Minn. pastor backing Bachmann campaign

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A pastor at a Minnesota megachurch said he's joining presidential hopeful Rep. Michele Bachmann's campaign on a "personal basis," not in his capacity as pastor.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported the Rev. Mac Hammond, senior pastor of Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, told his 9,000-member congregation Sunday he will be "working with her political campaign."

Hammond said in a video posted on the church's Web site, "of course, my tightrope is this has to be done on a personal basis," not as pastor. He pointed out the church could not formally endorse Bachmann without putting its tax-exempt status in jeopardy.

The Star Tribune said Hammond was audited by the Internal Revenue Service in 2008 after letting Bachmann speak at his megachurch.

Hammond said he and his wife, Lynne, plan to travel with the Bachmann campaign to "talk about the vital importance of the church rising up to take this nation back."

The Bachmann campaign, which is trying to recharge her conservative evangelical base, did not respond to requests for comment Monday, the Star Tribune said.

Hammond preaches a "prosperity gospel" in which financial riches are seen as the will of God for faithful Christians.

He said he is Bachmann's personal minister and she had asked him to be chairman of a national faith and family council but that he had to weigh the "possible legal ramifications."

Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, said he had watched the sermon online and believed Hammond was endorsing Bachmann from the pulpit.

Lynn, whose group filed a complaint with the IRS over Hammond's endorsement of Bachmann from the pulpit in 2006, said the group is considering making another complaint to the IRS.