It can be a difficult and time consuming
experience when you are
starting a
new church.
But it doesn't have to be that way. The most
important thing to keep in mind is that starting
a church is a profoundly spiritual undertaking.
If you
understand that, then you won't fall prey to
many of the schemes on the internet that are
perpetrated by savvy entrepreneurs who have
descended on what they perceive as a
"church-starting niche." Unfortunately, what you
often see is so-called "nonprofit experts"
suggesting that starting a church is all about
incorporating and filing tax exemption forms.
The truth
is that you can't simply slap together a
corporation and pretend it's really a church.
Although incorporating is a valid choice when
incorporating, that is not of utmost importance
when
starting a new church, and certainly not a
Christian church.
Well, if that's not what's ultimately
important... then, what is? Keep in mind the
biblical and spiritual nature of a Christian
church. That should alert you to the fact that
most of the tasks you are called to do, even the
legal and business tasks, must address uniquely
church-related needs.
For example, what decisions will you make about
legal and religious authority, or about the
structure of leadership in the church? If you
don't decide upfront, it could come back to hurt
the church later. It's not unusual for churches
going through growing pains to experience an
attempted takeover by disgruntled members. Is
this what you think about when you contemplate
starting a new church? I think not.
The truth is that not just anyone can help you
with the many legal and business tasks, and even
certain very important ecclesiastical (or
uniquely church-related) matters that are
involved in church start-ups. For the gold
standard in use today by hundreds of churches
throughout the country, you owe it to yourself
to take a good long look at
