Much tension between church leaders stems from a fuzzy knowledge about each other’s responsibility. Who sets the goals? Who leads the church to accomplish its goals? Who actually carries out the work to reach those goals?
This exercise can help. Under “Responsibility,” check which of the eight statements best expresses the church’s viewpoint, the board’s perspective, and so on.
Then repeat this process with the four statements in the “Accountability section.
It is possible for one statement to reflect the viewpoint of more than one party.
Responsibility
1. The senior pastor is responsible to establish the vision for the church and to lead the church in its accomplishment.
2. The senior pastor is responsible to establish the vision for the church and, with the concurrence of the board, lead the church in its accomplishment.
3. The senior pastor is responsible to establish the vision for the church and, with the concurrence of the board and congregation, lead the church in its accomplishment.
4. The senior pastor and the board are both responsible to establish the vision for the church and to lead the church in its accomplishment.
5. The senior pastor and the board are both responsible to establish the vision for the church and, with the concurrence of the congregation, lead the church in its accomplishment.
6. The board is responsible to establish the vision for the church, and the senior pastor, under the board’s direction, leads the church in its accomplishment.
7. The board is responsible to establish the vision for the church, with the congregation’s concurrence, and the senior pastor, under the board’s direction, leads the church in its accomplishment.
8. The congregation is responsible to establish the vision for the church, with assistance by the board and the senior pastor as to the process by which it is accomplished.
Accountability
1. The senior pastor is accountable only to the congregation. The board’s function is to support the pastor in carrying out his ministry.
2. The senior pastor and the board are co-equal, each accountable directly to the congregation, working cooperatively in different spheres of responsibility.
3. The senior pastor and the board are co-equal, and accountable only to each other.
4. The board is accountable to the congregation, and the senior pastor is accountable to the board, serving as its resource and implementor.
Dennis N. Baker CB Ministries, Wheaton, Illinois
Excerpted from A Manual for Pastoral Search Committees . . ., a doctoral dissertation by Dennis Newton Baker. 1992 Dennis Newton Baker. Used by permission.
1996 by Christianity Today/LEADERSHIP journal
Last Updated: September 17, 1996
