Recently, organizations such as Americans United for Separation of Church and State have sent letters to churches in an apparent effort to suppress the speech of churches and pastors on critical social issues. Churches are implicitly or even directly threatened with the loss of their tax-exempt status if they don’t “toe the IRS line” as to permissible speech.

Some groups have apparently gone so far as to file complaints with the IRS, occasionally leading to IRS investigations. The resulting (although very remote) chance that a church could lose its tax-exempt status is used to silence Christians inside their own churches. Such tactics are not new. Still, churches and pastors have broad constitutional rights – and even more substantial Biblical commands – to express their views on social and moral issues.

There are some limitations. Under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS tax code, churches may not “participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.” Clearly, not all political activity which would influence an election falls under this prohibition. The type of political activity that is being addressed here, and prohibited by the IRS, is participating or intervening in a political campaign – also known as “campaign activity.” The Internal Revenue Code requires that churches refrain from supporting or opposing a candidate’s campaign by endorsing a candidate, sending church funds to a specific campaign, or publicly advocating for a particular candidate’s election or defeat.

Speech about public issues which may incidentally influence elections is another matter. The government is far more limited in its ability to restrict a church’s or a pastor’s discussion about issues. In other words, churches and pastors may (and in my opinion, should) speak out about social and moral issues.

That is why I am addressing Issue 6 on Ohio’s November ballot. Issue 6 is a call to “improve Ohio’s economy” by voting to allow a resort casino. This issue must not be allowed to pass. I strongly urge you to vote “NO” on Issue 6.

First, the wording of the ballot (which, if passed becomes law) will change our state’s constitution so that limiting or removing casinos in the future will be nearly impossible.

Second, the wording of the ballot actually gives the out-of-state owners of the proposed resort casino the right to take all of the gambling revenue out of state. It’s touted as a way of generating money for each and every county government in Ohio (purportedly for schools and social agencies), but in reality, the loopholes would allow the casino owners to take 100% of the money out of Ohio, other than the normal property taxes and payroll (personal income) taxes.

The third reason I oppose Issue 6 is the most dire and menacing reason of all. Passage of this issue would clearly be a horrendous attack on the poorest and least protected of our friends, family and neighbors, who statistically make up the vast majority of the people who currently avail themselves of the Ohio Lottery. Hundreds of millions of their food, rent, retirement, schooling, and health-care dollars are currently being lost to gambling in the state lotteries; how many more millions of hard-earned income dollars will be slowly siphoned away from our poor, budget-challenged, and/or socially-inept neighbors?

Sure, the casino owners say they will funnel “an estimated $200 million dollars” into our state. Big deal! They say that they will create “up to 5,000 new jobs” and spend “$600 million dollars” to build this “first-class gambling and entertainment destination.” Stop to think for a moment how many millions – perhaps billions – of dollars must be generated through gambling revenue (read that: “money bilked from Ohio’s poor and under-educated) in order to build a $600 million dollar establishment and hire “up to” 5,000 people annually!

The payroll alone for 5,000 people is estimated at over $250 million dollars annually. The casino owners boast that this pays an average salary of $34,000 to each person, but you can be sure the maids and custodians aren’t going to see $34,000 annually, because you can also be sure that the pit bosses and casino management are not going to work for salaries of only $34,000! (Most casino managers make no less than 6 figures; the owners make 7 figures.) All of that money must come from what the casino raises through the losses our poor and gullible friends and family will incur as they squander their income in gambling.

Then what happens? Our state taxes will have to go up to cover the new homeless and unemployed and uninsured people. We will have to issue more food stamps. We’ll see new surcharges on our gas and electric bills to help underwrite those who cannot keep their heat on in the winter. Federal taxes will be increased to fund more Social Security Insurance payments to newly impoverished gamblers who have lost everything. We’ll have record numbers of college-age students who cannot afford to pay for college. If we think the current Wall Street crisis is bad, just wait until we add this casino to the mix!

Churches throughout the state will, of course, try to step in and help. We’ll help pay utility bills and provide food and help build houses and do all we can to rescue people who are bilked out of their earnings and their savings by wealthy, out-of-state casino owners who have no compassion at all for poor, under-educated people. In fact, they prey on these people, and hope these folks have enough votes to pass this heinous, life-destroying legislation.

We cannot allow Issue 6 to pass. All Christ-followers by their conscience and by their understanding of Scripture must not only vote “NO”, we must also work hard to educate our neighbors and friends about the dangers of Issue 6 and get them to vote “NO” as well.

Issue 6 is NOT about jobs like the authors of the initiative proclaim! Issue 6 is NOT about improving Ohio’s economy! Issue 6 – if passed – will be ruinous to families; it will destroy marriages; and it will bankrupt Ohioans in record numbers while decimating our state’s economy like nothing else in our history.

Now, as you can see, I have not endorsed or opposed a specific candidate for public office. What I am doing as your pastor is helping to show you what a Christ-follower’s responsibility is in regards to one particular moral issue.

I strongly encourage you to pray biblically for our state and federal government and our leaders. I want to embolden you to express yourself through your volunteerism in our ongoing struggle against immoral legislation. I want to encourage you to do your civic and Christian duty to share in the future of our nation by voting your conscience. More to the point, today, I urge you with all that is within me to vote down this wicked Issue 6.

Yes, making disciples remains Quarry Ridge’s first calling. But that certainly involves politics when the world faces serious moral failings. Dr. Bill Bright once said:

“Citizenship in a free country is a blessing from God. . . God wants us to do His will in government. . . but we have disobeyed our Lord. . . As a result, we are in danger of losing our nation by default, and with it our individual freedoms and possibly our very lives. If that should happen, our opportunity to help fulfill the Great Commission throughout the United States and the world will also be lost. And hundreds of millions will never have the opportunity to receive our Savior.”

This is war. When it comes to politics and issues facing our city, state and nation, we must speak out – but we’ll speak the truth in love. Biblical teaching on immoral issues is not hate speech meant to disparage or condemn; rather, it is meant to warn people that sin has drastic consequences – here on earth and eternally – and the Good News is that the gospel offers the solution. That is the church’s commission and always has been.

Beyond fighting against Issue 6, here are some specific things you can do as a Christ-follower in this current voting cycle:

• Pray for our country’s leaders and for the issues we’re facing. Christian activism without prayer-cover is like an infantry without air-cover.
• Learn and share the Biblical principles surrounding our country’s presidential election and the issues on our ballots. (See references listed below.)
• Speak out and help motivate people – in love and with gentleness – to get involved in the political process. There are battles to be won that directly impact Christ’s Church and our ability to share the Gospel. Issues regarding finances, poverty, disease, injustice, and the suppression of religious rights. The correct selection of our next president is part of this spiritual battle.
• Get registered – and VOTE! Did you know that fewer than a quarter of professing Christians vote? How can I awaken you to this critical role you must play? How can you awaken others? As Christ-followers nationwide, we have the numbers to make a difference if we just would register and GO VOTE on Election Day!
• And as you process your thoughts this election, don’t forget to vote “NO” on Issue 6 and any other issues that comes up in future referendums that prey on the weak and poor of our society. If we don’t look out for them now, we’ll all end up paying the price later.

Here are the passages in Scripture that I believe speak against Issue 6. Please read them!

Exodus 20:15, 17
1 Samuel 15:22
Psalm 10:2-11
Proverbs 10:1-5
Proverbs 11:1
Proverbs 15:27
Proverbs 21:25-26
Proverbs 28:19-20
Hosea 10:12
Matthew 6:19-34
Matthew 10:16
Matthew 22:37-40
Luke 3:14
Luke 12:13-15
Luke 16:10-13
Romans 14:19-23
Romans 15:1-2
1 Corinthians 10:23-33
Galatians 6:7-10
Ephesians 5:1-7
Philippians 2:3-5
Philippians 4:11-13, 19
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
1 Timothy 5:8
1 Timothy 6:6-10

I’m boldly partnering with you for the Gospel!