Matthew 16:18 King James Version
18 “And I say also unto thee, That you art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
APOSTASY IS A BIBLICAL REALITY
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
NOTE-
THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH IS DEAD
WHY NOT HAVE IN HOUSE FINANCIAL HELP?
DOING IT TO THEMSELVES-LOBBYING FOR DESTRUCTION
The CARES Act and Your Church
3 days agoMore
“Jonathan Howe and Harold Loftin”
SBC Executive Committee and Guide Stone “informed Pastors how the Stimulus Money works as
churches are eligible to participate in Small Business Administration Loans which might become grants
to those who qualify for such a conversion of the debt into grants.
Disaster Loan Assistance loans from Small Business Administration available to churches
Posted: April 01, 2020
DALLAS
“The U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans will be available to churches and ministries. The loans provide another category of assistance that initially had seemed to be unavailable to churches.”
“Churches and pastors have options available to them depending on their own situations and convictions,” GuideStone® President O.S. Hawkins said. “It is good that the options are available for pastors and churches who may need to access the federal relief that is being made available due to economic circumstances that are beyond their control.”
“While we would never tell a pastor what he must do, it is good that the options are available for pastors and churches who may wish to avail themselves of the options available through this legislation.”
The application can be accessed by visiting covid19relief.sba.gov/#/.
“Initially, the regulations spoke of ‘private nonprofits,’ which seemed to exclude churches and ministries,” said Harold Loftin, chief legal officer for GuideStone. “However, the Small Business Administration is taking a broader view as it relates to the corona virus Economic Injury Disaster Loans, as it specifically allows for faith-based organizations to apply for the loans.”
“Applicants for a loan in response to COVID-19 from an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan can request an advance of up to $10,000 that is to be issued within three days of application. Funds can be used for sick leave due to COVID-19, maintaining payroll to retain employees during economic interruption, rent, mortgage payments and other limited obligations. These funds do not have to be repaid, even if the loan requested is denied, effectively making the initial $10,000 a grant.”
“If the same applicant obtains a Paycheck Protection Program loan through the Small Business Administration, the $10,000 forgiven under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan reduces what can be forgiven under the Paycheck Protection Program loan.”
“Support for including faith-based organizations, including churches, in the economic relief is bipartisan in Washington. On Tuesday (March 31), four members of the U.S. House of Representatives — Cedric Richmond, a Louisiana Democrat; James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat; and Mike Johnson and Steve Scalise, both Louisiana Republicans — wrote Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia and Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza. In the letter, the congressmen wrote, “We can assure you that Congress did not intend to require non-profits to possess an exemption determination letter to be eligible for assistance through any other section of the CARES Act either.”
(See the attached copy of the letter.)
“The recognition of the importance of faith-based organizations, especially churches, to their communities and to their staff is welcome from these members of Congress,” Hawkins said. “We applaud the members of Congress and the members of the Trump administration who are working diligently to ensure economic relief for all Americans, especially pastors and churches who serve the physical and spiritual needs of the communities they serve.”
_____________
Roy Hayhurst is director of denominational and public relations for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention®.
THE GUIDE STONE DISCLAIMER
“While we would never tell a pastor what he must do, it is good that the options are available for pastors and churches who may wish to avail themselves of the options available through this legislation.”
COVID-19 Pandemic Phase III Stimulus Package
https://www.guidestone.org/Promotions/COVID-19-Resources
“The COVID-19 Pandemic Phase III Stimulus Package provides potential relief for churches and pastors. This outcome is thanks to efforts by the Church Alliance – a national coalition of large and historic church benefit boards (including GuideStone) – and Southern Baptist partners who worked to ensure churches and pastors have the same options as small businesses and self-employed individuals attempting to financially weather the economic turmoil wrought by COVID-19. GuideStone’s Legal team has prepared a lengthy Q&A for churches and pastors looking for answers to how this stimulus package may impact them.”
CHURCH ALLIANCE GUIDE STONES LARGER UMBRELLA LOBBY
Our Purpose
“The Church Alliance strives to ensure that legislative and regulatory initiatives continue to fully address, protect and support the unique nature of retirement and health benefit plans operated by churches, religious institutions and affiliated organizations.”
Focus Areas
“Since 1975 the Church Alliance has interacted with political leaders and government agencies on behalf of its member organizations to protect the retirement and health benefits provided to more than 1 million clergy, lay workers and their family members.”
“The Church Alliance uses a number of methods to communicate its message to political and government leaders, including:
- Contracting with professional legislative partners
- Writing comment letters
- Attending meetings with stakeholders”
“The Church Alliance does not make contributions to political candidates.”
EVEN CHURCH ALLIANCE LEGAL TEAM HAVE DOUBTS/QUESTIONS.
News
Recent Comment Letter
“On April 1, 2020, the Church Alliance sent a letter to Jovita Carranza, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The letter asked the SBA to clearly acknowledge that religious organizations are eligible to apply for the Paycheck…”
TGC/JOE CATER FIRST TO THE PUNCH TO SELL STIMULUS TO CHURCHES.
“How does this legislation affect churches and small nonprofits?”“Churches, nonprofits, and Christian schools that are 501c3 (as well as most small businesses) with fewer than 500 employees are eligible for the $367 billion in Small Business Administration (SBA) loan guarantees and subsidies. This legislation increases the maximum 7(a) loan (i.e., the SBA loan program for providing financial assistance) amount to $10 million and would expand allowable uses for such loans to include employee salaries, insurance premiums, mortgage payments, payroll support (including paid sick or medical leave), and other debt obligations.”
“For almost all churches, the loan amount they can receive will be equal to their total average monthly payroll costs for the preceding 12 months (March 2019 to February 2020) multiplied by 2.5. For example, a church that has an average monthly payroll cost of $50,000 would be eligible for a loan of $125,000.”
“The loan requires a “good faith” certification that the funds will be used to support ongoing operations, retain workers, and/or maintain payroll or make mortgage, lease, and utility payments. The loan is forgivable (i.e., doesn’t require repayment) if the church employed the same number of people (or more) during the loan period as they did in 2019. Funds that are not forgiven have a loan maturity of 2 years, and loan payments under this program are not due for six months No fees are included for the loan, and no collateral or personal guarantees will be required.”
“Since the loan comes from the SBA, most churches will want to contact the bank they currently use for information on how to apply for this program. This loan program ends on December 31, 2020.”
THE MONEY TRAIN IS LEAVING THE STATION
By the next day the Executive Committee of the SBC and Guide Stone had jumped in. By Thursday Russell Moore of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission was reassuring pastors that taking the funds did not violate separation of church and state- at least according to Democrat Russell Moore .
“Over the past week, several pastors have asked us if a church or ministry taking advantage of newly approved government-backed Small Business Administration (SBA) loans would be wrong. Would such a church be now a government-funded enterprise? Russell Moore doesn’t think so, and here’s why:”
“What are the religious liberty concerns with this financial aid?”
“Russell Moore, ERLC president, recently addressed this question in his article, Do SBA-backed loans violate the separation of church and state? Moore wrote in response to several pastors who asked us the same question, “is a church or ministry taking advantage of newly approved government-backed Small Business Administration (SBA) loans wrong to do so? Would such a church be now a government-funded enterprise?” Moore does not think so and we’d encourage you to read his full article for why.”
When can my church apply for this loan?
“Churches can begin applying for the program on Friday, April 3. The deadline for submitting your application is June 30, 2020. However, because there is a funding cap, you should apply as soon as possible.”
How do I apply to the program?
“The application for the Paycheck Protection Program can be filled out and downloaded at this link. Once completed, you can submit the form to your Small Business Administration (SBA) participating lender. You will also need to provide your lender with payroll documentation.”
How do I find an SBA participating lender?
“The easiest way is to simply ask the bank which currently manages your accounts if they are participating in the program. Although the SBA is working on a web page where you can view approved lenders near you, that resource is currently not available.”
How many loans can I take out under this program?
“The Paycheck Protection Program can only be used to acquire one loan for your church. If you use this program, though, it may prevent your church from being eligible for the CARE Act’s delayed payroll tax provisions. (That provision allows an employer to defer paying their portion of an employee’s Social Security taxes through the end of 2020. Half of the deferred amount will be due at the end of 2021 and the other half will be due at the end of 2022.)”
What can my church use the loan for?
“The proceeds of the loan can be used to pay for payroll costs (including benefits) and for interest on mortgage obligations (incurred before Feb. 15, 2020); rent (under lease agreements in force before Feb. 15, 2020); and utilities (for which service began before Feb. 15, 2020).”
What counts as payroll costs?
“For churches, payroll costs include salary, wages, and commissions (capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee); employee benefits (including costs for vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave); allowance for separation or dismissal; payments required for the provisions of group health care benefits including insurance premiums; and payment of any retirement benefit; and state and local taxes assessed on compensation.”
( ERLC ASKED THE SURREAL QUESTION )
How much money can my church borrow under this program?
“The loan amount can total up to two months of your average monthly payroll costs from the last year plus an additional 25% of that amount.”
“This can be calculated by taking the average monthly payroll and multiplying by 2.5. For purposes of calculating “Average Monthly Payroll” on the application, you will use the average monthly payroll for 2019, excluding costs over $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee. If your church or organization began in 2020, the average monthly payroll may be calculated using the time period from Jan. 1, 2020 to Feb. 29, 2020, excluding costs over $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee.”
“As an example, let’s consider a church that has three employees who had total annual payroll costs in 2019 of $120,000, $75,000, and $50,000. The church’s actual average monthly payroll for 2019 would be $20,416 ($245,000 a year/12 months). But because of the $100,000 cap per employee, the allowable average monthly payroll would be $18,750. We then take that number and multiply it by 2.5. The church would thus qualify for a total loan amount of $46,875.”
Does my church have to pay back the loan?
“Under certain conditions, the loan is forgivable”
WHAT IS AN INTERIM FINAL RULE ?
ERLC- You must be joking as churches are already filing for the funding.
CONCLUSION
TRUST GOD -HE DOES NOT LIE
Jeremiah 17:
5 Thus says the Lord:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
And makes flesh his strength,
Whose heart departs from the Lord.
6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,
And shall not see when good comes,
But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
In a salt land which is not inhabited.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
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