For pastors and church leaders
Church Legal Readiness Assessment
Most church legal crises start as a gap nobody noticed: an outdated bylaw, a volunteer who was never screened, a board that has never talked through what happens the day an allegation comes in. This assessment walks you through seven areas of compliance and crisis readiness so you can see where your church is strong and where it is exposed.
42 questionsAbout 12 minutesYour answers stay on this device
How to answer
Answer for how things work today, not how they are supposed to work.
Yes means it is in place, in writing, and current. Partly means it exists but is informal, outdated, or inconsistent. No means it is not in place. Not sure is an honest answer, and it scores like a No: if leadership doesn't know, the protection isn't working.
0 of 42 answered
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1
Governance and corporate records
Whether your governing documents, filings, and board practices match how the church actually runs.
1.Our articles and bylaws have been reviewed in the last three years and match how we actually operate (who votes, who serves on the board, how pastors are called and removed).
2.Our state corporate filings are current and the church is in good standing (in California, the Statement of Information is due every two years).
3.The board or elders keep written minutes of major decisions: budgets, staffing, property, discipline, and legal matters.
4.We have a written conflict-of-interest policy, and related-party arrangements (hiring a pastor's relative, buying from a board member) are disclosed and approved by members without a stake.
5.Our statement of faith, membership standards, and church discipline process are written into our governing documents, and members agree to them when they join.
6.It is clear in writing who can sign contracts, leases, and loans on the church's behalf.
2
Child and vulnerable-adult protection
Screening, policies, and supervision for everyone who serves with minors or vulnerable adults.
7.We have a written child protection policy, formally adopted by the board and reviewed within the last year.Priority
8.Every staff member and regular volunteer who works with minors is background-checked before serving (in California, a Live Scan fingerprint check is required for youth service organizations under AB 506).Priority
9.We enforce a two-adult rule: no adult is alone with a minor, including in vehicles, overnight events, and texting or social media.Priority
10.New attendees wait a set period (often six months) before serving with children or youth.
11.We have a written plan for a registered sex offender or person with a known history who wants to attend.
12.We have safeguards for vulnerable adults (elderly members, adults with disabilities), including visitation and finances.
3
Abuse reporting and pastoral care
Whether your pastors, staff, and volunteers know their duties and the limits of confidentiality.
13.Pastors, staff, and regular volunteers have completed mandated reporter and abuse-prevention training, and we keep completion records.Priority
14.Our pastors know they are mandated reporters, how fast a report is due, and to whom (in California, by phone immediately or as soon as practicable, with a written report within 36 hours).Priority
15.Our leaders understand the limits of clergy-penitent privilege, including that it does not cover most staff conversations, counseling sessions, or overheard disclosures.
16.We have a written pastoral counseling policy covering consent, limits of confidentiality, meeting settings, and referral to licensed professionals.
17.Counseling notes, discipline files, and incident reports are stored securely, with limited access and a retention schedule.
4
Employment and staff
Classification, compensation, and HR practices that hold up if a staff relationship ends badly.
18.Every worker is correctly classified as employee or contractor, and as exempt or non-exempt, including part-time worship, youth, and admin roles.
19.Each year the board designates the minister's housing allowance in writing before it is paid.
20.Job descriptions for pastoral and other religious roles spell out their ministerial duties.
21.Our employee handbook has been reviewed by counsel in the last two years, includes our religious and conduct expectations, and each employee has signed an acknowledgment.
22.We have a written harassment policy with more than one person to report to, and staff complete any required harassment training.
23.Terminations are reviewed before they happen, documented, and handled with a release agreement when severance is offered.
5
Finances and tax
Internal controls and tax rules that protect the church, its donors, and its leaders.
24.Two unrelated people count and record every offering, and someone who doesn't handle cash reconciles the bank statements.Priority
25.Our books receive an annual independent review or audit, or at least a finance committee review.
26.Donors receive written acknowledgments for gifts of $250 or more with the required goods-or-services statement, and designated gifts are tracked and honored.
27.Pastor compensation is set by board members without a personal stake, documented in the minutes, and checked against comparable churches.
28.Income from facility rentals, a café, bookstore, school, or similar activity has been reviewed for unrelated business income tax and property tax exemption.
29.Leaders have current written guidance on political campaign activity and on using church resources, platforms, and mailing lists for political purposes.
6
Facilities, insurance, and safety
Coverage, contracts, and safety practices for your building, events, and outside groups.
30.We reviewed our insurance with our broker in the last 12 months, including sexual misconduct/abuse, directors and officers, and employment practices coverage.Priority
31.We know how and how quickly we must notify our insurers of a claim or potential claim.
32.A written facility use policy, tied to our statement of faith, governs outside rentals and weddings, with signed use agreements and certificates of insurance.
33.We have a written safety and security plan, including emergency procedures, a trained safety team, and a clear rule on who (if anyone) may carry a weapon.
34.Injuries and safety incidents are written up in an incident report, kept on file, and reviewed by leadership.
35.Significant contracts (construction, vendors, leases, camps, software) are reviewed before signing.
7
Crisis readiness
What happens in the first 48 hours after an allegation, lawsuit, injury, or public controversy.
36.We have a written crisis response plan that names a crisis team and a final decision-maker, and we've walked through it in the last year.Priority
37.We know which attorney we'd call first, today, and we've already engaged them or have their direct contact information.Priority
38.We have a written protocol for an allegation against a pastor, staff member, or volunteer: report to authorities, remove the person from ministry pending review, preserve evidence, and notify the insurer.Priority
39.We know how we'd commission an independent investigation, rather than having board members or friends of the accused look into it themselves.
40.We have a communications plan: one designated spokesperson, guidance for statements to the congregation, and a rule that staff don't comment publicly or on social media.
41.We know how to issue a litigation hold so that emails, texts, video, and files aren't deleted once a claim is likely.
42.Our plan includes caring for people who were harmed, with counseling resources and a pastoral contact, kept separate from our legal response.
Your results
Your readiness scorecard
Not started
Answer the questions above and your scorecard fills in here as you go.
By area
Priority items
Where to focus: Build, Equip, Respond
Talk through your results
Canon Legal helps churches build the policies, equip the people, and stand ready to respond when something goes wrong. Bring your scorecard to a consultation and we'll walk through your priority items together.
(916) 216-9436
sean.oneal@thecanonfirm.com