In this article, we will examine three different ways a church can get started. Starting a church in the United States is relatively simple. Please keep in mind the church is always the people, and what this article is about is the Administrative/Legal/IRS aspect of the organization. To get an approximate cost to start a [...]
Integrity Maintained Through Accountability Practicing integrity, begins with the receiving, and the counting of the offerings. Volunteer counters or ushers should be used to count the offering. The Senior Pastor should never handle or count the offering. In many small churches the pastors wife is often the bookkeeper and treasurer but, in order to protect [...]
If the church would ever be involved in a lawsuit, or found themselves to be subject to an IRS inquiry, well written Minutes are crucial. Only those Ministries that have paid attention to corporate business detail will survive the first “inquiries.” The IRS has the authority to deny [take away] the tax exempt status from [...]
The first thing to carefully evaluate is WHY you are going to start a church. Unless you are clearly directed of God, and led of the Holy Spirit – please stop reading right here. Don’t do it! Especially don’t do it, if your intentions are to start a church just for a perceived monetary value [...]
I recently received an e-letter asking, “If the church is a 501(c)(3) entity, does the pastor have the right to appoint [and remove] members in position (for whatever reason)? or should such a process be done by way of a vote among the church membership or trustees?” I responded to that writer’s question with, “The [...]
We write this as a rebuttal against those advocating the “Free Church” movement; Yes, I am aware of the “Free Church” concerns: Those who express a fear of incorporating the church, and being “501(c)(3).” Essentially, the proponents of the ‘Free Church’ movement argue that by incorporating, we are allowing “Caesar’’ into our church; Or [...]
Testimonials
“After a careful review, I can attest to the accuracy of the material in this manual and believe it will assist you in being a trustworthy steward of God’s resources. It provides the beginning ministry, as well as the established ministry, with a valuable reference which addresses church and ministerial topics in a general but comprehensive manner.”
