There are around 400,000 churches in the United States and very few of these file any kind of tax return but there are some who think it would be beneficial to congregations if they were brought under the protective wing of the Internal Revenue Service. While I've known a couple of IRS folks over the years and they have been quite helpful, professional, and agreeable, I'm not inclined to think that the IRS could help churches. But consider why some would think the government could help churches: Growing Fraud Sucks Billions From Churches Annually; This IRS Fix Could Help, Expert … [Read more...] about Do churches need the government to protect them from fraud?
Particle physics meets the SBC and other noteworthy items
Clever Voices commenter Karen asks, Does your church culture allow gracious truth-telling and facing real issues & problems? Or are sin issues deemed personal and private, so everyone goes about like free electrons minding their own business rather than as integral, interdependent parts of a living body? Free electrons? You bet there are scads of such in our churches. Some pastors are "free electrons" or if you prefer baseball, "free agents" who move to the highest bidder. Other pastors are free electrons in that you never know exactly where they are - maybe the hospital, nursing home, … [Read more...] about Particle physics meets the SBC and other noteworthy items
NAMB establishes an evangelism team
You've seen the tweets from NAMB: We are launching a new Evangelism and Leadership team that will equip and mobilize pastors and churches for evangelism. More news coming this weekend on who will be leading.1:30 PM - 10 Aug 2018 Steve Gaines' Evangelism Task Force recommended that "senior level leadership" be hired in this area. I made the wild conjecture that NAMB would do this. No heavy lifting required for that, since NAMB is very responsive to the convention's wishes. NAMB's focus on church planting hasn't ignored evangelism. New plants baptize at a much greater rate than … [Read more...] about NAMB establishes an evangelism team
Law profs: Cash clergy housing allowance is unconstitutional
A federal district judge has already ruled that the cash housing allowance paid to ministers is unconstitutional (the HA that includes a parsonage is a separate section of the tax code and was not challenged). This is the case brough by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The case is on appeal with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and some law profs have weighed in on the matter, on the side of the FFRF. Those who want to read the law prof's lugubrious amicus can go find it. A little bird told me that not a single one of the tens of thousands of SBC clergy want to spend time with … [Read more...] about Law profs: Cash clergy housing allowance is unconstitutional
The Cooperative Program will almost certainly be up for the fiscal year
After ten months of this fiscal year the CP is looking like there will be a slight increase for the year. Last year the Florida Baptist Convention sold their building and made a $3.1 million gift to the CP allocation budget. Because of that the yearly total may be slightly under last year. National CP 3.06% ahead of projection Designated giving to the Executive Committee, almost all of that Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong contributions, is up about $2.8 million from the same period last year. It's easy to gripe about SBC matters, decisions, snafus, and other things. Somehow, though, … [Read more...] about The Cooperative Program will almost certainly be up for the fiscal year
Georgia Baptists have a nominee for our state convention CEO
The Georgia Baptist Mission Board is one of the largest state conventions ranking second or third by several measures. The GBMB will likely be the second largest contributor to the SBC Cooperative Program allocation budget this year. Our CEO is retiring after 25 years and a new one has been nominated. Thomas Hammond to be nominated as Executive Director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board Oddly, the news reports omit ages, not that such is the most critical factor but it is a factor in these changes. The retiring CEO is in his early 70s. Hammond is 56 or so. It's not quite a generation … [Read more...] about Georgia Baptists have a nominee for our state convention CEO
The SBC needs vigorous Traditionalist voices
So, what's up with the Trads these days? The loose SBC political sub-group generally labeled "Traditionalists" has manifestly been in disarray since the late May SBC Today meltdown and severe losses at the mid-June SBC. Please, don't throw any hymnals at me for saying it. The Facebook discussion page was jettisoned and has been replaced by another and is a definite improvement. Admin seems to recognize that there are both Cals and Trads who are poison to sensible exchanges among SBCers of differing theological and ecclesio-political perspectives. In years past I had numerous public … [Read more...] about The SBC needs vigorous Traditionalist voices
Should entity trustees consider younger CEO retirement ages?
Perhaps some of our entities already have this but I think a good case could be made for not having leaders continue well into their 70s before leaving. It would force planned transitions, avoid messy situations, and help retain talented, younger leaders. I recognize that we have a general distaste for an arbitrary age at which a pastor or leader is told that their work is done but staying too long can be a problem. State conventions and local associations are slogging along. New, fresh ideas and leadership couldn't hurt but we have an aversion to talking openly about these things. What … [Read more...] about Should entity trustees consider younger CEO retirement ages?
Will new tax on churches force thousands of congregations to file tax returns?
How about my putting the probably answer at the first here? "NO." But scare headlines are always with us these days. Here's a couple of articles I've run across on the subject: New tax levied in GOP overhaul draws laments from churches, other nonprofits Churches and other nonprofit groups are struggling to make sense of a new levy imposed on their traditionally tax-exempt operations by the sweeping tax overhaul that Republicans in Congress passed last year. Those outfits in Texas and beyond now must pay a 21 percent tax on some fringe benefits, such as parking or mass transit passes, … [Read more...] about Will new tax on churches force thousands of congregations to file tax returns?
What’s the reason for the Ridgecrest renaissance?
Ridgecrest Conference Center (and note the lack of the word "Baptist" in the name, we will certainly take non-Baptist dollars), LifeWay's venerable Smoky Mountains location for retreats, conferences and the like seems to be doing just fine. So fine that more free labor is needed. Baptist Press reports on it: Volunteers needed as Ridgecrest attendance climbs. Yeah, I've give a week to menial labor at Ridgecrest for room and board. I was at Ridgecrest last July for a night and was surprised at how things had improved. Now, the executive director of Ridgecrest says, "It was the most people … [Read more...] about What’s the reason for the Ridgecrest renaissance?