Church on Trial: Legal Lessons Every Leader Needs | David Middlebrook, The Church Lawyers

Does your church have a crisis communication plan? In this interview, Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com talks with David Middlebrook, one of the country’s leading practitioners in religious nonprofit organizations law and founder of The Church Lawyers. David’s team provides legal support to churches, ministries and nonprofits, domestically and internationally, with years of experience helping churches with crisis planning and crisis management. In this interview, you’ll gain practical wisdom on how to: 

👉 Prepare a crisis communication plan
👉 Develop a crisis communication team
👉 Implement risk management, spot red flags and avoid a crisis
👉 Manage media relations during a crisis and...
👉 Make sure you have the legal resources in place to handle any crisis—external, internal and child related

A crisis doesn’t have to break your church. This interview will help you navigate through it. 

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⚡️Get Phil’s book: “Church on Trial – How to Protect Your Congregation, Mission, and Reputation During a Crisis” Get your copy here: https://philcooke.com/crisis

🔥 Prepare yourself and your team with these masterclasses:
Church on Trial—Crisis Management with Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com/masterclass
Ideas on a Deadline Masterclass with Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com/ideasonadeadline

Phil Cooke, Ph.D. — Strategic Advisor | Cultural Influence & Crisis Leadership
Phil Cooke, Ph.D., is a strategic advisor to church, nonprofit, and media leaders navigating crisis, credibility, and cultural influence in a rapidly changing digital world. Founder of Cooke Media Group in Los Angeles and Nashville, he works with senior leadership teams globally to strengthen reputation and clarify mission. Author of “Church on Trial” and several other books on leadership and creativity, he has produced award winning media projects seen worldwide.

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**More About This Episode**
David Middlebrook is one of the country’s leading practitioners in religious nonprofit organizations law, both domestic and international.  Mr. Middlebrook has an in-depth knowledge of risk management for charities, religious organizations, private schools, and universities.  He is a frequent conference speaker, an award-winning author, and has published numerous articles on nonprofit topics.  Mr. Middlebrook founded Middlebrook | Group, PLLC ("The Church Lawyers"). Find out more at https://www.thechurchlawyers.com/ 

 

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⏰ Timecodes ⏰
00:00 Phil Cooke introduces the topic of crisis communication and crisis management
00:51 Meet David Middlebrook, founder, The Church Lawyers
07:20 The importance of legal matters for churches – bylaws, background checks, child abuse reports
12:25 Creating a crisis communication plan
15:27 Developing a crisis communication team
18:10 Example of a crisis management plan
20:21 Media relations in a crisis and reputation management
22:49 Telling the truth in the age of AI
25:17 Why you need a church lawyer
27:39 Prepare for a crisis
30:26 Contact David Middlebrook at https://www.thechurchlawyers.com/