When 33 pastors across the nation endorsed political candidates from their pulpits two Sundays ago as part of "Pulpit Freedom Sunday," they knew they'd get the IRS' attention by defying rules and jeopardizing their churches' tax-exempt status. What they might not have expected, however, was the wave of media analysis on the church-state topic. From the Los Angeles Times to USA Today, major news outlets have continued to debate the well-worn church-state issue as it relates to pastors. "This is not a publicity stunt. This is not a political ploy," said Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), which organized the event in hopes of eventually arguing for pastors' rights in a federal court. Stephen Broden of Fair Park Bible Fellowship in Dallas was one of the 33 defiant pastors and stated: "What I did is consistent with the freedoms that are guaranteed me under the Constitution. Second, I'm being consistent with my call as a minister and a prophetic voice in the culture." Despite the support from many pastors who didn't participate, a recent LifeWay Research survey of 1,200 adults indicates only 5 percent of the general public strongly agrees that it is appropriate for pastors to endorse political candidates from the pulpit. In fact, 74 percent strongly opposes any kind of endorsement from pastors. [lifeway.com, 10/1/08; dallasnews.com, 9/29/08; charismamag.com, 9/30/08]