Is a church near you at risk of having its bank accounts canceled?

Based on the experience of Memphis-based Servants of Christ, the answer is yes.

In 2023, Bank of America abruptly canceled the church’s bank account. It also closed two other accounts, including one belonging to a charity the church supports, Indigenous Advance Ministries, which serves widows and orphans in Uganda. 

The suddenness of the bank’s decision created a logistical nightmare for Indigenous Advance, which had to tell its nine Ugandan employees to wait an extra week to receive a paycheck they depend upon for survival. Like many of their countrymen, these Ugandans don’t live paycheck to paycheck. They live meal to meal. Waiting an extra week for a paycheck in Uganda can be the difference between eating and going hungry.

Why was Bank of America canceling the accounts?

Watch this video to find out what the bank had to say. And decide for yourself if you’re convinced—or if you think there’s more to the story.