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Thread: Churchome Megachurch Is Hit with Class-Action Lawsuit for Requiring Employees to Tithe

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    Churchome Megachurch Is Hit with Class-Action Lawsuit for Requiring Employees to Tithe

    Judah and Chelsea Smith's Churchome, a Washington state megachurch, is at the center of a class-action lawsuit filed by current and former employees over the church's alleged required tithing policy.

    According to ChurchLeaders.com, the lawsuit alleges that the church and its leaders, including CEO David Kroll and the Smiths, violated two state laws when it required employees to tithe from their salaries.

    The lawsuit says that previous church employees have been fired for not tithing at least 10 percent of their earnings back to Churchome.

    Lead plaintiff Rachel Kellogg, a current employee at Churchome, said tithing mandates were discussed at staff meetings, and communications from church officials warned that church staff members could lose their job if they failed to comply with the rule.

    Attorneys for the plaintiff say Churchome is violating the state's Wage Rebate Act and the Consumer Protection Act.

    Kellogg began working for the church in 2019 and said she was not told about the tithing requirement during orientation, the Seattle Times reports. In an April 2020 virtual staff meeting, leaders talked about the importance of tithing, the lawsuit says.

    "I'll be very honest: People have already been transitioned and moved on and fired because they were not tithing," Judah Smith reportedly said in the meeting. He added that tithing was a "black-and-white" issue and "even more important than the religious rite of taking communion."

    Kellogg said she set up an automatic payment of 10 percent of her salary to the church, but she then was injured in a car accident, her car was totaled, and then she lost her rental home. She stopped tithing in 2021 to cover her financial hardships.

    She said that Wes Halliburton, chief creative officer, wrote her that she needed to resume her tithing "asap."

    Ben Sorte, Kellog's boss, then wrote to her in 2022: "It is my expectation that you get in rhythm with our company policy on tithing. While I understand the complexities of finances, this is an expectation for all Churchome employees, and you need to correct this pattern immediately."

    A Churchome lawyer said: "The First Amendment protects a church's right to restrict employment to those employees who choose to abide by church teaching.

    "For many years," said the statement, "Churchome's Statement of Faith and employee handbook have included a statement on tithing. Churchome believes the Bible invites Christians to tithe, and tithing is the worshipful act of paying the first ten percent of our income to God, given in an attitude of faith and in response to what Jesus has already given us."

    Churchome Megachurch Is Hit with Class-Action Lawsuit for Requiring Employees to Tithe - Amanda Casanova

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    He added that tithing was a "black-and-white" issue and "even more important than the religious rite of taking communion."
    Oookay.

    This effectively cuts their salary by 10%. Just shows how some still lose their mind over tithe teaching. Nothing is more important than tithing, not even communion.

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    Senior Member Cardinal TT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    Oookay.

    This effectively cuts their salary by 10%. Just shows how some still lose their mind over tithe teaching. Nothing is more important than tithing, not even communion.
    That's delusion right there.

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    Senior Member Smitty's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    "It is my expectation that you get in rhythm with our company policy on tithing.





    Churchome Megachurch Is Hit with Class-Action Lawsuit for Requiring Employees to Tithe - Amanda Casanova
    When did the "body of Christ" become a Company?

    I'll answer my own question.

    I'm sure most members of this forum are familiar with the "Johnson Amendment"?

    If not, I will briefly remind you.

    The Amendment to the tax code, which was signed in 1954 and is named for its primary sponsor, was Senator, Lyndon B. Johnson.
    Why did Johnson pursue this Amendment? Because he wanted to shut-up churches from politically endorsing candidates that were contrary to his own political views. Thus, silencing Houses of Worship from voicing their political opposition against Johnson and others involved in the democratic conventions political agenda. If the churches observed this new Amendment, they were able to take advantage of and receive tax exempt benefits without worrying about any government interference in their secular corporate structure. And that's exactly what todays churches are because of their corporate 501 (C) (3) status. They are a corporation, with an acting president, and a board of directors, thus making it a corporate entity, or in other words, a Company.

    They can add to their rules, regulations, and by-laws, as what's stated in fuego's post, "All church employee's are required to tithe 10% of their paychecks to Churchome or face termination". What is wrong with this picture? This religious regulation is no different from mandatory mRNA vaccine injections, and if you fail to comply, you will be terminated (fired) from your job. Churchome claims this tithe requirement for all church employees is stated in the employee handbook. And they use their corporate 501 (C) (3) company status to call it "church teaching" as a way to protect themselves from legal harassment and forfeiture of corporate assets.

    I can't help but think that Jesus had none of the above nonsense in mind when He said, "I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it".

    Now please, don't misunderstand me. I'm not against giving. I am a giver. Salvation is a free gift. And yes, it cost money to promote the gospel world-wide which is not free. What I am against is manipulating the flock, and taking Scripture out of context to advance the corporate/company 501 (C) (3) megachurch corporation as the pastoral staff is more interested in lining their pockets with money then preaching repentance and promoting gospel out-reach. The focus of Jesus statement above is advancing the gospel world-wide and not forcing church employees to pay 10% of their paychecks to the corporate structure (so called church) or get fired from their job.
    If you put God First, you have Him at Last.

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    Administrator fuego's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smitty View Post
    When did the "body of Christ" become a Company?

    I'll answer my own question.

    I'm sure most members of this forum are familiar with the "John Amendment"?

    If not, I will briefly remind you.

    The Amendment to the tax code, which was signed in 1954 and is named for its primary sponsor, was Senator, Lyndon B. Johnson.
    Why did Johnson pursue this Amendment? Because he wanted to shut-up churches from politically endorsing candidates that were contrary to his own political views. Thus, silencing Houses of Worship from voicing their political opposition against Johnson and others involved in the democratic conventions political agenda. If the churches observed this new Amendment, they were able to take advantage of and receive tax exempt benefits without worrying about any government interference in their secular corporate structure. And that's exactly what todays churches are because of their corporate 501 (C) (3) status. They are a corporation, with an acting president, and a board of directors, thus making it a corporate entity, or in other words, a Company.

    They can add to their rules, regulations, and by-laws, as what's stated in fuego's post, "All church employee's are required to tithe 10% of their paychecks to Churchome or face termination". What is wrong with this picture? This religious regulation is no different from mandatory mRNA vaccines injections, that if you fail to comply, you will be terminated (fired) from your job. Churchome claims this tithe requirement for all church employees is stated in the employee handbook. And they use their corporate 501 (C) (3) company status to call it "church teaching" as a way to protect themselves from legal harassment and forfeiture of corporate assets.

    I can't help but think that Jesus had none of the above nonsense in mind when He said, "I will build my church My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it".

    Now please, don't misunderstand me. I'm not against giving. I am a giver. Salvation is a free gift. And yes, it cost money to promote the gospel world-wide which is not free. What I am against is manipulating the flock, and taking Scripture out of context to advance the corporate/company 501 (C) (3) megachurch corporation as the pastoral staff is more interested in lining their pockets with money then preaching repentance and promoting gospel out-reach. The focus of Jesus statement above is advancing the gospel world-wide and not forcing church employees to pay 10% of their paychecks to the corporate structure (so called church) or get fired from their job.

  9. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    Judah and Chelsea Smith's Churchome, a Washington state megachurch, is at the center of a class-action lawsuit filed by current and former employees over the church's alleged required tithing policy.

    According to ChurchLeaders.com, the lawsuit alleges that the church and its leaders, including CEO David Kroll and the Smiths, violated two state laws when it required employees to tithe from their salaries.

    The lawsuit says that previous church employees have been fired for not tithing at least 10 percent of their earnings back to Churchome.

    Lead plaintiff Rachel Kellogg, a current employee at Churchome, said tithing mandates were discussed at staff meetings, and communications from church officials warned that church staff members could lose their job if they failed to comply with the rule.

    Attorneys for the plaintiff say Churchome is violating the state's Wage Rebate Act and the Consumer Protection Act.

    Kellogg began working for the church in 2019 and said she was not told about the tithing requirement during orientation, the Seattle Times reports. In an April 2020 virtual staff meeting, leaders talked about the importance of tithing, the lawsuit says.

    "I'll be very honest: People have already been transitioned and moved on and fired because they were not tithing," Judah Smith reportedly said in the meeting. He added that tithing was a "black-and-white" issue and "even more important than the religious rite of taking communion."

    Kellogg said she set up an automatic payment of 10 percent of her salary to the church, but she then was injured in a car accident, her car was totaled, and then she lost her rental home. She stopped tithing in 2021 to cover her financial hardships.

    She said that Wes Halliburton, chief creative officer, wrote her that she needed to resume her tithing "asap."

    Ben Sorte, Kellog's boss, then wrote to her in 2022: "It is my expectation that you get in rhythm with our company policy on tithing. While I understand the complexities of finances, this is an expectation for all Churchome employees, and you need to correct this pattern immediately."

    A Churchome lawyer said: "The First Amendment protects a church's right to restrict employment to those employees who choose to abide by church teaching.

    "For many years," said the statement, "Churchome's Statement of Faith and employee handbook have included a statement on tithing. Churchome believes the Bible invites Christians to tithe, and tithing is the worshipful act of paying the first ten percent of our income to God, given in an attitude of faith and in response to what Jesus has already given us."

    Churchome Megachurch Is Hit with Class-Action Lawsuit for Requiring Employees to Tithe - Amanda Casanova
    Whether or not you believe in tithing is irrelevant

    Hey they were told very clearly that Tithing was a requirement for leadership and employees .. They could have chosen to work elsewhere but they chose to work here ..

    Ananias and Sapphira immediately come to mind

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    Quote Originally Posted by BAP View Post
    Whether or not you believe in tithing is irrelevant

    Hey they were told very clearly that Tithing was a requirement for leadership and employees .. They could have chosen to work elsewhere but they chose to work here ..

    Ananias and Sapphira immediately come to mind
    I actually started to say BAP would be along to agree with the OP.

    Apples and oranges. A & S lied to the Holy Spirit. They were free to do what they wanted to with the money.

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    So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John's Avatar
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    If the woman fell on hard times, unable to tithe or even meet existing obligations like food and shelter I have to ask ... where was this this "cheerful giving" corporation? Everyone just stood there arms folded on chest with "You aren't tithing". How stupid, callous and ignorant.

    She is better off elsewhere, they teach giving but sound like takers (by coercion).

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  13. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post
    I actually started to say BAP would be along to agree with the OP.

    Apples and oranges. A & S lied to the Holy Spirit. They were free to do what they wanted to with the money.
    Its the They were free to do with what they wanted with their money part that came to mind so its not apples and oranges

    So lets see if a church says its employees cannot live in adultery and the employees agreed to that as a condition of employment and were then terminated for having not lived up to it would you agree with the employee ?

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    Administrator fuego's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BAP View Post
    Its the They were free to do with what they wanted with their money part that came to mind so its not apples and oranges

    So lets see if a church says its employees cannot live in adultery and the employees agreed to that as a condition of employment and were then terminated for having not lived up to it would you agree with the employee ?
    Adultery is a sin and is condemned in the Bible. Totally understandable. I have no problem with that. Nowhere in the NT are we commanded to tithe or is it said not to tithe is a sin. Still apples and oranges.

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