The Call - Between Faith and Fear
I stayed up for most of the night. That night, as with the previous 5 nights, I struggled with one question. The answer was becoming more and more clear and I was not sure it was easing my pain. It was going to force me to alter the course of my life forever and take the chance of looking like a fool. Yet the pain of never knowing…
Read Full Article | CommentsThree Common Mistakes Made When Launching a Church
The other day I was talking with a pastor from Chicago who was experiencing some personal trouble with his tax return because he reported his housing allowance incorrectly. The IRS had reviewed his taxes and asked him to substantiate the reported housing allowance on his schedule C. Church Issued a 1099 When the pastor went to do his taxes…
Read Full Article | CommentsHousing Allowance May Cease to Exist
Once Again, the Housing Allowance is Under Fire. On October 15th, 2009, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and 21 of its members filed a lawsuit in California's Eastern District Court in Sacramento, complaining that the Minister's Housing Allowance was unconstitutional because it gave a preferential tax benefit to ministers. They claim that…
Read Full Article | CommentsHow tall are the ceilings at your church?
A couple of years ago I was having lunch with a staff member of a church with whom I was well acquainted. We sat down at our table and reminisced while we placed our orders for some appetizers. As the conversation continued to develop, I detected frustration in his voice when on two occasions he made mention of the decision making process…
Read Full Article | CommentsHow Church Can Stress Out the Pastor's Wife
Based on a true story! Like many start-up churches, Pastor Johnson's church did not have an expert bookkeeper; but it did have Pastor Johnson's wife, who labored faithfully each week at the task of keeping the books, ensuring she did her best job in an area that, well...frankly, left her feeling quite inadequate! There were some weeks she wondered…
Read Full Article | CommentsTax Forms to Prepare in January
January is often times busier than December! January is the time of year that many leaders make an effort to keep a resolution of better managing their ministries. Though it be a noble resolution, January may be the most challenging month of the year to keep such goals. It is the month that the ministry must prepare and file tax and informational…
Read Full Article | Comments