The Board: Bane or Blessing?

A preacher’s young son had just gone to a new school and was struggling for acceptance by his peers, particularly on the playground. As kids will do everywhere, they treated him badly until he could earn his way into their company.

One day was particularly difficult as schoolmates called the boy bad names and made fun of him. Finally he flew into a rage of retaliation, searching for words of combat to meet the situation, yet still acceptable for a minister’s son. As his anger reached its apogee, he screamed at the top of his voice the worst epithet his young experience had taught him: “You … you … you board members, you!”

It’s a sad commentary but a true one, not only for pastors but for church leaders who sit on boards and know the heat of the struggle to accomplish the church’s business while maintaining an attitude of Christian love: The pastor-board member relationship is too often one of conflict.

Robert Munger of Fuller Theological Seminary did a personal study of board members, asking the following question: “Since serving on a church board, do you feel your spiritual life has improved or declined?” More than 80 percent confessed to a spiritual decline in their lives!

It is in board meetings where most local church problems come to a climax. There must be some-thing a pastor can do that will help ease this frequent tension. Here are a few to consider:

Evaluate Performance Periodically

How is a board to determine whether it is a good board? How can it decide if it is headed in the right direction? One way is to circulate the following ten questions among board members, asking them to rate each on a scale of one to ten:

1. Organization and purpose. Are our goals clearly in focus? Do we have some concrete ideas of how to achieve those goals? Are we making good use of board member talents and interests?

2. Board composition. Do we have good occupational balance among our board members in order to gain good perspective among our constituency? Do we have enough board members to adequately represent the constituency?

3. Leadership. Do we have a proper blend of leadership from our board members and from our pastor? Does our board primarily involve itself in intelligent policy and decision making while still allowing the pastor to run the church?

4. Policy matters. Do the board and staff adhere to existing policies (set forth in by-laws or equivalent)?

5. Board meeting. Do we receive an agenda in advance? Do all board members participate? Do meetings end on time? Do members attend regularly? Are minutes accurate?

6. Finances and legalities. Does our board sense financial and legal responsibility for the church? Do we regularly receive financial statements, determine and review budgets, and establish financial policies?

7. Personnel. Are our staff and employee policies current and adequate? Do we have job descriptions for all? Is the staff motivated, trained, and regularly evaluated?

8. Communications. Do we understand one another? Do we interact on issues other than during structured meetings? Do we receive sufficient information from the pastor and chairman to enable us to make intelligent decisions?

9. Improvements/education. Do we have a philosophy of improving what we are doing? Are board members and staff encouraged to be educated to serve more effectively?

10. Public relations. Does the congregation view us in a positive manner? Does the public at large understand the ministry of our church?

Keep the Board Active

Many times board members remain in board positions for which they’re no longer suited because they don’t know how to exit gracefully. They aren’t aware they’re no longer effective contributors, and current practices don’t allow them a face-saving way to resign.

A possible solution is to initiate a system of automatic and absolute board membership rotation. The board member may be elected for one term, possibly three years’ maximum, with a mandatory year off. This “time off” system would enable board selection committees to determine an individual’s worth to the church. Both the selection committee and the board member have a chance during this year to consider objectively a board member’s present capabilities in regard to current board activities and interests.

If a church utilizes a system of mandatory retirement, one problem is how to retain the help of certain people who have made significant contributions in the past and could be of value in the year they are off the board. This problem can be solved by asking the individual to help in special ways—as a member of an ad hoc committee, or as a special adviser to the pastor, or a consultant to the board, for example.

The board: bane or blessing? All boards will be a bane without effort. But careful thinking, courage to take risks, and constant prayer for God’s help can make your board a blessing.