Have you ever done an internet search on church liability, federal reporting requirements, incorporation, employment laws, negligence, counseling, the legal authority of pastors, or any other legal concern your church is facing only to come up with too many results with conflicting advice? If so, Pastor, Church & Law is your definitive answer on every legal issue your church could face. Richard Hammar, attorney and CPA specializing in legal and tax issues for churches and clergy, reviews thousands of legal cases relevant to churches each year and has compiled the conclusions into the most comprehensive and practical legal reference for churches and clergy. ------ Additional Tools: Be sure to explore the Pastor, Church & Law: Supplement - A complimentary add-on reflecting recent developments in this legal space. NOTE: This download will be automatically added to all orders of the Pastor, Church & Law book. (If you didn't receive your supplement, please click here). Download the Free companion Pastor, Church & Law: Study Guide to further your understanding.

Let's be honest: Things like board structure, bylaws, elections, membership requirements, minutes, and business meetings will likely never land on your list of “most exciting topics.” Yet as a church leader it’s critical that you have a working knowledge of the key facets of church governance. You don’t need to know it all, but you do need to: Understand the risks Be able to spot potential issues Know when to ask for help Using this ready-reference tool, you’ll easily find answers to commonly asked questions—in plain, everyday language. Best of all, it will help you take practical steps towards understanding the role that proper governance plays in leading your local body of Christ.

You've completed your theological training. You're eager to serve God and His church with your gifts and talents. So why is someone asking if you want to opt-out of Social Security? If you're like most new ministers, you're probably overwhelmed by the legal and tax issues that confront you in the ministry. Who is a minister for federal tax purposes? Should I report my taxes as an employee or as self-employed? What is the housing allowance? What are the tax consequences of living in a church-owned parsonage? What is the clergy-penitent privilege? What legal requirements apply to the performance of marriage ceremonies? Look to church law and tax expert and Richard R. Hammar for the answers you'll need to begin your ministry with legal and financial clarity and integrity. 12 Law & Tax Guidelines for New Ministers features a convenient Q&A format and is written in understandable and concise language. Get the insights you need to make potentially significant legal and financial decisions with confidence.

Did you know pastors and other church staff may be required by law to report child abuse and that laws on this vary state by state? This resource will guide you through finding how each state defines child abuse, who is required to report abuse, and—if a person is required to report—details on requirements on what must be done, according to the law, including: How to report abuse. Find out if your state requires you to call or allows you to fill out a digital form. Where to report abuse. Different states may require reporting to different agencies. How soon you are required to report abuse. Some states require reporting abuse "immediately"—others may allow for more time. If clergy-penitent privilege applies. Learn how the clergy-penitent privilege affects the mandatory reporting requirement in each state. Penalties for not reporting and if there's civil liability for not reporting. Not reporting abuse when you're a mandatory reporter could result in criminal charges and civil lawsuits. If your identity can be revealed after you report abuse. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are covered in this resource. In addition to this information, an article explains 22 facts about child abuse reporting laws to help you understand them.

Child abuse is tragic for all those involved. This download will help you put a plan into action to prevent child sexual abuse from happening in your church. You'll find help with addressing suspected abuse and how to handle sexual abuse accusations. Once you know the typical profile of a sexual molester you can plan to prevent these heinous acts from happening to the children of your church. You'll also learn about the church's legal responsibility for reporting allegations of abuse as well as how to help victims of abuse cope.

An easy-to-use reference for all the copyright issues churches encounter in the course of their weekly activities. From photocopying sheet music to posting Internet content, noted church attorney, Richard Hammar, explains how to avoid copyright infringement, as well as how to protect the copyrighted works of ministers and staff. Richard Hammar has years of experience interpreting complex laws that affect churches and clergy. The Essential Guide to Copyright Law for Churches is fully updated and easy-to-understand for church leaders, musicians, clergy, choir directors and other professionals as well as lay leaders. This comprehensive guide should be part of every church office's library of resources! Especially helpful is the "Application of Copyright Law to Church" chapter which offers quick answers to the most common questions churches face regarding copyright issues. This valuable ministry resource contains accurate information (reviewed in 2023) and provides an easy-use reference for key copyright questions. Take advantage of this great sale price!

What Churches Need to Understand about the Legal Limitations of Waivers and Release Forms Introducing Church Issues—an in-depth resource created to help church leaders gain clarity and direction on a specific topic that challenges religious freedoms or exposes a congregation to legal risk. Does your church use waivers and release forms for events and activities, especially ones involving children and youth, thinking it will prevent a lawsuit? Unfortunately, many church leaders get lulled into a false sense of security about these documents which explains why personal injuries remains one of the top reasons churches end up in court each year. It's crucial for church leaders to understand what these documents do—and don't do—based on statutes and court decisions made nationwide. In Church Issues: Waivers and Release Forms and Church Liability attorney Richard Hammar addresses: Purposes of waivers and release forms; Legal requirements for a valid form; Reasons why courts generally disfavor the use of release forms, and Special matters a church should address whenever a release form is used in conjunction with children and youth activities. Included: Valuable 16-point checklist to follow when creating and using waivers and release forms (there are no sample forms included). The step-by-step guidance of this checklist, along with the explanations Hammar provides, offers a tangible framework that leaders can use in tandem with qualified local legal counsel to reduce the legal and risk liabilities that their churches may face. WHO SHOULD READ THIS? Senior and Executive Pastor Board members Children's and Youth Ministry Leaders Missions Board Leaders

Churches face complex compensation questions every year, making compensation planning an important task for many reasons. Richard Hammar walks through several key legal and tax elements churches need to consider when planning a pastor's compensation.

Whether it's one staff member or hundreds, churches usually must negotiate wages and benefits. With tight budgets, it is sometimes a struggle to set competitive pay rates and provide benefits to employees. Learn about key aspects of compensation planning for church employees, including consideration of non-monetary rewards for your staff's hard work.

Church leaders and boards can take relatively simple, yet effective steps to reduce the likelihood of child sexual abuse. Implementing a preventive program can provide a safe and secure environment for the children to whom your church has been entrusted, and help reduce the legal risk and liability. Learn signs of abuse and abusers, how to develop a prevention plan and training, and how to implement procedures. Table of Contents: Introduction: The Church's Legal VulnerabilityThe facts about child sexual abuse lawsuits in churches Chapter 1: Defining Abuse and AbusersSigns of abuse and abuser profiles Chapter 2: Developing a Prevention PlanGuidelines for screening and supervising workers, and responding to allegations of abuse Chapter 3: Training and Implementation Procedures9 steps for safeguarding your church through training and education

Learn why it is essential your church develop a risk management strategy and how to implement the strategy in your church. CONTENTSPart 1: Developing a Risk Management Strategy Part 2: Implementing the Risk Management Strategy

Security teams, specialized procedures, surveillance cameras, limited office access, emergency buttons, and thorough screening procedures help empower and enable churches to keep staff and congregants safe. This download is designed to help you think through safety measures your church can take to ward off dangerous individuals from entering your church, as well as practical ways to respond to disruptive people.

What Churches Need to Understand about Public Accommodations Laws Introducing Church Issues—an in-depth resource created to help church leaders gain clarity and direction on a specific topic that challenges religious freedoms or exposes a congregation to legal risk. In less than 30 years' time, several developments have redefined the country's cultural and moral, giving rise to questions and confusion by clergy and church leaders alike. Will a church or pastor be legally compelled to host same-sex marriage ceremonies? How might public accommodations laws affect bathroom access for individuals who visit your church? Attorney Richard Hammar, senior editor of the Church Law & Tax Report, believes churches still can be equipped with the right information to use as they navigate these important issues and reach conclusions about how to act. While it is difficult to prescribe a certain course of action that will be relevant, let alone applicable, to all churches, since virtually every church faces unique laws based on its geographic location. In Church Issues: Same-Sex Marriage and Gender Identity, Hammar combines research and analysis to take you through a step-by-step process regarding public accommodations laws, whether pertaining to same-sex marriage ceremonies or restroom access. He offers several critical questions that church leaders must address, including: Whether the church is a place of "public accommodation" under applicable local, state, or federal laws; If so, whether an exemption is available for churches; If a church exemption exists, whether all the conditions for the exemption have been satisfied, and The constitutional protections available to churches based on applicable judicial precedent. WHO SHOULD READ THIS? Senior and Executive Pastor Board members Denominational Leaders Churches with public access businesses such as a coffee shop or preschool.

Find answers to your virtual business meeting questions in Your Complete Guide to Virtual Church Meetings: A toolkit for legal and compliant business meetings by Sarah E. Merkle, JD, CPP-T, PRP. This downloadable resource is a step-by-step guide to determining whether virtual business meetings are permitted for your organization, making decisions when virtual business meetings are not an option, and preparing to hold a compliant virtual business meeting. The toolkit includes numerous practical tools, including: an outline of the standards governing business meetings and the hierarchy of those standards; examples of state statutes and a chart listing website addresses leading to each state’s governing law for meetings conducted by incorporated entities; a virtual meeting decision tree; and, a checklist of special rules for conducting virtual church business meetings.

This resource is designed to help youth ministers safely and appropriately conduct student ministry. From selecting and screening a team of worthy youth leaders to supervising games, special outings, and mission trips, there's much youth pastors can do to keep the youth in their care safe and free from injury or abuse and save their church from unnecessary liabilities.

Sexual harassment is a reality that cannot be ignored.When nurturing a safe, productive, and enjoyable work environment, establishing and enforcing effective sexual harassment policies are crucial. That is why Church Law & Tax conducted the 2020 research project on the Church and Parachurch Ministries Workplace Environment and included the findings in this, Sexual Harassment in the Christian Workplace – Executive Report.This resource not only sheds light on this sensitive topic, but also gets your church asking the right questions in order to create sound policies, help implement steps that prevent negative behaviors, and provide outlets for individuals to speak up and report inappropriate behavior.As you navigate through the details of this report, you will gain a deeper understanding of the emotional cost of sexual harassment and be on the way to ensuring a work culture that encourages edifying speech, treats each person respectfully, and demonstrates that each person is made in the image of God.This report will help your church confidently identify and understand: What classifies as sexual harassment and who can be affected by it Common responses to harassment Insights from attorneys, other experts, and more ---- Ready to take the next step? Church Law & Tax has teamed up with advisor-at-large Theresa Sidebotham, an attorney and the founder of Telios Teaches, who has created sexual harassment training tailored specifically for churches and nonprofits. Learn more about how the Telios Teaches Sexual Harassment Prevention Training can benefit your ministry.

This resource provides a 50-state survey of public accommodations laws, as well as the public accommodations ordinance of the most-populated city in each state. By the end of this resource, church leaders will be able to identify when and where these statutes affect their congregations, thus helping them: Better understand their rights and responsibilities; Understand ways to effectively minimize potential legal liabilities; Balance ministry goals and outreach opportunities with those potential legal liabilities. Answers to the following questions, and more, will be uncovered in this resource as well: How do public accommodations laws affect churches? Which states have public accommodation laws--and which ones don't?\ Why are local public accommodations ordinances important? Are there exemptions to these laws and ordinances for religious organizations? How do penalties vary? Do religious freedom laws offer protections to churches facing public accommodations conflicts?

The Church must be prepared on all fronts, mainly when serving children, youth, and families. It is crucial to have protocols and measures in place and to ensure everyone knows what to do should an unforeseen situation arise. Church leadership must know the legal ramifications if issues or difficult situations arise. Take advantage of the opportunity to get equipped easily. These five downloadable resources are available for you. Don’t wait, be prepared. Family Ministry Safety Bundle Includes: Check-in and Check-Out Procedures This is a comprehensive guide outlining the steps and protocols for efficiently and securely managing the check-in and check-out processes for children and youth in ministry settings. Contributions by John R. Throop Before You Welcome Children to Your Ministry - Are Your Policies Safe?Keeping Young Children Safe at Church Ensuring Physical & Emotional Safety for Kids - Practices for a proactive and preventive approach. Check-In Security - One church’s security identification system.Sample Pick-Up Forms - When someone other than a parent picks up a child.A Note to Parents - What to tell parents to help you keep their kids safe.Who’s Got Johnny? Using check-in/check-out to keep kids safe.Child Sexual Abuse Response PlanThis resource includes the information your ministry needs to follow should you encounter the unprecedented difficulty of child sexual abuse in your church. Contributors to this Response plan include Richard R. Hammar and Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company.If You Suspect, what steps should you take?How Will You Respond to Child Sexual Abuse?Recognize the signs of abuse and the profile of abusers.Report Child Sexual Abuse and what to do to be ready.The Church’s Legal Vulnerability Prevent Child Sexual Abuse in the Church by reducing risks as you improve selection, supervision, and education.Essential Guide to Youth Ministry Safety This guide covers risk management strategies, safety protocols for various activities, emergency procedures, and best practices for ensuring youth participants' physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.Selecting Qualified Leaders and VolunteersCreating Appropriate AccountabilitySetting Boundaries for Safe CounselingMinistering DigitallyKeeping Activities SafeVenturing into Missions and Outreach Resources Mandatory Child-Abuse Reporting LawsThis resource will guide you through finding how each state defines child abuse, who is required to report abuse, and—details on requirements on what must be done according to the law.How to report abuse. Find out if your state requires you to call or allows you to fill out a digital form.Know where to report child abuse considering that different states may require reporting to other agencies.How soon you are required to report abuse? Some states require reporting abuse "immediately" while others may allow for more time.If clergy-penitent privilege applies. Learn how the clergy-penitent privilege affects the mandatory reporting requirement in each state.Penalties for not reporting and if there's civil liability for not reporting. Not reporting abuse when you're a mandatory reporter could result in criminal charges and civil lawsuits.Know if your identity can be revealed after you report abuse.All 50 states and the District of Columbia are covered in this resource. In addition to this information, an article explains 22 facts about child abuse reporting laws to help you understand them.Essential Guide to Children's Ministry SafetyChildren's workers are sensitive to many safety and liability issues surrounding our young ones at church. From food allergies to preventing access by sexual predators, it's vital to understand and implement best practices to protect our kids.Creating Safe Spaces for ChildrenPreventing AbductionEssentials of Waivers and Release FormsAvoiding Food AllergiesSafe Church, Safe KidsWorker Screening and SelectionSimple Tips for Screening and Selecting Underage WorkersDiscipline and Behavior IssuesTailor-Made DisciplineLoving Discipline that WorksWhen the Teacher Needs DiscipliningPreventing Child Sexual AbuseBest Practices for Protecting ChildrenSimple Tips for a Response Plan to Child Sexual Abuse

This clean and professional church media design effectively communicates important details for a Church Business Meeting. The minimalist layout and contrasting color scheme ensure that the essential information stands out, making it an ideal choice for church announcements and administrative communications. Includes an easy-to-edit Photoshop file with multiple artboard resolutions and 5 pre-made JPG graphics.· HD Title Slide· HD Notes/Blank Slide· Square Social Media Image· Stories Social Media Image· FB Cover Image Created by Remix Church Media

This resource highlights a stand-alone article from the pages of Church Law & Tax Report. In this Feature Report Michael E. Batts, an Editorial Advisor for Church Law & Tax Report and the president and managing principal of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, P.A., provides a comprehensive, easy-to-understand analysis of how unrelated business income, and the possible taxes owed from it, works for churches. EXCERPT:Your church's annual fall festival is two months away, and you are looking for creative and appropriate ways to generate income from it. You get a call from a local car dealer who is familiar with your festival. The dealership offers to be the exclusive sponsor of the event by paying your church $20,000, so long as you recognize it as the exclusive sponsor by placing a large sign at the entrance with the following message: "Tri-City Motor Company; Exclusive Sponsor; tricitymotorcompany.com." The dealer also wants to display six new vehicles at the entrance of the festival as a part of the arrangement.Can you accept the dealer's offer without jeopardizing the church's tax-exempt status? If you do, is the $20,000 payment taxable as unrelated business income to the church? You may be surprised by the answers to this and other questions answered in this feature report about the often misunderstood world of unrelated business income.