Questions For the Panel
Questions
General Question (6)
A question that cannot be easily categorized under an existing category.
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The minister can take a sec. 1402(e) exemption to opt out of self employment taxes which is social security tax for self-employee.
Yes. There is some evidence in the bible that Jesus, and his disciples, often prayed in the morning hours. However, there is no specific commandment in the bible to do so.
Pastors (124)
Another way to look at cell ministry is small groups. Small groups are very effective and biblical. In fact, Sunday school is about small groups. Often times, small groups or effective because it brings people together who share common interest, experiences, and needs. It also allows for more one-on-one personal interaction and establishing ties and friends within the church.
A parsonage (or rental) allowance includes church provided parsonages, rental allowances with which the minister may rent a home, and housing allowances with which the minister may purchase a home. A minister can receive a parsonage allowance for only one home. The term home means a dwelling place, including furnishings, and the appurtenances (e.g., garage)
Ministers are allowed to exclude a parsonage allowance from gross income. To be excludable, the fair rental value of the parsonage or the parsonage allowance must be reasonable in amount.
A parsonage (or rental) allowance includes church provided parsonages, rental allowances with which the minister may rent a home, and housing allowances with which the minister may purchase a home. A minister can receive a parsonage allowance for only one home. The term home means a dwelling place, including furnishings, and the appurtenances (e.g., garage)
Ministers are allowed to exclude a parsonage allowance from gross income. To be excludable, the fair rental value of the parsonage or the parsonage allowance must be reasonable in amount.
Mileage allowance for 2009 was 55 cents per mile. For 2010, it is 50 cents per mile.
$400 for an independent contractor (evangelist) and any amount of income paid to an employee should be reported.
For recordkeeping and accounting purposes, It might be cleaner to pay in two checks. However, for 1099 purposes the expense reimbursement would not be reported as income as this would be an expense of the church.
A specific review of all the relevant facts would need to be made to be sure one way or the other, but generally speaking, If considered an employee and not a licensed minister, you should withhold taxes and file a W-2.
If the individual is considered an independent contractor, you should file a 1099. What are the advantages of disadvantages? Unless the church has elected out of FICA (at the initial point of incorporation and filing its first information return), FICA taxes are paid by the church and employee.
On independent contractors, the church does not pay FICA tax.
It largely depends on whether the minister (pastor) is considered an employee or independent contractor (as determined by the common law control test). Essentially, Ministers receiving a salary from a congregation are generally considered employees under the common-law rules, with income from ministerial duties considered wages for income tax purposes.
However, a minister’s wages are not subject to FITW (federal income tax withholding), FUTA, or FICA. The wages are considered self-employment income subject to self-employment tax.
The minister can take a sec. 1402(e) exemption to opt out of self employment taxes which is social security tax for self-employed individuals (FICA for employees). The exemption is irrevocable and only applies to services performed in the exercise of the taxpayer’s ministry. Self Employment income from other activities is subject to self-employment tax. The IRS has created a form that Ministers can complete that effectively satisfies the requirements in the Internal Revenue Code and Regulations, Form 4361.
The personal use of a church vehicle must be valued and reported as taxable income. Talk to your CPA to determine the valuation principle to be used.
Most churches, at some point in time, will ask for personal pledges to be made by its members; usually for a specific purpose. In general you can count on about 75% of the money to actually come in each month. It may start out higher but usully goes down over time. This is not good strategy for the long haul. Many people stop paying, other move away and this leaves a deficit in the budget.
Why budget? The bible requires that we be good stewards of the resources he has given to us. Accurate evaluation and tracking of money is essential to financial planning security. It is important for a church to check the Federal Laws governing church finances and worker compensations.
Considerations:
• What is the purpose and mission of the church?
• Evaluate the budget for the past 3 years
• Where do your finances come from?
• How stable are the prospects for future income?
• What is your projected income?
The short answer is no. This kind of thing is a hindrance to growth because it is embarrassing to the visitor and may keep them from returning. This statement seems to be judgmental and critical, not constructive. The teacher was probably well intentioned but nevertheless this practice is harmful.
Some pastors meet all departments on a quarterly basis while others meet monthly. They also have tag-in sessions with department heads on a weekly basis. Basically it depends on whatever works best in your situation.
It may also depend on how large the church is, how many departments exist, and the scope of their responsibilities. Some departments need to meet more often than others.
Under normal circumstances it is not advisable for a pastor to "share" information regarding people in his local assembly. There could be times that person’s actions may involve the entire church (legal etc.) and a church board may need to be apprised of a situation.
I recommend that church Board's meet on a regular monthly basis. The time should include time for communication, training, vision sharing, dicussion, and following the business of a pre-planned agenda.If Board's do not meet regularly they will never develop the synergy to be properly decisive as a team.I also recommend that Board's be empowered. By that I mean they should have decision-making authority for the business matters of the church without congregational approval. This requires a change in the by-laws in order to do so.
Yes. He has the churches spiritual pulse. He should welcome advice, and be willing to accept the business wisdom of people who have the churches best interest. However, he will need to be invovled in the direction of the churches affairs. Therefore, he should be on the church board.
It depends on the size of the church and the range of responsibilities they have. Most agree that a number between 5 and 11 is sufficient. Usually 5 or 7 is best because you do not want to have too many members, or too few. Too few members may not be enough men to have a broad enough spectrum for the accurate assessment of a situation and too many can result in too many opinions which leads to too much discussion and confusion. It is also important to have an uneven number to prevent a deadlock situation.
First you need to check your bylaws and see what is mandated. This type of thing should be in the minutes of the church.
Some pastor’s appoint specific board members and have them ratified at the annual business meeting. This is totally dependant on the pastor’s discretion.
Other pastor’s bring a pool of names to the church for consideration and a vote is taken from those recommended. The pastor is probably the only one qualified to make these recommendations since he knows the most about them.
The role and expectations of a church board must be clearly defined and understood. A board should not be asked to operation outside the limitations of their responsibilities.Board members should not be "yes" men who are manipulated by the pastor or other people.The board should never be asked to deceive or "cover up" information provided to the church, banks etc.The pastor should never blame the church board or use them as a "scapegoat" to take the blame when things go wrong.
Paul's first letter to Timothy pretty well sums up what makes a godly bishop or deacon. A board member could be considered an overseer, one who helps to look after the affairs of the church.1 Timothy 3:1-13This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
Government is another way to speak of how we administrate or manage the church. Government is not a bad word, in fact, it is essential to the success of the church. Every church will be governed by an actual structure. If no structure exit, a defacto government will automatically take its place. Defacto simply refers to that which exists “in fact, but without legal sanction”.
Every church should have some form of church government. Often the specifics are established in the by-laws when the church was first formed. Check the by-laws to see if this has been done. Of course, there is a way to legally change this if the church desires to do so.
A pastor must take charge of his time just as he does his money. You budget money, so budget your time. It is imperative that you allocate time on day to day basis to be with your spouse and children. Obviously you may not be able to spend enough time with them every day so you must plan times each week. Do not allow too much time to go buy without spending quality time with your family. It is vital that you have extended vacations planned into your calendar. You should never feel guilty about this.
This is a question for your accountant, but it is generally assumed to not be in the pastor's best interest. This raises a red flag for the IRS and can trigger an audit. It is usually best to keep the pastor’s personal business and the churches interest separate.
It is important for each pastor to check the laws in his state. Most states have laws that explain a pastor’s obligation to satisfy the requirements of the law. This may vary from state to state.There are things that a pastor cannot promise confidentiality such as; bodily threat to themselves or others, or crimes against children and seniors.
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Great question! Be sure and communicate with the pastor. Obey his instructions no matter how you feel about them.
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This is one of the most common complaints of pastor/s wives in regards to their husband. It is true that pastor’s often get caught up with what they consider urgent matters and fail to see the necessary issues at home that must be dealt with.
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This is an extremely difficult subject to make hard and fast decisions about. In part, it depends on the pastor’s view of second marriages. Some pastor’s believe that second marriages are unscriptural regardless of the circumstances. Others believe that remarriage is okay under certain circumstances such as adultery or other sexual perversions.
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Yes, and immediently! Check with the laws in your state regarding such things.
It depends on the needs of your church but listed below are some considerations:
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If the pastor wants to and thinks he/she can get by with it. In today’s society that is their decision as a service provider. However, compliance may not be as enforceable as it once was.
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Biblical guidance yes but marital counseling no . . . unless you are a licensed counselor with state recognized credentials. If you counsel without a license you are subject to litigation.
Become familier with, and abide by, U.S. Immigration law. This includes that every employee has an I-9 form on file proving U.S. citizenship. You could be arrested, fined, and experience seizure of property and closure if you violate the law.You can, of course, pray for them, give them bible studies, etc.
There is no scripture for all the tithe going to the pastor. This matter should be determined by the local church’s by-laws and pastoral contract. IRS regulations would convict a pastor who receives all the tithe as income if that amount exceeds what can be justified as reasonable compensation.
In most cases gambling is not illegal (such as licensed casinos) and the type and amount of winnings determine if they are considered taxable income. Many people use gambling as a livelihood. There is no Bible scripture that qualifies that tithe money has to come only from certain sources. Tithe is on the increase.
Use wisdom here. If the parents are in the church their opinions will have a more direct impact. · Determine why the parents are not in favor of the marriage.
This is a challenge faced by every pastor who has a family. Unfortunately the results vary with degrees of success and failure. Most often the warning signs of incorrectness may go unheeded until years later a problem or chasm arises in the family. Now is the time to address the issue pro-actively.
Not necessarily. A person should have a safe person to go to in times of need. However, this is a judgment call depending on the information given to you by that spouse.
Communication is vital in this situation. The wife of an evangelist should not impose on the pastor’s wife as to her time or her own expectations of the pastor’s wife. The pastor’s wife has daily duties, family matters to attend to, and may even hold a public job.
As is always the case communication between the pastor and evangelist is imperative. The pastor should convey to the evangelist what he expects from him.
Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer for this question but it does deserve consideration and discussion. Many factors figure into this situation. Is it a home mission’s church?” What is the ability of the church to pay? Is the evangelist a beginning minister? Is he married with a family? Is he full-time or part-time? How long is the revival? How far does the evangelist have to travel to reach the city?
An acceptable salary would be determined by the ability of the church to pay, the average pay scale in the city the church is located, and the prospective employee's experience and abilities. Perks could include help with paying taxes, housing allowances, or life insurance. Here again all of this is determined by the ability of the local church to pay.
Your Church Magazine did a study on church budgets and came up with some interesting information. The average size budget of the churches surveyed was $292,790 annually. This was divided out as following:
Ministry is a life time pursuit of learning and personal growth. We must be ever learning to increase our skills in communication, delivery, and content. There are many books and magazines that are helpful as well as many online resources to draw from.
You can enroll in online universities so you can choose a specific school of study pertinent to your interest and ministry. Church conferences and seminars are always beneficial as well.
Every pastor will be called upon to counsel people on a wide variety of problems. How you deal with this may depend on your training, experience, and inclination to spend time in counseling.
A pastor must realize his limitations in this area. You may need to suggest a professional counselor or call in a Spirit-filled preacher/counselor to deal with some situations. Some pastors have actually become certified in family or crisis counseling.
While it was a common practice, years ago, for pastor’s to visit the saints home, it is not done so much any more. Today, both parents work outside the home and they do not often feel that they have the time, or a clean enough house, for the pastor to visit. For better or for worse, we live in a much more demanding and busy time.
This is a great question and deserves a lot of consideration. Many pastors’ wives feel neglected or unfilled. They are often ignored while the pastor spends inordinate amounts of time with church members. No pastor’s wife should feel lonely or that she is an imposition on her husband. No preacher’s child should ever feel neglected or mistreated.
Needless to say prayer is an essential part of the pastor’s life. If possible, it is best to work prayer into your schedule; otherwise you may get caught up with your responsibilities and not get to it. The same is true for fasting; put it in the schedule.
Many people have suggested that a pastor pray at least an hour a day and that they pray early in the morning. While there may be some biblical precedent for this, and may be a good idea, it is probably not correct to say that every preacher has to do it this way.
Time spent in study is vital to a preacher. He must constantly study to be fresh and relevant. If you consistently study you will not usually struggle for something to preach. A pastor speaks to many of the same people for up to three times a week. This is a challenge. You do not want to be stale, boring, uninteresting or unknowledgeable.
Obviously this may vary from one situation to the other but it is good to take time to communicate with the church on certain, specific matters. This can save a lot of trouble and misunderstanding in the future.
Every church has problems and a pastor cannot expect a perfect situation but some problems or emblematic of church in general, while others may be specific challenges that a particular church may be facing.
Just a few suggestions…
Is the church ready for growth and revival?
What is the vision of the church?
Does the church have ongoing prayer and fasting?
It is important for every church to focus on the needs and challenges of family life. This starts before marriage. When a pastor agrees to perform the ceremony of a couple he should, in most cases, require that the couple agree to premarital counseling.
The church should have marriage seminars where the pastor and other people, who are qualified, speak to certain issues. Occasionally a church should have services in which the focus is on the family. God can do a lot of work in a couple’s marriage when they are in an atmosphere where the Spirit of God moves.
There are many ideas regarding church wide prayer and how it is done. First, it is imperative to have some kind of prayer program for the church; something that unites people in vision and purpose.
Evangelists (19)
Evangelists
The short answer is that it would not be acceptable for an evangelist to accept "tithe" from a family member, or some other person, as far as that goes. The tithe should go into the storehouse in which that person is spiritually feed and nourished. This question specifically spoke to the "tithe" but it should also be said that the member of a local church should support the church with their offerings as well. Beyond that
it would be perfectly acceptable for a family member to provide financial support to a family member who is an evangelist.
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You should always inform the pastor when this happens, give him the money and let him do with it as he desires. Remember, the pastor is having to pay expenses for the revival and may need the help. If he gives it back to you, fine, keep it, but never keep any kind of a secret from the pastor. If it is known that someone did give you money, and you did not inform the pastor, then there will be a question of trust in his mind and that is never good for an evangelist.
Not necessarily. It would depend on your age, circumstances, maturity and more importantly, the advice of your pastor. If you evangelize as a single man, it is imperative that you have a strict code of conduct (approved by your pastor) that is never violated, along with accountability to the pastor you are preaching for and your home pastor.
Shakespeare (Hamlet, 1603) said it best, “Brevity is the soul of wit”. However, the question cannot be answered with one simple quote. There are factors to consider such as church and pastor expectation, purpose of meetings, and goal of the evangelist. As a matter of practice, it is probably better to err on the side of caution and not preach too long. Often, the people you are preaching to are not accustomed to being in church too long and have a short attention span. It is possible to preach past the point of being effective.
In general, it is vital for an evangelist to have a home church and to maintain ties to a local church pastor. Most pastors, who would invite you to preach, want to know that you submit yourself to pastoral authority. One who has authority must be under authority.
Evangelist ties to local church.
Very important! Everyone needs a home church and pastor. It is reassuring to a pastor to know that you are in good standing with, and have ties to, a local church and pastor. An evangelist should stay in touch with his pastor and keep him apprised of what is going on in his ministry. As in any situation, communication is vital to maintaining a good relationship. Your wife and children also need a home church that is a place to which they “belong”, a refuge even. In general, everyone needs a pastor, elder, or mentor to whom we are accountable.
The pastor's wife needs to remember that the wife of an evangelist is a guest of herself and the church. Common courtesy and thoughtfulness is appreciated. The pastor's wife should communicate with the evangelist wife and let her know how things will go during their time at the church. The pastor's wife should also let the evangelist wife know that she can call, or approach her, if she has any needs are questions.
Evangelists (1)
The simplest way is to pay the IRS going rate for mileage. That takes care of all of their travel expenses (fuel, food, and lodging). You can use mileage calculators readily available online. Mileage should be figured from where they actually travel from, to your church location, and does not include side trips etc.
Another way is to pay actually expenses but this leaves room for misunderstanding. If a pastor chooses this method he should be sure to make it clear to the evangelist what he will actually be paying for.
Beginning Ministry (9)
Beginning Ministry
It is never good to keep your current pastor in the dark. Communication and openness are a must to maintaining a good relationship. The pastor (who is your family member and is wishing to have you come and preach) should call your present pastor before inviting you. You should have no hard feelings if your current pastor is not ready to release you to preach out yet.
It is probably not appropriate to ask your pastor to secure places for you to preach. It is best for you to prove your ministry in the local church and move through doors as Gods opens them. If your pastor offers to secure places for you to preach, that is good, but it is his call. However it is not the pastor’s responsibility to do so.
Unfortunately this more difficult than it used to be and there are many reasons for that. It is vital that you work closely with your pastor. He may, or may not, help you get places to preach and you should not be offended if he does not.
The first and most important thing you can do is apply yourself to prayer, study of the word, soul-winning and supporting your local church.
Normally, it may take time, but eventually doors will begin to open for you.
The question of entering the ministry is an extremely important one. Only God can call a person to preach the Gospel. However, there are several considerations. You must KNOW that God has called you to the ministry and this must be tested over a period of time. Do you have a life of consistently living for God that is recognized by family and others? How does your pastor feel about your call to ministry? The bible says that a minister should not be a novice. This means you need to be properly trained and equiped for ministry. You must have a game plan. All of this will take time.
Youth Ministry (9)
Youth ministers and others working with young people.
84.5% of youth workers are satisfied with their work. Only 57% feel like they will be in youth ministry 5 years from now. Burnout, pay, stress, and promotion make up the reasons for the 43% of youth workers that don’t see themselves in youth ministry 5 years from now.
This is a very important question to answer for each minister. At times when we achieve higher than average, in anything that we do, we can feel like we have “arrived.” Once this happens we will feel accomplished and somewhat superior to the rest of the people we are serving. However, it is important to realize that regardless of our position, we should always be students.
In youth ministry, we should always remember that if we don’t have the trust of the parents, we won’t have much of a youth ministry at all. Therefore, it is very important to make a connection with parents. Meet the parents, know the parents and make sure that there is always a level of communication with the parents.
. First of all, yes, foundational teaching should start in the home (Deuteronomy 6), but should you count on that?
For the most part young people want to do their best to do the right thing. If you remind them on regular basis that most people are looking for friendship, and anyone that will just be nice to them, they will see the importance of greeting the guests at church. And ultimately it will make your guests feel welcome.
. To answer plain and simple, it would just be to keep them busy. However, if all it took was that, then every youth ministry would be a model group.
. In whatever you do it needs to be consistent. Consistency breeds belief in what you are doing with young people.
Music ministry (2)
I hear this often and have asked it ask too many times to count. Over the last few years I have found some resources that have been very useful to me. Most notably is the CoreWorship.com site. As long as it is available it is worth checking out. It costs about $30 a month (less if you pay upfront) and offers part tracks,lead sheets, chord charts, and loops (my personal favorte). There is another club that is similar and it is Mark Condon's music club.
Most music directors that turn out to be homosexual usually convey that inclination in their mannerism and dress. It is important that you do not dress in any kind of effeminate or unisex clothing. Do not fix your hair in a way that is connected with that lifestyle. And certainly do not act in any kind of an inappropriate manner toward other men.
Retired Ministers (1)
Retired Ministers questions.
Church Planters (1)
Questions pertaining to church planting or planters.
ALN | 2011