Professional:
My name is Abe Hernandez. I'm an attorney licensed to practice law in Texas and California. I'm also a church law expert and the author of... Building On Faith: Everything You Need To Know About Starting Your Own Church.

I earned my law degree in May 1990 from one of our nation's premier law schools -- Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

In addition, I earned Bachelors (1980) and Masters (1986) degrees from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas.

In early 1994, I began serving as In-House Counsel of an international fellowship of more than 500 Christian churches, where I worked for over 9 years.

Among many other responsibilities, I oversaw the incorporation of the central organization, its mid-level associations of churches, local churches, and their integrated auxiliaries and support organizations... And secured their 501c3 tax-exemptions, including group exemptions.

In addition, I supervised the corporate, tax, intellectual property, and nonprofit legal work over the fellowship's churches and support organizations worldwide. And, I conducted many legal audits of very large churches all over the U.S.

I helped establish and wrote policies and procedures on all issues important to churches.

And, I developed workshops and seminars which I used to train church boards, officers, administrators, staff and ministry personnel on nearly every legal, business, employment and ecclesiastical issue that impacted them.

Perhaps more importantly, we planted many new churches throughout the nation and the world each year.

So, I had the benefit of all those years in practice to research, learn and perfect exactly what it takes to start a church, secure its "church" status with the IRS, and ensure 501(c)(3) tax exemption approval, efficiently and affordably.

Prior to law school, I worked professionally in San Antonio as a crisis intervention counselor and psychotherapist for children and adolescents, and as a counselor and mentor for college-bound high school students.

As an attorney, I've worked in civil litigation and corporate, tax, intellectual property, non-profit, and of course... church law.

I served as professor of corporate law and legal reasoning and writing at a Los Angeles-area law school, where I was also appointed Associate Law School Dean.

As an L.A. County Bar member, I frequently served as Judge Pro Tempore in Los Angeles Superior Courts, which is one of the largest and most diverse judicial districts in the world.

And through the years, I've represented numerous clients as Pro Bono Counsel to help them adopt children, take guardianship of children in crisis, secure social security disability benefits, and the like.

Personal:
On a personal note, I have been a disciple of Jesus Christ well over 16 years. I now live in San Antonio with my family, where we enjoy weekend jaunts through the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

We are privileged to be near my 86 year old mother and 10 brothers and sisters. As well as many in-laws and countless nephews, nieces and their spouses and children. My children are amazed and thrilled by the many cousins they have.

I come from a proud, patriotic American family; a single mother and 11 rambunctious kids. All grown and married with our own kids, now. We are of Basque (northern Spain) and Mexican descent with Texan roots that extend for generations.

My two oldest brothers, Alfonso and Adolfo, fought bravely in the ground forces during Persian Gulf War I. And each of them sent a child off to Persian Gulf War II. We have countless family members who have served, and continue to serve, our country proudly and with tremendous courage and sacrifice.

Through a humble Catholic upbringing, my mother taught me to always love and fear the Lord. So, it was my destiny to search for and find the one true God, and to claim all the promises of His salvation.

That happened in California, where I was baptized in the cold waters of the San Francisco Bay. But eventually, God led me back to Texas where I now raise my children in the knowledge and fear of the Lord. A privilege and a joy like no other.

It was here, in San Antonio, that God inspired me to write Building On Faith. I am privileged to continue this ministry of helping believers all over America who are called by God, to start a church more quickly, easily and at a much lower cost than ever before.

For all the good fruit this ministry may produce, I give all the glory and honor to God!