I got some good, anticipated reader input about a recent column detailing my Sunday on the campaign trail with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis. Thanks. Several readers raised concerns about her campaign appearance at a Dallas church

So on the next Sunday I tagged along as Davis campaigned at six Houston-area churches.

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Pastor Richie Butler of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Dallas with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis on Oct. 19.

Pastor Richie Butler of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Dallas with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis on Oct. 19.

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Church and state and politics can be an unholy intersection. Reader George Martinez of Round Rock, in a letter to the editor, accurately noted my previously stated concerns about church-state issues like prayers at legislative sessions.

“(Davis) spoke in front of the congregation,” Martinez noted, “and the pastor even blessed her. Herman doesn’t seem to be bothered by this event despite its apparent blurring of his vaunted concern for the separation of church and state.”

I’m for separation of church and state. But, with an important caveat I’ll detail below, I don’t believe in separation of church and politics. Religious beliefs should impact votes.

I’ve seen many candidates in many churches — mini, medium, mega, black, brown, white, blended — on many Sunday mornings. Sometimes it’s just a candidate being recognized from the pulpit. Sometimes it’s a full-blown campaign rally and endorsement from the pulpit. Davis’ recent church appearances had some of both of those.

I’ve not made similar campaign swings with GOP gubernatorial nominee Greg Abbott, who also has support in some faith communities. His spokeswoman Amelia Chasse says he has been to “numerous churches throughout the campaign” but “has not given political speeches or received endorsements during church services he has attended.”

“The Abbotts attend church to participate in worship and do not campaign or give campaign speeches during church services,” she told me.

If you have evidence otherwise, I’d like to hear it.

I’m OK with churches doing politics, but they should put their money where their politics is and forgo their tax-exempt status. The IRS is pretty clear about this: Don’t do politics on the dime of folks who have to pay more in taxes because you’re exempt.

On Sunday Oct. 19 at St. Paul United Methodist Church in downtown Dallas, Pastor Richie Butler’s invited Davis ‘to bring greetings to the St. Paul family.”

“It is our moment.” Davis said in conclusion, “and on Nov. 4 we are going to make this happen with your blessings and your support.”

The reaction was enthusiastic as the pastor and the politician embraced. Butler then, “in full disclosure,” said he had prayed about whether to allow Davis to speak and decided to do so because her story “may speak to somebody’s life.”

“We want to encourage her and just ask God’s blessing to be upon her as she continues to move forward. And we want to be supportive and we want to go out and vote, early voting starts tomorrow,” he said, drawing amens.

The IRS says tax-exempt churches “are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. … Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.”

Churches can engage in “certain voter education activities — including presenting public forums and publishing voter education guides — conducted in a nonpartisan manner.”

Did Butler cross the line? Close call, perhaps. And some of what I saw the following Sunday came even closer to the line, if not clearly crossing it.

At Cross Roads Community Church in Pearland, Pastor Christopher Hartwell recognized Davis as “our next governor of the great state of Texas.” Endorsement? Prediction? Delusion?

Davis, as with every stop this day, was enthusiastically received as she gave her church-version campaign speech. Afterward, Hartwell put his right arm around her and said “we can prophetically say Gov. Wendy Davis.”

Two miles away at Pearland’s Silverlake Church, Pastor Reginald DeVaughn urged congregants to vote but didn’t say for whom.

“Of course,” he said, “our church can never endorse a candidate, amen, because of regulations and because you know they’ll take away our 501, all that type of stuff. I’m just saying all this ’cause I see some cameras and all that kind of stuff, so I already know what the deal is. What I’m saying is that we will never be 100 percent in agreement with every candidate. But you take the majority of what they do or what you do agree with and you go with that candidate. You’re stupid to go with a candidate that you agree only 20 percent with. You go with one that you agree 80 percent.”

Davis supporter Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, revved the crowd and introduced Davis as the next governor. DeVauhgn gave her a quick welcoming kiss and remained at his pulpit, about 12 feet from where Davis spoke, and nodded approval when she called for Medicaid expansion and a minimum-wage increase. He clapped when she spoke of restoring “the voices of real people to the Texas Capitol.”

In downtown Houston at St. John’s United Methodist Church, Pastor Rudy Rasmus, standing at Davis’ side, similarly nodded support at key points in her speech. At Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, Pastor Edwin A. Davis turned the church over to U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, who referred to “Gov. Wendy Davis.”

After Davis spoke, Lee said, “If I can clarify that we are civic minded here and so your pastor’s not in partisan politics,” she said. Lee introduced some local judicial candidates and urged congregants to “vote the straight Democratic ticket.”

Pastor Davis returned to his pulpit and noted this was Wendy Davis’ second visit to this church “and that says a lot. God bless you and may God keep you in our prayer. Hopefully, I won’t get no subpoenas about today.”

That was a reference to recent subpoenas, subsequently withdrawn, issued by the city of Houston to pastors who backed an effort to repeal a city provision banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.

At Houston’s New Life Tabernacle Church of God, Pastor Carl Davis told congregants that Abbott also has been invited to speak. “No one has come at this time,” he said. “Don’t know why.” After Wendy Davis spoke, Pastor Davis offered what sounded like a qualified endorsement. See what you think.

“With regard to abortion,” he said, his right hand on the candidate’s back as he spoke to congregants, “we don’t agree with everything. You know that I don’t believe in abortion. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t support her in other ways. All of our candidates have something I may not agree with but what I do support is the stand that she has on education.”

The last church stop was Houston’s Community of Faith, where Bishop James W.E. Dixon II introduced “our illustrious, amen, Sen. Wendy Davis.”

“We want to see her become the governor in just a couple of weeks,” he said.

Politics from the pulpit? Fine with me. But houses of worship that choose to go that route should pay taxes just like most folks who get involved in politics.