Episode 18 | 36 min | October 7, 2022 A Closer Look at Church Compliance Churches are accountable first and foremost to the Lord. But when it comes to human-made directives, what does it mean to be a compliant church? Erika E. Cole
Episode 16 | 35 min | May 31, 2022 Answering Listeners’ Questions About Legal Issues Tackling board member liability, religious worker visas, childcare policies for home Bible studies, compensation-setting practices, and more! Erika E. Cole
Episode 14 | 30 min | April 19, 2022 The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill and What You Should Consider Before Changing Your Bylaws, with Guest Mike Cosper Why a shift in church governance can lead to unexpected results. Erika E. Cole
The Dangers of a Quiet Governance Change Subtly shifting who has authority to make key decisions in your church may make sense—but may also erode congregational trust. Erika E. Cole
Church Formation Basics Church formation basics gives leaders insights into how a church is formed, why it matters, and how it guides future decisions. Lisa A. Runquist
Ex-Employee’s Lawsuit Against Church Fails Under Church Autonomy Doctrine Florida appeals court also rejects agency law claim based on the doctrine. Richard R. Hammar
Episode 5 | 35 min | October 25, 2021 Why Church Meetings Go Off the Rails An interview with parliamentary procedure expert attorney Sarah Merkle. Erika E. Cole
Board Possessed Legal Authority to Fire Its Pastor State nonprofit corporation law factored heavily in the court's ruling. Richard R. Hammar
On-Demand Webinar The Basics of Running a Legally Sound Church Business Meeting Attorneys Richard Hammar and Sarah E. Merkle discuss best practices for implementing and following parliamentary procedures. Attorneys Richard R. Hammar and Sarah E. Merkle
17 Changes Relevant to Churches in Newest Robert’s Rules of Order Leaders should note these changes before their next official church business meeting. Richard R. Hammar
Advantage Member Exclusive Should My Church Consider a Merger Right Now? On-Demand Webinar: The critical information church leaders should know if they are thinking about a merger. Erika E. Cole
Recommended Reading Church Mergers: When, Why, and How From consideration to final steps, let the experts guide you each step of the way. The Editors
Part 1 of 4 Is a Merger the Right Next Step for Your Church? A primer on how to do it right. Erika E. Cole
Part 4 of 4 Finalizing a Merger Moving through the final stages of merging churches—and other options if a merger is not right for you. Erika E. Cole
Part 3 of 4 Deciding Factors for a Sound Merger Picking the right leaders to decide vision, name, location, staffing—and more. Erika E. Cole
Part 2 of 4 The Documents Needed for a Successful Church Merger Be sure you collect all the needed paperwork to keep the process moving forward. Erika E. Cole
Recommended Reading Getting Meetings Right Online or in-person, understand what churches need to know to conduct legally sound meetings. The Editors
Adding Emergency Provisions to Your Bylaws How adopting these provisions allows for legally sound virtual meetings. Frank Sommerville
Board Member Checklist Nine questions to help you understand your role and responsibilities. James Cobble and Tyler Charles
Advantage Member Exclusive Do Your Church’s Governing Documents Allow Virtual Business Meetings? Answering this crucial question can help legally validate decisions made during the coronavirus outbreak—and beyond. Sarah E. Merkle