Legal
Status and Accountability of Chaplain Fellowship Ministries International
Setting Standards for all Ministries Using the Internet-
All Ministries Should Post Their Legal Documents for Public Inspection
ACCOUNTABILITY:
We cannot count the number of people over the years who have come
to us and ask how can they be sure that Chaplain Fellowship Ministries
is a real and legal ministry. Most of these people had been taken
advantage of by some claiming to be ministries or churches, not
caring about who they hurt. We know that there are a lot of people
using the Internet to launch fraudulent ministries and churches
for their own personal gain. There are diploma mills popping up
by the hundreds claiming to be real ministries or churches taking
advantage of people coming and going. All we can do is make sure
that Chaplain Fellowship Ministries always provides all our legal
documentation for accountability purposes. Fraudulent ministries,
churches and diploma mills cannot provide such documentation.
The
following information has been provided with links to legal documents
for public viewing and inspection. It is a requirement of the Internal
Revenue Service that ministries or nonprofit making the statement
that they are a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit requesting donations using the
Internet must post their letter of determination on their web site
for public inspection. If they do not have it posted, questions
should be asked. Please see below under Internal Revenue Service.
Furthermore an established nonprofit should have their Donor
Privacy Policy posted on their web site stating they will
NOT sell, trade, share or make pubic any of their doner's personal
information. Responsibility
and accountability are everything in ministry. Many ministries use
all kinds of excuses for not posting their legal documents. The
fact is many of them do not hold any kind of legal documentation
and do not want to be held accountable for the donations they receive
or their actions. Where is their accountability or credibility?
Accountability & Credibility:
Chaplain
Fellowship Ministries believes that accountability is very important,
there can be no credibility if there is no accountability. Brisbin
Tax Service in Temple Texas located at 18 S Main St, Temple, Texas
takes care of filing 990's for Chaplain Fellowship every year and
all other issues dealing with the IRS. Chaplain Fellowship also has
two law firms that represent Chaplain Fellowship.
1.
Legal Representation: The
honorable Thomas Baird Attorney at Law with the Law Firm of - Baird,
Crews, Schiller & Whitaker, P.C., located at 15 North Main Street,
Temple, Texas.
2.
Legal Representation: The honorable Jack Jones Jr. attorney
at law with the Law Firm of Jones & Harrell, P.C. Located at
2106 Bird Creek Dr. Temple, Texas.
3.
Background
Checks:
Chaplain Fellowship runs a CCH's, "Check Criminal History"
on all applicant and members. The
following is checked on every applicant: Criminal Records, Inmate
Records,Sex Offender Records, DUI/DWI Records,Court Records, Arrest
Records, Warrant Records, Police Records, Address History, Death
Index, Marital Status, Relatives and Associates, Property Records,
Reverse Phone Search, Felonies and Convictions, Alias and Date of
Birth.
TEXAS
SECRETARY OF STATE: Chaplain
Fellowship Ministries is legally incorporated in the state of Texas
as a ministry to do the following. Crisis Response, Disaster Relief,
Recruit chaplains and ministers, commission chaplains, Train
license and ordains
men and women as chaplains and ministers. Furthermore to establish
Faith based Skills Training Institutions, Crisis Ministries, Community
Development Out Reach Ministries, Missions and Chaplaincy Programs.
To view Certificate of Incorporation from the Texas Secretary of State.
. For more information.
TEXAS
STATE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE:
Chaplain
Fellowship Ministries International inc. is also recognized by the
Texas State Comptroller's Office. To view the letter from the Texas
Comptroller office recognizing Chaplain Fellowship Ministries as
an Tax Exempt organization. .
For more information.
TEXAS
DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES: Homeland
Crisis Institute is a specialized training department of Chaplain
Fellowship Ministries International. Homeland
Crisis Institute has
been approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services as
an official continuing education provider for the following. The
Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners .
The Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors
and the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists
.
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE: We have had so many people
come to us saying being a 501 (c) 3 does not mean anything. Others
will tell you that being a 501 (c) 3 means the government controls
those who have been approved for a 501 (c) 3 tax exemption. The simple
truth is the Internal Revenue Service has never told anyone with Chaplain
Fellowship Ministries or our leadership what to do with donations
received, which is God's finances. But they do tell us and everyone
who is a 501 (c) 3 what we had better NOT do with donations received,
it is called accountability folks. God is gracious, but the IRS is
not! Where there is no accountability, there is no credibility period.
To
view the tax exemption letter for Chaplain fellowship Ministries
Updated
letters are on file at the Chaplain Fellowship home office. (Chaplain
Fellowship has current letters of good standing on file)
Romans
13:1,2
says, 1 "Let every
soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority
except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by
God. 2 Therefore whoever resists
the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist
will bring judgment on themselves."
INTERNAL
REVENUE SERVICE GROUP EXEMPTION:
Chaplain
Fellowship Ministries International also holds a 501 (c) 3 Group
exemption. The group exemption is a separate exemption under 501
(c) 3 itself. Chaplain Fellowship had to go through the whole process
and qualify all over again to obtain the exemption as a Central
Organization. To view the group exemption letter .
Updated
letters are on file at the Chaplain Fellowship home office. (Chaplain
Fellowship has current letters of good standing on file)
Many
people say that a ministry having a 501 (c) 3 does not mean anything,
they will tell you that we are doing what man says instead of following
the word of God. That is simply not true as "Romans 13: 1,
2: clearly makes the law very clear. It is really silly to
even make such a statement which in reality goes against the word
of God. There are many people in the world today who have a problem
being held accountable for their action and what they do with the
money they receive as donations. What does it really mean to be
tax exempt? It means ministries and public charities are held accountable
for their actions and the funds they receive. The IRS does not tell
any ministry or church how to use the Lords' money, they do outline
how ministries and churches had better not use His money. We can
assure that they do watch for those in ministry and the church today
who do abuse the trust of the people who give their financial support.
The
simple truth is that any web site who claims to be tax exempt and
seeking donations must display their exemption letters on their
web site in accordance with IRS rules and regulations governing
501 (c) 3 tax exemption. If they not display their exemption letters
for public inspection, there is a good chance they are not legally
exempt.
WIKIPEDIA:
Chaplain Fellowship Ministries is recognize and listed under references
on Wikipedia as a a national Chaplain's Law Enforcement Organization.
.
Law
Enforcement Chaplains serve in local, county, state and federal agencies
and provide a variety of services within the law enforcement community.
DONOR
PRIVACY POLICY:
Partners
who help by supporting any ministry has a right to know their private
information will not be sold or made public. All Ministries and public
charities must demonstrate a commitment to your privacy. Ministries
or Public Charities should have their donor privacy policy prominently
displayed on their web site(s). Chaplain Fellowship has made a commitment
to respect our partners and member's privacy. We treat every gift
with sensitivity and confidentiality. Please view our donor privacy
policy. .
Chaplain
Fellowship Ministries has members working in Police Departments,
Fire Departments, Emergency Services, Hospitals, Hospice, Funeral
Homes, Nursing Homes, Federal Agencies to include but not limited
to Federal agents with Home Land Security, US Air Marshals, US Border
Patrol Agents, Pastors, Priests, Ministers, Bishops, Doctors, Lawyers,
Nurses, Teachers, Deputy Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, Crisis Response,
Disaster Relief, Christian Bikers, National Guard, Reserves, Coast
Guard, Regular Military, VA Hospitals, Faith Based Counseling Centers,
Alcohol and Drug Rehab Centers, Children's Homes, Churches, Youth
Detention Centers, Outside emergency rooms with families, Prisons,
County Jails and Corporate Chaplains. These are some of the areas
were members of Chaplain Fellowship Ministries are working as chaplains.
These are not just claims we are making, these are real people,
members who are working in the mission field
as chaplains.
Chaplain
Fellowship Chaplains responded and served during and after Hurricane
Katrina, Hurricane Rita, Virginia Tech massacre, Hurricane Ike,
the Fort Hood massacre and Haiti to mention a few. Members of Chaplain
Fellowship are serving as chaplains nationwide with police departments,
fire departments, emergency services, border patrol, nursing homes,
hospice companies, hospitals, in the military serving in Iraq, Afghanistan
and many other areas. The members of Chaplain Fellowship work with
thousands of people on a daily basis reaching out to those in need.
Our mission is to recruit and train chaplains and ministers who
will respond to disasters where ever they are needed.
Federal
Government contractors, Corporations and foundations our Legal Name
is Chaplain Fellowship Ministries. Legal Structure is Nonprofit
Public Charity. ©Copyright Chaplain Fellowship Ministries.
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