tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33158963411704135122024-02-19T06:55:03.068-08:00Lessons From the Church BoardroomJohn Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-80310556205828285852019-12-04T10:03:00.004-08:002020-10-28T12:36:10.768-07:00BONUS RESOURCE – How Healthy Is Your Board?<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Over the last 40 Wednesdays, we've featured 40 guest writers and their favorite snippet from the week's topic. Today's bonus lesson is written by Michael Martin.</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><b>BONUS RESOURCE – ChurchBoardScore™</b></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><b><i>Assessing your board’s performance is the first step to improving it.</i></b></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: </span></b>Church boards rarely take time to self-assess their governance performance. They either don’t realize the need to do so—or are too busy tackling whatever may be the most urgent agenda items that pop up whenever the next board meeting rolls around. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Instead, regularly investing in targeted self-assessments on the six key governance elements highlighted in the free <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/ChurchScore/Default.aspx">ChurchBoardScore</a></b>™ tool by ECFA will pay dividends in increasing your church board’s effectiveness! </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from pages 219-224: </b></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">• As Rick Warren says, “The secret to effectiveness is to know what really counts, then do what really counts, and not to worry about all the rest.”</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">• Don’t underestimate the power of intentionality in your board work—clear agendas, Board Policies Manual, Prime Responsibility Chart, 80/20 focus on strategy, and more!</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">• <b><span style="color: #073763;">“Progress starts only when you are <i>clear on where you are right now</i>. You may discern that the board is under-performing in a certain area, but until the board has a laser focus on the problem, it will be difficult to take action.”</span></b></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">One of my favorite calls at ECFA this year came from a senior pastor who had just taken the ChurchBoardScore™ self-assessment. He was so grateful for the experience that he couldn’t wait to share it with his entire board in an upcoming retreat that weekend. </span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">ChurchBoardScore™ gave these leaders an opportunity (and excuse!) to enter into much-needed discussion together about ways the board could collectively improve in the six critical governance areas. I’m so grateful a transformative tool like this now exists and is free to churches everywhere!</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Whatever you do, don’t miss this bonus lesson that provides an incredible capstone learning experience from all the great wisdom shared by Dan and John in <i>Lessons from the Church Boardroom.</i></span><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY MICHAEL MARTIN:<br /></b></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Staff">MICHAEL MARTIN</a> </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;">became president of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">ECFA</span></a></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;">in 2020. Both an attorney and a CPA, he had previously served on ECFA staff for nine years, most recently as Executive Vice President.</span><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /><span style="color: #333333;">An accomplished communicator, Michael has written on both scholarly and popular levels. His authorship is probably best known from the annual </span><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/34VUYep" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Minister's Tax & Financial Guide</span></a></i></b><span style="color: #333333;"> and the </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2LgGfTu" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Church and Nonprofit Tax & Financial Guide</a></i></b>,</span><span style="color: #333333;"> both of which he co-authored with former ECFA President Dan Busby, beginning with the 2013 editions. The 30th annual edition will be released in January 2021.</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #333333;">Michael is passionate about helping </span><b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">churches</span></a></b><span style="color: #333333;"> and</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Christ-centered ministries</a></b> </span><span style="color: #333333;">maintain high standards of financial integrity through ECFA membership, as well as through addressing legal and tax-related issues. He is a frequent speaker on ECFA’s webinars, videos, and podcasts, as well as a regular contributor to ECFA’s library of ebooks and other written publications.</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.85px;">He has spoken at numerous conferences and workshops across the country, and he has served as guest on webinars, videos and podcasts for numerous Christ-centered ministries and churches. Michael lives in Winchester, Virginia, with his wife and three daughters. </div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Beginning with the 2013 edition, Michael joined Dan Busby as a co-author of the annual <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/34VUYep">Zondervan Minister’s Tax & Financial Guide</a></i></b> and the <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2LgGfTu">Zondervan Church and Nonprofit Tax & Financial Guide</a></i></b>.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">• </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Visit <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/ChurchScore/Default.aspx"><b>ChurchBoardScore</b></a>™ and take a few minutes to complete the free online self-assessment.</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">• Share your experience and a link to <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/ChurchScore/Default.aspx"><b>ChurchBoardScore</b></a>™ with your board chair to circulate the self-assessment tool among the rest of your board.</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">•</span> <span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the bonus resource, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/How-Healthy-Is-Your-Board-LessonsChurch"><b>How Healthy Is Your Board?</b></a>”</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LAST WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">For an index to all 40 blogs and all 40 guest bloggers, visit the bonus resource posted on Nov. 27, 2019. <b><a href="https://churchboardroom.blogspot.com/2019/11/bonus-lesson-41-index-to-40-blogs-and.html">Click here</a></b>.</span></span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnZB0WiaJjx7zVkIdBO3OhG1iIfst_7F4YT0dkG3dJxN1uf1_MtLegeK5kaRQL48CAYsOQJzXtsBh-SM2jRMOtHdZbLaJJRFWZhfSGctAQCF0R0zft9_5YxaPonAwT6WWpO18_i4YDtM/s320/Lessons_Church_Boardroom_AM.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span></div>
</div>John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-21816960383581993082019-10-23T06:13:00.001-07:002019-10-23T06:13:14.271-07:00LESSON 36 – You Made Me Better Than I Was<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Jim Masteller is our guest blogger this week for the sixth of six lessons in "Part 9: Building a 24/7 Board Culture.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 36 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>You Made Me Better Than I Was </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Church board experiences should leave all participants better than they were.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The co-authors ask, “How can boards and senior pastors ensure that the boardroom experience will make everyone better than they were?” The answer: “It all starts with relationships.”</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 36, pages 194-197:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “Max De Pree said, ‘Many people seem to feel that a good board structure enables high performance. This is simply not so.’”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “He suggests that high impact church boards ‘spend reflective time together, they are vulnerable with each other, they challenge each other in love, and deal with conflicts as mature adults.’”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the years in various board roles, I’ve observed that closeness must be cultivated. I’ve noticed that the best boards are very intentional about attending to three areas. Board members must be:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> • Emotionally healthy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> • Spiritually healthy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> • Relationally healthy</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Before we invite people onto boards, we should discern if they are healthy in these three critical areas. <b><span style="color: #073763;">Healthy board members will create healthy boardrooms.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Trusting each other is a fundamental key of relational health. As a board chair, when I have sensed that something is amiss—I’ll pause and reflect, “Hey! What’s going on here?” So we’ll stop and talk and then pray. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">This year, when my term ended on our church board, the elders invited me to serve in a new role—board chaplain. </span></b>We meet together to attend to both spiritual and relational health at 6 p.m.—a full hour before the 7 p.m. board meeting begins. I ask, “What’s going on in your life?” There’s freedom to be transparent. We share together and we have communion together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In between board meetings, I meet one-on-one with board members—encouraging them in their emotional, spiritual, and relational journeys. My wife and I also make it a priority to have dinner with each elder and spouse several times a year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">Our goal is to inspire board members to bring the values and experiences of our 6 p.m. meeting into our 7 p.m. meeting! </span></b>This has helped us enjoy board meetings that are stimulating—not irritating! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JIM MASTELLER:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>JIM MASTELLER, D.Min., </b>a licensed marriage and family therapist, is the founder of the <b><a href="https://ciftcounseling.com/about-cift/">Center for Individual and Family Therapy</a></b> (CIFT) in Southern California. He served as an Army chaplain for 20 years, a pastor for nine years, and has seen CIFT grow over 28 years to five offices and 75 therapists. He continues to provide oversight for CIFT while carrying a limited case load. Masteller also serves on the board of Overseas Missionary Fellowship International, and previously was the elder board co-chair at <b><a href="https://rockharbor.org/">Rock Harbor Church</a></b>, where he now serves as elder board chaplain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Discern one or two intentional next steps that will help board members in their emotional, spiritual, and relational journeys.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Self-assess: So far, has my personal experience on the church board enriched my life—and made be better than I was before? (And have I enriched the lives of other board members?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 36, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/You-Made-Me-Better-Than-I-Was">You Made Me Better Than I Was</a></b>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Oct. 30, 2019, watch for the commentary by <b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-de-armas-60a08b6/">Danny de Armas</a></b> on Lesson 37, “Is Your Board Color-Blind to Hazardous Condition Signs?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span></div>
John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-55785147020030702952019-10-09T02:00:00.000-07:002020-01-23T06:23:51.448-08:00LESSON 34 – Break Bread, Not Relationships<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. William Ankerberg is our guest blogger this week for the fourth of six lessons in "Part 9: Building a 24/7 Board Culture.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 34 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Break Bread, Not Relationships</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Building a 24/7 board culture takes time. Don’t skimp on meals or relationships.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 34, the authors note the three-point sermon for healthy boards: Eat with intentionality. Enjoy deeper relationships. Eliminate all distractions.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 34, pages 183-187:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “Food fuels fellowship and fellowship fuels deeper relationships.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “A friend is one who walks in when others walk out.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “Healthy boards commit to device-free zones.” </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Food is very theological. The first disagreement in the church was over food. Some widows felt they were being ignored in the distribution of food, and so we ended up with deacons. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you sit down and eat someone’s food you show acceptance of that person. <b><span style="color: #073763;">The first time one of my church members from India invited me over for supper, they honored me by serving goat meat. As I embraced their food, it showed approval of my friend’s culture.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over the last three decades of my ministry, we always shared a meal at the beginning of every team meeting. This was a time to talk and catch up with each other, to share prayer requests, and just to be together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My mentor, <b><a href="https://urgentink.typepad.com/my_weblog/2013/08/wisdom-from-lyle-e-schaller.html">Lyle Schaller</a></b>, taught the best way to build cohesion in a group is the out-of-town, overnight, shared experience together.<b><span style="color: #073763;"> (This is the result of the research that the United States military has done.) To spend this time sharing meals and sharing our lives together is a powerful bonding experience.</span></b> Away together increases bonding. The common meal is even significant in church as we celebrate “The Lord’s Supper.” Food and bonding develop together in community and teams. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY WILLIAM ANKERBERG:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>DR. WILLIAM ANKERBERG</b> has served as a pastor and denominational leader for 47 years. He is currently working as the Global Development Pastor at <a href="https://www.journeyoffaith.com/"><b>Journey of Faith Church</b></a> in Manhattan Beach, Calif. He also serves as the Director of Operations for <a href="https://converge.org/southwest"><b>Converge Southwest</b></a>, an association of 120 churches.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make a plan to embrace relationships at your next leadership gathering in a creative way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Plan an out-of-town experience for your leadership team. Include staff and board members.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 34, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Break-Bread-Not-Relationships-LessonsChurch">Break Bread, Not Relationships</a></b>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On October 16, 2019, watch for the commentary by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankwborst/"><b>Frank Borst</b></a> on Lesson 35, "Common Misconceptions of Board Members. Understanding board member myths can lead to improved governing effectiveness."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span></div>
John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-3962778457478499982019-10-02T06:28:00.001-07:002019-12-04T07:20:25.638-08:00LESSON 33 – “Good Is the Enemy of Great”<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Jeffrey Salladin is our guest blogger this week for the third of six lessons in "Part 9: Building a 24/7 Board Culture.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 33 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>“Good Is the Enemy of Great”</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>When great board experiences end, they should be lamented.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 33, the authors urge board members to pursue great board experiences and not settle for merely good board experiences. </span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 33, pages 178-182:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• <b><span style="color: #073763;">Unfazed by challenges.</span></b> The church faced some unusually strong challenges during Tomas’ tenure. Dean said that Tomas was not fazed by the challenges. Tomas could be counted on to thoughtfully consider even the most difficult issues and support recommendations. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• <b><span style="color: #073763;">Creative thought.</span></b> When outside-the-box thinking was helpful, Tomas came through every time. Tomas was all about clock-building, not time-telling (using the expression popularized by Jim Collins in <i><b><a href="https://amzn.to/2pg4bhq">Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't</a></b></i>).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“We play for an audience of one!” I’ll never forget the first time I heard those words. I played football at Azusa Pacific University and my coach was utilizing a robust monologue (actually, he was yelling!) to remind us of our audience. He told us that our true audience wasn’t the crowd or our classmates or our parents or our teammates or even our coaches: <b><span style="color: #073763;">our audience was the gracious, sovereign, and good Creator of the universe and, if we would play for Him alone, we would experience joy and power. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those words impacted my mind and, through the years, transformed my heart as well. Perhaps the sin I struggle with the most is, indeed, the idolatry of accomplishment. I still, at times, feel the need to succeed in order to prove a point or build a resume or somehow look good. But, in that moment on the football field, I felt a strange freedom from the need to achieve. Instead of trying to prove something, I felt compelled to glorify the Triune God of the universe. By God’s grace, my idolatrous desire to merely impress others has diminished through the years and, wonderfully, my joy in pleasing God has increased. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">Like Tomas in Lesson 33, church boards face unrelenting challenges that require creative thinking</span></b>. After serving on my church’s elder board for many years, I believe that the strength to endure challenges and the courage to engage and deploy creative thinking comes when the board finds its satisfaction in the ultimate audience: our Heavenly Father who sent his Son to conquer our sin and the Holy Spirit to indwell us. When we walk with the urgent desire to please God, when our highest good is enjoying God, and when we find our rest in Him, He gives us all we need to endure and thrive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">This separates good boards and great boards. </span></b>Good boards run efficiently and manage money and expectations and things like that, but Great boards—boards that lead and envision and do the hard work of shepherding and stewarding—exist when they are focused on pleasing their ultimate audience. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JEFFREY SALLADIN:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-salladin/">JEFFREY SALLADIN</a></b> serves as a Lay Elder at <a href="https://citizenschurch.com/page/1"><b>Citizens Church</b></a> in Plano, Texas, and professionally, leads the Dallas office of 49 Financial, a values-based financial planning firm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Prior to serving at Citizens Church, Jeffrey served on the Elder Board at The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, for many years and also served on the Pastor’s Council at Blue Route Vineyard in Media, Pa. He has also enjoyed a long career in private equity, investment banking, and legal practice. He holds a law degree from Rutgers University and an undergraduate degree from Azusa Pacific University. He lives near Dallas with his family. </span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ask an accountability partner to assess for whom you are performing. If the answer is difficult to hear, it’s OK. God is good and sovereign and will run to your contrite spirit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Schedule quarterly assessments where your board speaks into each other’s lives and challenges each other to find their hope and value and joy in God alone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 33, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Good-Is-the-Enemy-of-Great-LessonsChurch">Good Is the Enemy of Great</a></b>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On October 9, 2019, watch for the commentary by </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://converge.org/southwest">William Ankerberg</a></b> on Lesson 34, “Break Bread, Not Relationships. Building a 24/7 board culture takes time. Don’t skimp on meals or relationships.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span></div>
John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-61545504813676962162019-09-25T02:00:00.000-07:002019-09-25T02:00:00.335-07:00LESSON 32 – Loose Lips Sink the Boardroom Ship<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Prior to his homegoing last March, Dr. Don Walter wrote the guest blog for this week—the second of six lessons in "Part 9: Building a 24/7 Board Culture.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 32 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Loose Lips Sink the Boardroom Ship</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>What happens in the boardroom must stay in the boardroom.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 32, the authors urge board members to keep their lips sealed regarding boardroom decisions and discussions—regardless of the subject matter. Loose lips can destroy a church and its public reputation.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 32, pages 173-177:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The authors suggest how to address loose-lipped board members:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “<b>Extend grace for the first offense.</b> If the matter can be settled in a private meeting—and the offending board member admits the indiscretion and commits to never repeat the offense—perhaps the matter need not be brought to the attention of the full board.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “<b>Follow the two strikes rule. </b>In baseball, batters get three strikes before they are out. When a board member leaks confidential information and it has been addressed with the member, the second offense should be the end of the line. Be sure that your bylaws or Board Policies Manual addresses the process for asking a board member to resign for violating your board’s confidentiality policy.”</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this age where there is ample misinformation floating out in cyberspace, it is not necessary to add to the data flow. Once the information is out, there is no way to reel it in. There are many issues and opportunities that your board will need to process internally. Your board does not need the pressure of outsiders to “help” the processing aspect. <b><span style="color: #073763;">If a loose-lipped member of your board releases information—either good or bad—it can do irreparable harm to your church. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It should also be noted that your policies on confidentiality also apply to your pastors and the church staff. Nothing destroys the effectiveness of any board policy more deeply than seeing that policy violated by pastors and/or the staff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">As your church board continues to trust God for His protection and blessing on the church’s ministries, continue to inspire and call your board members to the highest standards of Christ-centered governance.</span></b> Help your board members to see the holy connection between their fiduciary responsibilities and the importance of maintaining a God-honoring culture of integrity and effectiveness.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY DR. DON WALTER:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Prior to his homegoing on March 26, 2019, <b><a href="https://pbusa.org/index.php/enews-leftmenu/march-april-2019?id=1245">DR. DON WALTER</a></b> served as the director of <b><a href="https://pbusa.org/">Pensions and Benefits USA</a></b> for the Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City, Missouri. He began his service in the Pensions and Benefits office in 1983 and was elected to the director position in 1994. As director, he represented the Church of the Nazarene in two benefit organizations—the Church Alliance and the Church Benefits Association.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Prior to coming to the Pensions and Benefits office, he served pastorates in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. He was a native of Iowa and a graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University, Nazarene Theological Seminary, and Webster University. Don was honored with the doctor of divinity degree by Nazarene Bible College in 2006. He also served as adjunct instructor at MidAmerica Nazarene University and taught classes in values and Biblical perspectives. Don noted that “some of my most satisfying work was with these students.”</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Review your board policies. Do you have a confidentiality statement that the board signs annually?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• If you don’t yet have a Board Policies Manual, read <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Do-Unwritten-Board-Policies-Really-Exist">Lesson 5</a></b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 32, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Loose-Lips-Sink-the-Boardroom-Ship"><b>Loose Lips Sink the Boardroom Ship</b></a>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On October 2, 2019, watch for the commentary by <b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-salladin/">Jeff Salladin</a></b> on Lesson 33, “Good Is the Enemy of Great. When great board experiences end, they should be lamented.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-62134219484811692162019-09-18T02:00:00.000-07:002019-09-18T02:00:08.564-07:00LESSON 31 – Watch Out for Boards Asleep at the Wheel<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Cathy Barrett is our guest blogger this week for the first of six lessons in "Part 9: Building a 24/7 Board Culture.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 31 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Watch Out for Boards Asleep at the Wheel</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Golden opportunities are missed when a board’s eyes are wide shut.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The drone of routine board meetings often creates unmemorable results,” writes Dan Busby in this first-person account describing a road trip when he fell asleep at the wheel. Likewise, he adds, “boards can become drowsy and listless by slipping into a routine of grinding through ‘one more meeting.’” He notes four practices that boards must avoid.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 31, pages 168-172:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Boards most often fall asleep at the wheel when they:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “<b>Misread the landscape. </b>Acute discernment is necessary to sense what may be coming just around the corner.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “<b>Can’t see the forest for the trees.</b> They have checked all the boxes (the trees) and missed the big picture (the forest).”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “<b>Become mired in the weeds.</b> The classic board that is asleep at the wheel is the board that spends too much of its time on operational matters.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>First, let’s be clear.</i> I’m not suggesting that the board at our church has become drowsy or listless! However, Dan Busby’s cautionary warning is attention-getting! <b><span style="color: #073763;">He notes that churches can “veer off course” in four specific ways:</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">#1. Improper use of designated (the technical term is “restricted”) gifts. </span></b>In conversations with other CFOs, I find that many church boards are inadequately educated about expending designated gifts for purposes inconsistent with a giver’s designation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">#2. Disappearing reserves.</span></b> This sometimes happens when boards routinely approve budgets and financial reports, yet expend money on capital items without having a capital budget. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">#3. Approving related-party transactions that are inappropriate.</span></b> (See <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Where-Two-or-Three-Are-Gathered-on-Social-Media">Lesson 28</a></b> for the helpful chart on potential conflicts of interest—and the “yes” or “no” decision tree (with three paths) on the question, “Does the proposed transaction pass the related-party transaction test?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">#4. Leadership failure.</span></b> If your church board experiences frequent turnover of board members (not a good thing!), the board may miss or overlook “the continuing chaos created by the senior pastor.” In this case, a troubling leadership style or behavior may never be appropriately addressed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">What should your board do? “Through the commitment, dedication, and a focus on the big picture, boards can fight off mental drowsiness.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY CATHY BARRETT:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-barrett-3445bba/">CATHY BARRETT</a></b> is the chief financial officer at <b><a href="https://www.calvarygs.org/about/mission-statement/">Calvary Chapel Golden Springs</a></b>, Diamond Bar, Calif. Serving at the church since 1992, Cathy’s leadership role also includes collaboration with the church’s partner ministries in Chile and Colombia, South America. Cathy is also the board treasurer of Christian Community Credit Union. She and her husband, Ed, have two adult children and two grandchildren. Cathy’s husband, Ed, earned his Master’s in the <b><a href="https://www.calvarygs.org/ministries/kung-fu-san-soo/">Martial Art of Kung Fu San Soo</a></b> under Pastor Raul Ries and he’s likely the only person we know on the planet who is a martial artist and also writes poetry as a hobby.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">As a board, read this lesson together and review the four examples where your board might be asleep at the wheel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Discuss “related-party” transactions at your next board meeting and view the short video included in the <b><i><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/ToolboxSeries.aspx">ECFA Governance Toolbox Series No. 3: Conflicts of Interest</a></i></b>. (Note: Cathy Barrett portrays a “typical” board member in this video.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 31, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Watch-Out-for-Boards-Asleep-at-the-Wheel">Watch Out for Boards Asleep at the Wheel</a></b>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">On Sept. 25, 2019, watch for the commentary by Don Walter on Lesson 32, “Loose Lips Sink the Boardroom Ship. What happens in the boardroom must stay in the boardroom.” <i>(Note: Don Walter wrote this blog several months before his homegoing.)</i><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span></div>
John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-54834161417856610952019-09-11T02:00:00.000-07:002019-09-11T02:00:09.247-07:00LESSON 30 – 7 Ways to Avoid a Financial Train Wreck<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Bob Fry is our guest blogger this week for the fourth of four lessons in "Part 8: Boardroom Worst Practices.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 30 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>7 Ways to Avoid a Financial Train Wreck</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Financial derailment of a church is usually a collective failure, but the finger almost always points back to the governing board.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 30, the authors describe a handful of financial management practices that collectively represent “good stewardship.” The various steps, such as having a reasonable operating budget and maintaining adequate cash reserves, will strike anyone who has ever run a business as obvious. It’s the fact that we need to be reminded of the basics in a church setting that is so striking. <b><span style="color: #073763;">A church cannot use its unique calling in its members’ lives as a reason to be less well run or less prudent than a so-called secular business.</span></b> Where would be the witness in that?! </span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I completely agree with everything that John and Dan have said and would only add one thought. The need for sound financial management in churches is driven in part by the willingness of church members to kibitz, attempt to micro-manage and, at times, criticize. <b><span style="color: #073763;">We tend to deal with our churches as if management of the entity itself is the goal. In doing so, we think too highly of the organization and too little of the mission.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the healthiest churches I’ve seen, the members are bound to one another and to their leadership by a clear understanding of a common vision. In that sense, they are all friends of the type C. S. Lewis describes in <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2ZF7rEt">The Four Loves</a></i></b>. That sense of a shared vision, of shared ministry, is tremendously powerful and, at times, has financial implications. One brief example will do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were members for a number of years of a very large church. One year, the church had a substantial year-end deficit. So the pastor sent out a short email to the members, telling them of the shortfall. Susan and I were in church the following Sunday as <b><span style="color: #073763;">the church celebrated receiving more than two and one-half times the shortfall</span></b>—all in cash donations members hand-delivered to the church—just that week. The average donation was less than $100.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were blessed to witness the spontaneous response of a congregation with a heart-felt understanding of their church’s ministry. John and Dan’s financial guidance is hugely important. Their advice will find its best application in those churches whose members enthusiastically embrace a common vision. With that, amazing things are possible. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY BOB FRY:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.ncfgiving.com/california/leaders/robert-p-fry-jr/">BOB FRY</a></b> is an investment advisor, writer, private equity investor, Bible study teacher and Senior Gift Advisor with the <b><a href="https://www.ncfgiving.com/california/">National Christian Foundation of California</a></b>. He is also the author of <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2ZRMZM0">Nonprofit Investment Policies: Practical Steps for Growing Charitable Funds</a></i></b>, and <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2PTODgn">Who’s Minding the Money? An Investment Guide for Nonprofit Board Members</a></i></b>. Bob lives in the San Francisco bay area with his wife, Susan, where they are near their two daughters and their four grandchildren. (They love their son in Texas and may yet end up there—when he someday has children!) Unlike many men in their 60s, Bob has largely given up golf in favor of full-court pick-up basketball, where his younger fellow players often observe, “he sure runs hard for an old guy!”</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ask each board member to describe what the church does well and why people attend. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Then have each board member ask their friends in the congregation that same question.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Compare the answers and correct as needed!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 30, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/7-Ways-to-Avoid-a-Financial-Train-Wreck">7 Ways to Avoid a Financial Train Wreck</a></b>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).<br /><br /><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sept. 18, 2019, watch for the commentary by <b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-barrett-3445bba/">Cathy Barrett</a></b> on Lesson 31, “Watch Out for Boards Asleep at the Wheel. Golden opportunities are missed when a board’s eyes are wide shut.”</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-68606606559935620792019-09-04T02:00:00.000-07:002019-09-04T06:41:50.517-07:00LESSON 29 – Keeping the Boardroom Afloat<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Willie Nolte is our guest blogger this week for the third of four lessons in "Part 8: Boardroom Worst Practices.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 29 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Keeping the Boardroom Afloat</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Are too many staff causing the boardroom to capsize?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a board meeting, the presence of too many staff members in attendance—or inappropriate staff-board interaction—can hinder the effective and productive governance functions of a board.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 29, pages 156-160:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Church boards need input from staff members. It takes discretion and wisdom to discern how many staff members are needed in the boardroom. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Unsolicited input/responses from staff members may indicate a potential problem. <b><span style="color: #073763;">It may indicate an imbalance when a staff person feels free to share unsolicited comments during a boardroom discussion—or when board members engage staff members directly in a board meeting.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Staff “speeches” are not appropriate. If staff use the board meeting to give speeches or argue a position not in harmony with the senior pastor’s position—there is definitely an issue. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hearing from staff is important and essential. My preference is to have staff reports submitted in writing for each board meeting. This accomplishes at least two things: 1) it informs the board of the ministry activities of the staff, and 2) it is a discipline for the staff to submit reports and to address measurable results.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Inappropriate staff involvement can drag the board out of governance and into management. <b><span style="color: #073763;">It is an ongoing challenge for church boards to resist trying to manage the ministry from the boardroom.</span></b> If having too many staff present—and allowing engagement which gets “into the weeds”</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">—</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">is occurring, there is imbalance and the board has gotten off its primary role of governance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Personal relationships are also important. Having staff present at board meetings gives the opportunity for the board to hear from—and to support—the staff person in a more significant manner than simply receiving a written report. A rotating schedule of staff attendance would allow this ongoing connection and relationship to be a significant part of the board meeting. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY WILLIE NOLTE:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://tmchurches.org/about-us">WILLIAM NOLTE</a></b> is the CEO/Mission Lead of <b><a href="https://tmchurches.org/">Transformation Ministries</a></b>. He joined the ministry in 2011. Transformation Ministries (TM) is a covenanting association of leaders and 200 churches in the United States and Northern Mexico committed to seeing more healthy churches. TM also owns and operates four camp/conference centers which serve over 40,000 people each year. All the activities and focus of the ministry align around: Developing Pastors as Spiritual Leaders, Church Health and Missional Vitality, and Planting Healthy Churches. <br /><br />B</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">efore joining TM, Willie pastored in local congregations for 32 years in Illinois and California. He received an M.A. in Old Testament Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, an M.Div. from American Baptist Seminary of the West, and a D.Min. from Western Seminary. Willie enjoys reminding church leaders that “No church or leader was ever meant to do ministry alone—so don’t!” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you have an effective way for staff to inform the board of their activities? If not decide the best method to do so.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Discuss with your board chair and develop appropriate interactions and behaviors by staff and board members. Together you can begin to get to proper balance in the board room.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 29, "<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Keeping-the-Boardroom-Afloat">Keeping the Boardroom Afloat</a></b>."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sept. 11, 2019, watch for the commentary by <b><a href="https://www.ncfgiving.com/california/leaders/robert-p-fry-jr/">Bob Fry</a></b> on Lesson 30, “7 Ways to Avoid a Financial Train Wreck. Financial derailment of a church is usually a collective failure, but the finger almost always points back to the governing board.”</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-42575068231231606042019-08-14T02:00:00.000-07:002019-08-14T02:00:13.744-07:00LESSON 26 – Before the Board Meeting<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Bill Hoyt is our guest blogger this week for the fourth of four lessons in "Part 7: Boardroom Best Practices.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 26 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Before</i> the Board Meeting</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Collaborate, then wisely plan the meeting agenda.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The chapter’s helpful take-away comes in two parts. First, thoughtful pre-planning helps boost meeting productivity. Second, agendas, the product of thoughtful planning, are best prepared when pastor and board chair prepare them collaboratively. </span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 26, pages 138-143:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Three insights struck me as I read the lesson. <b><span style="color: #073763;">The first was a “palm to forehead” while uttering “Duh!” We must “allow for reconnection.”</span></b> While obvious to many, not so for “let’s get on with it” activists like me! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The second, “Provide time for heavy lifting,” was an “I knew that. When did I forget it?” experience for me. Planning ahead and allotting ample time for the more important and complex agenda items is just plain wise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The third insight that struck me was “Pray for the board meeting.” We usually remember to pray at the board meeting—but preparing for it in prayer is at least as important as praying at the meeting. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two thoughts occurred to me while reflecting on this lesson. The first is a cautionary tale and the second, hopefully, a word of encouragement. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here’s my word of caution. While either board chair or pastor preparing an agenda in isolation is less than optimum, there are two scenarios that, in my experience, are even more deadly. <b><span style="color: #073763;">When two or three power brokers meet before the meeting and plan their private agenda that overrides the “official” agenda, there is “trouble in River City!” </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The corollary to that is when two or three power brokers meet in the parking lot after the board meeting and make plans that override both the agenda and board decisions of the recently adjourned meeting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some might argue that a meeting disciplined by a carefully planned agenda, prepared collaboratively in advance of the meeting is confining and controlling. The opposite is true. Agendas prepared with the chapter’s seven principles in mind, create a context where relationships are nurtured, items are allotted the time their importance warrants, and differences of perspective and ideas can be fully processed. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY BILL HOYT:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.nexstepcoaching.org/associates#!bill_hoyt_crop">BILL HOYT</a></b> served as pastor in three local churches and 15 years in a denominational leadership role on the regional level. He is currently President of <b><a href="https://www.nexstepcoaching.org/">NexStep Coaching</a></b>. NexStep provides assessment and follow-up coaching for churches, denominational entities, schools, mission organizations, and secular, for-profit companies. In addition, he provides executive coaching for an international clientele of ministry and business leaders. </span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you are not already planning agendas in a collaborative manner, get together with your counterpart (pastor, board member or CEO). Read this chapter together and agree on how you will implement the seven principles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Challenge all board members to pray for each board meeting frequently prior to your meeting. You might want to suggest specific prayer items based on the upcoming agenda.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 26, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Before-the-Board-Meeting"><i>Before</i> the Board Meeting</a></b>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>VIEW THE VIDEO:</b>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On August 21, 2019, watch for the commentary by <b><a href="https://thechurchlawyers.com/our-team/david-o-middlebrook/">David Middlebrook </a></b>on Lesson 27, “Defending Risks Everywhere Is Not a Strategic Plan. You must discuss the risk elephant in the boardroom.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span></div>
John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-9596630167061098712019-08-07T02:00:00.000-07:002019-08-07T02:00:06.689-07:00LESSON 25 – Address Absentee Board Member Syndrome<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Leonard O. Leach is our guest blogger this week for the third of four lessons in "Part 7: Boardroom Best Practices.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 25 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Address Absentee Board Member Syndrome</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>There are three unhealthy ways that many church boards respond to empty chairs at board meeting. (Ho Hum. Hint. Harass)</i></span><br />
<i style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 25, the authors stress the view that absenteeism should not be tolerated on the church board. They list seven healthy insights that provide a more appropriate and effective response to the problem of absent board members.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 25, pages 133-137:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Recruit committed and faithful people up front to avoid absentee problems.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Establish a written policy on board meeting attendance requirements. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “Affirm, Affirm, Affirm.” The authors explain, “When board colleagues affirm each other, then engagement will heighten and board service satisfaction will soar.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Address absentee issues early. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been my experience that many people like to wear the badge of board membership but few want to accept the burden of responsibility, particularly where attendance at meetings is concerned. Fewer still are aware of the blessing that is theirs from serving the Kingdom of God by giving faithful service through membership on the church board of directors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Your board needs and deserves those who will faithfully invest the time to contribute to key matters of church governance by showing up at the board meetings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Additionally, your board should be challenged with the thought of the “ministry of presence.” They should also be challenged with the truth that board membership is a blessing as board members are participating in the Kingdom of God work of “making disciples for Christ.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally, as your church board continues to pursue its Kingdom of God assignment, encourage members to see the big picture and faithfully participate in every stroke that better defines, develops, and maintains that picture. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY LEONARD O. LEACH:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://onthemount.org/new-here/our-pastor/">Leonard O. Leach</a></b> has served 22 years as senior pastor of the 61-year-old, <b><a href="http://onthemount.org/">Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church</a></b> of Garland, Texas, now blessed with 2,500 members. <br /><br />Prior to his tenure at Mount Hebron, he served in many capacities for 19 years on staff with the late Dr. E. K. Bailey of the Concord Church Dallas. Pastor Leach is a graduate of the former Bishop College, in Dallas, Texas, Texas A & M University in Commerce, Texas and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He is married to his childhood sweetheart, Sharon. They have two daughters, seven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Review board policies. Do they include a policy on attendance? If, not, write one!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Deal with habitually absent members quickly, kindly and consistently.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 25, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Address-Absentee-Board-Member-Syndrome">Address Absentee Board Member Syndrome</a></b>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">August 14, 2019, watch for the commentary by <b><a href="https://nexstepcoaching.org/associates#!bill_hoyt_crop">Bill Hoyt</a></b> on Lesson 26, “<i>Before</i> the Board Meeting. Collaborate, then wisely build the board meeting agenda.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span></div>
John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-70053063065086470882019-07-31T02:00:00.000-07:002019-07-31T02:00:01.873-07:00LESSON 24 - How Many Board Members Are Present in Your Boardroom?<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Justin Steinhart is our guest blogger this week for the second of four lessons in "Part 7: Boardroom Best Practices.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 24 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>How Many Board Members Are Present in Your Boardroom?</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>It’s more than just answering the roll call.</i></span><br />
<i style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 24, </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">the authors note that in order to have effective meetings, board members must be present—not just physically—but with their attention as well. As the board chair (and in some churches, the Lead Pastor), it’s your responsibility to lead this meeting and lead it well so that the board can be fully present at each and every meeting. Some of the suggestions include:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Start your board meetings on time and end on time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• <b><span style="color: #073763;">Postpone the meeting if there’s not a strong agenda.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Create an environment and culture conducive to work.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 24, pages 129-132:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “Board members are some of the busiest people we know.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “Minimizing boardroom distractions will maximize meeting impact and enhance the possibility of hearing the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.” </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">We’re social beings, so rather than try to pull people away from updating one another at the start of the meeting, why not include it as a part of the meeting? <b><span style="color: #073763;">At our board meetings, the first item on the agenda is to have everyone give a personal update. </span></b>This draws everyone into the meeting and requires personal attentiveness to those speaking. Starting out the meeting in this way grabs their attention and causes them to care from the onset of the meeting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Since most of your board members are busy, it’s important not to meet for the sake of meeting. <b><span style="color: #073763;">Everyone has things to do and people to see, so if there’s no need to meet, cancel the meeting.</span></b> Your board will thank you and appreciate your leadership and discernment in postponing the agenda until the next meeting.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JUSTIN STEINHART:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">For the past seven years, <b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinsteinhart/">Justin Steinhart</a></b> has served as the Administrative Pastor at <b><a href="https://millcitychurch.org/our-team/">Mill City Church</a></b> in Fort Collins, Colo. Mill City Church is a multi-site non-denominational ARC church-plant and has been an ECFA member for the past four years.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Read Patrick Lencioni’s book, <b><i><a href="https://urgentink.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/11/death-by-meeting.html">Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable...About Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business</a></i></b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">•</span> <span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Review your meeting frequency to see whether or not you need to increase or decrease the frequency based upon the season of work you’re in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Do you honor your board members by starting and ending on time? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 24, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/How-Many-Board-Members-Are-Present-in-Your-Boardroom">How Many Board Members Are Present in Your Boardroom?</a></b>”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">August 7, 2019, watch for the commentary by <b><a href="http://onthemount.org/new-here/our-pastor/">Leonard Leach</a></b> on Lesson 25, “Address Absentee Board Member Syndrome. There are three unhealthy ways that many church boards respond to empty chairs at board meetings.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span></div>
John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-68301068620590318402019-07-24T02:00:00.000-07:002019-07-28T06:17:56.586-07:00LESSON 23 – Pastor Pay—It’s About More Than Just Money<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Kevin Conner is our guest blogger this week for the first of four lessons in "Part 7: Boardroom Best Practices.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 23 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Pastor Pay—It’s About More Than Just Money </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Getting the compensation-setting process right must be a priority.</i></span><br />
<i style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 23, the authors discuss the importance of church boards developing a compensation setting process. This process should be thorough, ongoing, and consider more than just cash compensation. It should also consider the full scope of possible fringe benefits. While potentially uncomfortable to discuss in the beginning, if the process is developed with care and diligence, the end result will benefit the pastor, the board, and the church as a whole. </span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 23, pages 124-128:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of my favorite insights from this chapter centers around the idea of making sure the compensation is reasonable. The authors make an excellent point in that reasonableness can cut both ways. In other words, compensation can be either unreasonably high OR unreasonably low.<b><span style="color: #073763;"> In many scenarios, the unreasonableness breaks on the side of being low, not high.</span></b> Working within the budgetary restraints of the local church, using comparability data is critical to ensure the compensation is reasonable and pastors are being paid a fair salary for the services they provide to the church. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Often, in our organization, we find ourselves working with church boards on a variety of issues. One of the recurring topics discussed is compensation setting. Not knowing how a church should go about setting compensation is often at the core of the conversation. Helping them understand the board’s role and the need to set up a recurring process of evaluation has been an important element of our discussions. Directing them to comparability data and taking into consideration potential fringe benefits are also important parts of the dialogue. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">Another area I have discovered in which church boards should educate themselves is the way in which ministers are taxed by the Internal Revenue Service.</span></b> It has been my experience that once compensation is established, many church boards are woefully unaware of how ministers are taxed with respect to federal, state, and self-employment taxes. This lack of understanding can create significant tax liability to pastors, especially with regard to the self-employment taxation of the minister’s housing allowance or use of the church-owned parsonage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is my belief that most boards have a desire to treat their leaders fairly. <b><span style="color: #073763;">If a compensation setting process became part of their annual meeting agenda, it would force them to address the issue on an annual basis.</span></b> While potentially uncomfortable in the beginning, the end result will be one that will ultimately benefit both the pastor and the local church. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY KEVIN CONNER:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-conner-mba-cca-09837213/">KEVIN CONNER</a></b> is the Director of Finance & Operations for the <b><a href="https://www.okag.org/">Oklahoma District Council of the Assemblies of God</a></b>. The Oklahoma District Council currently serves 480 churches and 1,600 ministers within the State of Oklahoma. </span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Download the ECFA ebook, <b><i><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/ProductDownload.aspx?ProductID=131">8 Essentials of Compensating Ministers</a></i></b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Set an annually recurring agenda item to discuss the pastor’s total compensation package. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 23, <b>“</b><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Pastor-Pay-It-s-About-More-than-Just-Money">Pastor Pay—It’s About More Than Just Money</a></i><b>.”</b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(eight cities, Fall 2019).<br /><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On July 31, 2019, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">watch for the commentary by <b><a href="https://millcitychurch.org/author/justin/">Justin Steinhart</a> </b>on Lesson 24, “How Many Board Members Are Present in Your Boardroom? It’s more than just answering the roll call.”</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-17830745995456966282019-07-17T02:00:00.000-07:002019-07-17T09:04:27.548-07:00LESSON 22 - Big Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Tim Lucas is our guest blogger this week for the fifth of five lessons in "Part 6: Boardroom Time-Wasters, Trouble-Makers, and Truth-Tellers.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 22 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Big Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Church boards have a natural gravitational pull toward issues that should be reserved for the church staff.</i></span><br />
<i style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 22, the authors describe a gallon jar filled with big rocks, small pebbles, and sand. To lead effectively, church boards must laser-focus on “big rocks”—the major issues impacting their church’s future—not day-to-day ministry minutiae that should be delegated to staff. A pebbles and sand approach in the boardroom will frustrate leaders and inevitably limit a church’s growth.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 22, pages 117-122:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Many smaller churches fail to grow because their boards are populated with pebble-pickers!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “Pebbles and sand are the church operational issues, staff supervision, specific ministry plans or strategies, and details of church life that other people should handle. Follow the basic rule of delegating everything possible to the church staff.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “The board chair…and senior pastor must build into the board’s DNA a stewardship conviction that big rocks are their focus. If not done with intentionality, minor issues will inevitably tempt board members to build sand castles—not Kingdom structures.” </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We’ve all been in “those” meetings—you know, the ones that got hopelessly lost in the weeds of ministry minutiae like: debating dates for the Christmas program…the logistics of a missions trip…or critiquing the new youth outreach. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Precious time is lost—and energy squandered!—when board members succumb to the temptation to dabble in the “pebbles and sand” that are best handled by church staff.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>In contrast, high-performance boards are laser-focused on addressing the “big rocks”—the major issues driving the church’s mission, generating ministry momentum, and forging the church’s future. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What are “big rock” issues? Mission-critical topics such as:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • Vision and Values</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • Adding New Campuses</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • Financial Projections</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • Facility Expansion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • Succession Planning</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Notice that most of these topics are future-oriented—vision, expansion, projection, long-term planning. What’s intentionally omitted? Day-to-day operations that are best delegated to church staff (examples: staff supervision, calendaring, specific ministry plans, etc.). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">Effective boards don’t spin their wheels rehashing the past or even belaboring the present—instead, they look forward to where the church will be in three to five years.</span></b> By delegating responsibility for day-to-day ministry decisions to staff, the church experiences a “double win:” </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) staff feel empowered to lead their people; and 2) the board is freed to dream about God’s future from a 30,000-foot level.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But the win-win won’t come easily. Hosting “big rock” discussions at the board level requires discipline. Every team includes personalities who, by nature, tend to be pebble-pickers who prefer getting into the weeds of church life.<span style="color: #073763;"> <b>(A common rationale for pebble-pickers? “I just like to know what’s going on.”)</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But an effective board chair and senior pastor will work together to carefully craft a “big rock” agenda in advance, put guardrails around discussion, and remain “alert for small rocks, pebbles, and sand finding their way onto the board table.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What happens if the meeting runs aground or discussion hits a sandbar? All board members should be empowered to “throw flags” if a conversation veers too far off-topic and graciously course correct to the major issues at stake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">Be warned: The growth of your church will rise and fall on your board’s ability to handle “big rocks only!” </span></b>As the authors note, “It is very difficult for a church to grow beyond the small church ‘glass ceiling’ unless it gives up a pebbles and sand approach in the boardroom.”</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Leaders, let’s roll up our sleeves and move some boulders!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY TIM LUCAS:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://liquidchurch.com/newhere/our-story/pastor-bios/">TIM LUCAS</a></b> is the founder and lead pastor of <a href="https://liquidchurch.com/"><b>Liquid Church</b></a>, recognized as one of America’s Top 100 Fastest-Growing Churches by <i>Outreach</i> magazine (2018). Tim started Liquid “on accident” with a dozen twenty-something friends meeting in the basement of a 150-year-old church. Since launching in 2007, Liquid has been on a rocket ship ride, growing to seven campuses across New Jersey with 5,000 people in Sunday attendance and more than 2,200 baptisms to date. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A new book, <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2lKB3gN">Liquid Church: 6 Powerful Ministry Currents to Saturate Your City for Christ</a></i></b>, by Tim Lucas and Warren Bird, will be published Sept. 10, 2019. A dynamic communicator, Tim is a sought-after conference speaker known for connecting God’s Word to modern life with humor, heart, and creativity. Liquid’s innovative approach to ministry has been spotlighted on <i>CNN</i>, <i>FOX News</i>, and <i>The Today Show</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tim leads the Northeast Pastors Coaching Network to equip pastors, ministry leaders, church planters, re-planters, and churches of every shape and size. A graduate of Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill., Tim, and his wife Colleen, are raising their two children just outside of New York City. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @pastortimlucas. </span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Review the agendas from your last two to three church board meetings. What categories would you put each agenda item in—sand, pebbles, or big rocks?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• For your next board meeting, the senior pastor and board chair should meet in advance to plan and identify the big rocks for consideration. Map out the agenda together and agree in advance how to respond (and graciously redirect pebble-pickers) if small rocks and sand find their way into the discussion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 22, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Big-Rocks-Pebbles-and-Sand">Big Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand</a></b>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Governance in Excellence Forums</a></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (eight cities, Fall 2019).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On July 24, 2019, watch for the commentary by <b><a href="https://www.okag.org/ministry-team/">Kevin Conner</a></b> on Lesson 23, “Pastor Pay—It’s About More Than Just Money. Getting the compensation-setting process right must be a priority.”</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-43268444051800922882019-07-10T02:00:00.000-07:002019-07-10T02:00:02.529-07:00LESSON 21 – Back Off the Ledge of Dysfunctional Mayhem<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. John Vawter is our guest blogger this week for the fourth of five lessons in "Part 6: Boardroom Time-Wasters, Trouble-Makers, and Truth-Tellers.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 21 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Back Off the Ledge of Dysfunctional Mayhem</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>When dysfunction reigns, healthy board members head for the door.</i></span><br />
<i style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 21</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the authors note that not all church board members are healthy, mature, and mutually cooperative. This is sad news—but it is reality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless, gracious and candid confrontation on the part of the senior pastor and the board chair can solve the problem of dysfunction, either through resignations of unrepentant board members or genuine repentance. Obviously, the latter is the most desirable.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 21, pages 112-116:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is a blessing when the senior pastor and board chair can agree on the “problem children” on the board. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• It is an even greater blessing when the senior pastor and board chair are truth tellers who solve personnel issues with the grace of God…but they do solve the problems.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• It can be painful, but addressing the problems of immature board members is beneficial and healthier for the church in the long run.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Francis Schaeffer said, “The spirit of the age always finds its way into the church.” The mean-spiritedness and the lack of healthy introspection in our society have found their way into the church boardroom in some instances. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The issue of listening to, hearing, and obeying the voice of the Spirit of God begins with our being willing to “be quick to listen” in listening to one another, honoring others as more important than ourselves, and being quick to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Someone has wisely said that genuine listening is: paying attention until we understand, asking questions to help us understand, and making sure the person knows we are listening to him/her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Too often church board members are chosen without any sense of Biblical standards, any commitment to good board behavior, and/or any stated commitment to being a respectful, Christian, mature and edifying member. <b><span style="color: #073763;">Asking board members to sign a covenant and commitment to God-honoring behavior before they join the board—and annually—will help to solve the problem of dysfunctional boards and dysfunctional board members.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is not easy and it is not fun; indeed, it can be hard and it can be painful. But, for the senior pastor and the board chair to address dysfunctional behavior and insist on mature Christian behavior, helps both the board and the church have Christ-honoring ministry into the future.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JOHN VAWTER:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.johnvawter.com/">Dr. John Vawter</a></b> is a board member/coach with <b><a href="http://timothyconnection.com/">Timothy Connection</a> </b>and a consultant/speaker with <a href="http://churchassistanceministry.org/"><b>Church Assistance Ministry</b></a>. He has been in ministry since graduating from the University of Oregon. He served for 10 years with CRU, including helping start the ministry in England and being the Northwest Area Director. He has pastored churches in Minnesota and Arizona and has been president of Western Seminary and Phoenix Seminary. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John has taught D.Min. courses on pastoral leadership in seven seminaries and has also served as interim pastor at seven churches. He speaks regularly at conferences on the subject of male friendship based on the book he co-authored, <i><b><a href="https://amzn.to/2XCCzDy">Achieving High Performance Friendship: A Book for Men</a></b></i>. He also speaks on addiction in the pastor’s home based on his book, <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2LLC6aU">Hit by a Ton of Bricks: You’re Not Alone When Your Child’s on Drugs</a></i></b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Editor’s Note</i>: John is also a “golf ball hawker” and is the author of the hilarious Kindle book, <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2S8H4zN">Anything for a Golf Ball: The Art of Finding Lost Golf Balls</a></i></b>. He donates many of the thousands of balls he’s found to local high schools. His “hobby” was featured in this <b><a href="https://www.bendbulletin.com/home/5471802-151/hes-a-master-in-the-art-of-ball">newspaper article</a></b> in 2017.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">TO-DO TODAY: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">There must be a commitment to candor and a willingness to confront dysfunctional behavior on the board—even if it is only one board member.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Much dysfunctional behavior is precluded by asking every member to sign an annual statement committing themselves to God-honoring behavior and honest discussions about the lack of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 21, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Back-Off-the-Ledge-of-Dysfunctional-Mayhem">Back Off the Ledge of Dysfunctional Mayhem</a></b>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Governance in Excellence Forums</a></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (eight cities, Fall 2019). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">July 17, 2019, watch for the commentary by </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://liquidchurch.com/newhere/our-story/pastor-bios/">Tim Lucas</a></b> on Lesson 22, “Big Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand. Church boards have a natural gravitational pull toward issues that should be reserved for the church staff.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span></div>
John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-91103605057179633112019-07-03T02:00:00.000-07:002019-07-03T02:00:00.464-07:00 LESSON 20 – Apply for a Staff Position and You Can Deal With That Issue!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Amy Nikkel is our guest blogger this week for the third of five lessons in "Part 6: Boardroom Time-Wasters, Trouble-Makers, and Truth-Tellers.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 20 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Apply for a Staff Position and You Can Deal With That Issue!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Help board members not to cross the line into operational details.</i></span><br />
<i style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 2</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">0, we learn that “sound governance requires that all board members <span style="color: #073763;"><b>understand and apply the principle of exiting the operational highway</b></span> and trusting such matters to the senior pastor.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes the line between operational excellence and board oversight can be gray. There is a reason your board members were elected, and it is often because of the excellence and leadership they exude in their fields. However, it is important to realize that the collective value they bring is at an altitude that allows them to effectively strategize, govern, and protect—rather than being mired in the depths of operational details.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 20, pages 107-111:</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “When a board member meddles in operational details, the board’s collective value is wasted.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “It is during the actual board meetings, of course, when board members face the greatest temptation to delve into operational matters. And the board chair is the first line of defense for keeping discussions at the appropriate level.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At Life.Church, we have been blessed with a governing board that has willingly operated at the right altitude. Operational meddling has not been an issue for us. <b><span style="color: #073763;">As I think back to why that might be the case, I quickly realize it is the altitude we defined and demonstrated.</span></b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most people will lead and give input at the level you ask of them because they desire to serve the church. The first question I encourage you to ask yourself is “What level am I asking my board to lead?” <b><span style="color: #073763;">If that level needs to shift to get to the right governance altitude, determine what aspects need to change. </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do staff present the appropriate amount of detail? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • Do questions need to be moderated? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • Is there a strategy and agenda for the meeting? Is it followed? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Understanding this on the front end will bring clarity in communication and interactions, but it will also set appropriate expectations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We have the benefit of gaining wisdom from a group of people who are successful leaders in the communities where we live and who are passionate about the church. <b><span style="color: #073763;">Let’s honor and respect the time we have with them by creating a structure that allows for the most value collectively.</span></b> This will require us to hold ourselves accountable to the structure, along with others; but, I believe the effort will be worth the outcome. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY AMY NIKKEL:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amykirkpatrick/">PASTOR AMY NIKKEL</a></b> is the Chief Financial Officer at <b><a href="http://life.church/">Life.Church</a></b>, a multi-site church with 33 locations in 10 states. She is responsible for the operational oversight and strategic direction of all financial operations and influences the global initiatives and strategy of the church. Amy received her MBA with academic honors and has been with Life.Church for the past 12 years.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make sure there is an effective philosophy of governance; one that is defined, updated and communicated to the board.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Make sure there is a healthy culture to demonstrate and support governance objectives. A first step is simply creating an agenda, as “it’s a natural barrier to operational overreach.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 20, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Apply-for-a-Staff-Position-and-You-Can-Deal-with-That-Issue">Apply for a Staff Position and You Can Deal With That Issue!</a></b>”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Governance in Excellence Forums</a></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (eight cities, Fall 2019). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">July 10, 2019, watch for the commentary by <b><a href="http://www.johnvawter.com/">John Vawter</a></b> on Lesson 21, “Back Off the Ledge of Dysfunctional Mayhem.”</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-15454313493955017752019-06-12T02:00:00.000-07:002019-06-12T09:34:59.404-07:00LESSON 17 – Don’t Be Late—or Annoying!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Tim Winters is our guest blogger this week for the third of three lessons in "Part 5: Boardroom Bloopers.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 17 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Don’t Be Late—or Annoying!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>What’s worse than fingernails on a chalkboard? A boisterous board member at a prayer meeting.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 17, the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">authors note that we must deal directly with EGR (Extra Grace Required) board members. Even on a church board, we must manage the tension we often find between truth and grace. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we manage this tension well, we will create a board culture of deep engagement. If we don’t manage it well, we will drift into a board no one wants to serve on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To manage this tension well, the board chair must be given permission and have the courage to speak truth to inappropriately-behaving board members. The future of your board and church depend on it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 17, pages 93-96:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">•</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Many boards have at least one dysfunctional board member. If you don’t know who that person is, it may be you!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• <span style="color: #073763;"><b>With no time in the meeting for deep engagement, “you’ll create an expectation of low expectations.”</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “Due diligence through reference checks during the board recruitment process” will save you a lot of problems later. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was taught at a very young age by my father, that if I didn’t have anything good to say—to not say anything at all. I have met a lot of board members who have not been taught that lesson by their fathers. In my experience, many people who talk too much are dealing with insecurity. Likewise, many people who are timid and afraid to share are dealing with insecurity as well. What a great exercise the authors give us on page 96 for fostering a culture of security on our boards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The late Coach John Wooden, who attended Shepherd, said to me once, <b><span style="color: #073763;">“Minor details—like pennies—add up. A good banker isn’t careless with pennies; a good leader isn’t sloppy about details.”</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I try to be very specific about expectations of our church staff and culture. However, I have probably dropped the ball on expectations of board members. It could be that people are late and/or annoying because there has not been a direct conversation about expectations and culture on our boards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We all know that what gets rewarded is what gets repeated. We need to start paying closer attention to what is getting rewarded or—better yet—what is being allowed on our boards. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY TIM WINTERS:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/twinters77/">TIM WINTERS</a></b> is the Executive Pastor of <a href="https://www.theshepherd.org/"><b>Shepherd Church</b></a>. Shepherd is a diverse multi-ethic congregation of 11,000 on three campuses in Porter Ranch, Calif.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tim has served in this position for 27 years and has been a part of their growth from 350 people and three staff to the multi-campus church it is today with a staff of 168.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tim has served on many boards including Hope International University, Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, Central India Christian Mission, and North American Christian Convention. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tim is also a coach with <a href="https://intentionalchurches.com/tim-winters/"><b>Intentional Churches</b></a> and works with churches across the country to double their impact in five years.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the end of your next board meeting, ask a good listener to go around the table and affirm each member for at least one specific contribution in the meeting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Establish a list of questions to be asked of potential new board members that would indicate potential problems. (Is this person on time for meetings? A good listener? Is this person respectful of others?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 17, “<b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Don-t-Be-Late-or-Annoying">Don’t Be Late—or Annoying</a>!</b>”<br />• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the <b><a href="https://www.ecfa.org/GovernanceForums.aspx">ECFA Governance in Excellence Forums</a></b> (eight cities, Fall 2019). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY:</span></b><br />On June 19, 2019, watch for the commentary by <a href="https://bethlehem.church/new-here/staffleadership/staff/jon-grano"><b>Jon Grano</b></a> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">on Lesson 18, “Never Throw Red Meat on the Board Table. Boards need advance preparation to fully address complex issues.”</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-55438887667545507162019-05-29T02:00:00.000-07:002019-05-29T02:00:13.995-07:00LESSON 15 – Do Not Interrupt!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Ryan Britt is our guest blogger this week for the first of three lessons in "Part 5: Boardroom Bloopers.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 15 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Do Not Interrupt!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Don’t assume board members know how to listen.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In order for a board to operate at its highest potential, its members need to practice diligent listening. If a board is full of people who are waiting on their turn to talk—instead of listening in order to understand—the board or team will quickly find its lid of effectiveness. <b><span style="color: #073763;">For some, listening is a desire to cultivate—and for others it is a discipline to choose. </span></b>But regardless of the ease in which you practice healthy listening, it is the critical ingredient to healthy relationships and interactions, especially on the board level. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 15, pages 84-88:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Ruth Haley Barton: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “Do not formulate what you want to say while someone else is speaking.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “Don’t take for granted that people know how to listen. We live in a culture where people are much more skilled at trying to get their point across and arguing their position than they are at engaging in mutually influencing relationships.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">On our team, we hold each other accountable and sharpen each other in the area of listening with this question, “Are you listening to hear or listening to respond?” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to confess that I am guilty of preparing my response as someone else is speaking. I am, as this chapter outlines, a “driver” (one of the four social styles), so I process information fairly quickly and I come to convicted responses almost as quickly. I have learned over time—while serving on and leading different board-type environments—that you can lead with quick thinking, quick talking, and passionate communication. But one day you will find yourself frustrated in feelings of leadership isolation—and it is most likely because you have been more interested in getting your preferred opinions validated than you were in creating a relationship with your board. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">Listening to hear, in my opinion, is a kindness or gift that is supernaturally charged by the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.</span></b> I have experienced times when leadership teams and boards are in all-day meetings and almost nothing gets accomplished because one or two people are talking over everyone else the whole time, regardless of the topic. (I’ve actually been that guy!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I have also had the opposite experience, where people are leaning in with spiritual ears, listening to discern what God might be stirring or where He might be leading the team. When this is happening, it is a beautiful exchange and the outcome is ALWAYS fruitful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">Listening for me is a discipline I have learned—and am learning to choose—and in my life it requires pen and paper. </span></b>Pen and paper help me capture key words or topics others are sharing and internalize them as we process toward our end goal. This small practice helps me ask better questions—which is the result of good listening! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It also helps me focus by eliminating distractions. I can’t have my phone out or my laptop open because if I get out of focus for any real amount of time—I am dishonoring the people I am serving with. I am also communicating to myself that whatever other thing I have going on is more important than what the team has going on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If I prioritize self over team in just these simple ways, I almost certainly will be quick to speak and slow to listen. For me, it’s all connected. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY RYAN BRITT:</b></span><br />
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<b><a href="https://twitter.com/pastrbritt"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Rya</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">n Brit</span></a></b><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/pastrbritt">t</a></b> is the Executive Ministries Pastor at <a href="https://www.coe22.com/">The Church of Eleven22</a> in Jacksonville, Fla. He is married to Jennifer and has two beautiful daughters, Anna Kathryn and Abigail. Ryan has served at Eleven22 for five of the six years since the church launched. The Church of Eleven22 has grown to five campuses averaging 11,000 on the weekends. Prior to serving at Eleven22, Ryan served as the Director of Global Missions at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, GA. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Buy and read Ruth Haley Barton’s book, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2WAwsP2">Pursuing God’s Will Together: A Discernment Practice for Leadership Groups</a></i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Take your board through the exercise in Lesson 15, “10 Guidelines for Entering Into and Maintaining a Listening Posture” (pages 86-87) and discuss your findings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Do-Not-Interrupt">Lesson 15 – Do Not Interrupt</a>!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #073763;">NEXT WEDNESDAY:</span></b><br />On June 5, 2019, watch for the commentary by <a href="https://www.convenenow.com/wernerjacobsen">Werner Jacobsen</a> on Lesson 16, "The Bully in the Church Boardroom. God, the pastor, the board chair, and other board members must neutralize the board bully.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-47422596062717946172019-05-22T02:00:00.000-07:002019-05-22T02:00:05.199-07:00LESSON 14 – Be Intentional About Your First 30 Minutes<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Steve Stroope is our guest blogger this week for the fourth of four lessons in "Part 4: Epiphanies in the Boardroom.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 14 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Be Intentional About Your First 30 Minutes</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Does your board meeting need a refresh—so you experience holy moments more frequently?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 14, the authors note that what happens at the very beginning of our board meetings—signals to everyone the tone and tenor of the entire meeting. This is an important reminder that we must orchestrate the first 30 minutes to create the expectation that every board meeting can have eternal consequences.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 14, pages 77-81:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Dilbert cartoon about being late for meetings!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• <b><span style="color: #073763;">“How many holy moments can you recall from last year’s board meetings?”</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• The insights from the book by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2YyWjnP">The Power of Moments</a></i>: “With examples from education, business, hospitality, and church sectors, they call leaders and teams to break out of the routine and defy ‘the forgettable flatness of everyday work and life by creating a few precious moments.’” </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps you read the tongue-in-cheek research from <i><a href="https://babylonbee.com/news/scholars-day-like-thousand-years-actually-reference-church-staff-meetings">The Babylon Bee</a></i> that recently reported, “According to new findings by biblical scholars published Monday, the phrase ‘a day is like a thousand years,’ found in 2 Peter 3 and originally thought to refer to God’s patience in bringing judgment upon the earth, is actually better interpreted as a reference to the slow passage of time in church staff meetings.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our church board members might have similar thoughts about the slow pace of our board meetings! So when I read Lesson 14, I was reminded that the pace of church life is rapid—and very, very challenging. <b><span style="color: #073763;">With eternity in view, we seek to be innovative, relevant, and even prophetic. Consequently—it seems—our tanks are almost on empty when it’s time for another board meeting. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So in just five pages, I was refreshed with the idea of refreshing the first 30 minutes of our board meeting—creating the right environment from the get-go, rather than meandering into another mediocre meeting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I especially appreciated the self-imposed “report card” concept for wrapping up every board meeting: “Create unhurried space at the end of your meeting for around-the-room ‘One Big Take-Away’ responses.” And this poke-in-the-ribs reminder: “How you launch will impact how you land.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY STEVE STROOPE:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.lakepointe.org/leaders/">Steve Stroope</a></b> was called to <a href="https://www.lakepointe.org/">Lake Pointe Church</a> shortly after its founding in 1979 and today he serves as Lead Pastor to a congregation that has grown from 53 in attendance to more than 12,000 each week at Dallas metro campuses. In addition to leading Lake Pointe, Steve provides coaching to partnership churches throughout the world. Steve’s spiritual gifts are evangelism, leadership, and teaching and he has a passion for seeing the Gospel presented to unchurched people in a culturally relevant style without compromising its truth. Steve also believes that one of the keys to an effective church is keeping a balance between evangelism and discipleship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A speaker and leadership coach, Steve is also the author of <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2Q7hQRw">Tribal Church: Lead Small. Impact Big</a></i>. His book challenges senior leaders to create a strategy for spiritual formation at home. Steve and his wife, Marsha, have two grown daughters and five grandchildren. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2YyWjnP">The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact</a></i>, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Instead of a hastily prepared thought to launch your board meeting, be intentional about inviting a board member (or a staff member) to share a spiritual insight that will be relevant (not random) to the focus of the board meeting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Be-Intentional-About-Your-First-30-Minutes">Lesson 14 – Be Intentional About Your First 30 Minutes</a>.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b><b>NEXT WEDNESDAY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On May 29, 2019, watch for the commentary by <a href="https://www.coe22.com/staff/">Ryan Britt</a> on Lesson 15, "Do Not Interrupt! Don’t assume board members know how to listen.”</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-39607454816218390432019-05-15T02:00:00.000-07:002019-05-15T02:00:06.023-07:00LESSON 13 – Caution! Understand the Governance Pendulum Principle<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Phill Martin is our guest blogger this week for the third of four lessons in "Part 4: Epiphanies in the Boardroom.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 13 OF 40 </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>– Caution! Understand the Governance Pendulum Principle</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>You have limited time to act when the pendulum oscillates in a positive direction.</i></span><i style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </i><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 13, the authors note that “opportunities for substantive change only occur when a board’s pendulum oscillates in a positive direction.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 13, pages </b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>71-76:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Change is not easy or automatic: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• New board members may be the best source of discovering opportunities for change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• A vision for governance improvement is a key to change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Large boards experience more difficulty implementing change. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the few clocks left in my life—that requires my weekly attention to remain operational—is an old grandfather clock my dad built from a kit. My young grandson finds fascination with its swinging pendulum and chains and weights. Teaching him the importance of honoring the position and movement of the pendulum is critical for him to understand how the clock works. A pendulum at rest, or out of balance, results in the clock stopping and time standing still. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Board pendulums have positions as well. <b><span style="color: #073763;">A board whose pendulum has landed in a resting position finds change or forward movement difficult.</span></b> A board whose direction has become negative can result in a downward spiral for the organization. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, when a board’s pendulum moves to a positive position, change and forward movement are possible. <i>Governance improvement can happen</i>—when church boards thoughtfully seize the opportunity to act when those fleeting time periods occur! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY PHILL MARTIN:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillmartin/">Phill Martin</a></b> is the CEO–Elect of <a href="https://www.nacba.net/">The Church Network</a>. He has been a member of the association for more than 30 years, having served twice on the board of directors before joining the staff. A native of Huntsville, Ala., Phill joined the staff of TCN in June 2000 as Director of Education. In March of 2006, he became the Deputy CEO of the association. In January of 2019, he was named CEO–Elect to become CEO in August 2019 at the retirement of current CEO Simeon May. Phill has completed 24 years of service in various ministry positions in local churches in Alabama, Georgia, and Texas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A graduate of Samford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree, Phill received a Master of Arts in Religious Education from Southwestern Seminary and has done post-graduate work at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Administration at Rice University. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">He is a Certified Association Executive through the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). He holds the ACC certification with International Coach Federation. He has completed church consultant training with the Center for Congregational Health in Winston-Salem, N.C., and was ordained by Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Phill is a member of the International Coaching Federation and ASAE, and has served on the board of Dallas Fort Worth Association Executives.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Assess the current position of your board’s pendulum.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Identify the most important changes needed in governance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Be ready for action when the pendulum moves to a positive direction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Caution-Understand-the-Governance-Pendulum-Principle">Lesson 13 – Caution! Understand the Governance Pendulum Principle</a>.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /><br /><br />NEXT WEDNESDAY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On May 22, 2019, watch for the commentary by <a href="https://www.lakepointe.org/leaders/">Steve Stroope</a> on</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Lesson 14, "Be Intentional About Your First 30 Minutes. Does your board meeting need a refresh—so you experience holy moments more frequently?”</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-28814072256627556292019-05-08T02:00:00.000-07:002019-05-08T02:00:09.863-07:00LESSON 12 – Looking for Consensus but Finding Division<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. David Fletcher is our guest blogger this week for the second of four lessons in "Part 4: Epiphanies in the Boardroom.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 12 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Looking for Consensus but Finding Division</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Finding consensus on challenging issues requires deft handling and a flexible approach by the board chair.</i></span><i style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </i><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 12, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">there are several keys for reaching consensus on agenda items. This glorifies God by making God-honoring decisions in a peaceful, thoughtful, fair, and open manner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This process takes some work. To consistently achieve consensus, a focus on five “right” things is required: right purpose, right people, right board chair, right agenda, and right approach.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 12, pages 65-70:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the storyline, I found this section that illustrates a wise approach: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “The board chair could have moved to a vote and the issue would have passed. But he discerned it would be wiser to table the motion until the next meeting. Over the next month, the board chair met with Roger several times to discuss Roger’s misgivings. <b><span style="color: #073763;">By the time the board met again, Roger had reached a comfort level with the property acquisition and the issue passed unanimously. </span></b>The results—the board moved to a stunning level of congeniality and even consensus, thanks to the grace-giving way the board chair handled this significant decision.” </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Often a board feels a false sense of urgency to make a decision. We see this in the Bible. The Gibeonites pretended to be weary travelers from a faraway land. <b><span style="color: #073763;">Joshua and the leaders of Israel were fooled because they rushed into a decision and “failed to ask the Lord’s advice” (Joshua 9:14).</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why rush? Why not pray a little more? Have that extra discussion with the one not ready to vote. Perhaps that person has good insight into the issue! Perhaps that person needs to work through his or her concerns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have been a part of over 800 board meetings. At one, the board wanted to bring on a new member, except that three people had reservations about the candidate. The chair wanted to vote. <b><span style="color: #073763;">One person said, “When there is dissension in the room, and it’s about a new board member, we can’t vote. We must wait.” </span></b>The chair listened and the board waited—and they came to a good decision at the next meeting.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY DAVID FLETCHER:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-fletcher-6041b76/">David Fletcher</a></b> was an executive pastor for 35 years and is the founder of <a href="https://www.xpastor.org/about-xpastor/">XPastor</a>.org, a global site for helping churches of all sizes with leadership and management issues.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Focus your board on the right purpose, right people, right board chair, right agenda, and right approach.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• When needed, slow down and table an issue. Work between meetings to gain consensus on the issue, then vote on it at the next meeting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Looking-for-Consensus-but-Finding-Division">Lesson 12 – Looking for Consensus but Finding Division</a>.”</span><br />
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NEXT WEDNESDAY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On May 15, 2019, watch for the commentary by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillmartin/">Phill Martin</a> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">on Lesson 13, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Caution! Understand the Governance Pendulum Principle. You have limited time to act when the pendulum oscillates in a positive direction.”</span><br />
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John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-46572822595066780092019-05-01T02:00:00.000-07:002019-05-01T07:26:12.297-07:00LESSON 11 – Tap! Tap! Tap!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Peter F. Clements is our guest blogger this week for the first of four lessons in "Part 4: Epiphanies in the Boardroom.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 11 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Tap! Tap! Tap!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Does the Spirit hear a busy signal when nudging your board?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 11, the authors emphasize the importance of allowing space in your board meetings for members to be aware of and responsive to God’s gentle promptings while still efficiently completing the agenda. Failure to do so may result in missing prime opportunities for God’s power to be revealed in our meetings as members pray and discern together.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 11, pages 60-64:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The authors suggest a few ways that your board can avoid missing that important nudge from the Holy Spirit:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• <b><span style="color: #073763;">Develop a discipline of stillness:</span></b> Scripture is full of examples of those who took the time to be still and hear from God at pivotal moments. Our boards should practice the discipline of being quiet and mindfully listening for His voice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• <span style="color: #073763;"><b>Commit to slow down—lower the RPMs:</b></span> The tendency to be in a rush to complete the agenda can interrupt the flow of the Spirit in our meetings. We need to remind ourselves that it is possible to be aware of God’s promptings while still being attentive to the tasks at hand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• <b><span style="color: #073763;">Understand that any board member can feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit:</span></b> It is important to have clarity amongst the board that the chair is not the only one who can call for prayer during the meeting. All board members should feel free to interrupt the flow when they feel that it is time for prayer or to be quiet in His presence.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As leaders, we are intuitively aware of the pressure to maximize our own time efficiency and that of our boards as a matter of practicing good stewardship. That drive to accelerate decision making and get things done can unfortunately pre-empt a necessary move of God amid our meeting deliberations. <b><span style="color: #073763;">I can certainly attest to encountering situations as a leader and as a board member in which all the combined intellect and best devices in the room could not lead us to a resolution—and THEN we decided to pray and seek the mind of the Lord.</span></b> What if we approached it differently and made prayer a priority in our meetings?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">True empowerment from the Spirit can come in the form of divine wisdom, uncommon courage, increased confidence, or even a miracle. <b><span style="color: #073763;">But it only comes when we as leaders exercise enough spiritual discernment to flow back and forth between fulfilling the meeting agenda and listening to the Father’s still small voice for direction. </span></b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let us commit to attending to the state of our own hearts so that we can be prepared when the time comes for our board meetings to be interrupted by a time of prayer or waiting on God for guidance, bringing eternal value and lasting impact to our time together. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY PETER F. CLEMENTS:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-clements-914258a/">Rev. Peter F. Clements</a></b> serves as the President/CEO of <a href="https://www.cepnet.com/about-us/">Church Extension Plan</a> in Salem, Ore. Church Extension Plan (CEP) is a ministry providing premier financial and administrative services to the churches and districts of the Assemblies of God and their constituents. Prior to his election as CEP’s President, Peter served as CFO for over 10 years. He possesses a strong background in finance and information technology, and his leadership strengths are in the areas of motivating team collaboration and strategic thinking. He has served on both church and non-profit boards. Peter, and his wife, Karen, make their home in Salem and have three amazing children, Andrew, Allison, and Luke.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Read chapter 10, “Get Set: From Decision Making to Discernment” from Ruth Haley Barton’s book, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2VDzQYK">Pursuing God’s Will Together: A Discernment Practice for Leadership Groups</a></i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Take time to review and reflect on your last few board meetings to determine if there were moments where you should have stopped to pray but did not. Make a commitment to one another as board members to be attuned to those moments in the future and to stop and pray. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Tap-Tap-Tap">Lesson 11 – Tap! Tap! Tap!</a>”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /><br />NEXT WEDNESDAY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On May 8, 2019, watch for the commentary by </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.xpastor.org/about-xpastor/">David Fletcher</a> on Lesson 12, "Looking for Consensus but Finding Division. Finding consensus on challenging issues requires deft handling and a flexible approach by the board chair.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span>John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-30864878153663314512019-04-24T02:00:00.000-07:002019-04-24T02:00:15.370-07:00LESSON 10 – Prioritize Prayer Over Problems<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Jeff Lilley is our guest blogger this week for the third of three lessons in "Part 3: Nominees for the Church Board Member Hall of Fame.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 10 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Prioritize Prayer Over Problems</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Create space for prayer—serious supplications for a serious work.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 10, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the authors discuss how we spend so much time focusing on the work our church does for God, and how, sometimes, we can minimize God Himself. The concept is that prayer shouldn’t just be a token ritual, or simply an agenda item (somewhere between the “Call to Order” and “Approval of Minutes”). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead, this chapter suggests that how we come before God affects every aspect of the meeting that follows. It’s almost as if we’re acknowledging that God actually cares about what happens in our board meetings. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 10, pages 54-48:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dan Bolin’s prayer! It is inspired—and you can get it and use it for free! (<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/A-Board-Prayer">Read Lesson 40 here</a>.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “Christ-centered governance has a boardroom distinctive that requires a serious intentionality about prayer.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• “When you take time to pray…God promises to hear and act.” </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first time I read Dan Bolin’s board prayer in Lesson 40, I instantly wondered if he had somehow secretly been listening in on every board meeting I’ve ever attended. It was as if he wrote the prayer because of events and issues our board has faced. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>It’s clear that Bolin knows well the challenges, temptations, and curve balls that come when you fill a room with influential men and women, and then ask them to come together as one body.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The idea for the story in this chapter (borrowed from <i><a href="http://nonprofitboardroom.blogspot.com/2018/01/lesson-10-prioritize-prayer-over.html">Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom</a></i>) is from the years I served as CEO of Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission—when I forgot to bring “A Board Prayer” to our board meeting. <i>I can assure you that it has never been forgotten since! </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JEFF LILLEY:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefflilley/">JEFF LILLEY</a></b> is Senior Associate Pastor & Elder at <a href="https://www.evfreefullerton.com/">EVFree Fullerton</a> in Fullerton, Calif. He previously served as the CEO of Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission and Hume Lake Christian Camps. Jeff has served on multiple other boards, and was as a board coach for the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust’s Board Leadership and Development Program. He also has 19 grandkids, who (he says) are all better looking than yours! His favorite books include <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2KYNpOm">The Practice of the Presence of God</a></i> by Brother Lawrence, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2IDaxQu">Humility</a></i> by Andrew Murray, and <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2KYO1DE">Les Miserables</a></i> by Victor Hugo. Jeff can be found on Instagram @JeffL7, or the <a href="https://www.evfreefullerton.com/im-new/meet-our-leaders/pastors-ministry-directors/">church’s website here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make photocopies of “A Board Prayer” (Lesson 40), one per board member, and have it ready for the next board meeting!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Buy copies of your favorite book on prayer and send one to every board member, with a note that you are praying for them. (Which, of course, means you better actually pray for them!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Prioritize-Prayer-Over-Problems">Lesson 10 – Prioritize Prayer Over Problems</a>” and Lesson 40, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/A-Board-Prayer">A Board Prayer</a>.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /><br />NEXT WEDNESDAY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On May 1, 2019, watch for the commentary by <a href="https://www.cepnet.com/about-us/">Peter Clements</a> on Lesson 11, "Tap! Tap! Tap! Does the Spirit hear a busy signal when nudging your board?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span>John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-72907907414506425242019-04-17T02:00:00.000-07:002019-04-17T02:00:04.642-07:00LESSON 9 – Listen to the Wisdom of Many Counselors<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Ron Edmondson is our guest blogger this week for the second of three lessons in "Part 3: Nominees for the Church Board Member Hall of Fame.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 9 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Listen to the Wisdom of Many Counselors</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Don’t ask board members to vote against God!</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 9, we are challenged not to pit the governing board against God. If the pastor always has “a word from God,” it will be very difficult for the board to weigh in without seeming to go against what “God said.” In the process, we discount the counsel of wise people of God. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 9, pages 50-53:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “All morning you used a troubling phrase with our board: ‘God told me we should…’”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “If you’re absolutely sure God told you to do something, just do it.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• “If you believe—like I do—the Scriptures teach that there is wisdom in many counselors, then please change your rhetoric...” </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">There is such a fine balance—for pastors—between acting upon the sense of what God is calling you to do, and listening to the counsel of others. <b><span style="color: #073763;">Today, upon reading this lesson, I was convicted about some of my own language during my years as a pastor. </span></b>There were certainly times I felt the need to assure our leaders that I was attempting to “listen and hear” from God. Looking back, I can see how there were likely times I used this almost to my advantage. Who wants to say “no” to God? Certainly not the leaders who are governing our churches!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">At the same time, God continually encouraged me to surround myself with the wisest, godliest people I could find to serve in church leadership. <span style="color: #073763;"><b>Why would we bring them to the table if we were not willing to listen to their advice? </b></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b><br /></b></span>I’m convinced, especially in my new role at Leadership Network, that some of our best answers to problems in the church—and best practices to move the mission of the church forward—are sitting among the collective wisdom of the people God has allowed and prompted us to bring to the table. Let us incorporate their collective wisdom well. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY RON EDMONDSON:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">After serving 16 years as a pastor, following over 20 years in the business world, <b><a href="https://leadnet.org/who-we-are/">Ron Edmondson</a></b> is the new CEO of <a href="https://leadnet.org/">Leadership Network</a>, which helps the church accelerate growth and innovation so we can all make more disciples. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Ron is also a noted leadership blogger. See his must-read recent blog, “<a href="http://ronedmondson.com/2019/04/an-often-necessary-meeting-no-leader-wants-to-have-but-should-consider.html">A Meeting No Leader Likes to Have, But Should Always Consider Having</a>.” He is also the author of <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2IxePIl">The Mythical Leader: The Seven Myths of Leadership</a></i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Ron and his wife, Cheryl, have two adult sons, one married and one about to be married, both serving in the local church. They also have one amazing granddaughter and another grandchild on the way. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Take an inventory of your language when sharing with your board. Where are your ideas originating? Are you giving room for input?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Build a culture of inclusion—where every voice at the table is welcomed, including those you have to prod to give their input. Wise leaders ask good questions and listen more than they speak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Listen-to-the-Wisdom-of-Many-Counselors">Lesson 9: Listen to the Wisdom of Many Counselors</a>.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /><br />NEXT WEDNESDAY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">April 24, 2019, watch for the commentary by </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefflilley/">Jeff Lilley</a> on Lesson 10, "Prioritize Prayer Over Problems. Create space for prayer—serious supplications for a serious work.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span>John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-23620591122223332702019-04-10T02:00:00.000-07:002019-04-10T02:00:03.947-07:00LESSON 8 – Thrive With Four Kingdom Values<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. William Vanderbloemen is our guest blogger this week for the first of three lessons in "Part 3: Nominees for the Church Board Member Hall of Fame.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 8 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Thrive With Four Kingdom Values</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Pastor Carlos said he didn’t have the spiritual gift of board meetings! </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 8, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it’s clear that working with a church board can be a frustrating or unproductive experience, but with the right kingdom values, it doesn’t have to be that way. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 8, pages 44-49:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The authors suggest how a church board can function best, based on looking for certain values and characteristics in a board member to maximize spiritual fruit and impact, and minimize dysfunction: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• <b><span style="color: #073763;">The right people are everything:</span></b> “When the right people—with the right motives and God-honoring character—serve graciously together...board members and pastors will thrive in board meetings as the Holy Spirit deploys their spiritual gifts and their God-designed personalities and strengths.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Once you have the right people, look for things like passion, discernment, deployment, commitment, and enjoyment of serving on a church board. The authors quote Steve Macchia: “Passion is the fuel that keeps the engine of your vision alive.” </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I was reading this chapter, I thought a lot about my own hiring practices (the same practices that I advise clients to embrace—how to do well every day), and the way that I hire internally for my own team. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last year, I wrote a book, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2CVioEE">Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace</a></i>, and in it, I emphasize that culture trumps competency when it comes to hiring. <b><span style="color: #073763;">It doesn’t matter how well someone will do a job, if they aren’t a good culture fit—they’ll ultimately be unhappy in their role. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’ve made it my goal to look for potential employees who weren’t just showing up because it was their job, or just for the pay, but because they wanted to be a part of the team. I look for people who want to be doing what we are doing, the way we do it. In return, we’ve built an award-winning culture of people who work great together as a team, consider themselves “framily—friends as family,” work hard, take their work seriously but not themselves, and give their heart to their work because they really want to be doing it, and they are inspired and motivated by the way we do things at Vanderbloemen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In some ways, I think this concept can be applied to church boards, too. <b><span style="color: #073763;">When you’re selecting members of a church board and looking for specific characteristics, you’re searching for the kind of people who embody the culture of the organization. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You want board members to work together, inspire each other, motivate, challenge, and push each other to achieve the greater mission of the church. You’ll maximize fruitful kingdom work and minimize frustration, unproductive meeting time, and get work done faster and better when the board is aligned around the same cultural values. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I like the closing boardroom lesson that sums up this chapter: “Invite people to serve on your church board who have high passion for your mission and ministry—and who discern board service as a holy calling. Inspire board members to leverage their spiritual gifts and strengths—or their experience will be draining and joyless.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Culture wins, every time. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY WILLIAM VANDERBLOEMEN:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/william">William Vanderbloemen</a></b> is an entrepreneur, pastor, speaker, author, and CEO and founder of Vanderbloemen. He is a regular contributor to <i><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamvanderbloemen/2018/11/26/five-phrases-to-retire-from-your-interview-vocabulary-right-now/#7e469b9e420e">Forbes</a></i> and is frequently asked to contribute to many media outlets on staff culture and team building.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As CEO and founder of <a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/">Vanderbloemen</a>, an executive search firm that helps churches and faith-based organizations find their key staff, William’s passion is helping leaders of faith build, run, and keep great teams. Hiring was William’s number one issue and roadblock as a pastor and is his number one focus as an entrepreneur. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">His third book, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2CVioEE">Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace</a></i>, describes how a contagious culture will drive sustainable growth and innovation for any organization. <i>Culture Wins</i> shows forward-thinking leaders how to apply key principles into today’s new job-hopping culture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The firm serves teams with a greater purpose by aligning their people solutions for growth: hiring, compensation, succession, and culture. Through its retained executive search and consulting services, Vanderbloemen serves churches, schools, nonprofits, family offices, and Christian businesses in all parts of the United States and internationally. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Decide and discern what kingdom values are foundational to the church board’s theology and philosophy of governance—in other words—define the culture of your church board.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Find people that match the culture, not the work you are trying to do. Look for people with calling, passion, the spiritual gifts to serve well in this setting, and those who have true joy for the work of the church board.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Thrive-with-Four-Kingdom-Values">Lesson 8 – Thrive With Four Kingdom Values</a>.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /><br /><br />NEXT WEDNESDAY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">April 17, 2019, watch for the commentary by </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://leadnet.org/who-we-are/">Ron Edmondson</a> on Lesson 9, "Listen to the Wisdom of Many Counselors. Don’t ask board members to vote against God!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span>John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315896341170413512.post-68934001629269557112019-04-03T02:00:00.000-07:002019-04-03T02:00:06.200-07:00LESSON 7 – Eliminate Fuzziness Between Board and Staff Roles<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Welcome to <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog</i></span></b>, a 40-week journey through the new book, <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>, by Dan Busby and John Pearson. Each Wednesday, we'll feature a guest blogger’s favorite snippet from the week's topic. Monty Kelso is our guest blogger this week for the third of three lessons in "Part 2: Boardroom Tools and Templates.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">LESSON 7 OF 40 – </span></b></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Eliminate Fuzziness Between Board and Staff Roles</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Keep your leaders on track with a one-page </i>Prime Responsibility Chart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK:</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Lesson 7</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the authors note that creating crystal clarity around the board’s role and function is vital to each individual’s positive contribution and the overall effectiveness of the board. <b><span style="color: #073763;">It’s not unusual—without this clarity—for boards to default to unwelcome involvement in staff functions.</span></b> Though the board’s intentions may be good, the outcome is often felt by staff as meddling and micro-managing—leaving board members frustrated and confused.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No talented staff member welcomes such a hovering relationship. The solution? Adopt a one-page <i>Prime Responsibility Chart</i>—customized to your particular context—to keep everyone focusing on the right things at the right time. Adopting this tool (and actually using it at your board meetings) will not only eliminate frustration as to who’s in charge, it will safeguard you from those dreaded runaway meetings that go on and on and on for countless hours. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 7, pages 36-41:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So how does a board serve the ministry best? Let’s start first with what usually backfires and then consider a solution.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In an effort to keep the board fully informed about the ministry activities of each staff leader, boards will often open up the floor to the staff to present their ministry reports. Though this sounds reasonable, it often becomes a song and dance with underwhelming results. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>In this lesson, we learn of Pastor Bob’s idea to keep the board fully informed: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Like clockwork (with no alarm), each ministry staff director presented a detailed report. One problem: the proceedings felt more like an episode of <i>Shark Tank</i>—with each ministry leader vying for more budget and more staff members. The passion was electric, but the ministry impact—<i>not so much</i>.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, what would be another approach? In this chapter, in response to Pastor Bob’s angst about too many staff members in the boardroom, individual board members were asked to oversee a particular ministry leader. So board members did a deeper dive into the life and ministry of each ministry director and then reported their observations back to the board. Sounds simple right? <b><span style="color: #073763;">Well, as you will read on pages 37 and 38, board members reported rather lackluster results. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The authors provide a brilliant alternative: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> • </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Our recommendation is that most church boards should relate to one employee: the senior pastor. Then the board must be crystal clear about the board’s relationship with all other staff.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MY COLOR COMMENTARY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As one who serves on my home church board, I have a front row seat to the awkward dance that can happen between a church board and its staff. <b><span style="color: #073763;">Who’s leading who? What is the tempo? Do we even agree on “the song?”</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In fact, recently our senior pastor, Todd, asked me for advice on improving the rhythm and effectiveness of our “overseer board.” As a growing 20-year-old church, for the first time we are in the process of moving to a permanent facility! We realize our world is about to be rocked. And organizational structures and systems that got us to this point will most assuredly fail us going forward. Now is the time to restructure. Though our governance requires “overseers” (as we call them), we have a blank page as to how best to implement our responsibility. So what is one solution to our foreseeable problem?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m confident that by adopting the <b><i><span style="color: #073763;">Prime Responsibility Chart </span></i></b>(illustrated on page 40; <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Eliminate-Fuzziness-Between">click here to see the tool</a>), we will be able to streamline our oversight while empowering our capable staff to lead with confidence and authority. I believe the PRC will indeed help us eliminate fuzziness between board and staff roles—resulting in greater ministry outcomes on every level. And even more importantly—staff retention. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I encounter the “big C church” in my work leading a church staffing ministry, I am up close and personal to the inner workings of many churches. And the people serving those churches are talented, godly leaders who desperately seek healthy cultures where they can thrive. But sadly, many of them feel undermined in reaching their ministry potential—due to unhealthy executive leaders and structures that breed misalignment in mission, methods and roles. As a result, the culture suffers and people take the brunt. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Organizational health is vital not only to ministry outcomes, <br />but even more importantly, to those who lead them. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As leaders who love and serve God, we have a responsibility to lead and love people well. Resisting the need to adopt organizational and management best practices just because it’s not “my gift” is no excuse. If you are in a leadership role overseeing a team of people, <b><span style="color: #073763;">I encourage you to chase after knowledge </span></b>that will better equip you to foster ministry alignment and momentum—beginning with <i>Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY MONTY KELSO:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://slingshotgroup.org/team_members/monty-kelso/"><b>MONTY KELSO</b></a> is co-founder and President of <a href="http://slingshotgroup.org/">Slingshot Group</a>. As a staffing and coaching ministry to churches and “kingdom-minded” not-for-profits, building remarkable teams is their primary mission. After serving nearly 2,000 churches in the past 10 years, Monty and his talented team of practitioners have become trusted partners with ministry leaders serving every dimension of the church in America. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TO-DO TODAY: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Commit to read at least two leadership books every year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Adopt the <i>Prime Responsibility Chart</i> at your next board meeting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, “<a href="https://www.ecfa.church/Content/Eliminate-Fuzziness-Between">Lesson 7 – Eliminate Fuzziness Between Board and Staff Roles</a>.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /><br /><br />NEXT WEDNESDAY:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">April 10, 2019, watch for the commentary by </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.vanderbloemen.com/william">William Vanderbloemen</a> on Lesson 8, "Thrive With Four Kingdom Values. Pastor Carlos said he didn’t have the spiritual gift of church board meetings!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936233827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1936233827&linkCode=as2&tag=e0b1e-20&linkId=c1e104f77a1198474cae54717579bafc">ORDER THE BOOK TODAY</a></span></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><b>BULK ORDERS: </b><a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/BulkOrderForm.aspx">Click here</a><b>.</b></span> For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, <a href="https://www.ecfa.church/LessonsChurchBoardroom/">visit the book's webpage</a>.</span>John Pearsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02097160615301404510noreply@blogger.com0