A couple of weeks ago, we pointed you to the newly released “Church Formation Basics” on-demand webinar, which covers how a church legally forms through its articles of incorporation and bylaws. If you haven’t signed up to receive free access to this video, you can do so here.
This topic matters—both at the beginning of the church’s life and for years to come—because it sets the ways the church governs itself, including the who, what, when, and how of voting on key decisions.
In recent years, attorney Erika Cole has noticed a trend: A growing number of leaders within congregation-led churches have quietly contemplated shifts to a board- or elder-led model.
The trend gives Cole pause because serious problems can emerge when governance structures are changed, especially quietly, and the power for decision-making gets consolidated into fewer hands.
Caution must be exercised, and in Cole’s new article for Church Law & Tax, she outlines the reasons why.
Furthermore, there are two ways you can dive deeper into this topic:
- Listen to the latest episode of Church Law, which features Cole’s interview with Mike Cosper, host of The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, about how governance changes affected Seattle’s Mars Hill Church.
- Consider becoming an Advantage Member to join our exclusive webinar Who Pilots Your Church? on April 27.
