Being 501(c)3 is not a requirement for ordinations to be valid but we applied for 501(c)3 status because we wanted to show our ministers that we are committed to transparency. We wanted to demonstrate to the public that our ministers represent a federally recognized organization. American Marriage Ministries holds quarterly board meetings and conducts external audits to ensure that we conform to best practices and that we are fully compliant with our own policies as stipulated in our bylaws and worker's handbook because we want to honor the trust that couples and ministers place in us. A huge part of any organization's role in society is how they represent themselves to the public, and we felt that attaining 501(c)3 status was one more way that we could bolster our standing.
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