We live in a litigious society. Some have estimated that state courts handle 20 million lawsuits a year. Pastors and churches are not immune to these legal problems. People may sue the church over negligence. Churches may experience legal problems over property or construction issues. How do tax laws affect the church? And what about copyright laws? Pastors and churches encounter these and a host of other legal issues as they seek to be effective for the Kingdom. In those cases, they may not know what to do or where to turn. They may know they need a lawyer, but who do they hire? How much will it cost? These, and other questions, may cause a church to become paralyzed and do nothing. This often compounds their situation.

This issue of Enrichment journal addresses some of the major legal issues churches and pastors may experience. These articles, written by lawyers, provide practical advice to help guide the pastor and church through the legal maze. Learn from the expertise of Ann Buwalda, Don Halloway, Richard R. Hammar, Stanton Masters, William T. McGrath, David Middlebrook, Ken Sande, Frank Sommerville, Jerry Sparks, John Vaughn, and George O. Wood.