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.
- Set up a PO Box or an address
- Solidify the members of your church board
- Constitution
- Bylaws
- Wedding Policy
- 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.
- 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,
- (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.
- Adopt organizing documents and required policies
- Elect officers
- Authorize opening bank account
- Participate in the Cooperative Program
- 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
- Without an EIN, you cannot:
- Open a bank account
- File payroll forms with the IRS
- 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:Â 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.
- 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.