Does your church desire to protect the church’s assets by safeguarding them for the Church of God. When you think of the roots of your church, those that maybe provided funds for the building, maybe even laid the bricks and foundation. Many gave of themselves and their money to the church. Assuredly, they deeply loved and treasured the Church of God. They would want their financial sacrifice and generosity for their local congregation to be respected by making sure those church properties were safeguarded for the Church of God (rather than put at risk of being taken over by another group). They gave to expand the Kingdom through the Church of God.
The General Assembly of the Church of God in Alabama have already taken the first step to make sure your church can be safeguarded on behalf of the founders and members of your church. Did you know that it is relatively easy for a group of persons to legally take over the ownership of a Church of God congregation’s property? In some churches, the congregation’s properties are conditional deeded to the Church of God (either the national offices or the Alabama General Assembly. In the event that the unfortunate circumstance happens where the church is taken over, the Church of God safeguards the ownership of the property. If your church does not have this arrangement with the Church of God denomination, you run the risk of losing your property and it’s assets.
Church of God local congregations are governed autonomously and own their own properties. Though that is a good thing, it also exposes the local church to certain risks, such as a take over (steeple jacking) by another group. All that is required to legally take over a Church of God facility is for a group of people to worship with a local congregation for at least six months, and thus qualify as a voting member. When this group numbers 51% of the voting members, a legal takeover can occur. “But that would never happen to our church!” Many Church of God people have said that only to discover that it DID happen to them. In Alabama, it already happened to a church, and fortunately they had the property conditionally deeded that protected the property and assets from the takeover.
Here is an all too common scenario: A takeover usually happens slowly. People begin worshiping with a Church of God congregation and, for whatever reason, never learn to appreciate the Church of God heritage. The church runs into hard times and struggles to survive. It decreases in size and becomes small enough that a handful of people are in control of its properties and assets. The strongest personality(s) remaining, who may not have any commitment to the Church of God, begin making the decisions. The decision is made to close the church and give the facility to some other entity (not Church of God affiliated). What was paid for by people investing in expanding the Kingdom through the Church of God has now become lost to the Church of God. Instead of the property being sold and the proceeds being used to plant a new Church of God congregation, the assets were used for other purposes. Imagine how those who gave sacrificially and generously to build that Church of God congregation would feel if they knew that.
Conditional deeding is the solution to this problem. It is a legal method to safeguard church property for the use of the Church of God, but would still all the local congregation to continue to own their property. This means on the condition that one or more persons try to hijack a Church of God congregation’s property, theology or affiliation, then another group (such as the General Assembly of the Church of God in Alabama) can be legally empowered to protect the church. Please know that this does not mean that the Assembly takes the properties over, owns the properties, or controls them. It does mean that the Alabama Ministries can protect the properties for the Church of God. And if for some reason, God forbid, the church chooses to close, then those funds can be used to further the work of the Church of God. In this way, a church that closes leaves a legacy.
The 3-step process is very easy and simple.
- Step 1 – State Assembly
- Step 2 – Local Church
- Step 3 – Legal Documentation
For more information on how to safeguard your congregation’s properties and assets, review the documents on this website. Then, contact the State Minister (Pastor Milan Dekich PastorMilan@choginal.org). He will be happy to meet with your board and/or church to explain its importance, answer questions, and walk you through the process. Legal representation will be provided at no cost to the church. Please let us help you protect your congregation.