Mormon Church is Corporate – The Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

What is the church?

The Mormon church is actually a corporate conglomerate. We see that all money belongs to “the church” and “the church” has sole discretion in how to use the funds. What exact entity is this referring to? The church in some sense can mean the building, in some sense, can mean the people, and in another sense the doctrine or leadership. In this case “the church” equates to both the governing body, which consists of the First Presidency (the president and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as well as the larger membership and hierarchy of the church.

In terms of legal structure, the LDS Church operates as both a religious institution and a corporation. It is formally organized as a non-profit corporation, with the legal name “Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” This corporate entity is responsible for various administrative and legal matters on behalf of the church, which operates as a non-profit corporation. As a corporation, it can acquire and manage property, enter into contracts, employ individuals, hold assets, and conduct business operations. The legal entity represents the church in legal matters and acts as the central governing entity for its financial and administrative affairs.

The Corporate Entity of The Church

The corporation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The First Presidency consists of the President of the Church and his two counselors.

The President of the Church serves as the chairman of the corporation and holds the ultimate authority and responsibility for its operations. The counselors in the First Presidency also play significant roles in the governance and administration of the corporation. They make decisions and provide guidance on matters related to the church’s finances, properties, legal affairs, and other corporate functions.

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which is the second-highest governing body in the church, also plays a key role in the corporate leadership. Each member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles serves as a director of the corporation and contributes to the decision-making process related to the church’s corporate activities.

The Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is also involved in managing the corporation of the church. The Presiding Bishopric consists of the Presiding Bishop and his two counselors. They are responsible for overseeing the temporal affairs of the church, which includes financial management, real estate, welfare programs, and other administrative functions.

While the First Presidency holds the ultimate authority and responsibility for the corporation, the Presiding Bishopric works closely with them in managing the church’s financial and administrative operations. They collaborate on matters such as budgeting, investments, construction projects, and the overall financial well-being of the church. The Presiding Bishopric also plays a crucial role in the implementation and administration of welfare and humanitarian programs, assisting with the distribution of resources to those in need and managing the church’s welfare infrastructure.

In summary, the Presiding Bishopric, along with the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, forms the leadership structure of the corporation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with the Presiding Bishopric primarily responsible for the temporal affairs and financial management of the church.

Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Org Chart 1991 - Finances. Arizona Republic July 1991
Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Org Chart 1991. Arizona Republic July 1991

The Mormon church is actually a corporate conglomerate. Behind the religious front are dozens of companies earning hundreds of millions of dollars a year. At the top of the corporate pyramid are two holding companies, the Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its subsidiary, the Corporation of the Presiding Bishop. The latter company primarily holds the church’s non-profit enterprises such as educational institutions and charities, as well as the global management of the church’s buildings and grounds. Almost all of these companies are tax-exempt (Arizona Republic 1991).

The Corporate Structure of the Mormon church
http://www.mormonism101.com/2015/01/the-corporate-structure-of-mormon-church.html
Mormons: A "Pre-Nelson" term which today equates to Sustaining Contributors to the Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, doing business as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints®️, a registered trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc. | wasmormon.org
Mormons: A “Pre-Nelson” term which today equates to Sustaining Contributors to the Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, doing business as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints®️, a registered trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

So perhaps rather than declaring to be a member of the church or a Mormon, or even singing along that “I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”, today’s church members should clearly communicate that they are a Sustaining Contributor to the Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, doing business as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints®️, a registered trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc., (h/t grove_doubter).

Meme showing Mormon Missionary Meme with the text "Do you have a few minutes to listen to us say the full name of our church?"
Meme showing Mormon Missionary Meme with the text “Do you have a few minutes to listen to us say the full name of our church?”

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