Jan 292010
I know a pastor who is hosting a millionaire business seminar at his church and charging money for it. He has a for-profit business where he speaks on different subjects and charges money for the seminars but most of them are at the church. Isn’t that illegal?
The pastor is charging $89.00 per person for this event.
It’s not, just look at scientology.
No- the definition of non-profit, is that no one person profits from any income. Many church buildings are used for many purposes and rented out for meeting space. This helps pay for upkeep and to further the mission of the church.
The pastor is only a employee of the church. It might be immoral or a conflict of interest but it is not illegal for a pastor to have another job or business.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE MAKING JUDGMENT, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ANY MONEY THAT IS LEFT OVER AFTER PAYING THE COSTS, YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION. MAY BE THE EXTRA IS GIVEN TO THE POOR OR THEM IN NEED , NOT WANT,,OR IT IT RETURNED TO HELP THE CHURCH IN QUESTION,MAY BE YOU SHOULD ASK GOD FIRST
Yes he can, but he is required to keep the entities separate. His for profit business is to pay he church the going rate for rent and other cost.
In the US, nonprofits are allowed to have fundraisers. Also, they have limited rights to carry on businesses related to their tax exempt function. Churches run thrift stores and bookstores for example.
A nonprofit that runs a regular business that is not related to its tax exempt activities will be taxed on that income.
So, if the church decides to go into the business of running these seminars all the time, it will end up paying tax on that.
And if the income from the seminars is greater than the donations and other money the church receives from activities directly related to being a church, the church can lose its tax exempt status completely.