Quote Originally Posted by simontibbett View Post
A huge church I can see paying taxes, a church made up of fifty members in a small church house built by them and clearly donating only to the local community, they shouldn't have to. The issue is how do you say your church has to start paying taxes but that one doesn't? lol
Small churches usually start in people's homes, and like most home-based businesses, they could easily get around paying taxes. Once they have enough to own a building in the churches name, they should have enough members to keep up with maintenance of the building and property taxes, just liek everyone else.

I don't recall Jesus ever asking for any tax-exempt status for the church. Churches use city/county/state/federal services and there is really no need for any organization or individual to not pay for the services that they share.
Read Romans 13:5-7

If a church catches on fire, the fire department responds. If there is a break in, the police respond. If the US is attacked, then our Army defends all of the US, including churches and other tax-exempt organizations.