Biblical Mennonite Alliance and credential removal of past abusers

[JohnH]

In the BMA, all the institutions are the same legal entity. LOH, EBI, DNI, VMB, MTC, and maybe others are programs entirely owned and corporately controlled by BMA. Websites are not the same thing in fact as a corporate entities.

What are the actual charters, corporate structure, bylaws, etc. of those entities? EBI doesn't appear to actually exist (even as a trade name registration).

[flyingnorm]

Now you got the picture JohnH.

All those things are the legally the essence of the BMA.

The Board of Executors has a tough job. They have a lot going one for the kind of structure they have.

[JohnH]

Now you got the picture JohnH.

All those things are the legally the essence of the BMA.

The Board of Executors has a tough job. They have a lot going one for the kind of structure they have.

That depends. The institutions might all be unincorporated associations, which aren’t required to register with the state nor file taxes and so forth. Legally speaking, they’re an independent entity with a board, but the board members are significantly LESS shielded from liability than a corporation/LLC or other organised nonprofit would be.

I recently organised a teensy nonprofit I am on the board of simply to provide more transparency to donors and reduce my own liability exposure, and also to pave the way for some day replacing my role on the board. I won’t live forever.

[flyingnorm]

Can such an unincorporated association receive donations and issue tax deduction receipts for the donors? I am not as familiar with US tax and corporate law as Canada were that wouldn’t be possible. Educate me please.

[ohio jones]

Can such an unincorporated association receive donations and issue tax deduction receipts for the donors? I am not as familiar with US tax and corporate law as Canada were that wouldn’t be possible. Educate me please.

If they qualify as a tax-exempt organization (churches do automatically, with no need to file anything), contributions are deductible.

In the case of BMA, an IRS determination letter has been issued to Biblical Mennonite Alliance, Inc., to document their tax exempt status. Subsidiaries would be included in that rather than filing separately.

[flyingnorm]

Thanks for that.

Is such a church limited in what it can do with those donations?

[ohio jones]

There are limits on lobbying and political campaign influence, excess benefits to private individuals, and transactions unrelated to the exempt purpose.

[Thomas_muntzer]

Update from Trudy:
Link

This really leaves BMA in a very bad light, how is it possible that a person convicted twice of child sexual abuse is made a board member of an orphanage?

And for OAK Hill they are really very far from good Christian practice, how is someone with that type of criminal record going to have a position of leadership and power?

Really, as a conservative Anabaptist, this leaves me very sad. In some cases, a person is criticized or even shunned because they want to wear a different hairstyle or wear a long skirt instead of a dress, but we leave a person convicted of crimes against children in a position of power and if you criticize that decision, you are the bad guy.

[flyingnorm]

I am failing to see the documentation of previous convictions. I see allegations made of previous allegations.

Am I missing something relevant?

[ken_sylvania]

Update from Trudy:
Link

This really leaves BMA in a very bad light, how is it possible that a person convicted twice of child sexual abuse is made a board member of an orphanage?

What and who are you referring to?