Counsel from an attorney who has also been a pastor.
Built for the leaders who run religious organizations well.
We serve executive pastors, board chairs, senior leadership teams, and denominational administrators at churches, ministries, Christian schools, and religious nonprofits across the greater Sacramento region.
What we handle
Formation & status
- 501(c)(3) formation for new churches and ministries
- Articles of incorporation and bylaws for religious nonprofits
- State registration and charitable solicitation compliance
- Application for property tax exemption under California R&T Code Section 214
Annual compliance
- 990 review coordination (with your CPA)
- Property tax exemption renewal and maintenance
- State charitable registration renewals
- Board minutes and annual resolution packages
Governance
- Bylaw drafting and amendment
- Board governance policies and conflict-of-interest policies
- Elder and deacon governance structures
- Denominational relationship agreements
- Church splits and mergers
Employment & personnel
- Minister vs. lay employee classification
- Ministerial exception analysis
- Employment agreements for pastoral staff
- Safe-church and sexual misconduct policies
- Employee handbooks for religious organizations
Property & real estate
- Real property acquisition for religious organizations
- Lease review and negotiation
- Property held by religious corporations – conveyance and title issues
A practice built on 30 years inside the church.
Dan Chrystal has served in pastoral leadership at Bayside Church in Sacramento and on the leadership team of THRIVE Conferences, a national ministry serving hundreds of churches. We provide compliance counsel and legal oversight to a network of more than 250 churches.
Questions church leaders ask
What is a property tax exemption and how does a church qualify?
Religious organizations that own property used exclusively for religious, educational, or charitable purposes may qualify for an exemption under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 214. Missing or lapsed filings result in property tax assessments that can quickly run to five figures.
Our bylaws are 20 years old. Do we need to update them?
Almost certainly yes. Outdated bylaws are the single most common source of governance disputes in growing churches.