Administrative Assistance

There is no state or federal law requiring you to have By-Laws.  But without By-Laws, your church [or fellowship] would not be tax exempt in the eyes of either the state or the IRS. And in the event of an audit, any and all income would likely be ascribed to the leader [pastor] or leadership

The answer will be found within the church By-Laws.  Some churches have a ‘Democratic’ form of government, where the congregation [Membership] has all authority, while other churches are under virtual dictatorship by the pastor.  Church by-laws provide for Boards of Directors or Trustees; but what ‘rights’ the pastor has, is always defined in the By-Laws:

The church has every theological right to ordain whom they will, and has historically done so.  But will the IRS allow him all the tax privileges?  Ministry who live and minister in the US are subject to US tax laws.

The greatest concern for the church is liability.  Even before calamity [lawsuits] strike us, we should be equipped to respond on a Biblical basis.  As regards church discipline, we can only do what is clearly defined in our By-Laws.

Precious little is taught in Bible School, preparing pastors to be the CEO of a Corporation, the legal entity.  In the vacuum of understanding, attention to essential detail is often missing, leaving the church vulnerable to a lawsuit.

The adopted By-Laws, totally define “how” the church is to be governed. As a Democracy? Or Biblically? Sometimes called the “Articles of War, they can eliminate in-house disputes, allowing the pastor to lead with the freedom and authority God intends but, requiring accountability.

Covered_Ministry

 The word "Sin" means "Missing the mark," and it is no exaggeration to say that most churches have missed the mark in regards to this very important Organizational Meeting Minute. We explain what this is, in this article.