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ZBJune

Zenas’ Brief – June 2023

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ZBJune

So, You’re Sending Messengers!

What’s a messenger and what should the messenger expect?  A “messenger” is a delegate appointed by an affiliated SBC church to attend the SBC Annual Meeting on the church’s behalf.  Much goes on at the annual meetings, messengers will meet people, hear speakers, visit vendors, and hopefully have a fun and informative time. Being a messenger has definite legal aspects and responsibilities. The collective messengers are similar to a legislative body, like Congress, they make decisions through asking questions, speaking, and voting.

When messengers arrive at the meeting, they first need to check in at the Credentials Desk and upon registration will be given a packet of materials including an itinerary, copies of reports, and documents, resolutions, anticipated actions, and more. The messengers need to become familiar with those. Each day, a newsletter will be distributed that gives updates and information about the day’s activities. There will be several sessions at which Baptist entities (for example, the International Mission Board) will make reports, elections will be held, motions or resolutions will be proposed, discussed and voted on, etc.  Look, learn, and listen….and vote as God leads.

In choosing messengers, ensure that you are picking people who exemplify the qualities of 
1 Timothy 3:8. We also recommend confirming travel plans, reimbursements, and insurance for messengers.

The SBC Annual Meeting is a great opportunity to learn what others are doing, experiencing,  thinking…and especially to enjoy “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4: 3). Afterwards, it would be great if your messengers let us know their thoughts and experience. Thanks for going!

ZB-may

Zenas’ Brief – May 2023

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FRAUD PREVENTION

An unfortunate reality of our fallen world is that people will take advantage of the church. Whether the person is outside of the church or a wolf within the church, the church is vulnerable to attack. In a study by Church Law & Tax, an arm of Christianity Today, nearly one-third of 700 churches surveyed suffered from some form of financial misconduct, not including cybercrimes.

The financial toll can be staggering. In recent years, a church employee stole almost $200,000 from a church during a two-year period, and a member of the clergy embezzled $256,000 from three churches. These examples are bad actors within the church, but people from outside the church are constantly sending phishing scams and ransomware attacks. While the financial harm from fraud can be severe, the amount of time spent trying to remedy a fraudulent act and the shame of being a victim should not be overlooked.

Churches must be proactive in preventing fraud. We recommend having policies in place that provide oversight for people handling money within the church. We also recommend policies on technology to help ward off phishing and ransomware attacks. While it is impossible to stop all fraud, having strong policies and procedures will deter the likelihood of your church falling victim to someone’s evil ways.

Finally, while fraud is a terrible act, we can rest in the sovereignty of God and pray for that He chooses to work a miracle in the heart of those who wish the church harm.

The UISBC Legal Team will be presenting on policies and procedures later this month. We invite you to attend and learn more about how a good policy can help protect your church. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your UISBC Legal Team.

ZBApril

Zenas’ Brief – April 2023

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Zenas’ Brief – April 2023

Mission Planning

Christ directed in Mark 16:15 to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.” 

Many of our churches are planning mission trips and projects. Here are a few legal tips.

If minors are going, obtain written consent and relevant information from the parents (e.g., allergies, medications, health issues, emergency care, contacts, etc.)

If traveling by vehicle, all vehicles should be inspected and in good order. Driver licenses should be reviewed to confirm they are not expired. Review your church’s insurance with your carrier to confirm the details of coverage for the mission trip and do not assume that the church’s general liability insurance is adequate or appropriate.

Meet with the team, parents, church leaders to discuss team leader authority, supervision of minors, emergency situations and actions to be taken, security measures, rules of conduct, travel routes, as well as travel and project expectations. Give everyone a packet with this and other information.

International mission trips involve more such as passports, visas, inoculations, security, travel challenges, and what to do in an emergency.

Think ahead and be prepared. If you have any questions or want more detailed advice, feel free to contact your UISBC Legal Team.

ZBMarch

Zenas’ Brief – March 2023

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ZBMarch

Meet Your UISBC Legal Team

Draper, UT – The UISBC is happy to announce that it is expanding its Legal Team. Brian Davis will be joining Gary McKean in providing legal services to the UISBC and affiliated churches. The Legal Team will assist the UISBC navigate legal matters and is also available to advise affiliated churches with their legal issues. You may have noticed some changes our Legal Team has made including holding legal seminars and starting this brief.

The name Zenas’ Brief was chosen to reflect how God used lawyers to expand His Kingdom. Most references to lawyers in the Bible involve lawyers subjecting people to legalism or challenging Jesus’ authority. Yet, in Titus, we see a lawyer named Zenas likely assisting Paul in spreading the Gospel (Titus 3:13) (See, we aren’t all bad!). The Legal Team’s goal is similar in that we want to help spread the Gospel by supporting churches with legal matters and letting pastors, evangelists, and leaders focus on their biblical callings.

The Legal Team encourages you to contact us and let us assist you in drafting legal documents such as articles of incorporation, by-laws, or policies and procedures. We are also available to review documents like insurance policies or deeds. The law touches many aspects of the church, but you are not alone in addressing legal issues, and we are excited to walk with you and grow God’s kingdom for his glory.

Visit the UISBC website at https://uisbc.org/legal for more resources. Or, contact your UISBC Legal Team for help.

ZBFeb

Zenas’ Brief

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ZBFeb

The purpose of Zenas’ Brief is to provide a short, monthly blurb on legal matters to help churches stay up to date on legal issues. Zenas was a lawyer and a first-century Christian that Paul mentioned by name in Titus 3:13.

A Legal Lesson from California

Recently, the staff of the California SBC described to us a new state law which mandates that leaders, workers, and volunteers of any organization serving children shall undergo a background check and complete training in child abuse, abuse identification, and abuse reporting. The organization shall also develop and implement relevant policies and procedures. Importantly, the law provides that an insurer may request information from the organization demonstrating compliance with the law.  The implication, of course, is that the insurer may decline coverage.

We recommend that each church have, and regularly review, its policies, procedures, background checks, and training. We also recommend that each church contact its insurer to review its insurance coverage. The church should provide the insurer with copies of the church’s policies and procedures and discuss how the church complies with legal standards regarding children. In addition, the church should request guidelines or relevant materials available through the insurer.

Visit the UISBC website at https://uisbc.org/legal for resources, samples on these topics, and to contact your UISBC Legal Team for help.

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UISBC Legal invites you to a free Finish Well webinar

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Layton, UT – UISBC Convention Attorney, Gary McKean would like to encourage pastors, church administrators, church clerks, treasurers and trustees to participate in a Finish Well Webinar offered by the Church Law & Tax division of Christianity Today Magazine. In addition to this free webinar, we encourage you to read their End of Year Checklist to find 17 tasks you should consider addressing before the calendar turns over into 2023. Many changes have taken place in recent years regarding reporting and designating end of year numbers through the IRS. You want to make sure your church is still in compliance with new regulations. 

End of Year Task Checklist from Christianity Today 

 

The end of the year always brings a flurry of activities to church offices – Between year-end giving, holiday bonuses, and 2023 budget plans, leaders can often feel overwhelmed. 

In this free webinar, join attorney, CPA, and senior editor Richard R. Hammar from Church Law & Tax, to learn how to equip and gain the confidence needed to head into the new year. 

We’ll provide key updates and reminders on a variety of fronts, including:

✔ How to correctly handle business expenses for pastors and staff; 

✔ How to properly set minister housing allowances;

✔ How to document and process charitable contributions; and,

✔ How to identify and prepare the records and paperwork that ministers, staff members, and the church will need for the upcoming tax-filing season. 

Don’t miss this perennially popular event!

Want Your Questions Answered Live?

Though Richard Hammar will be answering questions live, we encourage you to pre-submit questions by writing webinars@churchlawandtax.com  no later than Friday, December 9th. 

Register online:

Click Here to Register for the Webinar