Pastor’s Guide to Church Law

Over the years, I have represented many churches assisting them with their legal matters. Pastor’s Guide to Church Law is based on my law practice experience. In it I endeavor to introduce you to the common legal issues I daily see in my office. My list of clients includes small to very large churches with varied doctrine and belief systems. Chances are your organization would fit in my client list. This book is not intended to be exhaustive work on church law but representative of my practice with the intent of introducing church leaders to important laws and legal issues which apply to them. My Clarion Call is to alert church leaders to these laws and help them. If asked, lawyers would say 'issue recognition' is key. Recognizing the legal issue at hand is critical for the church leader to know how to resolve it. This guide addresses key nonprofit legal issues. I have presented principles with examples which if followed will place your ministry on a more solid foundation. The book is peppered with illustrations to bring home a point. But you will not find many court cases with long opinions nor lengthy statutes. I have purposely avoided this because I wanted this book to flow with a more narrative rhythm. As such, we will start with the beginnings of a new church being formed, then through its operational years (staff, finances, property purchases, maintenance) through its dissolution. This is a truth I have discovered- regardless of the sign out front, churches face similar legal issues. Let’s look at them together!