Mac Hammond

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State is urging the Internal Revenue Service to fix problems with its enforcement of laws against churches endorsing political candidates. In January, a Minnesota District Court judge ruled that the IRS did not have the proper procedures in place to investigate Living Word Christian Center, an investigation [...]

The Internal Revenue Service’s investigations into alleged tax violations by two Minnesota-based churches have been thwarted by procedural problems. Those cases highlight the special tax-exempt status churches receive under federal law, but also problems at the IRS. While reforms are underway, the religious right is planning to take advantage of a neutered IRS by encouraging a mass law-breaking day when churches endorse candidates from the pulpit.

Here, presented for the first time, is a complete version of Michele Bachmann’s controversial 2006 speech from Living Word Christian Center. Captured by Ken Avidor of Dump Bachmann, it offers a remarkable portrait of the Minnesota congressional representative who has been thrust into the spotlight in the past week by her assertion that Barack Obama and numerous unnamed members of Congress were “anti-American.”

In a church setting, Bachmann is extremely candid about the right-religious basis of her politics and her political career, telling listeners God instructed her to get into politics and that it’s the job of Christians to “suit up… sign up [and] do what He is calling us to do” in the battle against radical Islam.

Pastor Mac Hammond and Living Word Christian Center–under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service for alleged favorable loans and compensation provided to Hammond by the church’s board–had their day in court Thursday as the mega-church fights to keep certain documents related to church finances out of the hands of the IRS.

Specifically, the IRS is looking for detailed information regarding favorable loans the church made to Hammond of almost $2 million and payments the church made to Hammond to rent a hangar for the church’s jet.

In a letter sent to supporters on Saturday, Pastor Mac Hammond of Living Word Christian Center wrote that “enemies of the gospel, often politically motivated,” are behind an ongoing Internal Revenue Service probe of the church. Hammond and Living Word are the target of an IRS audit investigating allegations of excessive compensation as well as [...]

The Internal Revenue Service is investigating whether Living Word Christian Center violated the law for favorable compensation and loan dealings it gave to church founder and pastor Mac Hammond. Those compensation and loan dealings were first reported by the Minnesota Independent in February 2007.

The church has resisted demands by the IRS to open its books for an audit, and the agency filed a petition in United States District Court ordering the church to comply. Earlier this month, a magistrate ordered the church to appear and explain its refusal to comply with the IRS. In response to a summons in March, a church attorney told the IRS they would not comply until “an appropriate high-level IRS official” using “reasonable belief” requested information.

Pastor Mac Hammond of the Living Word Christian Center, a Brooklyn Park mega-church, gave Rep. Michele Bachmann a campaign donation of $2,100 this campaign cycle. The controversy generated by his support for Bachmann’s first run for Congress doesn’t seem to have scared off the prosperity pastor.

Living Word Christian Center Pastor Mac Hammond has logged more than 56,000 miles in his private airplane in just three months, according to records obtained by Minnesota Monitor. 

Hammond has flown 13  times, mostly between Anoka and Destin, Fla., where he maintains one of his vacation homes.  He also has logged flights to Albuquerque, Phoenix, Tulsa [...]

A small crowd gathered to watch Mac Hammond’s Sunday sermon at Club 3° was largely supportive of the embattled pastor.

The group of parishioners gave Hammond a standing ovation as he introduced himself via satellite feed.  As Hammond defended himself against charges of corruption and financial impropriety, the crowd would occasionally shout “Amen!” in response to [...]

Pastor Mac Hammond acknowledged Sunday that he is well-compensated by Living Word Christian Center, and affirmed many of the charges against him, but justified his financial dealings with the church, saying “If I don’t understand the principles that govern increase, I can’t preach them.”

Rhetorically, he asked, “Is this a self-serving message?  Not at all.”

In a [...]