Are 501(c)(3) Churches Speaking for the Dead? The Shocking Truth About Church Incorporation and Necromancy
Introduction:
Did you know that 99.9% of churches in America are registered as 501(c)(3) corporations under the IRS? What if I told you that this legal status doesn’t just affect their taxes—it may actually place them in direct conflict with Scripture? This post explores the literal and spiritual implications of modern-day church incorporation, the definition of “corporation”, and how it shockingly relates to necromancy—the forbidden practice of speaking with the dead.
What Is a 501(c)(3) Church?
A 501(c)(3) church is a religious organization that has voluntarily registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation. While this status gives churches benefits like tax-deductible donations and limited liability, it also imposes certain restrictions, including limitations on political speech and state oversight.
Many pastors and church leaders sign up without fully realizing the spiritual implications of becoming a legal corporation.
What Does “Corporation” Actually Mean?
Let’s break down the word “corporation”:
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CORP: From Latin corpus, meaning body—but especially associated with a dead body or corpse.
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ORATION: From Latin oratio, meaning speech or speaking.
Put together, corporation literally means “dead speaking.”
So, by legal definition, when a church becomes a corporation, it becomes a dead entity that “speaks” through representatives. This is more than metaphor—it’s a spiritual declaration.
Necromancy: The Forbidden Practice
Necromancy is the practice of communicating with the dead, often for guidance or revelation. Biblically, it’s grouped with the most detestable practices, right alongside witchcraft, sorcery, and child sacrifice.
Let’s look at one of the clearest scriptural condemnations:
Deuteronomy 18:10-12
“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft… or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord…”
By definition, if the corporation is legally dead, and its leaders are “speaking” for that dead entity, is that not a form of necromancy?
28 Bible Verses That Forbid Necromancy
Scripture is crystal clear: Communicating with or representing the dead is forbidden. Here are just a few examples (full list here):
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Leviticus 19:31 – Do not turn to mediums or necromancers…
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Isaiah 8:19 – Should not a people seek their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?
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1 Chronicles 10:13-14 – Saul died because he consulted a medium…
This is not obscure doctrine—it’s fundamental to our spiritual safety.
Why Does This Matter?
Most Christians assume their local church is a spiritual sanctuary, but if that church has voluntarily become a state-licensed dead entity, you must ask: Who are they really representing?
If the church is a corpse with a voice, then its leadership is functionally speaking for the dead—the exact definition of necromancy.
The Church and the State: Unequally Yoked?
According to 2 Corinthians 6:14, believers are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. By incorporating as a state-controlled 501(c)(3), churches voluntarily place themselves under a government yoke rather than remaining under God’s sovereignty.
This raises the question: Is the true Body of Christ supposed to become part of a secular corpse to function?
What Should You Do?
If you’re attending a 501(c)(3) church, ask hard questions:
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Who is the church really accountable to—God or the IRS?
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Why do they need a government-issued identity to operate?
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Are they truly alive in Christ, or legally dead with a license to “speak”?
Conclusion:
The modern corporate church may look holy on the outside, but spiritually, it may be hollowed out by compromise. With clear biblical prohibitions against necromancy, and the literal meaning of “corporation” being “dead speak,” it’s time to rethink what we call “church.”
Are you ready to break free from the dead systems? Seek out fellowship with the living Body of Christ, not institutions bound to legal death. Share this post and awaken others to the truth!
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