Evaluate the board you serve on. You may be surprised!

One of the most frequent conversations among evangelicals is the sad state of society today. Truth is that we are good complainers and there is plenty to complain about as there is in any society. What is less common are active efforts by the church to change those things that we are concerned about on a local level. Evidently that is someone else's business - maybe the politicians we elect or the judges they appoint.

There are many churches who love on those around them and that is both laudable and God honoring. However, no one church can make a significant dent a city or a region. For that you need the Big C Church - God's people working together to made a difference across denominational lines. God's people don't belong to my church, they belong to all Bible teaching churches in our city. It is The Church that can make the biggest difference. It is only then that we move from building our many little kingdoms to building His Kingdom.

In Jesus' powerful prayer in John 17:20-23, Jesus prays this for those who believe in Him. "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one - I in them and you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

Jesus envisioned a Church characterized by oneness and unity and it was in this oneness and unity that the world will recognize that Christ  was sent by God. Our oneness was a sign of Christ's divinity. Our division would likewise be a sign that Christ was not divine - to a watching world. 

The big C Church is a powerful entity to be reckoned with but only when they are speaking with one voice to issues within our society. This is why there is a growing movement around the world to form City Transformation Movements where the Big C Church can put aside their differences and work as one in unity to influence the city for Christ.

One such movement is 4Tucson that in a broad coalition with churches across the spectrum is seeking to see Biblical transformation come to their city.

There are some impediments to such ministries which is why they are too few. First, you have to believe that God wants to transform your city and that He has the power to do so. Second, you have to commit to working with the Big C Church, setting aside minor differences for the unity of the Gospel. Third, one has to stop building one's little kingdom for the opportunity to build Christ's Kingdom. And finally we must give up our small and insignificant dreams for a large God sized dream worthy of our attention.

High Impact Church Boards and Leading From The Sandbox are both back in print

I am pleased to announce that High Impact Church Boards and Leading From the Sandbox are back in print and available. 

The books are available at AddingtonConsulting.org

I am available to meet with church boards and dialogue with them on the challenges they face and possible solutions. With zoom technology, this can be done easily at low cost to you. If interested, you may contact me at tjaddington@gmail.com.

Help your board do self-evaluation of their work with seven evaluative statements

Church boards (and other boards) often forget what good governance looks like. Not because they don't care but because in the press of ministry life they forget. 

A simple way to evaluate your board work is to have everyone on the board assign a number from 1 to 10 for each of the statements below. Ten signifies we do this well and consistently and one signifies we do it poorly or inconsistently. Average out the scores for each statement and have a board conversation around it.

1. We have an outward vision rather than internal preoccupation

Churches with an outward vision do so because their boards are more occupied with thinking how to impact the community and world rather than spending the majority of their time discussing what happens inside the church.

2. We encourage a diversity of viewpoints

Healthy boards do not do "group think" but encourage each member to think for themselves, share their thoughts and through the diversity of viewpoints come to better decisions.

3. We do strategic leadership more than administrative details

Boards are not designed to spend their time on administrative details that others can do. They are designed to provide strategic leadership to the organization and grapple with the BIG rocks.

4. We have a clear distinction between the board and lead pastor roles

A lack of clarity between the responsibilities of a church board and that of a lead pastor creates either confusion or conflict. Clear distinctions between board and lead pastor roles fosters healthy relationships between the two and smoother leadership.

5. We make collective rather than individual decisions

Healthy boards make collective rather than individual decisions. They also have an understanding that once the decision is made each member will be supportive of the decision. No individual can force their will on the board or choose not to support its decisions.

6. We are more future focused than we are present or past focused

The best boards have a clear focus on the future rather than on the past or present. While they may need to deal with current crisis or some administrative details, their primary focus is on the future and how they can help the organization to meet the needs of the future.

7. We are committed to being proactive in our leadership rather than reactive

The vast majority of church boards live in the reactive world - dealing with crisis or day to day issues. The best boards are proactive in their leadership by setting appropriate policy and thinking about the future rather than  doing reactive leadership that is focused on the present and second guessing the decisions of others.

See also, 
Church board self assessment. 15 Questions