Separation of church and state? No, it's the submission of the church under the state...

The churches across this country officially began to submit under the authority of the state sometime around 1954 when the tax code was "modernized" and the 501(C) section was codified as part of the scheme.

People do not typically realize that when a church opts to save money via this route they have to submit to the authority of the state over God. They essentially loose any real claim to the first amendment in regards to both free speech and free exercise of religion. All for an extra dollar or two they have sold themselves to the state.

Here are the rules that dictate compliance under 501(C)(3): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4221pc.pdf

First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Note the irony here where in the first amendment it states that Congress shall make no law...yet in IRS' publication 1828 it states "Congress has enacted special tax laws that apply to churches..."

For more see Publication 1828: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4221pc.pdf

What essentially has happened is that the church has submitted to the state. There is no separation per se...