Blog Archives

7/30/2018

Could Your Church Survive with Its Current Bylaws

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It was a little country Church in the out skirts of the small South Carolina town. They only averaged about 60 in attendance on any given Sunday, but they were content with that, and were proud of their small facility and the few beautiful acres upon which it sat. Pastor Smith never had any problems from the community or within his little Church. The members were faithful in their attendance, tithes, and offerings. But, then the “bottom” fell out.

While tidying up a few loose ends on that Saturday afternoon Pastor Smith was approached by a young man whom he did not recognize as a member of the small town or its outskirts where the Church was located. Pastor thought maybe the young man was moving into the area and was looking for a Church home.

Pastor wasn’t prepared for what he was about to hear.

A Shocking Request Is Made

The young man told the Pastor he was engaged to get married and had been searching for the perfect location for the ceremony which he and his fiancé were wanting. As they talked the Pastor thought maybe after marrying this couple they would move into the community, settle in, and become part of the congregation.

Unfortunately, Pastors dreams became a nightmare. As the Pastor continued to speak with the young man he asked some questions concerning the upcoming ceremony. The Pastor then asked the young man how old he was, to which the young man stated he was 26. When the Pastor asked the age of the bride-to-be, the young man stated that his fiancé, John, would turn 24 on the day of the wedding.

Conversation Comes to an Abrupt End

Once Pastor Smith regained his composure from the shock generated by the young man’s response, Pastor quickly told him that they were very fundamental and conservative in their Scriptural beliefs and its interpretation. Pastor then informed the young man he would need to go elsewhere because he and his congregation did not believe in or support the homosexual lifestyle and its agenda.

The Pastor proceeded to give the young man a brief Biblical discourse concerning the sin of homosexuality and that those who practiced that lifestyle were not allowed membership in his Church nor were they allowed to be married or buried in his Church.

The young man told the Pastor he was being discriminatory against him and his male fiancé and reminded the Pastor of the United States Supreme Court ruling.

Pastor Forgets about the Young Man and His Request

The next morning the Pastor relayed to his congregation the events of the day before and his answer and mini-sermon to the young homosexual. The congregation stood to their feet shouting support with many amens and hallelujahs in support of their Pastor’s and Church’s Biblical convictions.

After that Sunday morning service, Pastor Smith did not give the matter any further thought. In his mind, it happened, he had dealt with it, and the incident was history which he erased from his short-term memory banks.

But, the unthinkable happens.

Pastor Wasn’t Ready for what would Happen Next

It was about three months after that Saturday afternoon conversation when the county Sheriff showed up at the Pastor’s house. Knowing the Pastor and the members of that small country Church, the Sheriff said, “Pastor, I hate what I have to do.” It was then he placed in the Pastor’s hand a lawsuit initiated by that young man’s ACLU attorney. The Pastor and the Church were being sued for discrimination.

The Sheriff, the Pastor, and the Congregation were not worried. The community was a God-fearing, God-loving community in the heart of the Bible Belt. They knew the suit would be thrown out.

The suit did go to trial, and the Church won. Unfortunately, the Appeal was not as supportive as the local trial. On Appeal, the court ruled in favor of the young man and the small country Church was sold to settle the demands of the verdict.

What Went Wrong

During the Appellate proceedings the Judges ruled that the local trial failed to use the Church Bylaws as the standard for how the case should be decided. The Church Bylaws did not have an Article 14 Scriptural Conduct Living Provision Section to protect itself against lawsuits involving matters Scriptural belief and practice. Since the bylaws did not declare the Church to be against the homosexual lifestyle, the Church could not legally deny the young man and his male fiancé a wedding—especially since other non-members had recently been married using the Church facilities.

Because they did not know the law as it pertains to Churches, especially in ecclesiastical issues, they lost their beautiful country Church and property. The members had worked hard for five years with multiple fund-raisers and sacrificial giving so they could be debt free, only to have a court sell the property to settle the damages of the suit.

Why You Need Us!

Church Bylaws are the second most important document in your Church other than the Holy Bible. Unfortunately, most Churches allow the Pastor, some Trustee, or both to write the bylaws. This is a bad mistake.

In the tortious climate and the all out attack against Christianity, the days of respect for a Church and its beliefs are a thing of the past. Churches must do everything from a defensive perspective if they want to protect themselves and their assets.

Chitwood & Chitwood, with our 80 years of experience, has developed the best bylaws in the nation for our clients. Our bylaws have won every time they have been challenged.

At our Church Management Conferences across the nation we stringently teach the importance of Church Bylaws.

Before you put you and your Church at risk, it would behoove you to contact us at 800-225-5849 and ask for Mr. Tim Haney. Mr. Haney will draft you a solid set of bylaws based upon the Church Government of your Congregation. Don’t think the couple of pages written by your Pastor and Board will suffice. Every day you wait is another day you could become the subject of a lawsuit designed to take your Church assets. You should also call 800-344-0076 to register for a Church Management Seminar near you.

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

Our Church Management Conferences will arm you with the information you must have to shield your Church or Ministry from IRS intrusiveness; teach you how to get your Taxes to the lowest possible rate; and daily operate your Church or Ministry within IRS acceptable guidelines.

Our Conferences have been taught across the Nation for over 48 years. Because of the Penalties, Fines, and even Imprisonment that the IRS imposed on many Churches and Pastors, Dr. Chitwood felt led by the Holy Spirit to become a buffer between Churches, Ministers, and the IRS.

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7/26/2018

The Loneliest Place in the World

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Pastor Simpson had longed for the day for four years. He was finally graduating from Seminary and excited to enter the ministry for which he had dreamed for years. As a teenager, active in his local Church, he had always admired his Pastor and the seemingly positive effect his Pastor’s influence exuded in the lives of his parishioners.

It had been 12 months since Pastor Simpson accepted the role of Senior Pastor for the little country Church. Looking in from the outside it seemed this was a storybook connection—he loved and cherished his members and they reciprocated it back to him. But, then the bottom fell out.

Pastor Admits Himself to Rehab

Having been in his Pastoral position for less than 13 months, Pastor Simpson was faced with the necessity to enter rehab. The pressure of Pastoring the little country Church had taken its toll and Pastor Simpson turned to alcohol and pornography to help escape the emotional pain connected to his position.

Four years of Seminary training, graduating with a bachelor’s degree and a 3.9 GPA, had not prepared the young man for that which he would soon experience. In addition to Pastor’s emotional problem, the Church split down the middle. Half of the little congregation wanted to kick the Pastor to the curb, while the other half was sympathetic to his plight and desired to see him healed, delivered, and whole.

Seminary Is only Part of the Process

Seminaries and Bible Colleges are good for what they do, but the problem is they don’t do enough. Any Seminary student will leave the institution with more Biblical knowledge and insight than probably will ever be used in the life of their ministry. The students learn how to properly exegete the Scripture, while writing papers explaining the Hebrew and Greek definitions of a text.

In addition to the study of the Scriptures most Seminaries and Bible Colleges demand for the students to engage in an active prayer life and serve locally in some form of ministry within a Church setting.
What the Seminary does not do is provide in depth training to successfully navigate the stormy seas which a Pastor must sail. If all a Pastor had to do was preach his or her job would be the easiest in the world. Unfortunately, preaching and teaching is only a small percentage of the average Pastor’s job duties.

Pastors Must be Jack-of-All-Trades

In addition to spending much time in prayer and meditation to arrive at the appropriate message for a Sunday Service, the Pastor will spend most of his or her time performing duties which most members take for granted. The below is only a partial list of what an average Pastor will do weekly in his or her role.

CEO
The Pastor is automatically thrown into the position of Chief Executive Officer the moment he or she accepts the role of Pastor. This means the Pastor is automatically responsible for everything that transpires in that Church. While most CEOs are well compensated for their role, many Pastors live at the edge of poverty.

Financial Planner
The Pastor is not only responsible to ensure the Church is meeting its budget, but he or she often is required to sit with families who are struggling to make ends meet from week to week.

Recruiter
A Church cannot operate without a sufficient volunteer staff. With the Church struggling week to week just to meet its budget, there are no extra funds to pay those needed to do ministry. A Church needs volunteers for Children’s Ministry, to oversee the Benevolence Fund, to operate its Women’s and Men’s Ministry, and then there are musicians and singers needed to lead worship service. Someone has to gather and oversee those volunteers and more often than not, that lot falls on the shoulders of the Pastor.

In the above list I have omitted the various other duties such as Arbitrator/Peace-Keeper, Janitor, Maintenance Supervisor, Events Planner, Public Relations Expert, Social Worker, and countless more that could be named.

Is it any wonder that only 10% of Pastors actually retire in the pulpit? Is it any wonder why the position of Pastor is considered as the fourth highest suicide attempt rate of any profession?

Why It Is Lonely at the Top

When a member of the Church has an issue, whether it is a sin issue, or relational or emotional issue, they can go to the Pastor. They know what they confess and the assistance they receive will be confidential because of Priest-Penitent Privilege. But, to whom does a Pastor go? If the Pastor was to confide in a Church member, that member would no longer hold the Pastor in high esteem because of his or her failure, and most of the Church would know about it before the next Sunday Service. The Pastor can’t go to another Pastor because unfortunately, Pastors consider other Pastors and Churches as their competition. If he confided in another Pastor he would be afraid the news would be all over town so that the Pastor in whom he confided could grow his Church at the expense of the fallen man or woman of God. Most of the time the Pastor does not even feel comfortable relating his or her troubles to their spouse.

The Pastor finds himself or herself alone—no one to lean on and no one in which to confide. The emotional pain becomes so severe, that the Pastor seeks relief wherever he or she can find it. Too often, in order to find solace the Pastor turns to the dark world of something like alcohol or pornography as their escape. This is why the Pastor should be the most prayed for person in any congregation.

Why You Need Us

No one knows the throes of ministry, especially Pastoral, better than Chitwood & Chitwood. We have been the ultimate Church Management firm for 80 years. During this time we have always been the place which can assist the Pastor in his or her day-to-day challenges. At our Church Management Conferences across the nation we teach and make resources available to Pastors which can alleviate some of the pressure and stress they encounter on a weekly basis.

I strongly urge every Pastor, Pastor’s Spouse, and Church Leader to enroll for the next available Church Management Conference. It will be the best investment you can make in yourself and your ministry. To register please call us at 800-344-0076.

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

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7/23/2018

Why Every Christian Should be Ordained

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Pastor Henson constantly asked his Children’s Church Leader to become ordained and each time the answer was the same--“I don’t need papers to lead worship.” After years of pushing the issue the Pastor finally relented, but then it happened.

It was late on a Saturday evening as the Pastor was doing his final prep work for his next day’s message when the phone rang. On the other end was his Children’s Church Leader sounding audibly upset. When Pastor calmed her down, she informed Pastor Henson that she needed Ordination Credentials, to which Pastor agreed to ordain her the next day.

It was then that his Children’s Church Leader became adamant, declaring that she needed them now. When Pastor asked why, she relayed this heartbreaking story:

My best friend has been rushed to the hospital and she is not ready to meet God. I was called to the hospital to speak to her about her soul, but I was stopped at the ICU nurses station. Since it was not visiting hours the nurse asked me if I was an ordained Minister. Pastor I lied and told them I was, but then the nurse asked to see my ordination card. Pastor if I don’t get credentials now, my friend may die and go to hell.

Pastor Performs an Emergency Ordination Ceremony

Pastor Henson told his Children’s Church Leader that he and his wife would meet her at the Church in about 30 minutes to present her with the necessary papers she would need to get past the ICU nurse’s station.

Pastor and his wife prepared the necessary ordination papers and conducted an abbreviated ordination ceremony. Once complete the Children’s Church Leader rushed back to the hospital, thankful that she had the necessary documentation to see her friend before she died, with hopes of winning her to Christ.

It was the Best of Times and the Worst of Times

To coin the phrase from Charles Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

When the Children’s Church Leader arrived back at the hospital and proceeded down the ICU hallway she was met by her best friend’s spouse. The spouse was weeping uncontrollably and shared the devastating news that his wife and her best friend just died. It was the worst of times because the friend died without knowing Christ as her Savior—doomed to an eternity in hell. It was the best of times because the husband then asked the Children’s Church Leader if she could tell him what he needed to do to get his life right.

There in the hallway the husband repented of his sins and accepted Christ as His Savior, while the soul of his wife was burning in hell.

The Children’s Church Leader repented for not allowing herself to be ordained, but the price for her ordination was one that she had rather not paid. A piece of paper would have kept someone from dying lost without God.

Why Should Christians Be Ordained

It is our conviction and desire that every Christian in the world (especially in the USA) become an Ordained Minister of the Gospel. When we share this desire with others, the response is usually, “but I am not a preacher.” There is nothing that says you have to be a preacher to be an Ordained Minister.

2 Corinthians 5:18 declares all Christians to be ministers. If God has declared that you are a Minister, who are you and I to contradict God? That little piece of paper—the Ordination Card—would have prevented someone from going to hell. The Church should strongly encourage every Christian in their Church to be ordained.

It is amazing how legally empowering someone as to what God has already declared them to be emboldens them in areas of ministry which they should have been doing, but probably have not done. We have witnessed time and again how people who have never conducted hospital visits or have never shared Christ with others, suddenly become active in performance of Christian ministry duties.

Once the Christian member is ordained, he or she may then begin to perform Sacerdotal duties which, in turn, allows him or her certain IRS benefits. You don’t have to be a preacher to take advantage of IRS tax benefits. The Internal Revenue Service only recognizes the title minister and that is what God has already declared you to be. All you need are the legal documents to support what God has said you are.

Credentials Must be Legal

Anyone can give someone a piece of paper, but because you have a piece of paper doesn’t make you legal. This is why you should contact us today.

The International Congress of Churches and Ministers (ICCM) is the best, largest and fastest growing non-denomination ordaining body in the world. Our credentials are recognized world-wide and receive the greatest respect from religious and secular sources around the globe.

Urge your Christian members to become ordained now!

In Closing

ICCM enjoys the same credibility and integrity as our Church Management and Tax wing of Chitwood and Chitwood. With 80 years of providing counsel and ministry to Churches all across the globe, we know what it takes to lighten the burdensome load placed upon most Pastors and Christians.

Do Not Delay! If you would like to be legally ordained as to what God has declared you to be contact us at 800-854-5891 and ask to speak to Dr. Ronnie Shaw. You may also visit us online at www.iccmworldwide.org.

In addition I would strongly encourage you to attend the nearest Church Management Conference to learn more about legal ordination and requirements necessary for your Church or Ministry to be legally compliant. To register for the next seminar please call 800-344-0076.

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

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7/18/2018

If You Don’t Like the Direction Your Church is Taking, Look in the Mirror

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Representing thousands of Churches and Pastors for the past 80 years and with several Pastors on staff, I have determined that when a Church or ministry is not productive the blame does not lie at God’s feet, but at the feet of the man or woman He has installed in that Church. God gives us our mandate and vision based upon our abilities and if it is not productive we have no one to blame but ourselves.

I understand that Scripture declares that the Lord must be the builder of the House or our labor is in vain (Psa. 127:1). However, I also know that God will not come physically to your location to build your Church or Ministry. He builds it through His delegated authority for that House, as the man or woman of God carries out His vision and desire. His vision for the local Church is outlined in Scripture and further amplified to the Pastor through prayer and meditation.

As I was meditating as to what to write for this blog, I continued to hear in my spirit two reasons why Churches don’t grow or have the resources they need to fulfill the ministry which God has entrusted them.

God Will Not Bless A Mess

One thing that is easily discernible in Scripture is that God is a God of order. When creating this earth, the heavens, and all that is therein, He did it in a specific order. When He sent His Son into to this world to redeem us, it was at a specific time and according to a certain order (Gal. 4:4). When Jesus fed the multitude, it was orderly (Luk. 9:14ff). God is a God or order—not chaos. God’s very first order of business as recorded in Scripture is bringing order to chaos. In Genesis 1:2 the Hebrew for the words “without form, and void,” attest to the chaos of the world and universe. At the end of Genesis 1:2 God addresses the chaos and immediately begins to bring into arrangement that which is out of order.

God does not like a mess and when we operate our Churches apart from Biblical order it shuts the floodgate of God’s blessings.

Part of operating our Church according to Biblical order is ensuring that we obey laws of the land as we are commanded to do in Romans 13:1-6. Yet, the number of Christians and Pastors who will look for ways to cheat so they can avoid giving the IRS its fair share as required by law is astounding.

I know of Christians who will get paid “under the table” and not report the income on their annual tax return. There are Pastors who will receive offerings and not funnel them through the Church bank account and the Pastor will not report them as income.

There are Churches who haphazardly maintain Church books and financial records without following the laws and regulations outlined in the IRS code.

This is a mess, and expecting God to honor that type of dishonor and illegality is foolish. If God lent Himself to that which is in open violation of His Word, His house would be a divided house and the Kingdom of Heaven could not stand (Mk. 3:25; Luk. 11:17).

Every Pastor and Church Leader in the USA needs to take ACTION NOW to bring their Church into Spiritual and Legal compliance.

You Get What You Preach

One of the first things any Pastor should learn is that he or she will get what they preach. If people are not coming to Christ in your services it is probably because the Pastor seldom preaches on Salvation. If the Church finances are not sufficient to meet the budget each week it is probably because the Pastor does not or seldom preaches about tithes, giving, and Biblical Stewardship. If people are not healed in your Church it is probably because the Pastor seldom preaches about divine healing and faith required to receive it. Pastor, you get what you preach!

Many Pastors avoid addressing or preaching about areas they feel may be “controversial.” This is a big mistake. The Word of God is designed to offend those whose hearts and lives are contrary to its teaching (Mk. 4:17; John 16:1).

Pastor, if you are not seeing what you need in your Church, you need to look in the mirror. Either you are not preaching enough on the subject or you have allowed chaos and shoddy bookkeeping of the Church financial records. Whichever is the cause of your Church not being what God intended, the blame and the fix rests completely upon your shoulders. This is why you need us.

We Can Help

Chitwood & Chitwood has provided Church Management and oversight for thousands of Churches for 80 years. We are the expert on matters of Church Management and Compliance. Every year we conduct seminars across the USA to teach Pastors and Church Leaders areas that need attention to bring stability and growth to their Churches and Ministries. At our conferences we address financial and bookkeeping concerns that must be addressed if they Pastor and Church Leaders want to experience God’s best for their House of Worship. At these meetings we instruct Pastors in areas of Church Management and order that will enhance their ministry so they may do their God-ordained tasks with joy (Heb. 13).

It behooves every Pastor, Pastor’s Spouse, and Church Leader to register for the next available Church Management Conference. To register, please call 800-344-0076. This will be the best investment you can make for your Church and your Ministry. Stop struggling to do that which should be pleasure.

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

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7/16/2018

Oops! What Went Wrong?

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I had known Pastor Jason for almost 20 years. He was the Senior Pastor of a prominent Church in his community and I was glad to see him in the Church Management Conference I was conducting in a neighboring city.

Pastor Jason was the first at that conference to engage our services. While I was completing the paperwork, he told me a familiar story that I hear very often in conferences. He thought his Church was in great financial shape. The former Church treasurer gave monthly reports to the board and they thought they had a million dollars in their Church account. The treasurer died suddenly, and the Church had a CPA review the accounting program used by the Church. Within 30 minutes reviewing the computer reports, the CPA hit one key and brought the Church to a shocking reality. They did not have a million dollars in their account, but were shocked to discover they barely had ten thousand dollars.

Horrible Bookkeeping Skills or Embezzlement

Churches are the easiest target for either. Many Churches are filled with family relationships and when it comes to keeping the financial records Churches will often select a treasurer based upon their math skills, the relationship of the treasurer within the membership, or both. None of these three reasons qualify for placing someone in a position of such importance.

When our office begins a compliance process for a church, most of the problems are the result of shoddy bookkeeping. However, embezzlement is still rampant in the Church world.

More embezzlement happens in Church and ministry settings than any other areas of corporate America. Ten percent of Churches reported embezzlement, but according to a study by Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Hamilton MA, 95% of embezzlement from Churches is not reported. 1 The reason that much of the embezzlement within Church ranks is not reported is because of the spiritual foundation of a Church. We are taught to forgive, therefore when most Churches suspect or discover embezzlement, they usually remove the treasurer from the position, and “put the matter under the blood of Jesus.”

In the scenario that I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, both were involved. The former treasurer did not have any bookkeeping skills, but was also ciphering money from Church coffers.

It’s Not what You Know that will Hurt You

Church records should be reviewed by outside independent parties at least annually, but one report provided a shocking statistic that less than 25% of Churches in the USA ever had their books reviewed in an independent audit.

Refusing to allow a reputable firm to review financial records of your Church only serves to continue incompetent bookkeeping practices or to allow continued or future embezzlement.

You Get what You Inspect, Not what You Expect

If you have an incompetent Church Treasurer and do not want to remove them from their position, it will be necessary for the Church to retain Chitwood & Chitwood to provide monthly review and oversight of those books to ensure the Church operates on a solid financial foundation.

If there is embezzlement you should take the following steps immediately:

1.      Adopt and enforce clearly stated policies for handling cash

The more eyes there are on the books, the more likely it will be that someone will notice any irregularities.

2.      Training

Pastors should hire Chitwood & Chitwood to provide the tools necessary to educate Check Writers and Board Members.

3.      Audits

As I mentioned earlier, “You get what you inspect – not what you expect!” Because of our 80 years of experience, Chitwood & Chitwood has seen it all.

4.      Use the Three-Person Rule

Always make sure at least three unrelated people are counting the money, and do not have personal financial issues.

5.      Background and Credit Checks

6.      Be Alert for Warning Signs

These are numerous, but a few are: “Only one person having access to offering, cash, checks, or checking account; The person with access doesn’t want to take a vacation and guards against someone else doing their job; The person with access is living beyond their means; The person with access has personal financial issues.”

7.      Act on Suspicion

NO ONE should be above accountability or oversight.

In Closing

Chitwood & Chitwood has 80 years of experience in Church and Clergy financial management. We have seen it all. Don’t ever not do the right thing because you think you cannot afford it or because of fear when it comes to protecting Church finances.

Call us today at 800-344-0076 to register for a Church Compliance Conference where you will learn more about this subject and other vital information or contact drshaw@cmtc.org to find out how to make sure your books are in order and that you are not a victim of Church fraud. Pastors, we are on your side and desire to assist you in helping your Church reach its next level for God. Every day you do not contact us is another day that thousands of dollars may be walking out of your Church because of fraud. Remember Pastor, God and the IRS are holding you responsible. Get it fixed now.

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

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7/11/2018

The Hardest Part of Becoming a Legally Compliant Church

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I see it several times every week in our Church Management Conferences across the nation. While teaching a subject that many Pastors and Church Leaders would rather not discuss, their trepidation and timidity toward the subject matter and where their Church fits in the puzzle of that picture is easily discernible.

I always teach a class from the perspective that none of the attendees want to be illegal and non-compliant—they just didn’t know what they were doing was wrong. Case in point is Pastor Smithfield. At the morning break, lunch break, and the afternoon break Pastor Smithfield approached my table with the same question scenario—I want to become compliant; I want to do things Biblically and legally, but what legal issues will I be launching that will harm former Pastors and Treasurers of my Church? Then his dilemma became evident. He was struggling with the toughest step any Pastor or Church struggles with in the area of Church Compliance.

The Hardest Part of Becoming Legally Compliant is Not the Fear of an outside Party Viewing Church Books and Records

Although many Church Checkwriters (Treasurers) are hesitant for a third party to view their records, this is not the largest hurdle a Pastor and Church must clear on the road to compliance. Most Checkwriters are afraid that the third party will discover countless errors in their accounting review—the Checkwriter simply does not want to be made to look incompetent, even when he or she is the only one with that thought. During our review process we know there will be many accounting errors, simply because the Checkwriter is not a Certified Public Accountant specializing in non-profit law. We don’t review the Church books to point fingers and cast blame—we do it to fix any problems.

There is another side of this coin. Some Church Checkwriters don’t want a third party reviewing the accounting records because there may be some embezzlement of Church funds and a third party review will likely expose it. According to a Christianity Today article 10% of protestant Churches in the USA have some degree of embezzlement.1

Couple that with a study by Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Hamilton, MA which declared that 95% of embezzlement from Churches is not reported 1 and the statistic becomes astronomical.

Whether the Checkwriter is apprehensive of someone viewing the records because he or she is afraid their incompetence in accounting would be revealed or the Checkwriter is committing fraud is not the biggest hurdle to Church Compliance.

It is Not a Lack of Funds

Although funds are usually tight in all Churches, big or small, the money required to get the Church compliant is not the biggest hurdle. Chitwood & Chitwood has been the premier Church accounting firm in the USA for 80 years and I have discovered that Churches, like people, will usually do what they want to do. When people really want to do something they will find a way.

We have Churches with as little as four members that have engaged our services to bring their Church into compliance—if they can do it, any Church can do it.

The Greatest Hurdle to becoming A Compliant Church

So if the hardest part of becoming compliant is not a third party reviewing Church records, and it is not a lack of funds, what hurdle remains that presents itself as the hardest part of becoming a compliant Church?

The most difficult part of becoming a legally compliant Church is, The Decision to become Legally Compliant. Whether the hesitation to make the decision is out of fear that someone may be negatively affected, or what the Church Board and Treasurer may think, the first and most important step, and the hardest, in becoming a legally compliant Church is making the decision to do so. Everything begins with a choice. A thousand mile journey begins with the first step. The most difficult part is the Pastor and Church Leaders making the decision to get their House of worship in order.

This is where Chitwood & Chitwood becomes your best friend. We do nothing to embarrass or harm a Church or Pastor. Our motto is, “Face it, Fix it, and Forget it!”

Take The First Step Now!

The first step any Pastor, Pastor’s Spouse, and Church Leader can take is to register for an upcoming Church Management Conference. To do so, please call 800-344-0076. At our conferences we will teach you rules and regulations relating to Church Compliance and offer you opportunities to take that first and hardest step--the decision to get your House of Worship in order.

This will be the greatest decision you and your Church will ever make other than the decision to accept Christ as your Savior. DO NOT DELAY! Every moment of procrastination may cost you dearly should the IRS show up at your door.

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

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7/9/2018

Don’t Blame the Messenger Because You don’t Like the Message

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Pastor Pauline and her Church Treasurer approached me at the morning break during the North Carolina conference. I could easily discern their anger and their concern. Pastor looked at me with steely eyes and began her diatribe. “You are trying to scare us. Had I known you were going to use fear tactics I would not have registered for this class.” My response was simple. I told her to go to Galatians 4:16 during the break and read the words of the Apostle Paul. For those of you who have no clue as to what is written in Galatians 4:16, Paul simply stated, “Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

If you knew the bridge was washed out and a good friend was scheduled to encounter the washed out bridge would you use whatever means necessary to get them to postpone their trip or at the least, take another route?

A TV commercial several years ago used the theme, “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” But, has anyone tried to stop an intoxicated friend from driving? Often it will destroy the relationship.

When you have someone telling you the truth at the price of the friendship, those are the very people to whom you should connect. Most people want those in their circle who will tell them what they want to hear—not what they need to hear. However, if the Bible is real, and I believe it is, then we should value the words of Solomon:

An open rebuke is better than hidden love! 6 Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. (Pro. 27:5-6 NLT)

First Things First

We don’t write the laws and regulations for the Internal Revenue Service—we only teach what the government has instituted. Sometimes Pastors and conference attendees think we make up laws for the sole purpose of instilling fear into the hearts and minds of those in attendance.

It is the same as siccing your dog on the mailman because you don’t like the cutoff notice the mailman delivers. The mailman didn’t write the letter, nor will he be the one to enforce it—all he did was make the recipient aware of actions which another was about to pursue.

Most people attending our conferences do so to receive instructions as to IRS laws and updates. Only a small minority attends in hopes of hearing their books and records are compliant.

Fear Is Part of Life

People may go to their doctor because they cannot get rid of indigestion. As they sit in the doctor’s office they see a poster on the door of the examining room that indigestion may be a serious sign of an impending heart attack.

You may have a nagging cough due to allergies and the season of the year. Yet, you go to your doctor’s office and a poster alarms you with the words, “A nagging cough may be a sign of cancer.”
In either scenario people will yield to the fear generated by the posters and press the doctor to order more tests.

Did the hospital and doctor’s office place those posters to induce fear or to warn patients of something that, if left untreated, may result in death?

Fear, Truth, or Both

Do we intentionally design our conferences to incite fear? NO! However, most are afraid simply because the truth they hear paints a picture of danger because of the actions of their Church in maintaining books and records.

Webster’s defines fear as: “an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. b (1) : an instance of this emotion. (2) : a state marked by this emotion.”

What we teach is the truth, but it instills fear because the lack of obedience to the laws of the land causes anticipation or an awareness of impending danger for the Pastor and Church. When dealing with this issue we should consider the sun. The sun shines the same on butter and on clay, but it is the composition of that upon which it shines that determines the outcome of each. The sun will melt the butter while hardening the clay.

Why You Should Seek our Services NOW!

Clients who attend our conferences have a great time and are excited to learn of the new legal updates, but are also at ease knowing that Chitwood & Chitwood has ensured that the client is always legally compliant with IRS laws and regulations.

The truth only hurts when it is not what one wants to hear. When someone tells us the truth, it may even destroy a relationship—we desired affirmers of our actions rather than someone to respond like the Prophet Nathan did to King David, when Nathan looked David in the eye and declared, “You are the man!” (2 Sam. 12:7).

At our Church Management Conferences across the nation, we seek to do one thing—to tell you the truth. How that truth affects you is up to you. Would you rather have someone tell you what you want to hear, even if telling you what you wanted to hear ended in your destruction, or would you rather have someone that loves and cares enough for you and your ministry to tell you what you need to hear?

Every Pastor, Pastor’s Spouse, and Church Leader should attend the next Church Management Conference. It is not what you know that will hurt you—it is what you don’t know (Hos. 4:6). To register for a conference please call 800-344-0076.

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

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7/2/2018

What Does God Say About Financial and Legal Compliance?

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Pastor Smith approached me during the lunch break at a Church Management Conference in Texas. His response to the morning session was, “According to what you have taught our Church books are not in compliance. But, I will not engage your services today because I need to go home and pray about it.” My response was probably not what he wanted to hear.

I asked the Pastor if he really believed the Bible, to which he assured me he did. It was then I shared with him Romans 13:1-6, and how God commands us to obey the laws of the land. I also shared with him Scripture concerning good stewardship (especially of God’s money and records).

His next excuse was simply, “We are a small church. Regardless of what I do, it doesn’t seem to grow. I have been praying about it for years, but God has never told me that I need to get Church books compliant.” He was not ready for my next answer to his excuse.

God’s Silence does not mean God’s Approval

In Psalm 50:21 God basically said, because I was silent you thought it was okay to do it, but I will rebuke you. . . Solomon declared in Ecc. 8:11 that when punishment for something doesn’t happen quickly people think it is okay to do wrong.

Just because you prayed and didn’t hear any rebuke from God doesn’t mean it is okay to do it. Why should God tell you in prayer what He has already told you in His Word? We use, “I need to pray about it” as a loophole and when God doesn’t tell us in prayer what He has already declared in Scripture we use it as our justification for our sin.

God will not Bless a Mess

Pastor Smith was struggling with a small Church that would not grow. He forgot one important Scripture--“Unless the Lord builds the house the work of the builders is wasted” (Psa. 127:1 NLT).

God cannot build the house when the house is managed by someone in rebellion to His Word. Rebellion against the Word of God is as witchcraft (1 Sam. 15:23). It was then that I told the Pastor that he was in open rebellion to the Scripture because God had already demanded that the Church books be in compliance because it was the law of the land and we are commanded to obey that law (Rom. 13:1-6).

Pastor Turned His Situation Around

At the afternoon break Pastor Smith came to me repenting for his sin against the Word of God. He told me that he had been under conviction all through lunch and could barely eat the meal we had provided him. He said he asked God to forgive him for his sin of witchcraft (rebellion against God’s Word) and then he asked if we could take one more client. When I said yes, he purchased the compliance system and we began bringing his Church books and records into compliance.

Obedience to God’s Word Brings God’s Blessing

It was only a few months after that conference that Pastor informed me that his Church had begun to grow numerically and financially. Then he said, “You were right. God blesses order—not chaos. Thank you for telling me what I needed to hear rather than what I wanted to hear.

Many small Churches across the USA continue to struggle financially and numerically simply because God will not place His blessing upon something operated out of rebellion and witchcraft to His Word.

If You Want Your Church to Grow You Need Us Now!

Chitwood & Chitwood is the premier Church Management firm in the nation. For 80 years we have kept Church books and records compliant for tens of thousands of Churches across America.

At our conferences we provide what every Church and Pastor need to remove the curse from their Church and bring it into a place where God can bless. Every Pastor, Pastor’s Spouse, and Church Leaders should attend the next available Church Management Conference. To register please call us at 800-344-0076. It may the call that redeems your Church and ministry.

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

CONFERENCES

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A Shocking Request Is Made​

Conversation Comes to an Abrupt End​

Pastor Forgets about the Young Man and His Request​

Pastor Wasn’t Ready for what would Happen Next​

What Went Wrong​

Why You Need Us!​

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

Pastor Admits Himself to Rehab​

Seminary Is only Part of the Process

Pastors Must be Jack-of-All-Trades​

Why It Is Lonely at the Top​

​Why You Need Us​

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

Pastor Performs an Emergency Ordination Ceremony​

It was the Best of Times and the Worst of Times​​

Why Should Christians Be Ordained​

Credentials Must be Legal​

In Closing​

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

God Will Not Bless A Mess

You Get What You Preach​

We Can Help

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

Horrible Bookkeeping Skills or Embezzlement​

It’s Not what You Know that will Hurt You​

You Get what You Inspect, Not what You Expect​

In Closing​

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

The Hardest Part of Becoming Legally Compliant is Not the Fear of an outside Party Viewing Church Books and Records​

It is Not a Lack of Funds​

The Greatest Hurdle to becoming A Compliant Church​

Take The First Step Now!​

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

First Things First​

Fear Is Part of Life

Fear, Truth, or Both​

Why You Should Seek our Services NOW!​

By Dr. Michael Chitwood

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

God’s Silence does not mean God’s Approval

God will not Bless a Mess

Pastor Turned His Situation Around​

​Obedience to God’s Word Brings God’s Blessing

If You Want Your Church to Grow You Need Us Now!​

By Dr. Michael Chitwood​​

What You Will Learn at our Conferences

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A Shocking Request Is Made

Conversation Comes to an Abrupt End

Pastor Forgets about the Young Man and His Request

Pastor Wasn’t Ready for what would Happen Next

What Went Wrong

Why You Need Us!

Pastor Admits Himself to Rehab

Pastors Must be Jack-of-All-Trades

Why It Is Lonely at the Top

Why You Need Us

Pastor Performs an Emergency Ordination Ceremony

It was the Best of Times and the Worst of Times

Why Should Christians Be Ordained

Credentials Must be Legal

In Closing

You Get What You Preach

Horrible Bookkeeping Skills or Embezzlement

It’s Not what You Know that will Hurt You

You Get what You Inspect, Not what You Expect

In Closing

The Hardest Part of Becoming Legally Compliant is Not the Fear of an outside Party Viewing Church Books and Records

It is Not a Lack of Funds

The Greatest Hurdle to becoming A Compliant Church

Take The First Step Now!

First Things First

Fear, Truth, or Both

Why You Should Seek our Services NOW!

Pastor Turned His Situation Around

Obedience to God’s Word Brings God’s Blessing

If You Want Your Church to Grow You Need Us Now!

By Dr. Michael Chitwood