Welcome to Church General Counsel

What a journey this has been. It's sometimes hard to grasp how God brought me to this point. What started as a career in law born out of having nothing else I could do with a degree in history and political science has turned into a stint in litigation, a season in pastoral ministry, and a sudden realization that God's gifts of a legal degree and experience and a ministry degree and experience created a unique skill set designed to aid His church in balancing ministry and church growth needs with legal compliance and best practices. This is how God has fit me together as only He could perfectly do in spite of my brokenness and frailty.

The long and short of it is this: every church needs an attorney. That is a sad reflection on our world, but it is the world we live in. Many pastors and church leaders would choose to defer to an attorney in their church, if they have one. That's fair enough. But I have practiced only one type of law over the last several years - in house, general counsel for a church of over 2,000 in weekly attendance. I have handled problems with employment, property issues, policy manuals, risk mitigation, legal compliance with consumer protection and medical regulations, state and local ordinances, and many other issues. I have stayed abreast of issues as they affect churches, why churches end up in court, and how to prepare the church to quickly leave court if not avoid it all together. At the same time, I understand that constraints from a church lawyer could stifle ministry. I understand the need to balance legal best practices with ministry needs and church growth strategies and programs. And I can price my services far below what most attorneys would charge if they charged a fee. Why not have a church general counsel?

Let me offer you this video as a way to get to know me. If I can be of any assistance at all, please let me know!