POLICY ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
From your reading in Welch, you will complete 1 of the following 2 assignments. You must specify whether you are either (1) proposing/writing a policy or (2) evaluating your present policy. Either choice must be a well-written, 4 – 5-page policy for weddings in your present church.

INSTRUCTIONS
Choose 1:
• Proposing/writing a new policy: If you church does not have an existing wedding policy, you will create/write one. Use the “Developing Policy and Procedures” section in Welch (Chapter 3) in order to identify key elements to be addressed. Review the grading rubric for further detail. (I choose this one)
• Evaluating an existing policy: If your church has a wedding policy already in place, critique the policy using the key elements that a policy ought to address. You must include as an attachment your existing wedding policy. Review the grading rubric for further detail.

No matter which option you choose, you must interact with the material from Welch’s book and include 2 – 3 references. Review the grading rubric for further details.

Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.

Robert H. Welch, Church Administration: Creating Efficiency for Effective Ministry (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2011).

CHAPTER 3
Documents for Administration
Now the first covenant also had regulations for ministry and an earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was set up; and in the first room, which is called “the holy place,” were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation loaves. Behind the second curtain, the tabernacle was called “the holy of holies.” It contained the gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant, covered with gold on all sides, in which there was a gold jar containing the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. The cherubim of glory were above it overshadowing the mercy seat. . . . These things having been set up this way, the priests enter the first room repeatedly, performing their ministry. But the high priest alone enters the second room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. . . . They are physical regulations and only deal with food, drink, and various washing imposed until the time of restoration. Now the Messiah has appeared, high priest of the good things that have come.
HEBREWS 9:1–8,10–11
The Church Organization Manual
In 1977 the Navy took me to the University of Oklahoma as the executive officer of the NROTC unit there. My family and I joined a small (about 250 in attendance on a good Sunday) Baptist church. The church had a pastor—who was preparing to retire after 20 years—a minister of education, and a minister of music and youth. In the next five years, under the direction of a new, young pastor, the church grew both spiritually and numerically. At one point the church was one of the fastest-growing churches in that denomination. Along with growth came new ministries and new staff members to provide leadership. In 1982 I retired from the Navy and joined several other individuals who made up the ministry staff.
From 1977 until 1982 I functioned in a variety of volunteer roles: deacon, member of committees, chairperson of other committees, teacher, and council member. One of the issues that plagued the church in the early 1980s was that there seemed to be no coordinated effort or response to what we were doing. Having discovered (after much searching) an ancient copy of the constitution and bylaws that was written in 1934 and modified in 1956, we noted that how we were doing business was not how our constituting documents said we should be going about ministry. A task force was formed to rewrite that constitution and bylaws.
This process of defining what the church was and was to become was lengthy, a spiritual odyssey, and visionary. After more than a year, the group brought to the members a philosophy for doing church that was a reflection of how the task group interpreted Scripture and how the church should practically adopt those tenants. Because the task group had been formed from a broad base, encompassing nearly every facet of the membership, and because the task force constantly communicated to the church what was learned about how the church should be scripturally constituted and operated, adoption of the new constitution and bylaws was a celebration of renewal.
Having a focused mission and purpose statement to build policy about, the various groups of leadership in the church set about to formulate documents that expressed “doing church.” As the newly called church administrator, I was involved with many of the groups writing the policy documents and then worked with staff members to help them create procedures to respond appropriately. I was directly involved with the personnel, finance, and the property committees.
In one particular staff meeting, I was complaining about the difficulty of collecting all these developing ministry and functional policies and procedures and suggested that it was now time to create a policy and procedure manual for the church. “Well, Bob,” the pastor said, “you are a doctoral student studying church administration; you write a manual for us.” I was at first honored and humbled that my pastor and colleagues thought me capable of such an endeavor—then I came to my senses. If I write that manual, then it will be Welch’s manual, not the church’s. Now mind you, I could have written a good manual. By that time I had enough experience in churchmanship to do it. With my Navy background I had written a zillion regulation manuals. So I could have done it. But why, when our new constitution and bylaws charged the various organizations of the church (ministries, committees, and councils) to create their own policies and procedures for doing church.
Rather than becoming the writer of the church organization manual, my role became the compiler of the information that went into the book, editing the work to make it consistent in format. When the Church Organization Manual was finally given to the church, it had dozens of writers. The associate pastor, counselors, chaplains, and benevolence ministry team developed the pastoral sections. The minister of education, age group ministers, education curriculum council, age group councils, etc., developed the education portions. And so forth. Various church committees and church office personnel as well as staff members assisted in developing personnel, financial, and property sections.
In the Scripture passage that ended the last chapter, the covenant between God and the nation of Israel was established; God had Moses write it down. And having given the whole body of what we call the Law, God reminded Moses in Exod 34:27, “The LORD also said to Moses, ‘Write down these words, for I have made a covenant with you and with Israel based on these words.’”
In the Old Testament, history was written down. An example is Moses recording in Exod 17:14 after Joshua’s defeat of the Amalek, “The LORD then said . . . , ‘Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua.’” How to worship was given direction: “write down this song for yourselves and teach it to the Israelites; have them recite it, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the Israelites” (Deut 31:19). Important events and criteria for obedient living were recorded. Note Joshua in the renewal of the Law at Shechem: “Joshua recorded these things in the book of the law of God” (Josh 24:26). Samuel reiterated the law after Saul was chosen King: “Samuel proclaimed to the people the rights of kingship. He wrote them on a scroll, which he placed in the presence of the LORD” (1 Sam 10:25).
Luke introduces his accounts of the gospel of Christ and the growth of the early church by telling Theophilus,
Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us. It also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed. (Luke 1:1–4)
Paul, John, Peter, and James wrote boldly to the churches throughout the world to instruct and encourage them to correct behavior and appropriate ministry.
Writing down the way we do church is useful for several reasons:
• Written instructions inform the church members how their church operates; and, how they should operate in it.
• The written material benefits staff communication because specific responsibilities and duties are spelled out.
• Written material assists individuals in acclimating to the new church or job.
• When decisions and ways of operation are recorded, it is important to record those actions so that the same problem will not be solved again, or worse yet, a way of doing things is modified/changed without consideration of an established format.
Studies, cited in the preface, determined that senior pastors feel a tremendous uneasiness with their responsibilities as administrators. Some, in fact, have left the ministry because they felt that if they could not be studying Scripture and preaching full time they were not meeting God’s call. They reasoned that if being a pastor was all this administrative hassle, they didn’t want any part of it. Others ministers have been fired because of administrative ineptitude or for other administrative problems.
Effective organization and administrative processes can dramatically reduce the degree of confusion and uncertainty that exists when no specific guidance is provided for a church’s operation. Policies and procedures will have a definite impact on the working and personal relationships of the individuals in the church or organization. If one is to consider the church a “team” involved in the mission of the church, then every member must work together in a coordinated effort.
Consider a football team. When I was with the faculty at Oklahoma University, I got to work with some of the Sooner football team members. I noted that everywhere they went they carried large red notebooks and guarded them closely. They were constantly studying the pages—much to my chagrin because I wanted them to study the math class I was tutoring them for. They had what is called the “Playbook,” which describes exactly what each player is supposed to do to make a successful play. When the quarterback calls a play, every member of the team has an assignment, and they know what to do to carry it out. Even the substitutes on the sidelines know exactly what is supposed to be occurring on the field.
A church is somewhat like that football team. All members have assignments—some wait, others play, but all know what the team is supposed to be doing. We might call the church playbook the church organization manual.
As can be seen from the discussions so far and from the Scripture we have considered, a church organization manual can be divided into three basic areas:
What the church is called by the Holy Spirit to do.
How they are organized to do it.
What methods or techniques will need to be employ to do it.
A suggested organization to the manual, dividing it into three major sections, might be:
Authority
• Church charter or articles of incorporation

• Constitution/bylaws (which includes mission statement)

• History

Organization
• Organizational chart

• Ministries

• Committees

• Personnel (staff and lay leadership position descriptions)

• Personnel policies

• Salary plan

Administration
• Fiscal policies

• Physical policies

• Office policies

• Ministry policies (day care, volunteers, revival, education, counseling, etc.)

This chapter will deal with the first division of the manual: Authority. In the next chapter, church Organization is developed, and the following chapter will deal with personnel manual issues. The remainder of the book will discuss in depth the various topics under the third major area: Administration.
The Constitution and Bylaws
Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The LORD called out to him from the mountain and said, “Give these instructions to the descendants of Jacob, the people of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I brought you to myself and carried you on eagle’s wings. Now if you will obey and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be to me a kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ Give this message to the Israelites.” Moses returned from the mountain and called together the leaders of the people and told them what the LORD had said. They all responded together, “We will certainly do everything the LORD asks of us.” (Exod 19:3–8 NLT)
Any organization needs documents that define what it is and its mission and purpose, the structure by which they will do business, and the process that directs activity. Documents such as a constitution and bylaws serve several purposes:
• They state who you are and why you exist as a church or religious not-for-profit organization.
• They describe and define the theology, doctrine, polity, dogma, and philosophy of your church or organization.
• They describe the membership of your church, how one becomes a member and how one leaves membership.
• It defines who are the leaders of the membership.
• They spell out how the church will carry out its business and operation.
• They spell out the decision-making responsibilities of major groups in the church and the process they use to make those decisions.
• They identify the legally constituted authority that exists in the church or organization.
Constitution and Bylaws Defined
Constitution: a definitive statement of the name, location, doctrinal purpose, and rules of conduct of the church. It is the way the organization is structured. It includes basic beliefs, dogma, and polity. It describes the covenant under which membership operates. Bylaws: from the Old English loosely translated “village law.” Bylaws focus on the rights and privileges of the members, the responsibilities and powers of church officers and how they become officers as well as how long they will serve. Included in the bylaws will be rules for doing business and conducting meetings, who will moderate meetings and the parameters for quorum. Committees and other polity organizations of the body are identified. How finances are received and utilized is defined.
Both documents must describe how they come into existence, how they may be modified, and what becomes of the assets of the organization in the event of cessation of existence. The management of both documents must be assigned to a polity organization of the church for review, evaluation, and recommendation to the church for revision, correction, or deletion.
In the case study that introduced this chapter, one of the major problems that existed in the church was that we really didn’t know what the constitution and bylaws said because we didn’t have a copy of it. Embarrassingly, I admit I became the church administrator without even looking at the “rules for doing church.” I discovered I wasn’t alone. It took me several weeks to find a copy of the constitution, a 1956 revision of the original 1934 creation. Once we read the document through, we discovered we were doing many things in violation to the constitution and bylaws—including no provision for the paid position of church administrator; I was not legally employed!
It is imperative for the church or religious nonprofit organization to have a constitution and bylaws. In most states, if a nonprofit does not have a constitution and bylaws that define operation, then the state statutes that regulate not-for-profit organizations will be applied. A church or religious nonprofit organization should seek legal, denominational, or other professional assistance in crafting this important document.
For many practical reasons, the church should periodically review the constitution and bylaws:
There is a biblical precedent for orderly conduct in the church. For example, Paul wrote letters to Timothy to help him instruct the church leadership in understanding their roles and conduct.
Inappropriate direction may exist:
• Outdated policy

• Unwritten rules to be added

• Traditions and process to be formalized

• Inflexible and narrow guidance to be evaluated

• Unethical or illegal practices

It is good to review the documents after a lengthy pastorate. Many items in a written set of documents may have been set aside or granted by consensus as the congregation yielded more authority to a pastor. These relaxed conditions may not be afforded to new leadership.
Issues brought about by federal or state legislators or executive and judicial interpretation may need to be addressed.
Several “unofficial” and “official” documents may exist in the church because of various decisions at business meetings that need to be incorporated into a formalized document.
How the church does business (meetings, committees, programs, etc.) needs to be reviewed periodically. Eliminate redundant direction, clarify communication, and consolidate similar decisions.
Review establishes an attitude among the church body that the leadership is sensitive to the desires and mind of the congregation.
Writing Constitution and Bylaw Documents
Development of a constitution and bylaws should be a spiritual odyssey. The leadership of the church should lead the church in discovering the vision that the Spirit has placed in their midst and then create a mission statement that describes how the church or organization will act out that vision. Vision is a God-inspired direction that the church or organization should inculcate; mission is the plans that are made to carry out the vision.
The practical procedures to follow when developing and writing a constitution and bylaws are:
The pastor must provide the leadership. The pastor creates a positive attitude toward “doing church” properly. The pastor (and other spiritual leaders of the church) leads the church in formulating their vision and mission statements.
Establish a committee if that assignment has not already be made by other documents in the church.
Conduct research:
• Consider any present documents of polity and policy—existing constitution and bylaws documents, existing policies and procedures, church business minutes, minutes of committees or other policy-making groups in the church.

• Consider examples from denominational resources, other churches, and professional literature.

• Review all reports of business meetings or meetings where church-wide decisions were made.
Determine if there exists any federal, state, or local government regulations that are applicable to the church and need to be included in the documents.
Keep the congregation informed and involved.
Adopt the documents by a churchwide vote.
Publish the document and make it available to all staff, leaders, and organizational groups in the church.
Because of recent court decisions as well as enacted law, certain elements should be carefully considered whenever the constitution and bylaws are crafted. The church or organization should:
• Specifically identify itself as a “religious, not-for-profit” entity.
• Identify the theological and doctrinal stance taken by the church or institution.
• Identify any dogma or doctrinal position that separates the church from secular or other religious institutions. (For example, the church may choose to only ordain male clergy—that exclusion should be stated and justified from the theological documents to which the church or organization subscribes.)
• Describe the methodology for dealing with errant or inappropriate behavior by leaders and members alike. Included should be factors and conditions for termination of relationship.
• While most states will require the identification of officers and trustees by name in the incorporating documents (covered next), the church should make it clear that these are not lifetime assignments and that a process for the frequent or infrequent replacement of the individuals is provided.
• Identify what a quorum is. For example, is the “total membership” to be considered, only those who are considered “active” members, or “those members present and voting.” What number represents a quorum—simple majority, two-thirds, three-fourths, a percentile?
• Identify what form of parliamentary procedure will be adopted. Usually Robert’s Rules of Order will be used.
• State upon what conditions meetings will be closed to the public or membership
It is strongly recommended that the church not encumber the constitution and bylaws with details of doing business. The appropriate place for that is in a policy and procedure manual. The principle reason is that to change the constitution or bylaws takes a quorum vote in a special, formal meeting of the church. To change a policy only takes a majority vote in a business meeting—and to change a procedure can be done by the group assigned responsibility for administration of the policy without a vote at all.
Incorporation
Historically in America churches or not-for-profit religious bodies functioned under a society or unincorporated format. They were individuals who formed a lose association based upon a theological, doctrinal, familial, or other cooperative reason. Many churches and nonprofit organizations in the U.S. today remain in this unincorporated status. In the past half century, however, the attractiveness, and quiet honestly the necessity, of forming an incorporated not-for-profit religious organization is becoming apparent. Whereas before the church was considered a sacrosanct institution that was immune from litigation, now the church is named as a defendant in court as equally as any other element of our society.
All American states and territories have provisions for nonprofit organizations to incorporate as a corporate entity, enjoying the privileges—as well as the responsibilities to those state governments—that any corporation may have. The processes for and provisions of the incorporation vary from state to state but usually include (1) the filing of an application that identifies the institution, place of meeting, its officers and incorporators; (2) a filing fee; and (3) some provisions for reporting to the state proof that the organization is operating as chartered—a nonprofit, religious organization. Some states will require a copy of a constitution and bylaws; others will require the institution be registered as an Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
Significant advantages exist for incorporating a church or nonprofit organization:
• It creates a legal entity. The church or organization becomes a registered corporation with the state, and a charter is issued that identifies that legal status.
• Only corporate assets may be garnished in the event of litigation. The personal assets of members, trustees, and leaders are protected from any litigation or garnishment. Only the assets of the corporation are liable.
• Most financial institutions and other commercial ventures will deal only with legal entities. Banks and other lending agencies as well as trust and land developers want the assurance of a legally identified and insurance-protected entity.
• It protects (copyrights) the church name. A charter is issued that gives sole recognition to the church identification.
• Perpetual legal presence will exist even if leadership changes.
• It becomes a forum for review and update of ways the church does business. In states that require annual reports and filing, the process will encourage a comprehensive review of church conduct.
• Many states will require annual evaluations and reports of expenditures and funds which will prompt appropriate and legal financial operations.
Most disadvantages to incorporation relate to the reluctance of the church or organization to become entangled in government oversight. Some, not all, states will require reports that will necessitate a detailed assessment and evaluation of the church’s financial activities. And, some states will require the church or institution to abide by any state laws that have been written that relate to chartered, not-for-profit organizations. In summary, disadvantages include:
• It will require bringing the church under state nonprofit regulations and statutes.
• It will require legal counsel to develop and maintain the charter application.
While some churches and organizations choose not to get involved in the hassles of incorporation, Prov 27:12 reminds wise leaders that, “The sensible see danger and take cover; the foolish keep going and are punished.” Church leaders should consider carefully the potential for disaster that might befall them and the members of the church if they fail to think about the protection incorporation affords.
The Process for Filing Incorporation Documents
The procedures to follow in developing the documents to file for incorporation should be developed in the context of an existing committee or a specially formed committee to create the application. The following process should be considered:
1. Request an information packet from the state attorney general’s office. Most states issue incorporation from the attorney general’s office or secretary of state. Local denominational leaders can provide assistance in determining the agency from which the church or organization should request the application forms.
2. Retain legal counsel to draw up the formal document. In most states the filing of the church constitution and bylaws will be required. If that document has not been produced, then the church needs to take this step first. While the constitution and bylaws is a document of the statement of faith of the church and the philosophy for doctrine and dogma, the lawyer may be asked to review the document for legal requirements because he may have to defend the church in litigation matters relating to the church’s statement of operation.
3. Select incorporators—the individuals named in the document who will draw up the articles of incorporation. In most states these must be the trustees elected by the church as well as the identification of a president and treasurer.
4. Review requirements for incorporation.
5. Identify what other not-for-profit organization will receive the assets of the church or organization in the eventuality of dissolvement of the church or organization. By law this must be another IRS 501(c)(3) organization.
6. File the articles of incorporation with the appropriate authority.
7. Hold the initial meeting of the incorporated church or organization.
8. Legally transfer all assets of the unincorporated church or organization to the new incorporated, nonprofit, religious organization.
9. Prepare and record the dissolution of the unincorporated church.
10. Modify bylaws or policy and procedure documents to ensure any requirements of review or reporting are developed and implemented.
Policies and Procedures
No other church provides more instructions for “doing church” than the Corinthian church. For example, in 1 Corinthians 11 Paul begins the section by talking about social customs and worship. Numerous topics are discussed—covering head, long hair, women-men relationships, prayer, and so forth. Beginning with v. 17 he chides them concerning their poor practices relating to the common meal and the Lord’s Supper—the failure to share, gluttony, and drunkenness. He then goes on to describe in detail how the supper should be observed. He concludes the section with the statement in v. 34: “I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.”
Directly out of the U.S. Navy, I moved to a church business administrator position in a local church. Having served 22 years as an active duty naval officer, I was “oriented” to do things by the book. For those of you who have served in governmental agencies or offices, you are well aware of what I am about to say. Everything we did in the military was by the “regs”—the regulations. We had regulations for how to do every facet of our responsibilities. Having been sent to a six-month school to become one of these “regulation writers,” I knew full well the research, evaluation, and detail that went into every regulation. There was a practical reason for doing Navy by the book. As an individual went from command to command, the way things were done was “standardized.” You could fit in quite quickly because administration, operation, and activity was the same everywhere. We all did business the same regardless of the type of ship or shore station to which we were assigned.

Policies and Procedures Defined
Policies: A policy is a general statement that relates the church’s position on a particular subject. It is an expression of a course of action that directs a church or organization in attaining its stated mission and objectives. A policy is a managerial decision that defines the church’s attitude on a particular matter. Policies respond to the routine operations of the church. Policies are statements of church or institution polity and therefore should be approved formally by the membership.
Procedures: While the policies are the broad statements of principle that chart a course of action, procedures are the oars in the water. They describe the how by which the church or organization will implement the policy. They become administrative decisions that define how the policy will be effectively carried out, administrative guidelines used by those who carry out the policy. They are never written without some clear and definite policy statement by the institution. Procedures are developed by administrators. These administrators may be a pastor, business administrator, the building supervisor, a committee, or any other individual or group. Procedures do not require the vote of the church. They should be developed, however, with sensitivity to the desires of the church as voiced in the policy statement.
Advantages of Policies and Procedures
Policy and procedure statements offer significant assistance in the management and administration of the church or organization. Some advantages of policies and procedures are:
1. Policies and procedures organize the efforts of the church or organization in attaining its objectives and goals. They become the road markers by which the leadership of the church can assess accomplishment or nonaccomplishment of an expressed direction toward which the church wants to move. They are the concrete expressions that move the church from the what and why to the who, when, and how.
2. Policies and procedures present to both those in the church and those outside an atmosphere of order, business, and sense of purpose. Church designed policies and efficiently administered procedures develop a sense of satisfaction and fairness by the membership in the functioning of the church. Established, formal procedures convey to those who deal with the administrators of the church a sense of confidence and business rapport.
3. Formalized, written policies and procedures become guides for operation. They communicate methods of doing business. They become information instruments for the general church body. They are the training curricula for new staff, committee members, or employees.
4. Policies and procedures convert recurring problems to routine processes. They direct response and resolution to the lowest level of administration possible. They free higher levels of administration and management of the church to focus on significant or unique problem areas of the ministry of the church.
5. Policies and procedures aid in the formulation of church objectives and goals. They provide a meter to measure accomplishment. They focus on areas that require revision or modification. They highlight functional areas that require addressing to move the church in accomplishing its mission.
Disadvantages of Policies and Procedures
The disadvantages that surround policies and procedures lie not so much in their use but in their misuse and abuse.
1. Policies and procedures tend to become legal documents. The church becomes an organization by the book, and that book is not the Bible. Policies and procedures are not designed to harass the congregation but to facilitate their service.
2. Policy and procedure statements are legal documents. In some instances where church groups have had to respond to legal situations, courts have held that organization manuals, personnel manuals, and policy and procedure manuals become legal contracts or binding expressions by the church. Policies and procedures must be constituted in legally defensible terms.
3. Policy and procedure statements when unequally applied become vehicles for contention and conflict. What’s good for the goose has to be good for the gander. While exceptions can occur, they should be few and far between. The grantor of the exception should be on solid ground and would be wise to consult the designers of the procedures that are being violated.
4. Out of date, unnecessary, or unmodified policy and procedure documents become hindrances to efficient operation. When a policy needs to be changed, change it. When procedures no longer apply, modify or eliminate them. Policy and procedure documents should be constantly evaluated for effectiveness. At least annually, all documents should be reviewed by the body that constituted them. This means that an organization that represents the church body should review the policy statement at least annually. The administrative body who produced the procedure guidelines in support of that policy should also review those steps for applicability and efficiency.
Developing Policies and Procedures
This is not the time to hire a lawyer. Policy statements should be stated in terminology that is understood by the church member who will acknowledge, approve, and function by it. It is best to use the language that addresses the issue and at the same time allows for the expansion of the statement to embrace future contingencies.
Effective policy statements should:
• Be a few short sentences in length; they should be concise but complete.
• Address a few related topics in each statement. If several policy statements would best address the topic, then present each policy with its implementing procedures.
• Be broad in scope. Policy statements should focus on the desire of the church or organization but leave latitude for creativity, innovation, and application in the implementing procedures.
• Assign responsibility for implementation and review to a group or polity organization in the church or institution.
• Be written in a positive rather than punitive context.
• Not be unnecessarily restrictive. Policies become guidelines that will address a wide variety of topics in the church. Overly burdensome policies become demotivators for ministry rather than motivators.
• Be enforceable and legally defensible. Policies should be developed within the context of the church or organization’s constitution and bylaws and within the parameters of any local, state, or federal statutes.
• Be developed with the assistance of the individual(s) or group(s) who must implement and utilize the policy. Who best to ensure the policy is carried out to the intent of the church or organization than the people who will have to live with it and explain it to others?
A record of the policy should be entered into the formal, historical documents of the church or organization. Usually policies are presented by committees or other polity organizations of the church or organization during a formal business session. Many churches or organizations will adopt a standardized format for presenting such business. Presented on a one-page document, the policy should be stated as the committee or group recommends and include the date of such presentation, a space for any approved amendments or modifications, and the date of formal adoption. The final wording of the policy is to be entered prior to filing.
The policy, when approved, becomes a permanent record in the records secretary’s, church historian, or other permanent file location. A serial sequence code and the recommending and implementing groups is useful for quickly retrieving the document for future review.
Implementing Procedures
Once the church has approved the policy, the necessary procedures to implement it will be developed by that group assigned to administer the policy.
Effectively written procedures will:
• Address the policy that has been written. Policy statements become limits for operational statements. Don’t rewrite the policy.
• Be written in the language of the individual or individuals who will use the procedures. If it is a maintenance policy, use maintenance terms; if it applies to use of the facility by individuals outside the church, use language they can understand.
• Use a step-by-step, sequential format. An outline format lends itself well to procedure statements. Limit subtopic items under each procedural step to those necessary for clarity of a particular step.
• Allow for creativity and innovation in the implementation of some of the steps. Managers do not have all the answers. Allow for the expertise of the individuals who use procedures to amplify and make the procedures more efficient.
• Avoid any ambiguous or unclear statements. The objective is to develop procedures that will be applied in all situations by all persons in a uniform and consistent manner. Even the part-time or volunteer secretary should be able to determine how a member goes about checking out a movie projector for a class activity.
• Be conscious of the paperwork mill. Many procedures will call for the development of forms, ledgers, check lists, diagrams, or other associated documents. In developing procedures, limit these items. Consolidate or revise existing forms. Develop new forms with multiple use in mind.
• Provide policies with the implementing procedures in a written form to the church. While formal approval is not usually undertaken, the church must understand the procedures that implement the policy. This is effectively accomplished in a church organization manual. Published in loose-leaf form, additions and modifications are easily made. Available in various locations throughout the church (church office, library, division offices), the manual becomes a source-book of church operation. Reviewed routinely and periodically, the manual becomes a current source of efficient administration.
Manuals of Operation
As can be seen in the discussion so far in this chapter, a church organization manual is a compilation of many separately produced documents. The remainder of this book will be devoted to developing policy statements regarding various elements of church or institutional organization. For example, the next chapter will focus on developing an organization. Job descriptions, committees, and other small-group charters come into existence via several modes: personnel committees, committee-on-committees, and staff development. In the following chapter will be presented the personnel operations of the church or organization. These are often termed personnel policy manuals in many organizations. Later we will develop financial policies and property polices, which will in effect be finance manuals and property manuals. Other manuals that will lend themselves to separate presentations include wedding procedures, kitchen operations, office procedures, family life and recreation, youth mission projects, benevolence procedures, and so forth.
Significant advantage exists for creating a church organization manual in this format.
• A specific office, committee, or polity group is identified as the manager.
• Processes for review are easier to identify.
• It is easier to create changes and modifications to the policies and procedures in a compartmentalized version of the manual.
• Publication of the smaller manual may target specific users. For example, a bride is given a copy of the wedding procedures manual section of the church property manual.
Developing specific manuals for operation should always be done in the context of the legal documents (constitution, bylaws, and articles of incorporation) of the church or organization. The assigned polity manager (staff, committee, council, etc.) should review and develop policy. Both a representative of the policy manager and the group that will implement the policy should review and develop procedures. A scheme for developing an office procedure manual might follow this pattern:
• The church administrator meets with personnel, finance, property, and other polity groups to ascertain if policy has been developed that would impact church office procedures.
• The administrator meets with current staff personnel to develop a consensus of how they view the church office will support their particular element of ministry or responsibility.
• The administrator meets with other program and ministry leaders to ascertain how they view the church office in helping them to meet the requirements of their particular area of responsibility.
• Existing procedures are reviewed to develop a consensus of how business is now being conducted.
• Research and a review of publications and other example church office manuals is conducted to develop a potential format for the document.
• A review of any regulatory documents such as the U.S. Postal Service, IRS/Social Security, and state and federal employment commission is made for legal requirements.
• A listing of all topics deemed appropriate for the church or organization is made and analyzed.
• A rough draft of the manual is completed and is circulated to assess understandability, readability, and legal defensibility.
• A final document is created, published, and distributed.
Each of the subsequent chapters of this text will provide the basis for the development of most of the documents that any church or not-for-profit religious organization will ever consider.
A word or warning early in this book: because this is a textbook of church administration, it is necessary to present the complex, complete version of a church organization manual rather than an incomplete, sketchy version. Church or organization leaders must consider the totality of the material provided herein and select that which will be appropriate for their institutions. Not everything will be needed or desired. It is like a smorgasbord; you can take one of everything and make a pig of yourself—the consequences of which will be a bloated feeling and discomfort. Being selective will allow the administrator to use only that which is apropos for the moment and return back to the table when the contingencies of change call for more.
Chapter Review
Professionalism will require the church or nonprofit organization to present itself in a formal, yet understandable manner to both the constituency it serves and the general public it encounters. This is often best accomplished through the documents that define and state the function and operation of the organization.
• The reader should be able to define the terms constitution, bylaws, incorporation, and policies and procedures and describe how each interrelates in the church or nonprofit organization.
• The term legal defensibility was used in the chapter. What does this term mean in the context of the documents described in the chapter?
• Be able to describe procedures an administrator should follow to develop any of the documents discussed in the chapter.

Robert H. Welch, Church Administration: Creating Efficiency for Effective Ministry (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2011).