research topics on church administration

Church administration as a dynamic process

• Published: September 1969
• Volume 20 , pages 7–16, ( 1969 )

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• Alvin J. Lindgren 1  

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Lindgren, A.J. Church administration as a dynamic process. Pastoral Psychol 20 , 7–16 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01786768

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Issue Date : September 1969

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01786768

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    Leaders in Church Management

Villanova is preparing the next generation of church stewards and scholars

By Colleen Donnelly

T he need for strong church leaders who can guide a faith-based organization in a secular world is as old as Christianity itself. While the concept of church management certainly isn’t new, what it entails has changed quite a bit.

Like any business leader today, a church leader in the 21st century needs a foundational knowledge that touches on all aspects of running an organization, including management, human resources, technology, law, finance and ethics. But unlike most business leaders, church leaders need that practical know-how to be grounded in the spiritual principles and language of the Christian faith.

In 2004, the Villanova School of Business established the Center for Church Management—the first of its kind in the nation to advance knowledge in this specialized niche. “Churches are unique institutions, and it is important that we distinguish what works in a faith-based setting from what works elsewhere,” says Professor Emeritus Charles Zech, PhD, the center’s founding faculty director. “The study of church management needs to be holistic, combining both a knowledge of functional business areas and a keen understanding of how churches work.”

Nearly two decades later, Villanova is firmly established as a global leader in the field. Christian churches across the US and the world turn to VSB for research and education in church management that emphasizes sound business approaches to the unique management issues they face every day.

VSB offers the world’s first and only Master of Science in Church Management (MSCM) program, teaching business best practices in a Christian context of mission and ministry. Each year, 50 to 100 church leaders—clergy and lay—from all over the world enroll in classes on the administrative and management operations of churches, dioceses and apostolates.

In addition to the master’s program, VSB offers non-credit certificate programs in Church Management, Catholic School Management and Church Management for Men in Formation, and faculty researchers and research fellows at the center generate groundbreaking interdisciplinary scholarship in all aspects of church management.

“Villanova has been at the vanguard of developing and formalizing church management as a field to educate and assist managers of church and other religious organizations,” says University Provost Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD. “It makes sense that we have been at the forefront—we have a leading School of Business known for academic rigor and innovation, applied research, and hands-on learning opportunities, all grounded in the Augustinian Catholic tradition.”

United in a Mission

This specialized education is more in demand than ever. In recent years, VSB has seen dramatic increases in enrollment in the MSCM program and an expanding global reach—with students from rural Rwanda to North Pole, Alaska, and everywhere in between.

“This degree means something in the world of churches—not just in terms of the fundamental knowledge it provides but also the experience of being part of the Villanova community,” says Matthew Manion ’11 MS, the David Grenon Family Faculty Director of the Center for Church Management.

From chief financial officers to music directors, people at various levels and stages of their careers come to Villanova for the skills and education they need. There is a mix of experienced church leaders looking for new skills and perspectives, young ministers looking to build their knowledge, and seasoned professionals who are transitioning from secular or nonprofit work to a second career in the church.

“Our cohorts are made up of clergy and laypeople who are called to be our leaders in the church,” says Chesley Turner ’05 CLAS, ’19 MS, director of Villanova’s Center for Church Management. “We serve a variety of people who are united in a mission and in a calling, but not necessarily in their background and their experience.”

About 30 percent of master’s students are ordained and 70 percent are laypeople, a dynamic that Turner says aligns with the future shared responsibility of leadership in the church. In the current master’s cohort, 80 percent are Catholic and 20 percent are part of other Christian denominations.

That’s why the MSCM program is designed to meet the needs of an international body of church leaders and managers of all Christian faiths. That includes pastors and pastoral associates, parish business managers and youth ministers, Catholic school leaders, directors of diocesan departments, leaders of religious orders, seminarians in formation, and those engaged in managing social-service ministries.

After a one-week residency on campus, this two-year graduate business program is delivered completely online in a part-time format, which allows church leaders all over the globe to stay in their parishes while enrolled—so they can continue to serve their ministry while advancing their education and scholarship in this important field. It includes components that church leaders can watch to learn on their own time, plus live seminars each week where they can engage with professors and peers in real time.

“The charism of the Augustinians is community, and that plays such an important role in this program,” Turner says. “In addition to being taught by top professors, you learn so much from your peers who are facing the same challenges and opportunities as you are.”

VSB and the center also offer a non-credit certificate in Church Management, which is awarded upon completion of a series of 12 webinars. “We realized we could efficiently disseminate some of the knowledge we’ve been creating for the master’s program to a much broader audience,” Manion says.

The response has been overwhelming, and the certificate program has been at capacity for the last several years. Given the high demand for this important knowledge, the center saw an opportunity to serve even more specialized niches within church management. In 2021, the center launched a certificate in Catholic School Management, as well as a certificate in Church Management specifically for seminarians or recently ordained priests, who spend a week on campus in the summer, learning about finance, human resources and strategy through the lens of the church.

In addition to attracting attention and interest from around the world, the center’s programs and initiatives have also drawn significant donor support, notably from David Grenon ’61 VSB, who endowed the faculty director position, and Kathleen and Michael Castellano, who generously supported the establishment of the center’s endowment and scholarships to support students in all of its programs.

“ There are unique elements of theology, of canon and civil law, of ecclesiology that fall outside of business, and so we teach with colleagues across the University to provide a full picture. ”

Matthew Manion ’11 MS

PARTNERING WITH CHURCH LEADERS To support the continued learning development of church leaders, the center has several diocesan and archdiocesan partners across the nation—from smaller dioceses like Fall River, Mass., and Tucson, Ariz., to two of the largest dioceses in the country, the Archdiocese of New York and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

The center checks in with these partners about emerging needs and opportunities that might inform future research or content for its curriculum, and many church leaders and professionals from these dioceses enroll in the MSCM program or non-credit certificate programs in church management at Villanova.

Not Business As Usual

The MSCM program and the certificate programs in Church Management address management issues from a faith-based perspective—from human resource management in a ministry setting and strategic planning for parishes to ecclesiology and church history.

“Our programs are very unique, in that the curriculum is built in the language of the church,” Turner says. “Each course is meticulously designed for church leaders.” And all of the applied materials come directly from real churches and faith-based organizations, such as the spreadsheets and budgets in the Finance course and the case studies in the Organizational Management course.

The holistic curriculum covers every major facet of managing churches and incorporates multiple disciplines. “There are unique elements of theology, of canon and civil law, of ecclesiology that fall outside of business, and so we teach with colleagues across the University to provide a full picture,” Manion says. “The research we sponsor, the courses we teach, the curricula we design—it all has to be interdisciplinary.”

In addition to VSB faculty, professors from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences teach in both the master’s and certificate programs. In some cases, they teach together, like the introductory graduate course on leadership in religious organizations, organizational ethics and Catholic social thought. Team taught by Manion, Anna Bonta Moreland, PhD, professor of Humanities, and Brett Wilmot, PhD, associate director of the Ethics Program, the course provides the foundation for the MSCM program and requires a one-week residency on Villanova’s campus during the first week of June.

The principles and practices of management, ethics and theology are woven together to develop a model of effective servant leadership, says Dr. Moreland. “The strength of this program lies in the fact that it is truly interdisciplinary,” she says. “The MSCM program is so important for anyone in a church leadership role today, as parishes across the country undergo a paradigm shift in how they serve their congregants.”  

A New Generation of Scholars

The center is dedicated to meeting the deepest needs of the church not only by providing education but also by investing in the creation of new knowledge. “It goes without saying that building the field of church management involves both a teaching component and a research component,” says Dr. Zech, an economist and prolific scholar who is internationally recognized for his research in church administration.

In 2017, the center launched a new program to sponsor research fellows and mentors who are performing groundbreaking research on all aspects of church finance. The fellowships were made possible by $3.5 million in grants awarded to the center by the Lilly Endowment’s National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders and generous gifts from the Center Advisory Council and other Villanvoa benefactors.

“Research in this area is so important because managing a faith-based entity is different from managing a proprietary firm or even a nonprofit organization,” explains Dr. Zech, who serves as one of the mentors in the program. “The vast majority of church managers come from the proprietary and nonprofit sectors, and we can’t rely on research that has been conducted in the context of these other organizational types.”

The center awards up to 12 one-year, $10,000 research fellowships annually to faculty within business schools, seminaries and theology departments, as well as practitioners and pastors. Some are emerging researchers and others are accomplished scholars who are new to the field of church management.

Their charge is to create research that’s both academically rigorous and beneficial to practitioners. “Oftentimes church leaders are making some of their most important decisions without the benefit of evidence-based data,” Manion says. “Villanova can contribute research to inform these decisions and establish much-needed benchmarks.”

As part of the fellowship, the scholars work with a group of mentors who are top experts in the field. “In many cases, the people who are applying for these fellowships have been reading the work of these researchers for years, and now they’re sitting in a room with them,” Manion says. The mentors don’t play an active role in creating the research—they act as a sounding board, answering questions, reading drafts and offering general guidance based on their expertise.

“As an Augustinian Catholic institution, part of our philosophy is that we search for truth together,” Manion says. “Through this fellowship program, we’re searching for new knowledge, for truth, about how church management can be done most effectively.”

The interdisciplinary research the fellows are producing provides new data and insights on a wide variety of issues and areas that are vital to ensuring the future of a healthy church. Since the program began, the center has sponsored 32 fellows. There are 12 research fellows who have work in progress, including Wesley Proctor, EdD, assistant teaching professor of Public Administration, and Marquis Coates, MPA, Success Program and Engagement coordinator, in Villanova’s Center for Access, Success and Achievement.

Dr. Proctor and Coates are conducting research on the impact of urban youth ministries and the economic challenges they face. “Urban youth ministry is different from any other ministry because you’re dealing with a lot of economic, cultural and socioeconomic challenges, and yet, there's not a lot of research that’s been done in this area,” Coates says. “Our advisers have recommended that we continue to build on this research because these findings are so needed for practitioners in the field.”

Already, 20 fellows have completed projects. Those include:

Maureen Day, PhD, associate professor of Religion and Society at the Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego, who explored the cultural understandings of stewardship among Hispanic Catholics and examined the strategies pastors of predominantly Hispanic parishes use to encourage giving. Stephen J. Porth, PhD, professor of Management at the Haub School of Business at St. Joseph’s University, who studied three different models of funding Catholic school education. Danjuma Gibson, PhD, LPC, professor of Pastoral Care at Calvin Theological Seminary, who explored the economic impact of corporate investment and gentrification on Black churches in Chicago, and is now looking at Atlanta in a second study.

“We’re building a growing community of scholars, and we’re investing in the creation of new knowledge in this field, incorporating that research into our coursework and getting it out in the world,” Manion says.

Many of these fellows have published their research in leading academic journals in disciplines ranging from theology and ethics to economics and management, but it’s not just for the scholarly world. Villanova hosts regular webinars to get this valuable information into the hands of practitioners who need it.

“We have a responsibility to be looking at these kinds of questions and providing research to help church leaders make the decisions that they have to make on a daily basis,” Manion says. “Because if we don’t, who will?”  ■

Church Management at Work

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Smart Church Management

Helping Churches Manage Their People, Time And Money

9 Keys to Effective Church Management

December 29, 2020 by Patricia Lotich, MBA

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Effective church management is the appropriate administration of church resources (people, time, and money).

There are some who are resistant to labeling church management as a business function.

However, whenever there are people and money involved, there needs to be structured business practices to ensure church resources are managed appropriately.

Churches are unique because they rely on (tax-exempt) donations from members to exist and have a responsibility to be good stewards of those resources .  

The ability to manage church resources effectively is dependent on the ministry’s process of overseeing church operations.

Therefore, a church is only as effective and efficient as the systems and processes by which it operates.

1.  Church Board Governance

Most churches organize as a 501(c)(3) organization .

This type of tax exemption comes with IRS requirements. One of those requirements is board governance.

The board is responsible for ministry oversight and the proper management of church resources.

Effective board governance lays the groundwork for efficient church management by directing and holding church leaders accountable for proper oversight of resources.

This includes oversight of the ministry budget, capital expenditures, legal compliance, and managing the risk of church operations.

Effective boards are diverse in membership and have representatives from business or legal backgrounds to ensure a broad perspective and proper documentation of board documents.

2.  Church Strategy

Church growth is the result of a carefully considered church strategy and plan .

The process begins when a church creates a vision, mission, and values statement implemented through a focused strategic plan .

This structured planning process allows the organization to set performance targets and lays out the steps to fulfill its mission and purpose.

For instance, if your church has a passion for supporting the underserved in your community, a strategy and plan can help your church fulfill that passion.

3.  Church Goal Setting

Church strategy implementation depends on how well goals are developed, tracked, and achieved.  

Goal setting can be a time-consuming process.

Write SMART goals , and create a structured performance management process to help ensure focus and timely completion of church goals  that support its mission.

For instance, create goal documents that identify – what (needs to be done), who (will do it), how (it will be done), and when (the goal is due). A goal document provides a visual for getting it done and holding responsible persons accountable for their job assignments.

4.  Budgeting Process

Churches have limited resources, so they need a structured budgeting process to identify expenditure requirements and prioritization of church spending.

A church budget takes its strategy and helps to prioritize spending to support those initiatives that support the church mission.

For instance, let’s say you have a strategic objective to develop a feeding program in your community. A church budget would allocate resources to support that outreach.

A budget provides the necessary financial resources needed for the day-to-day operations, church programs, and unexpected building or campus repairs.

Saving for the new building or land acquisition is also an important aspect of the budgeting process.

5.  Managing How Work Gets Done 

Strategy and goal completion is only as effective as the process that manages it.  

A structured process to monitor goal completion holds people accountable and supports strategy implementation.

Whether it is church employees, volunteers, or a sub-committee of the board – completing goals, as written, on time is crucial to a church’s ability to achieve its mission.

For instance, let’s say your personnel committee has a goal to write job descriptions for all employees and volunteers ; someone would be responsible for managing that process to ensure the assignment gets completed as requested.

6.  Facilities Management

Visitors and members like to gather in a clean, maintained, and aesthetically appealing atmosphere.

Consequently, whether a church rents temporary building space or has a full-blown campus, managing the upkeep and maintenance of ministry facilities is crucial.

Buildings need to be routinely cleaned, maintained, and repaired.

For instance, create a scheduled maintenance plan to ensure the building is in good working order and provides a comfortable environment for members and guests.

7. Employee Support

Employees work for a church because they are passionate about the church and feel called to help.

Church employees often work with limited resources and depend on volunteer labor to get the job done.

Support employees by clarifying job expectations, providing the necessary resources for getting the job done, and rewarding them for their efforts.

For instance, let’s say you give an employee responsibility for maintaining the church building make sure they have the necessary supplies and equipment to get the job done.

8.  Volunteer Support

Churches rely heavily on volunteer labor. This free labor force volunteers freely because of a passion for the church.

Effective volunteer management creates a seamless process to recruit, place, train, and oversee volunteer labor.

For instance, create a volunteer orientation process that helps volunteers acclimate to their new role and trains them on behavior expectations.

Volunteers offset labor costs.  Provide a customer-friendly volunteer experience to ensure an efficient and effective volunteer program.

9.  Legal and Risk Management

Churches need to manage their risks and be legally compliant with governing laws.

A ministry needs to understand its risks and be proactive in minimizing exposure.

For instance, Campus safety and volunteer screening are examples of church-related risks.

Manage these risks by understanding legal requirements and by having an awareness of campus safety measures.

Size Does Not Matter

Whether a church has a congregation of 100 or 10,000, effective church management is important to ensuring good stewardship of the resources God supplies.  

Setting the direction by developing a strategy, goal development, and strong performance  can go a long way in helping a church achieve all that God has called it to.

How effective is your church management?

Register for our Church Administration Training Course and get access to our growing library of forms and job descriptions with our Bundled Package!

About Patricia Lotich, MBA

Patricia Lotich is a Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence through the American Society for Quality and is the author of Smart Church Management: A Quality Approach to Church Administration . She helps churches fulfill their mission by managing their resources of - people, time and money.

About Smart Church Management

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Your church administration’s structure might be steadfast, but each day presents a variety of challenges that test even the best leaders. From internal struggles to logistical issues, each problem demands an effective solution.

The CRG (Congregation Resource Guide) is an online collection of church administration resources designed to help leaders of all congregations address their specific needs. These resources can help improve an administrator’s skills as well as the quality of a congregation.

We will help you discover how to successfully form your church administration structure and run your congregation. You will also learn what kind of person is a good fit for the administrator role. You'll never be in the dark again regarding what needs to be done and how to do it.

From faith to finance, the CRG's many resources come in various formats such as:

• periodicals

You can also find links to web resources and organizations specializing in strengthening church administration and leadership.

The CRG's relevant and robust collection is curated by a passionate group of experts and staff members of the Center for Congregations. This group offers no-cost consulting, low-cost education events, and grants to Indiana congregations. Every dedicated member of the CRG team has years of experience with connecting congregations with the help they need.

The CRG provides information and options without telling you what to do. You decide what resources you want to use. You have the freedom to educate yourself at your own pace. The CRG simply gives you the tools you need to meet every challenge head-on.

Qualities Of A Church Administrator

Looking at an average church administrator job description, you'll find the following skills are required:

• to understand the principles of church administration
• great communication skills
• can build strong teams
• demonstrate leadership
• mentoring skills
• efficient time management
• the ability to be fair and unbiased

If you search the CRG website for; qualities of a church administrator; you'll find an absolute abundance of resources that will help you improve any skill you find yourself lacking. Over a thousand resources are only a few clicks away.

You can watch a video that will help you have better one-on-one conversations. You can also find links to websites that will help you better manage the staffing and human resources of your congregation. You can search for any topic and get a list of results that are sure to improve all of your interpersonal and administrative skills.

Bettering yourself as an administrator builds a better congregation. When people see how well you handle any situation, they'll feel confident and inspired to make changes to their own lives. Your professional qualities make a personal difference.

Church Administration Training

Self-improvement never really ends. There's always that one skill or trait that needs work. When your congregation realizes that you are always trying to better yourself, they'll follow suit.

Perhaps you're new to the field and need an introduction to church administration. It doesn’t matter if you simply starting out or are just curious. You'll find church administration training help on the CRG's website for every level of knowledge. Reading and watching the invaluable content that's offered will help you reach the next level of competency.

The CRG offers guides on church administration training in PDF formats among others. You can read informative articles written by people willing to share their experiences to help you get through yours.

What you can't find on the site itself, you'll find on other websites via links. These web resources contain clear, easy-to-read descriptions of what the websites offer, who they are best for and if they are free or not. You'll appreciate this transparency the longer you search for resources. You'll save time by quickly getting what you need.

If you ever get lost, the CRG offers online help and the ability to chat with an expert.

Church Administration Skills

To excel at your job, you not only need a basic comprehension of what’s needed, but a set of skills to help you complete the task. This is true with all jobs.

At its core, church administration and management are no different from other jobs. The only other essential skill is to be an upstanding representative of the congregation. You have to shine at connecting and inspiring people.

The CRG will help you master every aspect of church management. Your abilities and your congregation will stand out in no time. You will show people who they truly are, making them recognize their gifts and talents. 

A website search for “church administration skills” yields a bounty of assistance. You can read about the ins and outs of church administration in PDF formatted materials. You can learn about church departments and their functions, in PDF materials also, and apply their lessons to your own organization.

Training is the only way to improve. The CRG provides a multitude of learning aids in nearly every known format. The website's search engine is extremely useful in honing in on what you need. The website's layout is clear and user-friendly. All of the ingredients are in place for you to continue your professional and personal education.

Church Resources

The CRG encourages faith leaders to complement their own abilities with the resources found on the website. This melding fosters new opportunities and creative solutions. Take what you know, combine it with what you learn, and create a fresh experience.

However, sometimes you already know how to handle a situation or perform a task. You might need a refresher or some tips to help you do the job more efficiently.

You can find plenty of assistance among the many church resources on the CRG's website. Some of the topics the CRG covers include:

• building issues
• congregational vitality
• information technology
• public ministry
• religion in America
• specialized ministries
• spirituality

You'll also find information about finance, including budgeting and funding subjects. You'll have access to church media resources like stock photos and informative videos. These media resources can improve the visuals in your congregation and on social media, increasing engagement. They'll help you find new ways to consider current faith issues.

The CRG boasts a plethora of free church resources, but there are some assets that require payment. You shouldn’t let anything deter you from checking out what the CRG has to offer.

Free Church Administration Courses

It's not enough to read up on the methods and tactics of effective congregation management. You need to complete church administration certification courses in order to prove you're capable of leading and running a congregation.

What do you need to get a church administration certificate online?

You can find out all the details by searching the CRG. You'll find free church administration courses along with paid options offered by such institutions as:

• Leadership Transformations, Inc.
• International Facility Management Association
• National Association of Church Facilities Managers
• Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary
• Whitworth University Office of Church Engagement

While you can learn about the skills you would need for certifications via the website, the CRG offers no courses. Basically, the CRG provides church administration notes for you to study for your evaluations. You can feel confident knowing you can study the material that is expertly chosen for people just like you.

With a proper certificate, you’ll be able to build an effective management framework and further your congregation’s missions through marketing, communication, and human resource practices.

Church Smart Resources

There's one more resource the CRG presents to you. Church Smart Resources provides books, workshops, and assessment tools focusing on congregation health, leadership development, and conflict resolution. They'll teach you how to:

• become more assertive.
• deal with conflict.
• prioritize worship.

Once you've learned this important lesson, you can apply your knowledge to solve all the other problems you and your congregation might encounter.

The costs vary by service and product, but there are free, downloadable resources to share with your congregation.

A church management PDF document can’t teach you everything there is to know, but it is a valuable resource. The helpful information on the CRG alone can’t teach you either. You need to continually educate yourself to satisfy your congregation's needs, whether they be faith-based or organizational. It doesn’t matter what type of congregation you lead. They all face the same obstacles at one time or another. The CRG is here to assist you.

Understanding Church Administration: What Is It and How Does It Work?

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Church administration plays a crucial role in the successful functioning of religious institutions. By efficiently managing various aspects of church operations, administrators ensure that the activities run smoothly and effectively. In this article, we will explore the definition of church administration, its key components, importance, structure, required skills, and challenges it may encounter.

Defining Church Administration

Church administration refers to the organization and management of operations within a religious institution. It encompasses various administrative tasks and responsibilities that are necessary for the smooth functioning of the church. These tasks may include financial management, human resources, facilities management, event planning, and communication.

When it comes to church administration, there is much more than meets the eye. It is not simply about managing paperwork and logistics; it is about creating an environment where the spiritual needs of the congregation can be met. Church administrators play a vital role in ensuring that the church operates efficiently and effectively, allowing the clergy and other church leaders to focus on their spiritual duties.

The Role of Church Administration in Religious Institutions

Church administration plays a crucial role in supporting the overall mission and vision of a religious institution. Administrators are responsible for ensuring that the necessary resources are available to support the church's activities and ministries. They coordinate and facilitate the implementation of policies, procedures, and programs that align with the church's values and objectives. In essence, church administration acts as a bridge between the spiritual and practical aspects of the church.

One of the primary responsibilities of church administrators is to manage the church's finances . This involves developing and overseeing budgets, tracking income and expenses, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations. By effectively managing the church's financial resources, administrators can ensure that the church remains financially stable and able to fulfill its mission.

In addition to financial management, church administrators are also responsible for human resources . They oversee the recruitment, training, and supervision of staff and volunteers, ensuring that the church has the necessary personnel to carry out its various ministries. Administrators also handle any employee-related issues, such as payroll, benefits, and performance evaluations.

Facilities management is another critical aspect of church administration. Administrators are responsible for maintaining and overseeing the church's physical assets , such as buildings, grounds, and equipment. They ensure that these resources are properly maintained and utilized, creating a safe and welcoming environment for worship and other church activities.

Key Components of Church Administration

Effective church administration relies on several key components. These include:

• Financial Management: Church administrators oversee financial planning, budgeting , tracking income and expenses, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations. They work closely with the church's finance committee or board to develop and implement sound financial practices that support the church's mission and goals.
• Resource Management: Administrators manage church facilities, equipment, and other resources, ensuring they are properly maintained and utilized. They coordinate maintenance and repair services , oversee facility rentals, and develop policies for resource usage. By effectively managing resources, administrators can ensure that the church's physical assets are well-maintained and available for use by the congregation and community.
• Event Planning: Organizing and coordinating various church events is another important aspect of church administration. Administrators work closely with church leaders and volunteers to plan and execute events such as worship services, conferences, fundraisers, and community outreach programs. They handle logistics, coordinate schedules, and ensure that all necessary resources are in place for a successful event.
• Communication: Facilitating effective communication within the church community is essential for church administration. Administrators are responsible for disseminating information to the congregation, whether through newsletters, bulletins, announcements, or digital platforms. They ensure that the church's message is effectively communicated and that members are kept informed about upcoming events, changes in schedules, and other important updates.

Church administration is a multifaceted role that requires a combination of organizational, managerial, and interpersonal skills. Administrators must have a deep understanding of the church's mission and values, as well as the ability to balance the practical needs of the institution with its spiritual purpose. By effectively managing the administrative aspects of the church, administrators contribute to the overall health and growth of the congregation and help create an environment where individuals can connect with their faith and each other.

The Importance of Church Administration

Church administration plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of church activities and ministries. It encompasses a wide range of responsibilities and tasks that contribute to the overall functioning and growth of the church community. Here are two key areas where its importance shines:

Ensuring Smooth Operation of Church Activities

Effective administration ensures that church activities and ministries run smoothly and efficiently. It involves meticulous planning, organizing, and coordinating various aspects of these activities to create an environment where everyone can fully engage in worship, ministries, and spiritual growth without unnecessary distractions.

One of the primary responsibilities of church administrators is to manage volunteer schedules. They work closely with volunteers to ensure that there is adequate coverage for all church activities and ministries. By carefully coordinating schedules and assigning tasks, administrators help create a seamless experience for both volunteers and participants.

In addition to volunteer management, church administrators also play a crucial role in managing facility bookings. They oversee the scheduling of church spaces for events, meetings, and gatherings, ensuring that there are no conflicts and that all necessary resources are available. This attention to detail allows church members to focus on the purpose of their gatherings, knowing that the logistical aspects have been taken care of.

Facilitating Effective Communication within the Church

Communication is essential in any organization, and the church is no exception. Church administrators play a critical role in facilitating clear and effective communication within the church community. They serve as a central point of contact for information, ensuring that important updates and announcements are communicated to the congregation in a timely and accessible manner.

Church administrators employ various communication channels to reach out to the church community. They may utilize email newsletters, social media platforms, church bulletins, and announcements during services to disseminate information. By utilizing multiple channels, administrators ensure that the message reaches a wide audience and that everyone stays informed about upcoming events, changes in schedules, and other relevant updates.

Moreover, church administrators also foster transparent and open lines of communication within the church. They encourage feedback, suggestions, and concerns from the congregation, creating a sense of unity, trust, and collaboration. By actively listening to the needs of the church community, administrators can address any issues that may arise and work towards continuous improvement.

In conclusion, church administration is a vital component of a thriving church community. Through their meticulous planning, organization, and communication efforts, church administrators contribute to the smooth operation of church activities and ministries. Their dedication and attention to detail create an environment where everyone can fully engage in worship, ministries, and spiritual growth, fostering a sense of unity and collaboration within the church.

The Structure of Church Administration

Church administration can have different levels and roles depending on the size and complexity of the religious institution. Here are two aspects to consider:

Different Levels of Church Administration

At the highest level, church administration may involve a board of directors or elders responsible for policy-making and strategic decision-making. The day-to-day operations are typically overseen by a senior pastor or executive team. In larger churches, there may be various departments or ministries, each with its own administrative staff.

Roles and Responsibilities in Church Administration

Church administration encompasses various roles and responsibilities that contribute to the overall management and coordination of church activities. Some of the key roles include:

• Pastoral Leadership: The senior pastor or clergy provides spiritual guidance and leadership to the church community, working closely with the administrative team.
• Administrative Staff: They handle day-to-day administrative tasks, financial management, event planning, and communication within the church.
• Volunteers: Many churches rely on dedicated volunteers who assist in various administrative functions and support different ministries.

Skills Required for Effective Church Administration

Successful church administration relies on individuals with specific skills and competencies. Here are two essential areas to consider:

Leadership Skills in Church Administration

Leadership skills are crucial for church administrators to effectively lead and inspire others. These skills include vision-setting, decision-making, problem-solving, team-building, and effective communication.

Organizational Skills for Church Administrators

Organizational skills are vital in managing multiple tasks and responsibilities. Church administrators should be adept at managing schedules, prioritizing tasks, coordinating events, and maintaining accurate records and documentation.

Challenges in Church Administration

Church administration can face various challenges that require strategic solutions and effective management. Here are some common obstacles and strategies for overcoming them:

Common Obstacles in Church Administration

Some common challenges in church administration include limited resources, volunteer recruitment and retention, financial constraints, adapting to changing technology, and balancing administrative tasks with spiritual priorities.

Strategies for Overcoming Administration Challenges

To overcome these challenges, church administrators can implement strategies such as seeking professional assistance and training, utilizing technology to streamline administrative tasks, fostering a culture of volunteer engagement and appreciation, and establishing clear communication channels.

In conclusion, church administration is a vital component of religious institutions, encompassing various responsibilities and tasks. By efficiently managing finances, resources, and communication, administrators ensure the smooth operation of church activities and ministries. They play an essential role in facilitating effective communication, enabling a strong sense of community and unity within the church. With the right skills and strategies, church administrators can overcome challenges and contribute to the overall success and growth of the church.

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, accounting in churches: a research framework and agenda.

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal

ISSN : 0951-3574

Article publication date: 1 December 1993

Argues that there is a significant lacuna in the accounting literature resulting from our lack of knowledge of how and why accounting is used in churches as one form of religious organization. After reviewing the limited extant accounting literature, proposes a skeletal research framework for addressing this lacuna. Following parallel themes in the organizations studies′ literature, this framework emphasizes the importance of three analytic dimensions: the centrality of religious beliefs to action in churches and a general tendency of such beliefs to act as a form of resistance to accounting; the role of organizational members and occupational groups, such as the clergy and accountants, in the construction and opposition of such processes of resistance; and the impacts of two conditions of possibility, membership size and the availability of financial resources, on the development of these relationships. Concludes with some initial suggestions for a research agenda suggested by the proposed framework, and a consideration of the potential applicability of such theorizing for our understanding of accounting as a situated practice both in other forms of religious organizations and organizations more generally.

• Accounting industry
• Accounting research
• Financial information

Booth, P. (1993), "Accounting in Churches: A Research Framework and Agenda", Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal , Vol. 6 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513579310045684

Copyright © 1993, MCB UP Limited

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Academic literature on the topic 'Church administration'

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Journal articles on the topic "Church administration":

Park, Jin-Kyung. "Church Administration and Practical Tasks for a Healthy Church." Theology and Praxis 66 (September 30, 2019): 641–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.14387/jkspth.2019.66.641.

Ershova, Maria, and Jan Hermelink. "Spirituality, Administration, and Normativity in Current Church Organization." International Journal of Practical Theology 16, no. 2 (May 2013): 221–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ijpt-2012-0015.

Kulpinov, S. S. "The Emergence and Formation of the Renovationist Schism in Western Siberia (June – August 1922)." Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies 40 (2022): 93–104. http://dx.doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2022.40.93.

Burdam, Yohanes, Aksilas Dasfordate, Darmawan Edi Winoto, and Sendy Lely Merly. "The Church and Politics of Early 20th Centuries in Minahasa." SHS Web of Conferences 149 (2022): 02049. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202214902049.

Oslan, Yetli, Harianto Kristanto, and Raden Gunawan Santosa. "Pendampingan Pembuatan Dan Pengelolaan Data Elektronik Jemaat GKJ Wates." Servirisma 1, no. 1 (November 30, 2021): 59–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.21460/servirisma.2021.11.7.

Min, Jang-Bae, and Jae-Min Lee. "Propose a New Church Administration Model in Post-Corona Era: ‘Administrative Church’." Theology and Praxis 76 (September 30, 2021): 717–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.14387/jkspth.2021.76.717.

Ajiboye, Bosede Adebimpe, Olubunmi Gabriel Alegbeleye, Sarah Okonedo, Wuraola Janet Oyedipe, Sunday Oluwafemi Emmanuel, and Mariam Kehinde Alawiye. "Records management practices in the administration of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)." Records Management Journal 26, no. 1 (March 21, 2016): 4–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/rmj-01-2015-0005.

Leszczyński, Grzegorz. "Sprawiedliwość administracyjna w świetle Kodeksu prawa kanonicznego z 1983 r." Studia Prawnoustrojowe , no. 45 (December 15, 2019): 161–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.31648/sp.5201.

Jared, Lauren Helm. "English Ecclesiastical Vacancies During the Reigns of William II and Henry I." Journal of Ecclesiastical History 42, no. 3 (July 1991): 362–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022046900003353.

Bergen, Martha S. "Charles A. Tidwell Educational Administration for the Church." Christian Education Journal: Research on Educational Ministry 1, no. 2 (May 2004): 106–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/073989130400100210.

Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Church administration":

Page, Robert O. "Church administration for growth past one thousand." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 2004. http://www.tren.com.

Altrudo, Christina. "Church Contributions and Church Attendance." Miami University Honors Theses / OhioLINK, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=muhonors1110985982.

Stark, James D. "Renewal at American Baptist Church through pastoral administration." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 2005. http://www.tren.com.

Liao, Samuel. "A system approach to church administration in Chinese culture." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 1996. http://www.tren.com.

Smith, Barbara S. "The role of women in Christian school administration." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 1985. http://www.tren.com.

Mah, Peter Y. K. "Church administration and growth of small and medium size Canadian Chinese churches case study of the Logos Baptist Church of Toronto in Canada /." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 1999. http://www.tren.com.

Holden, James B. "Developing a self-supporting church implications of foreign funding of mission-church ministry in urban Angola /." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 2003. http://www.tren.com.

Bowers, Dan P. "International churches as launching pads for mission to indigenous peoples." Online full text .pdf document, available to Fuller patrons only, 2003. http://www.tren.com.

Romero, Natanael Frugoni. "National church, missions relationships a model for Spain /." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN) Access this title online, 1995. http://www.tren.com/search.cfm?p023-0077.

Steiner, Richard L. "A program to help the Mennonite Church in Zaire become self-supporting." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 1994. http://www.tren.com.

Books on the topic "Church administration":

Bush, Bill. Church administration resources . Tulsa, Okla: Daystar Resource, 2002.

P, Powers Bruce, ed. Church administration handbook . Nashville, Tenn: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997.

P, Powers Bruce, ed. Church administration handbook . Nashville, Tenn: Broadman Press, 1985.

Anderson, Jacqulyn. Church media library administration . Nashville, Tenn: Convention Press, 1994.

McClain, N. Jerome. Fundamentals of church administration . Columbus, Ga. (4000 Beallwood Ave., Columbus 31904): Brentwood Christian Press, 1994.

Andres, Tomas Quintin D. Church management and pastoral administration . Quezon City: Giraffe Books, 1999.

Imasogie, Osadolor. Current issues in Church administration . Ibadan, Nigeria: Nigerian Baptist Convention, 1995.

Tyson, John H. Administration in the small membership church . Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007.

Whitesel, Bob, Edward A. Thomas, and Bruce L. Petersen. Foundations of church administration: Professional tools for church leadership . Kansas City, Mo: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2010.

Graves, William H. Discipleship principles for effective church administration . Memphis, Tenn: Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, General Board of Personnel Services, 1993.

Book chapters on the topic "Church administration":

Wooten, Sabrina D. "Local Church as Social Action." In Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance , 3810–15. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20928-9_2644.

Wooten, Sabrina D. "Local Church as Social Action." In Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance , 1–6. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_2644-1.

Brown, Marvin T. "Civilian Empowerment: A Theological Inquiry." In Library of Public Policy and Public Administration , 137–48. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77363-2_9.

Leung, Beatrice K. F. "The New Triangular Relations Among the Vatican, Taiwan and China in the Tsai Ing-wen Administration." In The Catholic Church in Taiwan , 233–54. Singapore: Springer Singapore, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6665-8_10.

Wubneh, Mulatu. "The Church and Its Influence on the Administration and Governance of Gondar." In Planning for Cities in Crisis , 215–58. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18416-1_8.

Papastathis, Konstantinos. "Diaspora-Building and Cultural Diplomacy: The Greek Community of Jerusalem in Late Ottoman Times and the Mandate." In European Cultural Diplomacy and Arab Christians in Palestine, 1918–1948 , 255–72. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55540-5_13.

Van Ruyskensvelde, Sarah. "Towards a Gleichschaltung of Belgian Education: The German Education Policy and the Contacts between the Military Administration and the Belgian Roman Catholic Church." In Wartime Schooling and Education Policy in the Second World War , 49–76. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52011-1_3.

MATHER, F. C. "Church Administration and Reform." In High Church Prophet , 139–62. Oxford University Press, 1992. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198202271.003.0008.

"Ecclesiastical Administration and the London Strangers’." In Restoring Christ's Church , 71–88. Routledge, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315605906-14.

"Church Administration and Women’s Liberation." In Beyond the Legacy of the Missionaries and East Indians , 149–87. BRILL, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/9789004417083_008.

Reports on the topic "Church administration":

Kurmann, André, Étienne Lalé, and Lien Ta. Measuring Small Business Dynamics and Employment with Private-Sector Real-Time Data . CIRANO, August 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.54932/xsph3669.

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Impact of church administration on effective management of church sponsored schools (a case study of covenant university, ota), project information:, project department:, theology undergraduate project topics, research works and materials, people found this post useful, project body:.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Education is basically targeted at producing sensible, reasonable, refined and responsible being or a group of people either for an individual or group development of either his/her self or the society. All over the world, education has been discovered and accepted as the bedrock of all-round developments of both human beings and their society. United Nations Organization emphasizes the need to train every child in the world. Africa, being one of the seventh continents in the world is trying her best despite the facts that she has a lot of challenges everywhere.While Nigeria with the population of about 170 million people knowing the importance of education, has been running free education in some parts of the country for a very long time (Ajodo, 2013). When the country, had regional governments, the western Region, then governed by the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as the premier, ran free education. Some states still run it till date. There have been clear dichotomy between missionary owned/ran/governed/managed schools and the non-missionary owned schools. A Church-sponsored school has been mainly identified as moral, religion, intelligent, discipline etc aspects (Jaiye & Alaga, 2005). However, this study is examining the impact of church administration on effective management of church-sponsored school with focus on the Convenant University, Ota.

In Nigeria, there are Federal, States and privately owned universities. For example, the first university in Nigeria, University of Ibadan was established in 1948 by the colonial master. She was recently ranked as the best university, in the country, followed by University of Lagos, University of Ilorin,Covenant university and others. The first three are Federal Government owned Universities, while the other and the fourth one, happens to be Covenant university, that is owned by a church/ religion leader.

It is believed by most people, that the involvement of church leaders in the establishment of universities is basically to assist in the upbringing of upright children who will be morally fit to live their lives and govern the society well; help to reduce the observed long queue of students seeking admission, enforcement of merit in the course of offering admission/employment of personnel, considerable/moderate/affordable school fees etc simply because the best hands in all the professional and non -professional careers that the country had had till date have been products of missionaries schools.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In Nigeria, Federal, States and Privately owned institutions have some basic common problems among them, namely: lack of fear/believe in God, Poor funding, inadequate staff and facilities (glorified secondary schools), discrimination in the offering of employment of staff and admission to students,living condition, labour organization, working condition, wage level, opportunity for further education, deviation from the norms of those days missionaries established and ownership of schools. Some church owned schools in Nigeria has out-performed some government owned schools in an excellent manner. This has increased the awareness and patronage for church-sponsored schools in Nigeria. In the light of this, the researcher will examine the impact of church administration on the effective management of church-sponsored schools.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the objectives of this study:

• To determine the prevalence of church-sponsored schools in Nigeria.
• To examine the impact of church administration on the effective management of church-sponsored schools.
• To examine the administrative performance of church-sponsored schools in Nigeria.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• What is the prevalence of church-sponsored schools in Nigeria?
• What is the impact of church administration on the effective management of church-sponsored schools?
• What is the administrative performance of church-sponsored schools in Nigeria?

1.5   HYPOTHESIS

HO: There is no significant impact of church administration on effective management of church-sponsored schools in Nigeria.

HA: There is significant impact of church administration and effective management of church-sponsored schools in Nigeria.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The following are the significance of this study:

• The outcome of this study will educate the policy makers on education on the effective management qualities of church management as demonstrated by the performance of church-sponsored schools.
• This research will be a contribution to the body of literature in the area of the effect of personality trait on student’s academic performance, thereby constituting the empirical literature for future research in the subject area.

1.7   SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study is limited to Covenant University, Ota. This study will also cover the impact of church administration on the effective management of church-sponsored schools

LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint - Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint - The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work

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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christ’s hallel and the christian’s hallelujah: a comparative analysis of jesus’ last supper hymn with contemporary worship songs.

Maria Rica Silbol , Liberty University Follow

School of Music

Doctor of Philosophy

Scott Connell

Hallel, cross-talking, convergent mixed methods, contemporary worship song, Jesus' hymn, Passover, worship, CWS, worship song

Disciplines

Liturgy and Worship | Music

Recommended Citation

Silbol, Maria Rica, "Christ’s Hallel and the Christian’s Hallelujah: A Comparative Analysis of Jesus’ Last Supper Hymn with Contemporary Worship Songs" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects . 5706. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5706

The Last Supper of Jesus Christ and his disciples is one of the most iconic events in Christendom. One of the fewer talked-about scenarios in this historical event is Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26, when Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn before his crucifixion. This study examines the Hallel or Psalms 113–118, which Bible scholars believe was the hymn that Jesus sang with his disciples. The primary themes and emphases of these psalms are identified and coded. The goal of this research is to provide a metric for how the teachings from the Hallel may serve as a reference for evaluating and selecting songs for local church worship. The psalm assessment is the resource for examining the Top 25 contemporary worship songs from 2021–2023 for comparable themes and emphases. The research used a convergent mixed methods design, including the process of cross-talking, to examine Psalms 113–118 and the contemporary worship songs from 2021–2023 for theme and topic comparison, word use, and categorical placement. The research identified several songs that align with similar themes and messages of the Hallel, which speak of God’s redemption, faithfulness, and praise from his people from all nations. However, the most consistent theme found in these contemporary worship songs is that of personal testimony, a theme not found in Psalm 113–118. Churches may benefit from studying the Hallel and using the themes of Psalms 113–118 to assess old and current worship songs for a more consistent thematic practice with that of the hymn likely led by Jesus himself.

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• Senior Living Alert – Church Plan Status: Employee Benefit Plan Administration for Senior Living Facilities Associated With Faith-Based Organizations

For employers that sponsor and administer employee benefit plans, various pieces of federal legislation create a multilayered regime of detailed regulatory requirements. Primarily, employer-sponsored benefit plans are governed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Code) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). There are few, but critical, exemptions from ERISA’s application.

For senior living organizations controlled by or associated with a church or a convention or association of churches, “church plan” status offers a potential exemption from many of the rules imposed by ERISA. If a senior living facility’s employee benefit plan is properly considered a “church plan,” the plan will be exempt from most of ERISA’s requirements (Non-Electing Church Plan) unless the senior living facility (i.e., the plan sponsor) makes a one-time irrevocable election to have the plan be subject to ERISA (Electing Church Plan).

This ERISA exemption, however, comes at a cost for Non-Electing Church Plans. While many of ERISA’s administrative requirements designed to add protections for plan participants do not apply, the protections of ERISA preemption also do not apply to such employee benefit plans and, in turn, their church plan sponsors. For example, a Non-Electing Church Plan, while not subject to ERISA, will be subject to state law.

This alert provides a high-level overview as to the scope of ERISA’s legal requirements and the church plan exemption and discusses certain considerations faith-based organizations may take into account when determining whether to “opt-in” to ERISA’s regime and maintain an Electing Church Plan.

What Is ERISA?

ERISA (and subsequent regulation and amendment) is comprehensive federal guidance designed to safeguard the interests of employees who participate in retirement and welfare benefit plans established by their employers. For employee benefit plans, ERISA sets standards to ensure transparency in benefit plan operations, provide for fiduciary responsibility and oversight of benefit plan administration, and maintain an overarching theme of fairness in benefit plan administration and design. For example, all employee benefit plans subject to ERISA are required to:

• file annual reports regarding certain plan-related data (e.g., plan expenses, participant counts, external vendor costs);
• provide understandable, easy-to-read summaries of plan terms; and
• adjudicate participant claims according to specific procedures.

In the retirement plan context, ERISA-governed plans are subject to strict trust, funding, vesting and bonding requirements, which add financial and administrative burden to sponsoring such employee benefit plans.

During its enactment, Congress exempted certain employee benefits plans from ERISA’s purview, including employee benefit plans established or maintained by governmental entities and churches for their employees, and plans maintained solely to comply with applicable workers’ compensation, unemployment or disability laws.

According to legislative history, Congress included the church plan exemption out of concern that the review of a church’s records by federal agencies might be viewed as an “unjustified invasion” of the “confidential relationship” between “churches and their religious activities.” By exempting church plans from ERISA, Congress gave eligible church plan sponsors greater flexibility in employee benefit plan design, structure and operation.

What Is a Church Plan?

A church plan is any employee benefit plan established and maintained for the benefit of the employees (and/or their beneficiaries) of a church or a convention or association of churches that is exempt from tax under Section 501 of the Code. This term applies to all religious denominations. Additionally, a church plan includes a plan maintained by an organization whose principal purpose or function is the administration or funding of a plan or program for the provision of retirement benefits, welfare benefits or both for the employees of a church or a convention or association of churches, if such organization is controlled by or associated with a church or a convention or association of churches.

Which Entities May Sponsor a Church Plan?

While the analysis regarding an actual church entity’s eligibility to sponsor a church plan is straightforward, whether a senior living facility is an entity eligible to sponsor a church plan is nuanced and highly fact-sensitive, and depends on the relationship between the facility and the applicable religious organization. To be considered eligible to sponsor a church plan, a senior living facility must be a “principal purpose organization” (“PPO”) that is “controlled by” or “associated with” a church or a convention or association of churches. Each term is discussed in more detail below.

The “controlled by” or “associated with” rules allow a nonprofit religious organization’s employee benefit plans to be exempt from ERISA as Non-Electing Church Plans.

• Principal Purpose Organization: According to the plain language of ERISA, a PPO is one whose principal purpose or function is the administration or funding of a plan or program to provide retirement benefit, welfare benefits or both to the employees of a church or a convention or association of churches, where the organization is controlled by or associated with a church or a convention or association of churches.

This PPO definition does not add clarity to whether a senior living facility’s employee benefit plan qualifies for church plan status. In Medina v. Catholic Health Initiatives , however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit considered the question of what qualifies a PPO, holding that ERISA imposes a three-step inquiry for entities seeking to use the church plan exemption for employee benefit plans maintained by a PPO:

• Is the entity a tax-exempt nonprofit organization associated with a church?
• In the Medina context, the Tenth Circuit found that a retirement plan maintained by a subcommittee qualified for church plan status where the subcommittee charged with administering the plan was a subdivision of a religiously affiliated hospital whose principal purpose was providing healthcare.
• If so, is that PPO itself associated with the church?

While the Tenth Circuit’s approach is not binding in every jurisdiction, it provides a useful baseline. Thus, for a senior living facility attempting to determine whether it qualifies as a PPO, the initial inquiry begins at whether the facility is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization associated with a church.

• Controlled By: While ERISA does not specify what “controlled by” means for purposes of church plan status, case law has interpreted this term as referring to corporate control — i.e., a religious organization, order or institution appoints, and can remove, a majority of the senior living facility’s officers or directors.

• Associated With: A senior living facility satisfies the “associated with” requirement if it shares common religious bonds and convictions with the religious organization, order or institution. This requirement is evaluated on a facts and circumstances basis. For example, a senior living facility’s inclusion in the religious institution’s official directory or inclusion in the religious organization’s determination letter regarding tax-exempt status under Section 501 of the Code would indicate that the senior living facility is associated with the religious institution. Three factors have been identified as important but not conclusive when evaluating whether an organization shares common bonds and convictions with the religious institution:

• whether the religious organization plays any official role in the governance of the senior living facility;
• whether the organization receives assistance from the religious institution; and
• whether a denominational requirement exists for any employee, patient, or customer of the organization.

Agency Approval of Church Plan Status

The analysis regarding church plan status is highly subjective for nonchurch entities. As a result, church plans have become the subject of increased participant litigation. To elevate some litigation concerns, a prospective plan sponsor may seek an Advisory Opinion from the Department of Labor (DOL) or a Private Letter Ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding church plan status. Advisory Opinions and Private Letter Rulings apply the law to a specific set of facts proffered by a prospective plan sponsor as to whether the plan at issue qualifies for church plan status. While a prospective plan sponsor cannot rely on Advisory Opinions or Private Letter Rulings filed by another plan sponsor, the DOL or IRS ruling does provide binding guidance as applied to the filer’s facts. Importantly, a prospective plan sponsor who obtains a Private Letter Ruling receives an additional benefit as the DOL often accepts an IRS Private Letter Ruling as sufficient to establish a church plan under ERISA. However, the DOL reserves the right to review the underlying IRS Private Letter Ruling.

ERISA Exemption Disadvantages

While an exemption from ERISA allows plan sponsors to retain more control over benefit design and administration, the exemption comes with consequences. For Non-Electing Church Plans, state law, rather than ERISA’s uniform administration provisions, govern the administration and operation of employee benefits — i.e., multiple, and perhaps conflicting, state laws could apply in administering one Non-Electing Church Plan. As a result, Non-Electing Church Plan participants can bring lawsuits in state court and file state law claims, which may include claims for punitive damages and the ability to request a jury trial.

ERISA provides a framework pursuant to which plan administrators can rely in administering their employee benefit plans. ERISA specifically outlines the fiduciary duties of plan administrators — such as a duty of loyalty, duty of prudence or duty to avoid prohibited transactions — which set forth an informative roadmap for plan administrators (i.e., the “dos” and “don’ts” of operating employee benefit plans). Without specific state law standards in many instances or with state law standards in some areas (e.g., trust law or insurance), but not others, it can be difficult for a Non-Electing Church Plan sponsor to determine whether it is operating its employee benefit plan in compliance with all applicable state law requirements.

Electing Church Plans

The plan administrator of a church plan may elect to be covered by certain aspects of ERISA by executing a written statement that indicates an election is being made under Code Section 410(d) and the first plan year for which the election is effective. To effectuate the election, the plan administrator’s written statement may attach an affirmative statement to a Form 5500 or by requesting a determination letter from the IRS (only applicable to retirement plans). If an election is made alongside a written request for a determination letter, the plan sponsor may condition the election upon issuance of a favorable determination letter. Electing Church Plans are typically done in the retirement plan context. Once an election is made, however, it is irrevocable.

Key Takeaways

For senior living facilities affiliated with or controlled by a church or association of churches, a Non-Electing Church Plan offers eligible plan sponsors the opportunity to customize plan design, structure, and operation in a manner not typically available under ERISA. At the same time, however, a Non-Electing Church Plan loses the benefits and protections ERISA can provide for plan sponsors and may require the plan sponsor to seek guidance from those familiar with certain areas of state law.

When determining whether a senior living facility is an entity eligible to sponsor an employee benefit plan that qualifies for church plan status, careful consideration of all facts and circumstances of the relationship between the facility and the religious organization, order or institution and consult legal counsel to ensure the senior living facility is in the best position to support implementation of a Non-Electing Church Plan.

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DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.

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Developing Frameworks and Tools for Integration of Digital Health Tools into Clinical Practice

CERSI Collaborators: University of California at San Francisco (UCSF): Andrew Auerbach, MD

FDA Collaborators: Center for Devices and Radiological Health(CDRH): Bakul Patel, MS, MBA (Formerly of CDRH); Vinay Pai, PhD; Leeda Rashid, MD, MPH, ABFM; Catherine Bahr; Arti Tandon, PhD; Charlie Yongpravat, PhD; Anindita Saha, PhD; Jiping Chen, MD, PhD, MPH 

CERSI Subcontractors: Flying Buttress Associates- Jeph Herrin, PhD

CERSI In-Kind Collaborators: OptumLabs - William Crown, PhD; University of San Francisco - Sanket Dhruva, MD

Non-Federal Entity Collaborators: Johnson and Johnson- Karla Childers, MSJ, Paul Coplan, ScD, MBA, Stephen Johnston, MSc

Project Start Date: May 1, 2018 Project End Date: February 28, 2022

Regulatory Science Framework

Charge I “Modernize development and evaluation of FDA-regulated project” and Focus Area “C. Analytical and computational Methods.”

While FDA funding of this project has ended, the research continues to evolve and result in additional findings, as described below. Outcomes/results from this project informed the development of The Digital Variome: Understanding the Implications of Digital Tools on Health .

Regulatory Science Challenge

This research aimed to develop methodologies to improve the quality and safety of FDA-regulated products by using consensus methods to identify gaps in regulation perceived by health systems and healthcare providers, and developing initial blueprints and recommendations for regulators and vendors to follow. Researchers developed methods and tools to improve and streamline clinical and post market evaluation of FDA-regulated products, including scientifically valid approaches to incorporating patient input and approaches to complex and multisource data to inform regulatory decision-making, including use of “real world” data (RWD/RWE).

Project Description and Goals

This project extends the ongoing research work of FDA’s national network of leading academic medical centers, researchers, and innovators to yield information about which real world measures can be used across types of software used in health, and the eventual data sources required to carry out real world performance measurement and post market surveillance of digital health tools.

Research Outcomes/Results

Caring for patients in the electronic era requires multiple people and systems to collaborate, which in turn requires interoperability among connected health records, and integration between myriad digital health tools and devices. Few data or approaches exist to assist with adoption and integration of innovative digital health tools (DHTs) in ways that are safe and effective.

To explore these questions and develop best practices for addressing them, UCSF founded the Accelerated Digital Clinical Ecosystem (ADviCE) . The collaborative, founded in 2018, includes academic and non-academic health systems, single-site and multicenter health systems, medical software developers, payors, and patient groups. Investigators carried out a series of in-person and virtual meetings during which, using a consensus-building framework, we identified problems with Digital Health Technology (DHT) adoption and potential solutions.

Investigators identified the following challenges to DHT adoption: (1) Variable definitions of which DHTs are relevant to clinical care delivery; (2) Lack of consistent, common terms to describe DHTs during selection, (3) Wide variability in how health systems integrate DHTs into practice and, (4) Lack of a framework and tools to evaluate DHTs’ real-world performance through post-market surveillance. Investigators further framed collaborative opportunities that could support solutions to each challenge.

Challenge 1 and 2 - Defining and selecting DHTs : To address the first and second challenges, investigators prototyped a tool known as the ‘Digital Health Common Application’ (DHCA), a framework that gathers a core set of information needed by health systems and patients to make DHT selection choices. In use, the DHCA can increase transparency of DHT’s functions and pitfalls to health system stakeholders as well as becoming a potential ‘package insert’ resource for patients and families. Work on the DHCA continues. Investigators have continued to test the applicability of the Common Application through a series of ADviCE-sponsored internships where ADviCE has hosted between 7 and 18 fellows who have done outreach to digital health companies to gather information using the Common Application format.

Over the course of the last 4 years more than 40 fellows who have contacted more than 180 companies gathering information on 190 total applications. As of Spring 2024, investigators are re-assessing those companies after initial follow-up (between 6 months and 3 years later) to see if they have added functionality, pursued regulation, or accumulated additional evidence. Investigators are also exploring use of large language model chatbots as an approach to gathering information which might later be used to populate the Common Application or regulatory tools.

Challenge 3 - DHT adoption : To address challenges in how health systems adopt DHTs, investigators gathered intake processes and questionnaires from ADviCE participating sites and mapped them into several broad domains – clinical use case, security and privacy review, and governance. These domains are in turn becoming the focus of discussions around best practices for DHT onboarding while also helping frame considerations of RWE generation (as DHT performance may be powerfully impacted by how it is implemented and where).

Challenge 4 – Real world performance : For the fourth challenge identified, investigators took the FDA measurement framework proposed as a general temlaplate for PreCert post market surveillance and undertook consensus work to identify specific domains and measures relevant to each broad domain. For example, within the area of Product Performance à Cybersecurity investigators developed subdomains where metric identification was recognized as a key next step; metric identification was continued in additional findings, as described below. Outcomes/results from this project informed the development of The Digital Variome: Understanding the Implications of Digital Tools on Health .

Research Impacts

In the absence of empiric data on safety or effectiveness, multistakeholder collaboratives have a key role in setting safety and adoption standards for DHTs. ADviCE is a first example of how collaboratives can identify and employ best practices for adoption, improve provider and patient experience, and substantially increase limited data on DHT clinical effectiveness and safety.

Publications

No peer-reviewed publications to date; Investigators plan to analyze and publish follow-up study results.

Dr. Auerbach has published invited editorials in JAMA IM on digital health regulation based in part on his experiences with ADviCE.

E.11 Consortium in Biological Sciences Clarification on how to Address Eligibility

E.11 Consortium in Biological Sciences solicits proposals from a consortium in biological sciences to enable and/or carry out research investigations addressing NASA’s established space-relevant science interests in human health, animal, and plant sciences.

May 24, 2024. Sections 3.1 and 3.3.2 of E.11 Consortium in Biological Sciences have been clarified to indicate that proposers must address the eligibility requirement for the team to include a Space Grant Consortium member in both the Notice of Intent and the Non-Anonymized E&R Document. New text is in bold. The due dates remain unchanged: Mandatory NOIs are due June 17, 2024, and proposals are due July 17, 2024.

Questions regarding E.11 Consortium in Biological Sciences may be addressed to Lynn Harrison at [email protected] .

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