Everyone Pays

Many years ago there was an oil filter commercial that used the statement: “You can pay me now or you can pay me later.” The theme was that if you got the oil changed regularly in your automobile and used the Fram oil filter, it would save you major repair bills later. The premise being that it was much cheaper to pay $15.00 for an oil change and new oil filter than to pay hundreds of dollars for major engine repairs.

The Same Rule Applies to Your Church

The Internal Revenue Service is changing rules and regulations daily and most Churches have no clue as to how the new regulations and laws affect them. Would it not be better for a Church to spend a couple of hundred dollars each year to learn the changes and stay in compliance than it would be for the IRS to show up at your door and your Church be penalized thousands of dollars and possible prison time for the Pastor and Church Leaders?

Unfortunately, most Churches would rather “roll the dice,” save a couple of hundred dollars, and pray that the IRS does not catch them in their violations. The Apostle Paul admonished Christians to obey the laws of the land in Romans 13:1-6, yet many Churches purposely and knowingly violate IRS regulations every week.

God Cannot Bless A Mess

If God sanctioned or blessed something that was illegal, He would be less than God. I understand that Apostle Peter said, “We ought to obey God rather than man,” but that statement only applies when the laws of the land violate or contradict God’s Word. Nothing in the IRS code violates or contradicts God’s Word. Therefore we are commanded to obey those regulations or we are in rebellion to Scripture.

When the Children of Israel went to war with the city of Ai they were soundly defeated. Their demise was contributed solely to one man violating God’s command. Everyone was told to touch nothing in the city of Jericho because God commanded that everything in that city be destroyed. Achan took a wedge of gold and a Babylonian garment. His rebellion was considered by God as if the whole nation rebelled. Innocent men of Israel died in the battle of Ai simply because one man thought he could disobey God and no one would ever know.

Pastors and Church Leaders, how many people in your congregation are suffering because you did not feel it necessary to obey God’s Word which demands that you obey the laws of the land? All of those IRS violations that are committed in your Church every week are not unnoticed by God. Could it be that your Church and many in your Church are struggling because you feel that no one will know you are operating against the laws of the land?

We Can Help

Chitwood & Chitwood is the premier Church and Clergy tax expert in the nation. We are experts on the IRS and even know many of the laws before they are released to the public. Every year we crisscross this nation teaching Church and Clergy tax seminars to keep Churches abreast of IRS regulations. To attend one of these seminars is $99.00 plus a workbook.

At these conferences you will be shown how we can get your Church in compliance with the latest IRS laws and bring it into proper financial order. God demanded good stewardship in Scripture. No Church is a good steward of God’s money when they purposely refuse to learn the IRS regulations which apply to a Church, the Pastor, and Church Leaders. Could it be this is why so many churches seldom exceed 70 in attendance? Could this be the cause as to why so many churches struggle financially?

I would encourage every Pastor and Church Leader to attend the next Church Management and Tax Conference closest to their location. To register, call 800-344-0076 or visit our website at www.cmtc.org. Everyone pays; it is just a matter of when. You will pay a small amount to learn the new IRS regulations and how to get your church in compliance, or you will pay heftily in the form of IRS penalties, including possible prison time.

Act now. Once they show up at your door it is too late.
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By Dr. Michael Chitwood