Category: Podcast

Ten Tips for More Efficient Meetings (LMG Podcast)

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  1. Start on time.
  2. Identify the meeting’s goals and each agenda item’s goal ahead of time.
  3. Set time limits for each agenda item.
  4. Have all reports submitted in writing with enough advance time for board members to read them, and have any recommendations for action highlighted in the reports.
  5. Use unanimous consent for uncontroversial questions.
  6. Don’t vote on minutes. Ask for any changes. If there are none, the minutes are adopted by unanimous consent.
  7. When a report contains only information and not any recommendations for action, don’t vote on it.
  8. When a motion comes from a committee, don’t ask for a second. The committee is presumed to include at least two in favor of its consideration. (Also, in small boards—about a dozen or fewer—motions need not be seconded.)
  9. Clearly articulate any desired action, typically in the form of a motion, to focus discussion. Don’t wait until the end of discussion to make a motion.
  10. If you’ve finished all business contained in the agenda, don’t vote to adjourn. After giving everyone an opportunity to present additional business, just adjourn.

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1747 Law in Luther’s Day

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5989964/height/90/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”100%” placement=”top” theme=”custom”]Before Martin Luther became a monk, he was a rather successful student whose father encouraged his path into the study of law. Informed in part by his brief stint in law school and other encounters with lawyers in his day, he developed a distaste and distrust for the profession as a whole. Derek Nelson, coauthor of Resilient Reformer: The Life and Thought of Martin Luther, helps explain what a lawyer did in sixteenth-century Germany, what studying the law would have been like, and what Luther thought about the law. Continue reading “1747 Law in Luther’s Day” →

1746 Building a Culture of Accountability

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5968145/height/90/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”100%” placement=”top” theme=”custom”]When organizations lack accountability mechanisms, they can become stagnant. When someone suggests implementing some accountability or asks specific questions about current practices, the person responsible for that aspect of the faith community’s life often takes it as a personal attack. But when a community values accountability as a necessary part of good stewardship, moments of accountability can serve to improve the organization’s mission. Developing a culture of accountability takes time, but the process can be served by bringing in an outsider without personal connections to share what best practices look like. The three areas to focus on first in developing this culture are finances, child protection, and employee evaluation.

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1745 Authority to marry

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5921739/height/90/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″]All states authorize clergy to perform marriage ceremonies. But each state has its own definitions and procedures. For example, some states have narrow definitions of who qualifies as clergy, sometimes even requiring registration. And the consequences of not following these procedures can fall on both the marrying couple and the minister.

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1744 Reformation 500!

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5895389/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″ placement=”top”]October 31, 2017, marks the five hundredth anniversary of Martin Luther’s ninety-five theses, which sparked the Reformation. The ripples of the Reformation still can be seen in the Church and society. Law Meets Gospel marks the occasion with Josh explaining the inspiration for several aspects of the podcast. Law Meets Gospel is inspired by Luther’s teaching about Law and Gospel within Christian scriptures. Josh’s sign-off, “As you work to meet the worlds need, be wise, be bold, and be joyful.” is inspired by two quotes. First, Frederick Buechner’s writing, “The place God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Second, Luther’s advice in a letter to Philip Melanchthon, “Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly.”

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1743 Gifts received after dissolution

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5869733/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″ placement=”top”]What happens when someone gives a gift to a religious organization that no longer exists? Leaders should consider several things before dissolving an organization to make the answer more certain. First, ensure the organization uses clear language that is also consistent with applicable statutes. Second, determine whether any denominational entity has already been designated as a corporate successor. Third, if there is no denominational entity, consider designating a corporate successor. Fourth, communicate with all community members and supporters and invite those who include the organization in their estate planning to inform the leaders. Finally, when communicating with planned donors, make sure to communicate whether there is a designated corporate successor, so they can include a contingency plan in their estate documents if they wish.

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1742 Housing allowance decision

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5853761/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″ placement=”top”]The federal district court for the Western District of Wisconsin recently held that the Tax Code’s housing allowance violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. The decision in Gaylor v. Mnuchin, (W.D. Wis., Oct. 6, 2017), deals with 26 U.S.C. § 107(2). It does not affect the exemption from taxed income based on the value of a church-owned home, traditionally referred to as a parsonage, which is found in 26 U.S.C. § 107(1). Josh explains how the housing-allowance exemption works, why the court concluded it is unconstitutional, and what ministers and religious organizations should look for as the case progresses.

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1741 What to do with assets when a worshiping community closes

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5826736/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″ placement=”top”]If history is any indication, every worshiping community’s life ends sometime. If that happens under the U.S. Tax Code, there are limits on how assets must be distributed. Musical instruments, books, and furnishings can’t just be given to the donors who funded them. Fair prices must be received. And any assets left at the end of the legal entity’s existence must be transferred to another charitable entity, like another house of worship, a denominational entity, relief agencies, or social service providers.

1740 Responding to allegations of sex abuse

What should you do if a leader of your religious organization is accused of sexual abuse? Assess the facts. Contact and coordinate with law enforcement. Contact denominational leaders. Disclose the facts to the congregation and invite other victims to report. Offer counseling to victims. Call your insurer. Prepare for negative responses and turbulent times. And remember that you’re not alone.

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