For the week of March 28, 2005
The Spiritual Leadership of the Board |
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By: Tom Bandy |
Most churches underestimate the importance of the board members as “spiritual leaders”. Board members are often elected or appointed because of specific skills (teaching, finance, property management, etc.). However, as management responsibilities are delegated to a trusted, gifted few, it becomes more important that the board members be models for the spiritual life. They need to be able to show, teach, and mentor the members in what a spiritual life looks like.
Upgrade the spiritual leadership expectations of your board. Their commitment should include, but not be limited to, the following:
a) Daily intercessory prayer for the mission of the congregation and strangers to grace;
b) Daily Bible reading and intentional spiritual conversation;
c) Weekly participation in cell group for spiritual growth;
d) Regular involvement in some hands-on mission that blesses people outside the church;
e) Financial contributions that are at least twice the percentage of giving that is the average among the members (up to a full tithe or more);
f) Ability to articulate their personal experience of Jesus that gives them hope and strength for the future.
Growing churches advertise these expectations widely, and expect board members to regularly participate in worship leadership. This gives the board far more credibility to initiate innovative strategies without controversy.
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