The landscape for churches and ministries is filled with pitfalls.
Over the last 20 years, Congress and the IRS have become very interested in the activities of churches, ministries and nonprofits, which has led to the enactment of section 4958 and the creation of the Exempt Organizations Executive Compensation Compliance Project, resulting in increased enforcement presence and millions of dollars in fines.
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Since 1954, churches — and other nonprofits in America — have been prohibited from engaging in certain kinds of political activity. While these limitations might be an affront to the moral conscience of many pastors across America, it has become a way of life for 501(c)(3) organizations.
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Ministries need to be aware that even the best applicant on paper might not seem so squeaky clean after a background check. It’s important that church leaders have a standardized policy when it comes to identifying “red flags” that will disqualify someone from employment or volunteer positions. Even red flags such as behavior or character traits need to be thoughtfully weighed as they could expose the church to increased risk.
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Accidents happen; it’s inevitable. And when those accidents occur, it can be a scary time for both the injured party and the church. When such events take place and the injured party files a claim against the church, it’s called a liability claim.
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Not infrequently, pastors and their parish / congregational administrators, board and / or committee members are inclined to avail themselves of “donated” labor in the form of volunteers who purport to have the appropriate experience, expertise and equipment required to perform some necessary project work on or within parish buildings.
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You probably noticed that this new series of articles has been retitled to Never Again: Beyond Insurance. But, how does a church organization get “beyond insurance” — and should it even try?
Read More >A Virginia church is at the center of every congregation’s worst nightmare: One of its former volunteers is accused of sexually abusing several children he met through the church.
The worst part is that these newest charges come six years after similar allegations plagued the man and the church.
Once a clean record, not always a clean a record.
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The word “church” typically conjures up an image of a safe, nurturing environment where people go to share and celebrate their faith. But, the reality can be a bit more complicated.
Too often, churches become an irresistible target for criminals because their open-door policies and limited staffing levels can make it easy to pilfer expensive sound systems, audiovisual equipment and artwork.
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Accidents happen. Catastrophes are unpredictable. There are many situations a church might encounter that will require submitting an insurance claim.
To a church, the claims process can be overwhelming, as you might have little understanding of what happens behind
the scenes.
To offer insight and make the process easier for you and your insurance company, learn about who you’ll be working with, how you can be prepared after submitting a claim, and the settlement timeline.
Read More >Ministries have a bold task. You want — and need — to be good stewards of your communities and congregations. That can often lead to conflicting methodologies when it comes to balancing budgets.
While you want to devote the majority of your money to your missions, outreach and education programs, you also understand the importance of recruiting quality volunteers and employees, and prioritizing hiring procedures.
This, of course, has a dollar value, too.
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