit behind the pulpit did not notice this passage "before the law"?

What if he is blinded by tradition and dependence on tithe-income from the pew?  

Abraham paid no tithes on all that money and livestock... "before the law".

Of course the people who may financially benefit most from the unscriptural tithes collected from the trusting folks in the pew, will rarely admit the error and missing the Genesis 20 details. ..........

Using the example of Abram's one-time  tithe from material he captured in war and not from his own wealth, should be strongly challenged as a "pay your tithes" church doctrine. 

The Biblical reality that good 'ole Abraham paid no tithe in Genesis 20 exposes the fact that many are defrauded by the teaching that we should pay tithes based on the "before the law" reasoning... 

Have you ever heard "the children of the kingdom are free" as Jesus said, as the plate was passed? 

A warning from Colossians 2:8 (NIRV) 

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (Christ never taught money-income tithes)

Pastor, will you cease from teaching the error of tithing from income based on "before the law" now?

****************************************************************
Regarding Genesis 20, Let's point out:
1.  there is no mention of tithes, therefore we cannot add or assume what is not stated.
2.  No other writer in scripture witnessed to Abraham tithing in Gen. 20.
3.  Of note, Abraham was rich long before he tithed in Gen. 14.
4.  The tithe to Melchisedek was not from Abraham's own wealth. -it was spoils of war.
5.  Abraham gave the other 90% away also. Gen 14;23
6.  God did not establish tithing in the Abrahamic covenant. 
7.  Abraham was given a covenant of circumcision which was confirmed as an on-going obedience.
8.  "BEFORE THE LAW"; what other matters are found?
a. Abraham had children by his maid servant without sin.
b. Abraham married his niece, his brothers daughter.
c. Abraham wore a robe, like Jesus, and like God gave Adam and Eve, (ok, humor me). 
THINK! -We do not follow other "before the law" practices such as circumcision (and it was a command), plural marriage, having concubines, or slavery.  
9. Therefore we cannot use Abraham's example to justify tithing nor did the apostles instruct so in the New Covenant. 


We should never "cherry pick" what we like or don't like from scripture to impose as doctrine something the apostles never instructed or commanded the saints to do. Abraham's failure to pay tithes in Genesis 20 illustrates the error of using him as an example for us to pay 10% of our income to a pastor or denomination.

Alms, Not Tithes?

Alms, Not Tithes.
-rory moore

orig in 2014.

How far we have missed a teaching that is close to God's heart.

Although tithing was never commanded or taught by any apostle to any church or saint, let us look at  what scripture says about ALMS.

1. Matthew 6:2 When therefore you do alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. verse 1)
Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

It should get our attention that Jesus called "alms" as "your righteousness"<==

2. === 6:3  But *when you do alms*, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does:

3. === 6:4 that *your alms* may be in secret: and thy Father who sees in secret shall recompense you.

4. ===  Luke 11:41 But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you.

5. ===  Luke 12:33 Sell that which you have, and *give alms*; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fail not, where no thief comes near, neither moth destroys.

6. === Acts 3:2 And a certain man that was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

7. === Acts 3:3 who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an alms.

8. === Acts 3:10 and they took knowledge of him, that it was he that sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

9. === Acts 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. 

10. === Acts 10:2 a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.

11. === Acts 10:4  And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and your alms are gone up for a memorial before God.

12. === Acts 10:31 and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

"WHEN YOU GIVE ALMS...." and   "your righteousness..."

Jesus did not say "when you tithe..." and none of the apostles He sent did either.

ALMS defined: ccompassionate that is, (as exercised towards the poor) beneficence, or (concretely) a benefaction: - alms (-deeds).

How many teachings did we have on "alms" in 24 years in the church system, and listening to thousands of sermons, messages, and teachings?

In my experience, I vaguely recall them being mentioned once.... and that was around 25 years ago...

2Corinthians 9:5 (NKJV)
 1 For as touching the ministering *to* the saints
 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.6
But this I say, He that sows sparingly ("TO THE SAINTS") shall reap also sparingly; and he that sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

 ‎9 as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor (TO THE SAINTS);
    his righteousness abides forever.  note: "his righteousness"...

Matthew 6:1 Take heed that ye do not ===>your righteousness <===before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2) When therefore thou doest alms

Widows, orphans, the infirm, those in need.

Do you see Jesus called alms (ministering to others needs), and Paul, "your righteousness"?

This is illustrated in 1st John 3:17               But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?

In contrast,  we  have no instruction for the church to “tithe” in our Covenant.
I have taught that in times past, but I cannot prove it from scripture.
The 10% benchmark is not according to New Testament for  ministering in giving. 

In fact, if we really believe Jesus, what he said in Luke 14:33 is a  key to discipleship. I believe he meant it..  "except you renounce ALL that you have, you cannot be My disciple".
"ALL"  may include our time, possessions, and even our doctrine as we give ourselves to Him and ask for His Will to be done in us. We simply give ourselves to Him and then expect Him to use us in our day.

IF we are to be His disciple.. When I realized He meant that, I saw how I had read over it without stopping to consider the weight of His Words... Luke 14:33.

"as you have done it to the least of these, My brethren, you have done it unto me".
Giving to needs is an act of love that blesses the giver and the ones who benefit, and is a wonderful ministry to the Lord...