The Center for Public Justice (CPJ) hosted a webinar on August 21, 2025, from 12:00-1:45 pm (Eastern Time), exploring one of the most debated intersections of faith and public life: can and should religious leaders and organizations endorse political candidates from the pulpit or in their official capacities?

Recent news coverage and legal developments—particularly a July 7, 2025 federal court filing in which the IRS said political endorsement communications between a house of worship and its congregation are exempt from the Johnson Amendment—have reignited conversations around the controversial amendment, a provision in the U.S. tax code that prohibits 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from engaging in partisan political endorsements. Simultaneously, some faith leaders and legal advocates argue that this restriction infringes on religious liberty and free speech.

This webinar offered a nonpartisan, principled, and deeply informed discussion of both the legal frameworks governing this issue and the theological perspectives that should guide faith leaders navigating these choices.

Watch Recording:

Speakers:

Walter Kim became the president of the National Association of Evangelicals in January 2020. He previously served as a pastor at Boston’s historic Park Street Church and at churches in Vancouver, Canada and Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as a campus chaplain at Yale University. He preaches, writes and engages in collaborative leadership to connect the Bible to the intellectual and cultural issues of the day. He regularly teaches in conferences and classrooms; addresses faith concerns with elected officials and public institutions; and provides theological and cultural commentary to leading news outlets. He serves on the boards of Christianity Today, World Relief, and The Salvation Army, USA. Kim received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, his M.Div. from Regent College in Vancouver, and his B.A. from Northwestern University.

Chris Butler is a pastor, community organizer, and political strategist with over 25 years dedicated to public service at the intersection of faith and civic life. As the Director of Christian Civic Formation at the Center for Christianity and Public Life, Chris leads efforts to equip Christians for thoughtful and transformative engagement in the public square, creating resources and spaces that encourage spiritual and civic formation for the common good.

Chris holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civic and Political Engagement from Northeastern Illinois University and a Master’s in Bible and Theology from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. He has been married to his wife, Aziza, for 18 years, and together they are raising six remarkable children.

Mike Batts is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, a national CPA firm dedicated exclusively to serving nonprofit organizations and their affiliates across the United States.  Mike has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. He advises nonprofit organizations on matters related to board governance, financial reporting, tax compliance and strategy, risk management, corporate structure, international activities, and related topics. Mike actively engages in nonprofit legislative matters at the federal and state levels. Mike has authored several books covering a variety of topics important to nonprofit organizations, including books addressing board member responsibilities, financial administration, and unrelated business income.

Theresa Lynn Sidebotham is an attorney at Telios Law PLLC. Theresa Sidebotham assists organizations in theU.S. and internationally, with a special focus on employment law, religious and nonprofit law, and child safety. She advises on numerous misconduct investigations. Theresa has represented a variety of businesses, ministries, churches, and individual clients in advising, litigation and on appeal.  She has advised missions, churches and nonprofits on legal and policy issues, including child protection and safety, religious free exercise, and employment law.

Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero pastors The Gathering Place, a Latino-led multi-ethnic Assemblies of God congregation in Orlando, Florida. He is also the president and founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NALEC), a national coalition of several thousand evangelical congregations in the United States. He was the former Director of the Hispanic Leadership Program (HLP), and the Institute for Faith and Public Life at Princeton Theological Seminary. He has written extensively on Latino evangelicalism, immigration, racism, and multicultural congregations. He has served on the advisory councils of the White House Faith-Based Council, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), and My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. He is also on the board of La Asociación Evangélica Latina (AEL)- the coalition of Latin American evangelicals. He holds a BA in Spanish and History from Rutgers University, M.Div from New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate in Divinity from Eastern Nazarene College. He and his wife, Rev. Jeanette Salguero, have two sons. PC: This is courtesy of The Gathering Place/National Latino Evangelical Coalition. Photo by Alexis Mendez.