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A Southern Baptist pastor in California has been cleared by the Internal Revenue Service of any wrongdoing for endorsing Republican Mike Huckabee for president.Last summer, Wiley Drake, pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, issued a press release on church letterhead announcing his support of Huckabee and encouraging his fellow Southern Baptists to get behind the candidate.Drake also voiced his support for Huckabee on his Internet radio show.Federal law prohibits church officials from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of a particular candidate without risking their ministry's tax-exempt status.However, according to Drake, an IRS investigation found that the press release constituted a personal endorsement and that the radio show is not associated with the church. Drake says he will continue to be vocal about political matters."We're going to keep on fighting," says Drake."We're going to keep on doing what we've been doing-we're going to keep on preaching against sin, we're going to keep on preaching against bad politicians.And if the IRS doesn't like that, that's too bad,"he states. According to Associated Press, when Drake-who is one of six candidates for president of the Southern Baptist Convention-delivered the news Sunday to his congregation, it responded with applause.The SBC holds its annual meeting next month in Indianapolis.As in the days of Noah....
