Dr. Robert Jeffress to Testify before Dec. 10 Religious Liberty Commission Hearing in Dallas

First Baptist Dallas Pastor to Recount Unprecedented Targeted IRS Weaponization Attack on the Church and Call for Repeal of Johnson Amendment

DALLAS, Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- First Baptist Dallas Senior Pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress, a nationally recognized advocate for religious liberty and freedom of religious expression, will testify before The Religious Liberty Commission at a hearing to be held Dec. 10 in downtown Dallas. This is the Commission's fourth hearing and will include discussion on religious liberty issues in the military as well as state and local religious liberty issues.

The Religious Liberty Commission, established by President Trump under The U.S. Dept. of Justice via Executive Order, is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America; increasing awareness of and celebrating America's peaceful religious pluralism; highlighting current threats to religious liberty; and developing strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.

In his testimony before the Commission, Dr. Jeffress will recount the unprecedented wrongful weaponization of the Johnson Amendment and unlawful targeting of the 157-year-old First Baptist Dallas by the IRS under the Biden-Harris Administration. He will further request the Dept. of Justice to prevent the Johnson Amendment from being arbitrarily, capriciously – and unconstitutionally – enforced in a discriminatory manner against conservative churches and call on Congress to repeal the Amendment to preserve our most fundamental constitutional right.

Dr. Jeffress will provide context regarding how, for the first time in our nation's history, the IRS threatened a church's tax-exempt status for lawful comments and activities in an actual worship service, based on complaints arising from its annual "Celebrate Freedom" patriotic service focusing on religious freedom held in 2020. Despite First Baptist Dallas' full cooperation, the IRS demonstrated a blatant unwillingness to resolve the issue and pursued a complete Church Examination, which included an expanded focus to personal statements by Pastor Jeffress in media appearances.

After a year-long inquiry that cost the church hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, the IRS acknowledged that First Baptist Dallas did not engage in any improper political intervention or violate the U.S. tax code.

"Throughout the IRS examination our church was prepared and resolved to pursue this matter to its just conclusion, including defending our fundamental constitutional rights and religious liberties before the United States Supreme Court," Dr. Jeffress said. "We believe that our steadfast resolve not to waver on this issue and vigorously defend the rights of all churches is what led the IRS to suddenly close the examination."

Dr. Jeffress has committed to testify not merely on behalf of First Baptist Dallas but in the interest of all churches and "our first freedom," which is the free exercise of our faith.

"Although our church could afford to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on legal fees defending ourselves, most churches could not do that," said Jeffress. "And furthermore, no church should have to do that."

The hearing will be held on Dec. 10 from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. CST at the Debate Chamber in the Pavilion Building at 3819 Maple Avenue, Dallas TX, 75219. The event will also be livestreamed at www.justice.gov/live.

For more information about First Baptist Dallas and Dr. Robert Jeffress, visit www.firstdallas.org.

About First Baptist Dallas
Founded in 1867, First Baptist Dallas has long been considered the flagship church of The Southern Baptist Convention. Under the leadership of Senior Pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress, it has grown to a 16,000-member congregation, the largest in its 157-year history. Embracing its role as "America's Church," First Baptist Dallas has been a part of the fabric of religious faith in this country and focuses on reaching the city, nation and world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The church's mission is to transform the world with God's Word one life at a time through its ministries, including its international broadcast of Pathway to Victory and its iCampus, which reaches millions of listeners and viewers worldwide.

Media Contact: Abigail Miller at [email protected] or 214-663-9933.

SOURCE First Baptist Church Dallas