In Jeremiah 29 we find a “letter
to the exiles”. God, through Jeremiah instructed the exiles to be good citizens
and neighbors even in the city of their exile.
We read verse seven… “Also, seek the
peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.
Pray to the Lord for
it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
I submit that as good advice for contemporary
houses of worship in today’s communities.
In the State of Indiana, churches are exempt of
paying real estate tax or personal property tax. Very often churches, due to
this exemption, hold much property, sometimes acres of real estate that, if it were
available on open market, would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars if not
millions.
No taxing jurisdiction, school, county, fire
department, realizes any tax revenue from such exempt property.
This exemption has the effect of transferring tax
burden from the church to the increased burden of individual property owners.
Given this fact, that individual property owners
are in a sense “sponsoring” the local church, providing for fire and police
protection, I encourage churches to be good neighbors to the community. Seek
peace and prosperity, pray for the community.
Practical suggestions might include offering your
facility as a polling location for election day. Churches typically have great
parking and can accommodate voters.
Perhaps allow your facility to be used free of
rental cost to people or organizations within a determined geographic area or
radius.
Open your facility to be used for “town hall”
discussions.
Maintain your playground equipment such that it
is of the highest safety value.
Most churches I know of do indeed make attempts
to be good neighbors.
My encouragement is that you are reminded that
the non-exempt community, even folk who may not think the way you do on religious
matters, are providing much actual dollar exemption to you as a religious organization.
Have a policy of intentional action to be a good neighbor.