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Starting A New MBC Church

Are you thinking of starting a new Missouri Baptist church?

The information on this page will walk you through the legal steps required to start a new MBC church. Click the titles below to expand details for each step.

  1. Set up a PO Box or an address
  2. Solidify the members of your church board
  1. Constitution
  2. Bylaws
  3. Wedding Policy
  4. Statement of Faith/Facilities Use
Organizing Documents
  • Contain the basic rules of procedure and organization.
  • Define the rights and duties of the members of the church and ensure that the will of the majority is carried out in proper procedure.
  • Should be drafted by a committee elected by the church and then approved by the church. More information may be obtained from the Church Incorporation Constitution and Bylaws Manual.
Church Wedding Policies Model Church Policy on Marriage
  1. Fill out Form Corp 52 – Articles of Incorporation of a Nonprofit Corporation through the Secretary of State’s office. There is a small filing fee,
  2. (OR) Have a lawyer draft Articles of Incorporation and file them with the Secretary of State’s Office.
Why Incorporate
  • Unincorporated churches are susceptible to liability among members for accident claims, contract disputes and employment issues. Unincorporated churches cannot enter into legal contracts or incur debt for building.
  1. Adopt organizing documents and required policies
  2. Elect officers
  3. Authorize opening bank account
  1. Participate in the Cooperative Program
  2. Provide federal tax exempt 501(c)(3) status for your church

Why Affiliate

  • Affiliation with the Missouri Baptist Convention affords a church the opportunity to commit to cooperative missions and ministry through the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Program.
  • A church affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention falls under the convention’s federal tax exempt status and does not have to apply for individual tax exempt status.

How to Affiliate

  1. Without an EIN, you cannot:
  2. Open a bank account
  3. File payroll forms with the IRS
  4. Obtain Missouri Sales Tax Exemption in your church’s name
Federal Employer Id Number
  • A church obtains a federal identification number by filling out the IRS Form SS-4. The IRS will issue the church a nine-digit identification number (xx-xxxxxxx) for reporting such things as payroll tax, W-2s, and 1099s to the IRS. Website: irs.gov
 
Missouri Sales Tax Exemption
  • A church affiliated with the Convention receives a packet of information that includes an application for sales tax exemption, Form 1746 – Missouri Sales/Use Tax Exemption Application and instructions on how to apply. The federal tax exemption does not relieve a church of paying sales tax on purchases in the state of Missouri. However, the church may apply for a sales tax exemption with the state of Missouri and therefore avoid paying sales tax.
 
  1. Put safeguards in place now for smart financial management and oversight.

For more information about starting a new Missouri Baptist Church, contact Brian Grout at bgrout@mobaptist.org.

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