My Take on Google's Decision to Cut Churches Out of Nonprofit Program

Christianity Today reported yesterday on Google's decision to no longer offer churches a discount through their nonprofit program. Their decision is well within their rights as a publicly traded, for-profit corporation. In their guidelines Google states their decision to not offer a nonprofit discount to organizations with “religious content or proselytizing on website as well as organizations that use religion or sexual orientation as factor in hiring or populations served."

Google’s progressive leanings and activist approach towards social issues are well documented. It should not be a surprise to churches that Google would make the decision to prohibit churches from benefitting from their nonprofit program.

As a church and technology leader, Google’s decision does not bother me. Churches need to realize that corporations like Google have the right to offer their products free-of-charge or at a discount to whomever they wish. Google is a clear leader in the technology field, and I am a fan of their applications. I appreciate their vision for a new cloud-based operating system that has the potential to dramatically change how we view software and computers in general. The fact that I don’t agree with their politics or agenda does not limit me in any way from enjoying the benefits of their services.

Church leaders grousing about this decision need to recognize the weakness of their argument. If Christian leaders are going to oppose the social agenda Google embraces with one hand, yet at the same time expect a free gift from Google because they are a church, there is something very wrong.

Church leaders need to begin carefully examining the compromises they are making in their effort to receive a discount.