7 Life-Saving Guidelines for Pastors
By Raul Rivera
Starting a church requires faith. No matter how much you prepare, you never feel fully ready or capable. You simply believe, and then you take the step. What comes after that will challenge you like never before. At our conferences, we are priviledged to hear the stories of thousands of pastors and how they took their first steps.
The moment you say "Yes" to God's call in your life you are taking the faith step. It is a moment that looks different to everyone, but results in the resolve to do whatever it takes to pursue the vision God has placed in your heart. It is an exciting and special time during which we proclaim our submission to God's will for our lives. And who you choose to partner with you matters to the success of the journey you have embarked upon.
What to look for
The Bible talks over and over about your level of success being defined by those with whom you walk. This is very true in the area of your legal step. Get this partnership right, and you will walk with confidence; get it wrong, and you will be plagued with worry about the "what if's".
So the question is:
"What should a church planter be looking for in a legal and compliance partner?"
Below are 7 guidelines we feel are vitally important in choosing a partner to help you start and stay compliant.
1. Content is king
The content of your chruch's legal documents really matters. The goal is not to just get approved by the state or the IRS, but rather to create a set of organizing documents that will protect your churtch's 1st Amendment rights and stave off lawsuits.
The exactness of the phraseology that is used in your organizing documents really matters. There is a great difference between creating documents and understanding the true life and legal strategies behind the starting of a chruch. When we help a pastor in establishing his or her organizing documents, we want to know the vision the pastor has for his/her chruch. We then take that information and create the phraseology of the organizing documents. We take our experiential knowledge of today's legal world and apply it to each church on a customized basis. Much like a good sermon, content is king.
2. Two are better than one
There is a major difference between one man trying to help you, and a team dedicated to your success. Oftentimes, when a problem or question arises in your ministry, you need some advice, fast. However, many of these so-called professionals are really just a one-man show; meaning, if they are on a call, there is no help to be had. If they are on vacation, if they are sick, or if they are needed somewhere else, you will have to wait to get the help you need. The best-case scenario is having a team of professionals who can help you. This assures the best support for your church.
When selecting a partner, ask yourself these questions: "Will I have a team, or just one person working for me?" "What will happen if this one person is busy, sick, or out of town?" "Will I get the help I need?"
3. History tells a lot
Just as you can tell a lot about people by what others say about them, so, too, this is true about your partner. It is important that the provider not be a novice, but that they have a successful history of helping churches and ministries just like yours. Look at things like their Better Business Bureau rating. Ask what their success rate is with the IRS. Look for testimonies of others who have partnered with them. Remember, the greatest indicator of how you will be treated is how they have treated their former clients.
4. Culture sets the tone
Some partners use fear as their motivator. If you look at their advertising materials, it is nothing but dark images of pastors in prison. Just know that what some use to attract their business, they will use to keep their business. Therefore, if the tone starts with fear, know that the tone of that relationship will always be laced with fear. However, that does not have to be the case.
The right partner should be like a great coach; they should inspire, empower, encourage, and educate. The tone of the relationship matters. If you think you will be bombarded with fear over and over again, you will be hesitant to pick up the phone and call your partner. However, if you are confident that when you speak with your selected partner you will end that call encouraged and empowered, you will tend to engage them more and walk with greater wisdom.
5. Tool provider
Many starting churches prefer the DIY (Do It Yourself) route to starting their foundation. They learn best through doing, not by hearing. To that end, does your partner have software tools and resources to help you in this area?
6. Do more than start right; stay right
To use parenting as a good comparison, it is one thing to have a baby, it is another thing to raise a child. When looking at a partner, ask questions beyond what it takes to start your church. For example, do they have experience in post-launch services? Are they knowledgeable in areas like the housing allowance, creating W-2's, compensation agreements, annual minutes, etc.? Remember, the ideal partner does not just start the race with you, they run the race with you.
7. More than traditional church
Today's pastors and leaders are different than leaders of times past. The size of the dreams and visions of many pastors today takes them beyond just starting one traditional church. When looking for a partner, ask if they have experience creating "for-profit arms" for churches. Ask how many CDC's (Community Development Corporations) they have started. Ask about their knowledge of establishing holding's corporations to protect church assets? Your partner should be dreaming as large as you are and have the history of helping churches go beyond the traditional model.
The legal step is very different because we usually never think of it when we say "Yes" to God's call.
You were called to lead a church in the 21st century; and with that comes the stewardship responsibility of managing the legal side of ministry. God knew this when He chose to call you in this period of history. He called you to start a church in the most litigious society in the history of the world. That is why He gave a warning to be "wise as serpents and gentle as doves." The warning He gave requires that, in today's society, you form a strong legal foundation upon which to build the vision that is in your heart. In our country, there are some legal responsibilities we must take if we are going to have a strong foundation.
It is this legal step that most pastors are least prepared to take.
Closing
Finding the right partner is very important to the launch and life of your ministry. This process is never easy. However, when you find the right partner, you will know it and your ministry will be the better for it.
At StartCHURCH, for the last 15 years we have worked hard to make all 7 of these characteristics core values of who we are. Having helped over 14,000 clients while maintaining an "A" rating with the Better Business Bureau and a 100% success rating with the IRS, it would be our honor to serve your ministry as well as become your partner.
If you are looking for the right partner, we would love the opportunity to see if we might be a good fit for your church or ministry. Feel free to view our website at www.startchurch.com or call us, toll free, at 877-494-4655 and talk with one of our team members.