Launching a new church is a process full of decisions and potential pitfalls that threaten to stunt your new church’s growth.
Many of these decisions fall into a category we would call “church structure.” Since it’s one of the 9 Growth Barriers that all churches face, today I’m beginning a series of posts on Church Structure.
A lot of times, people email me or ask in coaching networks if I can send them a copy of our by-laws from The Journey because they want to see “how we did it.”
I can’t do that, but I can give you one big principle when it comes to writing your by-laws AND the name of some people who can help.
Early on in the life of a church, you have to realize that no matter what you have in place, the overwhelming majority of the responsibility and liability belongs to the pastor.
Sometimes young churches stipulate so much in their by-laws – whether because of their tradition or past experience or bad advice – that they effectively tie their hands when it comes time to make decisions down the road.
The key when it comes to writing By-Laws for your new church is found in the term itself, “by law.” “By law,” what are you required to have in writing? What is the minimum requirement “by law” for your church to operate?
Keep the by-laws basic and don’t include anything that you don’t absolutely need to include.
How do you write legal by-laws that won’t threaten to limit your church’s growth? Ask people who know.
When it comes to church legal advice, I recommend Church Law Group. They are the lawyers and corporate structure experts that we use at The Journey. We consult them before doing anything that may have legal implications. They’re the best in the business!
P.S. For more on the 9 Growth Barriers that every church faces, check out The Growth Barriers Workshop.
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