The Liberty to Serve: Five Benefits an Attorney Can Provide

Listen to this article:

Before we dive in, I would like to thank our Business Partner, Alliance Defending Freedom, for their valuable insights and research in support of this article. 

Ministry leaders spend most of their waking hours building a better future. While growing your ministry and serving your clients consumes most of your effort, it’s important to protect what you’ve built with a sturdy bulwark of legal risk mitigation.

Both churches and faith-based nonprofits can find themselves running afoul of laws or recent court interpretations of which they were completely unaware. On the other hand, general knowledge of legal risk can often paralyze a ministry from a prudent exercise of its rights because leaders aren’t sure of the parameters of those rights.

That’s why we want our members to be aware of the benefits of working with the Alliance Defending Freedom Church and Ministry Network. Indeed, True Charity has benefited greatly from our association with them. We believe they can be a valuable ally for you, too. Here are five benefits that partnering with them or a similar attorney can provide:

‍1. Help You Understand Your Rights

While you may have a basic understanding of your rights, you probably don’t know the entire landscape of things that could affect your ministry.

For instance, while the First Amendment recognizes and protects religious freedom, the legal space surrounding it is complicated. An attorney can help clarify any confusion regarding how it affects your ministry. 

Zoning ordinances are another example. Faith-based organizations can’t be treated worse than secular organizations regarding those policies. 

In other words, an attorney will provide knowledgeable, in-depth answers about the law, your rights, and how they relate to your organization’s policies. That will allow you to focus on what matters most: your organization and the people it serves.

‍2. Strengthen Your Governing Documents

These documents will give you a firmer legal footing should you ever face legal challenges. 

They should describe your purpose, your beliefs, and how they influence everything you do. Equally important, your faith-based organization’s operational practices should consistently reflect what’s in those documents. These can include a statement of faith, a Christian code of conduct, employment policies, and more. The Alliance Defending Freedom suggests you evaluate and develop them according to … 

3. Represent You in Court

We hope your ministry never goes to court. But if it happens, an established relationship with an attorney who knows your ministry and has helped you develop policies and practices can place you on much firmer legal ground. Their knowledge and skill could mean the difference between losing some of your rights or continuing to operate according to your beliefs.‍

4. Network On Your Behalf

Just as doctors can’t be experts in every area of medicine, attorneys can’t be experts in every area of law. That means yours may specialize in a few areas relevant to your nonprofit or ministry—like church property disputes or church governance issues—but you may need a referral to someone else who can help with other matters. 

That’s why a well-networked attorney is an important asset. They work with numerous clients, have relationships with people in the court systems, and have ties to former law school classmates.    

Similarly, attorneys are likely to have access to other resources that could benefit your ministry. Do you need more information about tax-exempt status, employment law, or real estate law? Asking your attorney is a great place to start. He or she may have valuable insights or knowledge to share from their years of experience.  ‍

5. Potentially Save You Time and Resources

Litigation isn’t for the faint of heart. It can be unpredictable and time-consuming. Having an attorney by your side will help you avoid liability issues and costly litigation.  

While it is in your best interest to receive legal advice from counsel you trust, it’s important to remember having an attorney won’t prevent a suit against your organization. However, they can help you avoid legal pitfalls you may have encountered otherwise. As mentioned earlier, that will help you focus on what matters most: serving people and spreading the Good News.

‍

Conclusion

If you’re unsure where to seek legal help, Alliance Defending Freedom and their ADF Church and Ministry Alliance is a good place to start. It’s affordable legal membership program will give you access to a legal team dedicated to advocating for the rights of churches and faith-based non-profits across the United States. And because you’re a member of True Charity, they’ll give you an additional 20% off the already heavily discounted annual membership fee.

Since 1994, it has allied with thousands of attorneys nationwide committed to protecting the ideals most important to you–religious freedom, the sanctity of life, freedom of speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of marriage and family– so you can operate with your  God-given right to live and speak the truth. They will be happy to connect you with a like-minded attorney from their network if they believe he or she is right for you.  

To claim your discount visit: True Charity Network – Savings for Network Members.