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.

"TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK" 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.

Learn how to talk about giving and inspire people to live generously. Discover strategies to cultivate a culture of giving at your church, including how to teach on giving and how to live by example. Brought to you by Church Law & Tax

Raising thousands of dollars for a special project is no simple task for churches. Use this guide to determine if it's worth hiring a professional fundraiser, learn about the availability of grants, and discover tips on raising and borrowing money.

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

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.

Is your church ready for a medical emergency? Discover the areas you may not be prepared for with this medical emergency checklist. Learn the importance of forming a response team to smoothly handle a health crisis in your church. Then use the included medical emergency assessment test to make sure you are prepared for anything that comes your way.

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?

This bundle is the perfect way to match your digital channels with your postcard invitations! When your website and social media visuals reinforce your printed invites, you'll make a consistent, memorable impression on your community and members this season. Every Graphic Bundle Includes 5 screen graphics (1920 x 1080) 5 social media graphics (various sizes) 3 website graphics (various sizes)

The new Invitation Station provides your church with a stationary place to find all they need to invite their friends and neighbors to church. The Invitation Station includes everything you need to set it up in your lobby:1 - 23” x 34.5” Stock Rigid Sign1 - Rigid Sign Stand (adjust the height between 48” and 72” tall)Four Acrylic Invite Card Holders - holds a total of 240 invites! (NOTE: InviteCards sold separately).

With their colorful and vibrant design, flag banners are the perfect way to welcome visitors to your services or to promote your church's events. Nearly 12 feet tall when paired with the Premium Carbon Fiber Pole and Spike hardware (sold separately) when bought as a single unit. 2' x 8.5' flag banner

Make a bold statement with this high-quality 2'7" x 6'7" Church Banner 100% wrinkle-free, stretch fabric polyester using dye-sublimation printing. Pair it with the Click-it stand hardware (sold separately). The sleeve fabric clings tightly, making an eye-catching, easy-to-read banner with a wrinkle-free, professional appearance. Printed on two pieces of stretch fabric sewn together to create a sleeve-like banner with the design on both sides. Stand sold separately when it is not purchased with a Bundle.

Try Praying: Youth is an exciting resource aimed at teens who don’t go to church. It’s a straightforward ‘how-to’ booklet on prayer – with the gospel explained throughout. It’s full of fresh stories and wise teaching. This booklet empowers teens to share their faith and churches to do missions. Everyone uses the booklet themselves for one week, and the following week, everyone is encouraged to give it to a friend, neighbor, or colleague - use and lose it! Simple!

Encourage your friends today with this pack of 10 stickers!

This powerful inspirational book is based on the message of the movie, To Save a Life. It is a call for teens to identify with Jesus by crossing social boundaries and befriending the lost, hurting, lonely, and hopeless. It is also a call to prayerfully identify the people God has brought into their lives who are just dying to be heard and need God's unconditional love and grace!