There are 156 million unchurched people in the U.S., and nearly half of that population is open to being invited to church. If you’re interested in reaching these people by starting a church, you must plan the logistics of your church’s location, mission, leadership, and other operations.
In this expert guide, we’ll explain how to start a church by covering the following topics:
Anyone can feel called to start a church, whether you’re a nonprofit professional or have no experience in starting an organization. To get started, let’s take a closer look at what it means to start a church.
Some people gather to worship in their homes. Others livestream sermons on their living room TV or attend large churches with multiple locations and numerous pastors. Churches can be operated and attended in various ways, so what do we mean when we say this guide will teach you how to start a church? Let’s start with the IRS’s definition of a church.
While the IRS doesn’t explicitly define the term “church” in the Internal Revenue Code, there are 14 attributes of churches developed by the IRS to determine whether an organization is considered a church for tax purposes. These characteristics include:
While your organization doesn’t need all 14 attributes to qualify as a church for tax purposes, it can be a helpful checklist for your startup process.
By definition, a church is a building used for Christian worship. However, you know that the church is much more than a building. It includes the congregation, leadership, external ministries, and more.
For this reason, a church startup is the process of planning all of a church’s operations, including its location, leadership, and community outreach. While churches are automatically given nonprofit status, there are advantages to applying for 501(c)(3) status and complying with legal requirements, which is another crucial part of the startup process.
While church planting can sometimes refer to the process of starting multiple churches, it generally refers to starting a church. Whether you’re starting your first church or fifth one, this process typically includes:
Starting a church is a huge task, so you should have a clear plan for your startup before taking the plunge. After all, a church that aims to reach people worldwide looks a lot different than a local congregation in a small community. That’s why you should establish your goals before starting a church.
If you’re reading this guide, you likely want to start a church and already know why. However, specifically defining your intentions for the church will help guide your decision-making in the startup process to support your goals.
Ask yourself the following questions to determine the goals of your church startup:
Your answers to the above questions will create a roadmap for fulfilling your church’s mission. Equipped with clear goals, you can start making concrete plans and decisions about your new church.
First and foremost, you’ll need to decide your church’s identity. This includes:
These elements dictate much of how your church will operate, but also how you’ll be identified in the community. Just like charitable organizations and for-profit businesses, your church will have a brand and a reputation as it gains visibility.
Every organization needs a set of rules to guide how it will be organized, and the same is true for churches. There are a variety of ways your church may be organized, including:
Your bylaws will ensure that your church is run the way it was intended. While they’re helpful documents in general, they’re also necessary if you choose to apply for 501(c)(3) status—and you should.
Once you’ve settled on an official name for your church (and checked to make sure no other organization exists with this name), you’re ready to file Articles of Incorporation. These should include:
An incorporated church is its own legal entity, enabling it to act as a formally organized entity and accept liability for its actions. You can file your Articles of Incorporation with the secretary of state’s office in the state in which your church is being formed.
Your employer identification number (EIN) is like a social security number for your church. It identifies your organization so that you can complete other vital steps needed to start your church, like getting a bank account so you can pay your staff! Complete Form SS-4, filling out basic information such as:
While this application may seem simple, be careful to answer everything on Form SS-4 correctly. You may be denied 501(c)(3) status if you answered anything incorrectly and could face other classification problems, as well.
While churches are automatically tax-exempt because of the non-commercial nature of their activities, there are advantages to officially applying for 501(c)(3) status. Your determination letter from the IRS helps donors claim tax deductibility for their contributions to your church and also allows your church to obtain property tax exemption.
To apply for 501(c)(3) status, your church must complete Form 1023, which requires:
You’ll also need to submit other materials, such as your Articles of Incorporation.
The best way to start a church is to solidify your nonprofit and tax-exempt status by incorporating your church and filing for 501(c)(3) determination. But how can you ensure you do everything the right way, especially when your passion is your ministry?
The best step you can take to easily and accurately start a church is to trust a professional. Outsourcing these tasks to an experienced compliance specialist can help you avoid mistakes and get started as smoothly as possible. A professional can help you:
At Foundation Group, our experts have helped over 25,000 startups nationwide with 100% success, since 1995. Our SureStart™ nonprofit formation services offer these essential solutions (and more) to start your church with ease.
Starting a church can be difficult, but don’t let the process deter you from your ministry. A church can make a significant impact on the lives of others, which is why it’s crucial that your church startup is a success!
If you need more guidance on how to start a church, check out the following resources:
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Greg McRay is the founder and CEO of The Foundation Group. He is registered with the IRS as an Enrolled Agent and specializes in 501(c)(3) and other tax exemption issues.
Myself and my brother are both licensed ministers and thinking of starting a new church where we would welcome pets to join their owners, and if tithes were to be given, we would donate it to a local no kill shelter. (So far only three others we know have taken an interest in the idea). With that said, how would we qualify it for a tax exemption?
Greg McRay, EA says:
What you do with donations really isn’t the issue. It’s whether or not the IRS would recognize what you’re proposing to do as a church. If the mission and purpose is religious, you have an established congregation that is more than just 4 or 5 people, and you have regular services at a physical location, you most likely would qualify under church standards.
John Babu Chappidi says:Greetings to you Sir,
Our organization is Voice Of The World Ministries, it’s a non profit and non government organisation, we are working in rural villages,
Our main objective is to develop all kinds of people living in rural areas by organizing awareness seminars on education, health and hygiene. Encourage with your valuable advice and suggestions,
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