I am an AME Pastor who is considering church incorporation. What are the pro's and con's of church incorporation? The following is what I know:

The primary reason for this incorporation, is so that a 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service can be secured that will exempt the church from paying taxes on its offerings and property, and will provide a tax exemption to the organization's donors. The incorporation also serves to protect private individuals in the church from incurring personal liability in the organization's behalf.

your brother in Christ

Rev. Vastine Watson Jr.

-- Anonymous, January 17, 2002

Answers

I am sure you are going to get an avalanche of responses from your brothers and sisters of the cloth. I am not an AME minister, I am an AME lay member, I am at a loss over your question. You need to immediately contact your Presiding Elder for guidance in this area, it is not a matter of considering "incorporation"( this is the word you want to use rather than "corporation"), it is a directive per our Book of Doctrine and Discipline (see pages 44 through 54), the 2002 edition. Did you not cover this in your First Year Studies?

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2002

Rev. Watson, congratulations that you are ready to incorporate! God has his hand on you and he will guide you. There is no such thing as a stupid question. A stupid question is the one not asked. For those of us with new churches there are a lot of things that we have to do. It will get done. For those who have not planted churches they do not understand all that it entails. For everything is already in place. My conference has a church growth director that helps new churches through the paperwork process. (ugh) again I just wanted to thank you for doing the best that you can and keep asking within your conference and somebody will help you.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2002

La la la, I'll be surprised if this works!

-- Anonymous, January 21, 2002

Reverend Alton Paris has done excellent research on this subject and has published his findings on the following website.

I think a visit to this site will answer most of the question you might have and get you well on the way to successfully completing the incorporation of your church.

The site address is: http://www.digitex.net/ame10/docs/501-c3-corporation.htm,

It's link is: Articles of Incorporation

-- Anonymous, January 21, 2002