Can Church Disputes Be Resolved Without Going To Court? Attorney and Senior Editorial Advisor Lisa Runquist shares what she's learned in more than four decades of handling church disputes. Lisa A. Runquist
Immanuel Baptist Church Split Highlights Need for Sound Governing Documents Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock is grappling with a host of complex issues, including how to govern itself in the midst of a split. Matthew Branaugh
Part 1 of 4: Prepping for a Church Meeting Preparation is key in holding an effective church meeting. Sarah E. Merkle
Part 4 of 4: Minding Meeting Minutes Holding an effective church meeting includes knowing who should be keeping minutes and how they should be kept. Sarah E. Merkle
Part 3 of 4: Making Every Vote Count Holding an effective church meeting includes understanding the four basic types of votes, and knowing which one is best. Sarah E. Merkle
Part 2 of 4: Managing Meeting Motions Knowing how to make—and manage—a motion is a crucial aspect of a successful church business meeting. Sarah E. Merkle
Four Steps Needed For An Effective Church Meeting Parliamentarian Sarah E. Merkle partners with Church Law & Tax to show church leaders how to hold an effective church meeting. The Editors and Sarah Merkle
Part 5 of 5 Running a Virtual Church Business Meeting A quick guide to conducting church business virtually. Sarah E. Merkle
Part 4 of 5 Taking Minutes at a Church Business Meeting How to properly document the official actions taken at a meeting. Sarah E. Merkle
Part 3 of 5 Voting at a Church Business Meeting Four primary methods of voting that members and leaders should understand. Sarah E. Merkle
Part 2 of 5 Making Motions at a Church Business Meeting Four questions to help ensure your motions follow proper parliamentary procedure. Sarah E. Merkle
Part 1 of 5 Preparing for a Church Business Meeting How to structure effective, legally sound meetings—and set their agendas. Sarah E. Merkle
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
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
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 Discover the essential documents for a seamless church merger process. Erika E. Cole
Best Practices for Recording Church Events and Activities From worship services to children's programs and business meetings, a sound policy ensures legal compliance. Sally Wagenmaker and Micah Chetta
Add These Two Provisions to Your Church Bylaws Today These key provisions for church bylaws allows for legally sound, virtual church meetings. Frank Sommerville