Family Life

11.15.12 | Sarah Harnisch

There's a court case out of Tennessee that could have implications on every large church in the country. A Tennessee megachurch argued in the state court of appeals that a gym, bookstore and cafe on its property constute the spiritual needs of the congregagtion, and shouldn't be subject to property taxes. In February, a lower court found that the Tennessee state board of equalization, the state’s tax exemption authority, has the right to ask the church to pay 80 thousand dollars a year in taxes on the property. There was no ruling yesterday.