Dec/Jan 2017-18 Volume 3 Issue 1
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Developing a Severance Package for Released Ministers By Tom Cheyney Executive Director of Missions
Discovering Resources for Church Planting By Tom Cheyney & Mark Weible Church Planting Director
www.MissionsRising.com www.GOBA.org
GOBA is an association of autonomous Southern Baptist churches that exists to more effectively fulfill the Great Commission as described in Matthew 28:18-20. MISSION: GOBA is Southern Baptist member churches working together to impact Central Florida and the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ. VISION: GOBA is a family of healthy growing churches loving, serving and reaching Central Florida and the world by developing and multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches.
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FEATURES
Developing a Severance Package for Released Ministers
Dec/Jan 2017-18 Volume 3 Issue 1
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By Tom Cheyney
Discovering Resources for Church Planting By Tom Cheyney & Mark Weible
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MAGAZINE RESOURCES BOOKS, STUDY COURSES, RESOURCES, & E-BOOKS!
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G.O.A.L. 2018 Training
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THE PASTOR WITHIN YOU
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Welcome to the Missions Rising Magazine:
The Bi-monthly Resource Magazine from Central Florida for Pastors, Staff, and Church Leaders! Volume 3, No. 1
Missions Rising is published bi-monthly by the Greater Orlando Baptist Association 1906 West Lee Road Orlando, FL 32810 Email: goba@goba.org
PUBLISHER Dr. Tom Cheyney Associate Publisher Mark Weible Associate Publisher Circulation & Marketing Tom King Executive Editor & Brand Manager Tom Cheyney Magazine Designer & Format Editor Gerald Brown Director of Advertising Tom King Stock images from ISTOCK Photo or where otherwise noted. Š Copyright 2016 Greater Orlando Baptist Association
The Missions Rising Magazine for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association is going quite well and I could not be more excited! Ever since I arrived some six and a half years ago, I wanted to replace the newsletter with a more resource focused magazine. In the beginning stages, we created what we called for the last three years the Re-Source Magazine which was a document not a magazine. It has taken time for our staff to stretch to the level of expertise to afford us the opportunity to develop such a premier magazine for an association. This bi-monthly magazine is free to anyone and is launched with the intent of providing Just-In-Time Resourcing for pastors, staff and church leaders. Our goal every other month is to provide you with a large resource on a specific subject, that is usable for pastors and deacons to equip the staff and laity. Additionally, there will be an accompanying article about half the size of the main issue that will focus on a tool for the local church. We encourage you to spread the word to your staff and church leaders about subscribing to this magazine. Simply go to: goba.org and look for the Missions Rising icon on the top header. As your mission partner and GOBA family, it is a great blessing to be able to provide you with such a cutting edge resource on a regular bases. Stay connected, more is coming... This issue is focused around:
Developing a Severance Package for Released Ministers! Dr. Tom Cheyney is the Executive Director of Missions for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and serves as the Executive Editor for the Missions Rising Magazine.
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BOOKS, STUDY COURSES, RESOURCES, & E-BOOKS! Did you know that GOBA and Missions Rising offers pastors and church leaders an array of resources through our GOBA Bookstore? You can order books online, download free eBooks, find helpful tools for leading the local church, and discover just-in-time resources to help you as a pastor or lay leader.
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Tom Cheyney
Tom Cheyney Larry Wynn
Tom Cheyney Terry Rials
Visit: GOBA.org/resources for the most up to date set of resources designed to help the local church. 38 Church Revitalization Models For The 21st Century Tom Cheyney
The Healthy Church: Practical Ways to Strengthen a Church’s Heart Bob Whitesel
Building A Healthy Multi-ethnic Church Mark DeYmaz
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Go to MissionsRising.com for the latest news, podcasts, blogs, articles, just-in-time resources, and suggested books from the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and our content channel architects.
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Developing a Severance Package for Released Ministers When a pastor is dismissed or involuntarily resigns from a church without having another job, it is customary in the Christian community to give that pastor a severance package. This is especially important if the pastor would like to stay and serve at the church but has been asked to leave by official church leaders. When a minister or other church employee is terminated, retires or voluntarily resigns under pressure, it is common for churches to provide some form of severance pay. For those who are terminated or resign under pressure it is considered by most to be an appropriate thing for the church to do, especially since church employees do not receive unemployment insurance benefits in most states. A church should have a policy regarding severance pay in the case of any form of involuntary termination. That policy should be adopted long before and completely independent of applying it to a specific employee. Churches that deal with this issue when a specific person is involved encounter too many emotions for the dialogue to be healthy or productive. A predetermined policy will help assure fairness and consistency for all church employees. That policy should state clearly who in the church is responsible for determining and/or recommending terms of the severance pay. Determination of actual severance pay and its terms should include such factors as the employee’s length of employment, the level of compensation that goes with the position, reasons for termination, and financial resources of the church. Risk management considerations should also be considered in setting severance pay. These include issues like the potential of the employee retaliating or making disparaging comments about the church, disclosing confidential information, damaging church property, having access to passwords, and the return of items such as a computer or church owned cell phone. A church should make sure the termination clearly is not influ-
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enced by age, race, national origin, or disability since employees are protected under federal law from being terminated for any of these. Because of my experience working with ministers and churches all over the nation, I routinely receive inquiries regarding severance packages. The requests are split between churches in the midst of a separation and churches developing proactive guidelines. So how does this work in the world of ministry? Are there guidelines for clergy separation agreements and severance packages? Yes, there are standards. While the specifics differ from denomination to denomination and church to church, I’ve noticed these following guidelines: • Salary is typically calculated at one month for every year of service. Some churches are more generous and others less. This is a rule of thumb. • Benefits like insurance and retirement are calculated according to the salary schedule. • Unused vacation and other time benefits are paid in addition to the salary severance calculation. • Often there are clauses for counseling, re-training, and relocation expenses depending on the context. • If the minister lives in church owned housing, the parsonage is typically made available as long as the severance agreement is in effect. I have noticed over the years that the congregations who exercise generosity in the midst of difficult situations fare better than those who do not. Generosity is not always easy – it is just the right thing to do. If you’d like a copy of a sample separation agreement or if you have questions about a particular situation, please contact me. I have enclosed a basic form at the back of this document. These suggestions can provide a starting point for discussion, realizing that every situation is unique. Those recommending or making decisions on the time should always keep in mind that ministers and church employees do not receive unemployment insurance benefits like many other people would get through their jobs. Severance pay and its terms should always be put in writing with the help of appropriate legal counsel. Some of the elements to be a part of the written agreement include correct identification of the parties, specific amounts to be
For someone retiring, the severance pay should never be presented or perceived for tax purposes as a “gift” or “benevolence” since it generally does not meet IRS criteria for either of these. It is an added payment for prior services rendered by the person. If significant payments are classified as “gifts” or “benevolence”, it could raise questions about the improper use of church assets and in extreme cases has the potential of affecting a church’s tax exempt status. Why give a terminated pastor a severance package? 1. It usually takes at least a year for a pastor to find another ministry. Because there are fewer church openings than ever today, finding a ministry job is a job. A severance package allows the pastor to pursue his divine calling. Many other denominations have resolutions passed in their national meetings to provide ministers who have been forced out a severance package of one year’s full salary. We have not done so as Southern Baptists, but one month salary for every year served has long been practiced. 2. Most pastors lack the required training and skills to land a secular job that pays them a livable wage. Many secular jobs require a lengthy certification process – including further education, which costs money – and even if a pastor completes the requirements, there is no guarantee that anyone will hire him. In addition, many secular employers are fearful that an ex-pastor
may spend time trying to convert other employees or customers rather than doing his job. Because of their divine call to ministry, pastors are often unsuited for other professions. 3. Since pastors do not pay into unemployment, they are not eligible to receive it. A severance package – which includes salary plus medical insurance – provides the pastor the best possible bridge to his next position. 4. After a pastor resigns, he still has to meet his financial obligations. He has to pay his mortgage, property taxes, and utilities; car payments and auto insurance; food and gasoline bills; and medical insurance for his family, among other payments. When church leaders want a pastor to resign, but are unwilling to give him a severance agreement, the leaders seem to be engaging in retribution rather than moving toward reconciliation. God will not bless a people with such vengeance in their heart and many a dying church can trace their demise to the initial steps of releasing a pastor and trying to hurt him and his family.
On Point with Dr. Tom Cheyney
paid, the time table for the payments, details on the pay being subject to the normal tax deductions, details regarding continued benefits such as retirement and insurance during the period when severance payments are to be made, and confirmation that all earned vacation time has been included. Normally, employer paid benefits will continue during the period of severance pay, except that vacation, sick and personal time will not continue to be earned. An attorney can help in including provisions regarding the employee’s continued compliance with the agreement, a waiver on potential claims against the church, confidentiality issues, and provisions to bar the former employee from seeking to coerce members of the church to leave.
5. The terminated pastor usually has to rebuild his life and ministry, and that takes anywhere from one to three years. When pastors leave a church abruptly, it can devastate them mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, which can often send them into depression. A severance package allows the pastor to pull away from ministry and promotes the healing process. 6. Many parties carefully watch a church to see how they treat their pastor when he leaves, including: (a) church young people who are thinking about going into ministry; (b) new believers inside the church, who often have a strong connection to their pastor; (c) unbelievers in the community, especially the friends or relatives of church members; (d) the pastor’s supporters, many of whom will leave the church if they discover their pastor has been mistreated; and (e) prospective pastors, many of whom will turn down a church that mistreated the previous pastor. When a church grants their pastor a severance package, it’s a tangible way of saying, “In spite of our differences, we want to assist you with this transition so that God can heal and
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Developing a Severance Package for Released Ministers bless both you and our church.” 7. A good rule-of thumb is that the pastor should receive at least one month’s salary for every year of his tenure. The absolute minimum length of the severance package should be six months, especially if the pastor was asked to resign. If the pastor has been dismissed after more than six years of service, he should receive a severance package of at least one year. Common Questions Relating to Severance Packages of Dismissed Ministers What if our church cannot afford to pay the pastor a severance agreement? Unless your pastor is guilty of a major offense (like heresy, sexual immorality, or criminal behavior), do everything you can to work things out so the pastor can stay and enjoy a fruitful ministry. Bring in a mediator, an unbiased church consultant, or conflict manager/interventionist to negotiate your differences. Sometimes church leaders seek to dismiss their pastor prematurely without ever working through issues with him directly. If you truly believe that the pastor needs to leave, then trust God to provide the funds when you need them. What if the pastor seems to have disqualified himself from ministry by his misbehavior? If your pastor has a family, make sure that they are cared for financially. Whatever the pastor has done to merit dismissal, his family members are likely not responsible. And be careful of declaring a pastor who is innocent of a major offense as being “disqualified from ministry” as justification for not giving him a severance agreement. How should we pay the severance? You can pay the pastor just like you have been paying him all along: either weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. If you don’t already use direct deposit, this would be a good time to start. Some churches may choose to pay the pastor a lump sum up-front, or pay him half the money up-front and half at another time.
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What might happen if we choose not to pay a severance? When you give your pastor a severance package, he may have enough money to move from your community, minimizing the chance that he will interfere in your church’s future plans. If you don’t give him a severance package, he may not have the funds to move, and he may choose to start a new church in your community – and people from your church may constitute his initial mission field. If this has not been addressed before you have dismissed your pastor, it is really too late to bring this up after you have dismissed him. Many a large church has been planted in the back yard of a formerly large church which did not treat their pastor with the appropriate respect and the end result was the former church declined significantly while the former pastor went on to grow a large church plant. But more than anything, Jesus’ Golden Rule (C.f. Matthew 7:12) applies here: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” What are some of the stipulations church leaders can put into the severance agreement? You can ask the pastor (a) not to sue the church; (b) not to start a new church within a certain mile radius; (c) not to disclose the terms of the severance agreement. Once again, if this has not been addressed before you have dismissed your pastor, it is really too late to bring this up after you have dismissed him. When should the severance agreement be presented to the pastor: before or after his resignation? If you plan to dismiss the pastor according to church bylaws, then present him with a written severance agreement as soon after you’ve met with him as possible. The pastor should be permitted to take a few days and ask his attorney to review the document before he signs it. If you plan on asking the pastor for his resignation, then he may ask for the outline of a severance agreement in writing first. It is custom-
Should we ask the congregation to approve or ratify the severance package? If you ask the church to vote on the severance agreement, you will almost always foster congregational division. Members will tend to vote on whether or not they like the pastor rather than the merits of the severance package. It is better for the official board to negotiate the package with the pastor directly and then announce an outline of the agreement with the congregation at a later time. I have heard about church boards that “kick the can” to the congregation in hopes that they will vote it down. In my mind, such behavior is despicable and unworthy of a Christian congregation. It is hard enough to keep the church moving forward after a long tenured pastor is dismissed, so do not err in this example and cause the church unnecessary departure of church members. Put the Particulars of the Severance Package in Writing Severance pay should always be put in a written agreement with assistance of legal counsel. The following key terms should be included in the agreement: 1. Correct identification of the parties; 2. Specific severance amounts to be paid according to a time table for paying installments, subject to applicable employment tax deductions and the employee’s continued compliance with the agreement; 3. Confirmation that all earned compensation has been paid, including paid leave such as vacation; 4. Express waiver of the employee’s potential discrimination, contract, wage, and tort claims against the church and its directors, volunteers, employees, and other agents, at all times
through the date of the agreement; 5. Confidentiality of the agreement’s terms; and 6. Acknowledgment that the employee has been notified of his or her rights to continued health insurance under COBRA or state law. The waiver of claims provision should be a critical precondition to payment of any severance pay. The church’s severance payments should never be allowed to fund an employee’s subsequent lawsuit against it. In addition, it is highly recommended that severance be paid in separate installments over time, and not in a lump sum. For the church’s cash flow, installment payments may very helpful. For the terminated employee, this safeguard should help promote his or her continued compliance with the agreement, including maintenance of the agreement’s confidentiality and cooperation regarding other aspects of the agreement. Requiring installment payments also may provide a cooling down period for the employee, after which he or she may be much less likely cause difficulty for the church Continued Insurance Coverage
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ary for the pastor to trade a unifying resignation letter for a generous severance package.
An attorney may want to include a statement regarding continued insurance coverage due to COBRA laws. Continued insurance coverage for a period of time after employment termination may be desirable and appropriate in many situations, but it is not required. Churches are exempt from ERISA laws and therefore COBRA insurance continuation is not required. If the employee is in a GuideStone insurance plan, they can request “continued protection during unemployment” which will allow the individual to stay on GuideStone’s insurance for up to a year as long as they are seeking future qualified Southern Baptist employment. A church could, as part of the severance, agree to pay for that coverage for a specified period of time. Tax Reporting The severance payments from a church should ordinarily be reported consistent with normal IRS reporting requirements for ministers and church employees. The continued salary would be reported as salary on the W-2 form. For tax purContinued on Page 14
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Developing a Severance Package for Released Ministers poses, the payments should be handled as special wage payments, NOT DEFERRED COMPENSATION. While this may seem to be a minor difference, for tax purposes these terms are quite different and how the continued pay is treated is critical. (In a few very rare cases, a church may be involved in a true Deferred Compensation Plan. There are many added tax complexities with these plans so competent guidance from a qualified tax professional should always be used when setting up those plans. If the severance pay is significantly high or continues over an extended period of time, they may be subject to these rules.) Another frequent question is whether Housing Allowance can be designated for ministers out of their severance pay. The IRS and no courts have addressed this question. It is reasonable to assume the housing can continue to be designated since the severance pay represents compensation based on prior services rendered as a minister. Additional Items and Terms to Consider Adding to Severance Package Additional terms and items may be added by either party to the severance package. Here are eight additional terms to consider adding to the severance pay agreement: 1. Prohibition against the church’s future re-hire of the employee; 2. Mutual non-disparagement of the parties; 3. Provision of neutral (or positive) job reference; 4. Continued cooperation regarding confidential information and other church matters; 5. Return of personal property belonging to the church; 6. Provision for official statement(s) to be publicized to the congregation regarding the employment termination, as appropriate; 7. Should the pastor have to move as the result of loss income the church agrees to provide moving expenses up to a specific limit to be reimbursed or paid to the moving company; and
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8. A twenty-one-day time period to consider agreement (which may be waived) and seven-day revocation period after execution (which may not be waived), as legally required for terminated employees over forty years old. Sample Agreement for Ministers Being Released As you will see in this example, great care by the church and the minister can ensure that the church’s ministry is protected and not harmed. We are glad to work with our churches in developing severance packages that provide for the minister while protecting the churches ongoing ministry. Give us a call should you find yourself needing such assistance. Have your own attorney review this form in order to develop the best form for your particular church and state. SEVERANCE AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS 1. This Agreement is made between ___________ (hereinafter generally referred to as “Employee”) and ______________Church on behalf of itself and its agents, employees and any persons related to or acting on behalf of the ______________Church (hereinafter generally referred to as “Church ”). 2. It is recognized herein that Employee’s employment with Church has terminated or will terminate effective ___________ (the “Termination Date”), and that the Church wishes to provide certain separation benefits to Employee to aid in Employee’s transition to other employment in exchange for this release. 3. The Church shall pay Employee weekly for insert number months, with final payment taking place on __________________, Employee’s full regular weekly base salary, along with associated regular withholdings and benefits contingent upon the following terms: a. Employee’s conduct is such as to not cause harm
b. Employee agrees to keep confidential those things that were considered confidential while working as a member of the Church staff as discerned by the Senior Pastor and Session. c. Employee agrees to help with the transference of information pertaining to employee’s job responsibilities and outstanding job activities so as to ensure a smooth transition to the new or interim employee. d. Employee agrees to provide transitional services as requested by the Senior Pastor in order to assist new or interim replacement. e. Employee’s behavior toward or concerning the Church or any Church sponsored activities are deemed appropriate as discerned by the Senior Pastor and Session. 4. Church shall pay for Employee’s benefits for (insert number months) following the Termination Date. 5. Employee shall promptly return all Church property provided to Employee or in Employee’s possession or control. In the event Employee fails to return Church property in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, Church shall have the right to offset against payments or benefits owing to Employee hereunder the replacement value of any and all such unreturned property. 6. All required and authorized payroll deductions will be withheld from the amounts to be paid to Employee under this Agreement. Employee will be paid for (insert number days) of unused vacation. 7. All unreimbursed travel and business expenses to which Employee is entitled to reimbursement as of the Termination Date will be promptly paid to Employee after submission of expense reports
in accordance with standard Church policy. 8. Employee and the Church desire to settle fully and finally any existing or potential differences between them including, without limitation, all tort, contractual, discrimination, statutory and common law claims related in any way to Employee’s employment and/or the termination of employment with the Church. 9. In exchange for the above promises and agreements, including the Church’s retention of Employee as an employee until the Termination Date, Employee personally and for Employee’s heirs, legal representatives, estates and successors in interest does hereby completely release and forever discharge the Church, its officers, directors, agents, employees, attorneys, successors and assigns (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, rights, demands, actions, obligations, liabilities, and causes of action of any and every kind, nature and character whatsoever, whether known or unknown, whether based on a tort, contract, statute, or any other theory of recovery, and whether for compensatory or punitive damages which Employee may now have, has ever had, or may in the future have, arising or in any way connected with Employee’s employment with the Church, or the manner in which that employment terminated, including without limitation all wrongful discharge actions; all actions arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (if applicable), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, Florida Fair Employment and Housing Act, or any other federal or state statute which may be held applicable; all actions for breach of contract or the covenant of good faith and fair dealing; all tort claims; and any and all claims for compensation, wages, bonuses, severance pay, commissions, vacation pay, or reimbursement for expenses, attorneys’ fees and costs, except for claims for workers’ compensation insurance benefits under the terms of any workers’ compensation insurance policy or fund, unemployment or any unemployment or state disability insurance benefits pursuant to the terms of applicable state law, and continued participation in certain of the Company’s group benefit plans pursuant to the federal law known as COBRA.
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or dissension to the Church body as discerned by the Senior Pastor and Session, the Board of Deacons or Elders.
Continued on Page 18
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Developing a Severance Package for Released Ministers Employee understands and hereby agrees that by signing this Agreement and by accepting the payment described above, Employee gives up any and all rights Employee may have to file any claim or action which Employee may now have, has ever had, or may in the future have, with respect to any matter pertaining to or arising from Employee’s employment or termination of employment with the Church. 10. Employee represents that Employee does not have pending against Church or any employee, agent, official, or director of Church any claim, charge, or action in or within any federal, state, or local court or administrative agency. Employee agrees, to the extent necessary to effectuate the provisions of this Agreement, within ten (10) days after the execution of this Agreement, to cause to be dismissed, withdrawn or discontinued all complaints or proceedings instituted by Employee against Church with any state or federal administrative agency or judicial body, with copies of relevant documents delivered to Church within the same time period. Employee also agrees not to initiate, assist, support, join, participate in, encourage, or actively cooperate in the pursuit of any employment-related legal claims against Church or its employees or agents, whether the claims are brought on Employee’s own behalf or on behalf of any other person or entity. Nothing in this Section 10 will preclude Employee from testifying truthfully in any legal proceeding pursuant to subpoena or other legal process. 11. It is understood and agreed that this is a compromise settlement of a disputed claim or potential disputed claims, and that the furnishing of the consideration for this Severance Agreement and General Release of All Claims shall not be deemed or construed as an admission of any wrongdoing, deficiency, liability or responsibility at any time for any purpose. 12. Employee agrees to hereby waive any alleged right to employment or re-employment with the
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Church. 13. Employee and Church both agree that now and forever they will keep the terms and monetary severance amount of the Agreement completely confidential, and that they will not disclose such to any other person or indirectly. As an exception to the foregoing, and the only exception, the parties may disclose the terms and monetary amount of this Agreement to their attorneys, tax advisors, accountants and immediate family members (defined as and limited to parents, spouse, siblings and children) who shall be advised of its confidentiality. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties may make such disclosures of the terms and monetary amount of the Agreement as are required by law or as necessary for legitimate enforcement or compliance purposes. 14. Employee further agrees that Employee shall not disparage this Church or its agents, employees, attorneys, and any persons related to or acting on behalf of the Church. Employee shall be responsible and liable for any damages caused by any such disparagement. 15. The parties agree that any dispute of any kind whatsoever arising from the subject matter of this Agreement, including claims regarding this Agreement, shall be resolved under the following procedures: A. The party claiming to be aggrieved shall furnish to the other party, within thirty (30) days of the disputed action, a written statement of the grievance identifying any witnesses or documents that support the grievance and the relief requested or proposed. Employee is required to furnish the written statement of grievance to the Church at address. 16. Each party agrees and assumes the risk that any fact with respect to any matter covered in this Agreement may hereafter be found to be other than or different from the facts it believes at the time of this Agreement to be true, and agrees that this Agreement shall be and will remain effective notwithstanding any such difference in fact. Should any provision of this Agreement be declared or be
C. In order to revoke this Agreement, Employee must deliver to the Church’s office on or before seven (7) days after the execution of this Agreement, a letter stating that Employee is revoking this Agreement; and
17. This Severance Agreement and General Release of All Claims incorporates the entire understanding among the parties, and recites the sole consideration for the promises exchanged herein and supersedes and cancels any prior or contemporaneous written or oral agreements. In reaching this Agreement, no party has relied upon any representation or promise except those expressly set forth herein. This Agreement shall in all cases be interpreted in accordance with its fair meaning, and not strictly for or against either party hereto. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with this state’s law.
D. That this Agreement shall not become effective or enforceable until after the expiration of seven (7) days following the date Employee executes this Agreement (the “Effective Date”). Employee Signature Date
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determined by any court to be illegal or invalid, the validity of the remaining parts or provisions shall not be effected thereby and said illegal or invalid part, term or provision(s) shall be deemed not to be a part of this Agreement.
Clerk of Session/ Head of Deacon Board/Congregational President, etc.: Date:
18. Employee understands and agrees that Employee a. Has carefully read and fully understands all of the provisions of this Agreement; b. Is, through this Agreement, releasing Church from any and all claims Employee may have against the company; c. Knowingly and voluntarily agrees to all of the terms set forth in this Agreement; d. Knowingly and voluntarily intends to be legally bound by the same. 19. Acknowledgment of Waiver of Claims Under ADEA. Employee acknowledges that Employee is waiving and releasing any rights Employee may have under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended. Employee further acknowledges that: A. Employee has not been coerced in any manner into signing this agreement and of their own free will executed it. B. Employee has seven (7) days after the execution of this Agreement within which Employee may revoke this Agreement;
Dr. Tom Cheyney is the Exec-
utive Director of Missions for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and serves as the Executive Editor for the Missions Rising Magazine. He is the Founder & Directional Leader of the Renovate National Church Revitalization Conference and provides various training events designed for the local church.
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may inquire to the costs involved and the commitments, which need to made as to the duration of the coaching cohort. There is an 18-month initial commitment required to join the network and an additional 18 months might be granted for further coaching towards church revitalization and renewal.
RENOVATEconference.org/coaching
These one-day training events are offered locally each month on the third Thursday and as arranged annually across North America. These events train pastors, staff, and laity in the necessary skill sets for the revitalization and renewal of the local church. Anyone is welcome at these monthly events and we promote them a month in advance allowing those who want to fly in to do so.
RENOVATEconference.org/OneDayTraining
GOAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING The Greater Orlando Adventures in Leadership is a 10-month per-year leadership training designed for
both laity and ministers alike. These monthly events are one day events laser focused towards a specific leadership issue.
OrlandoLeaders.com
REPRODUCING CHURCHES CHURCH PLANTING CENTERS These one-day training events are offered locally on the first Thursday of each month locally and as
arranged annually across North America. These events train church planters, church planting teams, and laity of the church plant in the necessary skill sets for the planting, reproducing, and multiplying of the local church. The local Central Florida events are offered for free while some of the national one-day events have a cost associated with the event.
ReproducingChurches.com/OneDay
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Discovering Resources for Church Planting Discovering Resources for Church Planting By Tom Cheyney and Mark Weible Effective church planters excel at discovering and deploying the resources needed to plant a church. You cannot simply cast vision and expect one of your partners to provide all of the resources that you need to start a church. It is the primary responsibility of the church planter to identify and obtain the resources that he will need. In this article, we will talk about two types of church planting resources: people resources and financial resources. People Resources He told them: “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest (Luke 10:2). As one studies the New Testament pattern for church planting three relational resources are emphasized. The biblical pattern suggests that a church planter has a relationship with a sending church, he works in relationship to a team, and he has a significant relationship with a coach. Sending Church: The church at Antioch serves as a prime example of a sending church. This church was started (somewhat reluctantly) by the Jerusalem Church. Jesus had commanded his apostles to take the gospel from Jerusalem all the way to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). However, they were slow to obey his commands, so a group of ordinary followers of Jesus left Jerusalem and started a multi-cultural church in Antioch (Acts 11:20). The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to explore what had happened in Antioch. Barnabas was so impressed with what he saw, that he joined the church, became one of their leaders and enlisted Paul to do the same (Acts 11:2223). The church at Antioch was compelled by the Holy Spirit to send both Paul and Barnabas as an extension of their responsibility to fulfilling the Great Commission (Acts 13:2). They intentionally set Paul and Barnabas aside for this work and sent them off to accomplish this task. This implies an ongoing
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relationship and responsibility between the church planter and the sending church (v. 2-3). Team: The Antioch church set Paul and Barnabas apart and sent them off as part of a team. This pattern began with our Lord modeling team ship and continued throughout the New Testament. Mark 3:13-15 gives us insight into Jesus’ commitment to building teams: “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” Coach: Although Barnabas was a team member; his relationship with Paul began as an encourager, a primary function of a coach. Like Paul, church planters must be teachable and coachable. Paul was humble enough to allow Barnabas to speak into his life and to help him draw out what God had already placed within him. Barnabas was humble enough to allow Paul to exceed him in his accomplishments and notoriety. We don’t hear of Barnabas bragging about how he was greater than Paul. Great leaders have great coaches and great leaders become great coaches. By the time that he got to Corinth, Paul himself became a coach of church planters and church multipliers. We see him there coaching Aquilla and Priscilla (Acts 18: 2). Paul’s influence was multiplied when Aquilla and Priscilla coached Apollos in Ephesus (Acts 18: 24). This eventually resulted in every resident of Ephesus and all of Asia Minor hearing the gospel (Acts 19:10) Church planters don’t do their work alone. They enlist and equip others who enlist and equip others to do more than any one person or team could do alone. But, it doesn’t end there. You need to also enlist financial resources. Financial Resources In addition to the right people resources, financial resources must be considered. The type and amount of these resources required depends on the planter’s approach and philosophy of church planting. It is not uncommon for a potential church planter to ask the question, “How much will it cost?” Although
How much will it cost? 1. It will cost more than you think. Regardless of the type of church you are planting, chances are it will cost more than you think. Successful planters need to pay close attention to the identification of resources. No church will be planted without personal sacrifice. It has been the experience of many that one’s vision always outpaces resources; therefore, cost must be considered, and ongoing efforts to raise resources are necessary. 2. It depends on the type of church you plant. For the sake of this discussion, even though there are many different approaches and models of church planting, we will look at two approaches: traditional church plants and nontraditional church plants. • Traditional church plants typically require a meeting place and a paid church planter. Their style of ministry may or may not be traditional, but they take on a more institutional form with a very organized structure. They usually require a large amount of financial resourcing or a bivocational staff. • Nontraditional church plants are typically more organic than organized. They may meet in houses, storefronts, office buildings, apartments, or clubhouses. They are often lay-led or led by a pastor who doesn’t need a salary. They focus on multiplying and expanding through small networks. They often require very little funding; however, they do require a high level of commitment. 3. It depends on the vision. In the planting of any church, one must begin with the end in mind. If God is leading one to an unreached people who will require a more institutional form of church, it may require a large amount of resources from day one. However, it is important to understand that the more resources you put into
a church does not guarantee a given outcome. One church planter had $10,000 committed by a parenting church. The planter spent about $6,000 in pre-launch types of activities that included marketing, a used sound system, signs, and nursery and preschool equipment. On opening day, 178 people attended. Today, the church has over 2,000 worship attendees on a given weekend. This church has also planted a number of churches. Another young church planter spent $50,000 during the pre-launch stage and within a year of the launch this church ceased to exist.
Multiplying Churches with Mark Weible
the remainder of this chapter discusses financial resources, remember that people resources are just as important, if not more important, than financial resources.
Today, there seems to be an emerging vision for planting lay-led churches that require little financial resourcing. These churches usually meet in homes, coffee shops, boardrooms, and apartments. By design, they stay small, but focus on multiplying themselves through a growing network of missional lay leadership. This emerging vision seems to be embraced by a young, millennial culture and may be the antitheses of the highly organized and institutionalized mega-church. 4. It depends on the type of launch. There are a variety of ways to plant a new congregation that impacts the amount of financial resources needed. A general rule is the more believers you have in the core group the less likely you will need to focus on a high-cost launch strategy. If believers are taught to share their faith and are actively building relationships in the unchurched community, growth can be fast and sure through networking. If the planter is in a highly unchurched context and has a traditional church planting strategy with a small believer base, his start-up strategies will likely have to depend on ministry evangelism events and an effective marketing plan. Both of these approaches can be costly. Another factor likely to impact the cost of startup is the rental cost of the meeting facility. If the launch strategy is to attract a large group of people, it will require a meeting place that can handle the crowd. A space for 200 to 500 people in worship can require a large amount of finan-
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WaterStone Church
900 North Street Longwood, FL 32750 mywaterstone.church
Church Revitalization Training Meetings 3rd Thursday of Each Month
8:30am - 11:55am 2018 RENOVATE 1 Day Training Meetings:
January 18 Feburary 15 March 15 (all day) April 19 May 17 June 21 July 19 August 16 September 20 October 18 24
First Thursday of Each Month CHURCH PLANTER NETWORK Third Thursday of Each Month CHURCH REVITALIZATION TRAINING (RENOVATE ONE DAY) August 4 COACHING 101 Mark Weible
August 13 BI-VOCATIONAL PASTORS BREAKFAST Tom Cheyney
September 1 INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL CHURCH DEVELOPMENT Tom Cheyney & Mark Weible
November 1-3 RENOVATE National Church Revitalization Conference (Aloma Church)
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GOAL 2018 Leadership Training First Thursday of Each Month: Church Planter Network Third Thursday of Each Month: Renovate One Day Training
January 25-26: Biblical DISC Facilitator Certification March 15-16: Lead Like Jesus Encounter May 10: Natural Church Development: How Healthy is Your Church August 30: Our Church Website: Web Tools and Best Practices for Churches November 6-8: Renovate National Church Revitalization Conference
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Before Lift Off: How a Church Planter Develops a Launch Team cial resourcing. However, a home, coffee shop, or boardroom usually doesn’t cost anything and opens up an entire relational network. 5. It depends on the context of your ministry. Socioeconomic factors have an impact on the individual’s values. What one group may see as wasteful, another sees as the cost of doing business. When one’s church planting focus group represents a higher socioeconomic group it will require more financial resourcing. Limited resourcing could spell doom from day one. There are a lot of factors that play into this aspect of resourcing. Careful consideration should be given to the issue of context. 6. It depends on your shape as a planter. Every planter is unique and will approach the task of planting based on his spiritual gifts, heart, ability, personality, and experiences. One planter may find that he is task-oriented with an administrative gift and a business background. He may tend to approach church planting from an organizational perspective. He is likely to create a start-up strategy similar to the launching of a new business. Also, a church planter may be highly relational and his start-up strategy may reflect a more organic approach to church planting. What Do I Need? Many ways exist to break down the basic financial needs a planter has when preparing to plant. There seem to be three basic needs: a start-up budget, an operational budget, and salary support. Breaking the financial needs down into these three categories is beneficial when it comes to raising support. For example, some people give financial support based on relationship. These individuals will most likely be drawn to give to support the planter’s salary. Other individuals like to give a gift to meet a concrete need, like a video projector. The core group
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and growing number of attendees will likely want to give toward the ongoing operation of the new church. Dividing gifts giving into these three categories organizes the needs into manageable categories. A start-up budget consists of those things required for launching a new church. These items include initial marketing strategy, worship equipment, nursery and preschool equipment, rental deposits, insurance, signs, letterhead, bulletin cover, and so forth. Some of these items will be included later in operational costs, but are also part of the initial start-up cost. The operation budget consists of those things that recur and make up an annual budget. These items should fall into such categories as missions, personnel, facilities, administration, and ministry. It is important to build good financial systems from day one. When you are establishing your first operational budget, there are a number of things to consider: • • • • • • • •
Establish an account in the church’s name. Handle the finances as quickly as possible. Establish financial guidelines. Designate someone to handle the money. As planter/pastor, never handle the money. Use two signatures for checks. Have an outside audit conducted annually. Budget with the end in mind. Maintain flexibility early.
Salary support will depend on the needs of the church planter and the context of ministry. A church planter living in a high-cost area will need additional income in order to live within his ministry context. A church planter with small children may need additional income in order for his spouse to remain at home with the children. Salary support may come from a variety of places. • Intentional bivocational—Over half of Southern Baptist churches are lead by bivocational ministers. This will continue to be an important part of reaching the many unreached people of North America. There are many advantages to being bivocational. As it relates to reaching the unreached in North America
• Sponsoring and partnering churches—These churches serve as key supporters for church planting. There are some churches that are able to underwrite an entire church planting project, while other times a network of partners can come together to provide funding. • Individuals—In addition to churches, individuals often desire to be apart of a particular church plant in terms of financial support. This most often happens when a relationship is involved. • Businesses—There are a number of growing businesses that desire to give a percentage of their resources directly to some type of missions project. Regardless of where the resources come from, it is the responsibility of the planter to develop and maintain a healthy relationship with his partners. In addition, it is the responsibility of the planter to see that there are adequate resources in place before he sets out on a church planting project. How will I pay for it? The vision you write you must underwrite. Better yet, the vision God writes He must underwrite. It is important that a church planter does not delegate the full responsibility for raising resources to anyone else. It is ultimately his responsibility and he cannot put blame on anyone else for resources that do not materialize. People give to people. When it comes to raising resources it is also important to understand that people give to people. Those who are most likely to support your ministry will be those with whom you have had significant relational experiences and your current relationships. Church planters have two primary sources for raising support: churches, and his personal relationships with individuals.
Vision attracts resources. Never underestimate the power of vision. People with big resources are usually attracted to people with a big vision. Resources are in the harvest. It is important from day one that you look for resources in the harvest. Developing givers from within the new church is a primary task of the church planter and a basic function of discipleship. People you disciple most often want to turn around and support the work. You have not because you ask not. We have not because we ask not. First, we need to be constantly bringing our needs before God, expecting Him to provide for them. Secondly, we must develop good skills in providing people the opportunity to give and inviting them to do so. If you believe what you are doing is of God and is really making a difference, then asking is natural and easy.
Multiplying Churches with Mark Weible
being bivocational opens doors to many people we simply would not have access to. • Missions Organizations—Organizations like a local association or state convention often contribute to a church planter’s salary for a period of time.
People need a reason and opportunity to give. People with resources are often looking for a good reason and opportunity to give. They have lived their entire lives making good use of their resources and are looking to invest their resources in credible ways that will make a kingdom impact. Resources are easier to raise prior to moving to the field. There is no time like raising resources before moving to the church planting field or starting the church planting project. Avoid presuming that if you go people will give. Many church planters fail due to limited resources or resources that never materialized once they get on the field. Whenever possible see that resources have been raised and partnerships are firm before moving to the new church plant location.
Rev. Mark Weible serves
the Greater Orlando Baptist Association as the Church Planting Director. He joined the GOBA team in 2002. Mark co-leads the GOAL Leadership training besides serving as our Web architect. Mark serves as the Directional Leader of ReproducingChurches.com.
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STAFF Dr. Tom Cheyney Executive Director of Missions Rev. Mark Weible Church Planting Director Mr. Tom King Office Manager GOBA RESOURCES: GOBA.org RenovateConference.org ReproducingChurches.com OrlandoLeaders.com OrlandoChurchPlanting.com OurChurch.Website ChurchRevitalizationBootCamp.com CHURCH REVITALIZER MAGAZINE: ChurchRevitalizer.guru MISSIONS RISING MAGAZINE: MissionsRising.com Changing the way you think about your association!
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Reaching Puerto Ricans in Florida
and s r o t Pas rs e d a e L Church
Join us and Church Mobilizer Ramon
Osario, from the North American Mission Board, as we discover how to share the love of Jesus Christ with our new neighbors! Location: Church at the Cross
700 Good Homes Rd Orlando, FL
Date: January 4th 2018 Time:10AM-1PM Please visit
www.ReproducingChurches.com to sign up for this FREE event. Lunch is included! 32
ENOVATE R National Church Revitalization Conference
Speakers Include: Tom Cheyney Ron Smith Jason Britt Terry Rials Jim Grant Paul Smith Jennifer Bennett Chuck Lawless Walter Jackson Jason Britt Bill Hegedus Drew Cheyney Chris Irving Steve Smith Jason Cooper Rob Myers David Lema
RenovateConference.org
November 6-8, 2018 Orlando, FL (FBC Winter Park)
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National Church Revitalization Speakers
Church Revitalization Workshops
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Main Sessions By Revitalization Practitioners
4
Pre-Conference
Intensive Subjects
4
Breakout Session Opportunities
Special Group Rates Available
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