Hello Reader , Last week, we talked about one of the most common questions churches face: Should this person be treated as an employee or an independent contractor? As summer ministry activities begin, Let's continue that conversation with another important question: What about volunteers? Vacation Bible School, youth camps, mission trips, community outreach events, and children's programs often rely heavily on volunteers and for good reason. They are one of the greatest blessings in...

Hello Reader , As summer gets closer, many churches are planning for a full season of ministry — summer programs, special events, worship coverage, childcare needs, administrative support, and all the extra projects that seem to come with this time of year. And with those needs, there's one question I've gotten time after time: “Can we just pay this person as a 1099 contractor?” Now, I fully understand why that question comes up. Churches are trying to be good stewards. You want to bring in...

Hello Reader , So, I’m at that stage of motherhood where I’m saying things like, “You don’t smell your armpits?!” Yeah. Teen and pre-teen boys. This is fun. 🙂 Actually, it is fun. But I’m also amazed at how they can be completely nose-blind to what seems very obvious to everyone else. Wildly, this phenomenon can also be true in churches. Sometimes, we can become so familiar with how things operate that we stop noticing the areas of greatest need. The outdated process. The unclear authority...