Pastor starting a church?

Question

My parents are pastor and are in the process of starting their own church I would like to what are the steps I know that they need to get there EIN number, the corporation cerfticate, 501 forms etc. I just basically want to know in what direction to go first.

Answer 1

Go to the IRS website.

http://www.irs.gov

Answer 2

An attorney or expert would be a good, but expensive way. There are some "Learning Tree" like courses you can take cheaply. Probably some university Extension classes.

Getting and EIN is nothing. You just contact the government, get a form and send it in, then you get your EIN number. It doesn't become a hassel until you start having employees and then you must file quarterly returns. If you have no employees you file nothing.

Corporation requires some expert advise to do it right. I imagine it's a non-profit corp. There might be some self-help books written by attornies you can buy at Borders for $25

In some instances you can buy a complete corporate kit, with minutes, share, seal and then all you do is file with the state and pay a fee.

You may have to file an annual return. That's where the professional advise comes in handy.

The 501(c) can be straightforward. You have to decide if it's personal or corporate and you seem to be leaning corportate, which is probably a good thing.

For a CHURCH, however, you might need to become affiliated with some accepted group, again expert advise is required.

See if you are just doing a public thing, like a half way house or shelter or school it's somewhat easy. But a church is not necessarily an open public thing. IT caters to a group a special interest. There might be some limitations or such.

Again there might be self-help books.

Remember none of this shelters the individual from extreme situations.

Even with 501(c) and corporations is something goes wrong you can end up in personal liability if it can be demonstrated things were mis-managed or the non-profit situation abused.

You can't, for example, buy a TV set for personal use at home and get out of paying sales tax.

YOu can't take the family to France or Italy for some religious conference. If your parents are both Pastors they can probably qualify, but you would have to pay your own way. IF you use 501(c) funds for that it's misuse, even if you're serving a purpose. They try and call you and assistant and get audited by the IRS that could be challeenged.

The Crystal Cathedral got into some hot water years back, by not paying income taxes on money they made renting the Cathedreal out for non religious shows with performers like Frank Sinatra. They had to pay back taxes, interest and penalties on that.

While Schuler was quick to pay, the fact still remains that his people decided to consider those performances and income derived as being tax exempt.

That failure comes from not employing an honest CPA or EA to review your situation.

In short, they pulled an Enron.

And yes, religion is a business when you have to deal with government.

In most areas you can't just start a HOME INTERNET business, such as buying and selling on E-Bay without paying the local tax man.

SHOULD your city or county EVER find out, you can end up owing SIZABLE back taxes, penalties and interest and get closed down until you cooperate. Which means, they can pull your telephone lines and thus, no internet connection.

When a Catholic, Mormon, JEwish or Muslim religioius center (Church, Synogage, Mosque) is planned they MUST get zoning permission from the city, who CAN DENY IT if the streets can't handle the crowds on a daily or weekly basis.

There will be a public hearing and people can attempt to stop it.

What differs is that these organizations are EXPERIENCED in doing this, employ, lawyers, EA, CPA, contractors, developers and lobbiest who help them get the job done and see to it all the paperwork is in place before the Minsiter, Priest, RAbbi or Iman walks through the front door for the first time.

Answer 3

After you have met the States requirements, get a house seperate from your living area to hold the worship ceremonies simply because ones home should not have to be other peoples worship space. That it shows others that you are needy and will expect them to be invaded also says your commitment isn't great enough. My parents successfully started a Church that eventually built its own buildings using such a tactic. Then advertise by putting the name of the Church on the property, having full services there even if only one or two people come and offer ways to help the community at large. If your message is true, the Church will grow.

Answer 4

How members do you have? Usually when people start chruches they deal with 501(3)c issues later. Some one of special experitice can help get you started if you want to get legal status. Such as a Lawyer or an Attorney your parents could start there church even with such a status. What ever they made for there church would be considered personal income. And so they would be taxed for it.

Answer 5

Dear a_bug,

I do not want to alarm you but the church age ended in 1988. God is no longer using any local congregations to bring the Gospel. If you read 2 Thessalonians 2, God tells us that the "man of sin", who can be shown to be satan is now ruling in ALL local churches. Notice that the Holy Spirit has been taken out of the way (midst). This means that ABSOLUTELY NO ONE can be saved regardless of the accuracy of the preaching because the Holy Spirit must apply the word of God to a person for them to be regenerated (Titus 3:5).

Please read Matthew 24 (whole chapter). In verse 15, 16 God gives the same info that you read in 2 Thess 2. The abomination of desolation is satan. He is now ruling in the Temple-remember this is exactly what satan wanted: to be like God (Isaiah 14:9-15). Notice that God commands the true believers to flee to the mountains. The "mountains" is parabolic language for Christ (Psalms 121). The true believers are t o leave the churches and serve God outside. This is exactly what happened when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem--those who went to Babylon (Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azaiah) were spared but those who stayed in Jerusalem were killed.

The command to leave the churches is also given in Revelation 18:4 Notice here that the voice of the Bridegroom (God Almighty) is no longer heard in Babylon. The voice of the Bride (true believers) is no longer heard in Babylon. Babylon is referring to all the local churches.

I hope that this will help you.

Answer 6

Greetings my young friend, go to the IRS website and download the form from the website, it's the EIN form. You can also do it online on the website. Good luck.

Answer 7

Ask Ted Haggard. His innovative ways of spreading the Gospel are really an inspiration.

Answer 8

I would first go and read about the Melchezidic and Aronic priesthoods.

How to obtain them and read about priestcrafts.

Those who do not carry the athority to preach the gospel and think church is a business are under serious comdimnation.

Answer 9

Pray and ask God to guide them if he wonts them in the ministry he will provide the right church.

Answer 10

its actually an FEIN for federal that they need...first and then the 501...