BONUS RESOURCE – How Healthy Is Your Board?

Welcome to Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog, a 40-week journey through the book, Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance, 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.

BONUS RESOURCE – ChurchBoardScore™
Assessing your board’s performance is the first step to improving it.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: 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. 

Instead, regularly investing in targeted self-assessments on the six key governance elements highlighted in the free ChurchBoardScore™ tool by ECFA will pay dividends in increasing your church board’s effectiveness! 

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from pages 219-224: 
• 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.”
• 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!
• “Progress starts only when you are clear on where you are right now. 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.”

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
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. 

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!

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 Lessons from the Church Boardroom.


THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY MICHAEL MARTIN:

MICHAEL MARTIN became president of ECFA in 2020. Both an attorney and a CPA, he had previously served on ECFA staff for nine years, most recently as Executive Vice President.

An accomplished communicator, Michael has written on both scholarly and popular levels. His authorship is probably best known from the annual Minister's Tax & Financial Guide and the Church and Nonprofit Tax & Financial Guide, 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.

Michael is passionate about helping churches and Christ-centered ministries 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.

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. 

Beginning with the 2013 edition, Michael joined Dan Busby as a co-author of the annual Zondervan Minister’s Tax & Financial Guide and the Zondervan Church and Nonprofit Tax & Financial Guide.

TO-DO TODAY: 
• Visit ChurchBoardScore™ and take a few minutes to complete the free online self-assessment.
• Share your experience and a link to ChurchBoardScore™ with your board chair to circulate the self-assessment tool among the rest of your board.
• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the bonus resource, “How Healthy Is Your Board?”

LAST WEDNESDAY: For an index to all 40 blogs and all 40 guest bloggers, visit the bonus resource posted on Nov. 27, 2019. Click here.

ORDER THE BOOK TODAY!

BULK ORDERS: Click here.  For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, visit the book's webpage.

LESSON 36 – You Made Me Better Than I Was

Welcome to Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance, 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.”

LESSON 36 OF 40 – You Made Me Better Than I Was 
Church board experiences should leave all participants better than they were.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: 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.”

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 36, pages 194-197:
• “Max De Pree said, ‘Many people seem to feel that a good board structure enables high performance. This is simply not so.’”
• “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.’”

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
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:
   • Emotionally healthy
   • Spiritually healthy
   • Relationally healthy

Before we invite people onto boards, we should discern if they are healthy in these three critical areas. Healthy board members will create healthy boardrooms.

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. 

This year, when my term ended on our church board, the elders invited me to serve in a new role—board chaplain. 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.

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.

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! This has helped us enjoy board meetings that are stimulating—not irritating! 
  
THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JIM MASTELLER:

JIM MASTELLER, D.Min., a licensed marriage and family therapist, is the founder of the Center for Individual and Family Therapy (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 Rock Harbor Church, where he now serves as elder board chaplain.

 TO-DO TODAY: 
• Discern one or two intentional next steps that will help board members in their emotional, spiritual, and relational journeys.
• 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?)
• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 36, “You Made Me Better Than I Was.”
• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums (eight cities, Fall 2019).

NEXT WEDNESDAY: On Oct. 30, 2019, watch for the commentary by Danny de Armas on Lesson 37, “Is Your Board Color-Blind to Hazardous Condition Signs?”

ORDER THE BOOK TODAY!

BULK ORDERS: Click here.  For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, visit the book's webpage.

LESSON 34 – Break Bread, Not Relationships

Welcome to Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance, 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.”

LESSON 34 OF 40 – Break Bread, Not Relationships
Building a 24/7 board culture takes time. Don’t skimp on meals or relationships.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: In Lesson 34, the authors note the three-point sermon for healthy boards: Eat with intentionality. Enjoy deeper relationships. Eliminate all distractions.

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 34, pages 183-187:
• “Food fuels fellowship and fellowship fuels deeper relationships.”
• “A friend is one who walks in when others walk out.”
• “Healthy boards commit to device-free zones.” 

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
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. 

When you sit down and eat someone’s food you show acceptance of that person. 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.

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.

My mentor, Lyle Schaller, taught the best way to build cohesion in a group is the out-of-town, overnight, shared experience together. (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. 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. 

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY WILLIAM ANKERBERG:

DR. WILLIAM ANKERBERG has served as a pastor and denominational leader for 47 years.  He is currently working as the Global Development Pastor at Journey of Faith Church in Manhattan Beach, Calif.  He also serves as the Director of Operations for Converge Southwest, an association of 120 churches.

 TO-DO TODAY: 
• Make a plan to embrace relationships at your next leadership gathering in a creative way.
• Plan an out-of-town experience for your leadership team. Include staff and board members.
• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 34, “Break Bread, Not Relationships.”
• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums (eight cities, Fall 2019).

NEXT WEDNESDAY: On October 16, 2019, watch for the commentary by Frank Borst on Lesson 35, "Common Misconceptions of Board Members. Understanding board member myths can lead to improved governing effectiveness."

ORDER THE BOOK TODAY!

BULK ORDERS: Click here.  For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, visit the book's webpage.

LESSON 33 – “Good Is the Enemy of Great”

Welcome to Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance, 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.”

LESSON 33 OF 40 – “Good Is the Enemy of Great”
When great board experiences end, they should be lamented.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: In Lesson 33, the authors urge board members to pursue great board experiences and not settle for merely good board experiences. 

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 33, pages 178-182:
• Unfazed by challenges. 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. 
• Creative thought. 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 Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't).

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
“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: 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. 

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. 

Like Tomas in Lesson 33, church boards face unrelenting challenges that require creative thinking. 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. 

This separates good boards and great boards. 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. 

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JEFFREY SALLADIN:

JEFFREY SALLADIN serves as a Lay Elder at Citizens Church in Plano, Texas, and professionally, leads the Dallas office of 49 Financial, a values-based financial planning firm. 

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. 

TO-DO TODAY: 
• 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. 
• 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. 
• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 33, “Good Is the Enemy of Great.”
• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums (eight cities, Fall 2019).






NEXT WEDNESDAY: On October 9, 2019, watch for the commentary by William Ankerberg on Lesson 34, “Break Bread, Not Relationships. Building a 24/7 board culture takes time. Don’t skimp on meals or relationships.”

ORDER THE BOOK TODAY!

BULK ORDERS: Click here.  For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, visit the book's webpage.

LESSON 32 – Loose Lips Sink the Boardroom Ship

Welcome to Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance, 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.”

LESSON 32 OF 40 – Loose Lips Sink the Boardroom Ship
What happens in the boardroom must stay in the boardroom.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: 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.

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 32, pages 173-177:
The authors suggest how to address loose-lipped board members:
• “Extend grace for the first offense. 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.”
• “Follow the two strikes rule. 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.” 

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
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. If a loose-lipped member of your board releases information—either good or bad—it can do irreparable harm to your church. 

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.

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. 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.

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY DR. DON WALTER:

Prior to his homegoing on March 26, 2019, DR. DON WALTER served as the director of Pensions and Benefits USA 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.

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.”

TO-DO TODAY: 
• Review your board policies. Do you have a confidentiality statement that the board signs annually?
• If you don’t yet have a Board Policies Manual, read Lesson 5.
• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 32, “Loose Lips Sink the Boardroom Ship.”
• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums (eight cities, Fall 2019).










NEXT WEDNESDAY: On October 2, 2019, watch for the commentary by Jeff Salladin on Lesson 33, “Good Is the Enemy of Great. When great board experiences end, they should be lamented.”

ORDER THE BOOK TODAY!

BULK ORDERS: Click here.  For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, visit the book's webpage.

LESSON 31 – Watch Out for Boards Asleep at the Wheel

Welcome to Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance, 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.”

LESSON 31 OF 40 – Watch Out for Boards Asleep at the Wheel
Golden opportunities are missed when a board’s eyes are wide shut.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: “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.

MY FAVORITE INSIGHTS from Lesson 31, pages 168-172:
Boards most often fall asleep at the wheel when they:
• “Misread the landscape. Acute discernment is necessary to sense what may be coming just around the corner.”
• “Can’t see the forest for the trees. They have checked all the boxes (the trees) and missed the big picture (the forest).”
• “Become mired in the weeds. The classic board that is asleep at the wheel is the board that spends too much of its time on operational matters.”

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
First, let’s be clear. I’m not suggesting that the board at our church has become drowsy or listless! However, Dan Busby’s cautionary warning is attention-getting! He notes that churches can “veer off course” in four specific ways:

#1. Improper use of designated (the technical term is “restricted”) gifts. 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.

#2. Disappearing reserves. This sometimes happens when boards routinely approve budgets and financial reports, yet expend money on capital items without having a capital budget. 

#3. Approving related-party transactions that are inappropriate. (See Lesson 28 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?”

#4. Leadership failure. 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.

What should your board do? “Through the commitment, dedication, and a focus on the big picture, boards can fight off mental drowsiness.”

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY CATHY BARRETT:

CATHY BARRETT is the chief financial officer at Calvary Chapel Golden Springs, 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 Martial Art of Kung Fu San Soo 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.

TO-DO TODAY: 
• As a board, read this lesson together and review the four examples where your board might be asleep at the wheel.
• Discuss “related-party” transactions at your next board meeting and view the short video included in the ECFA Governance Toolbox Series No. 3: Conflicts of Interest. (Note: Cathy Barrett portrays a “typical” board member in this video.)
• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 31, “Watch Out for Boards Asleep at the Wheel.”
• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums (eight cities, Fall 2019).






NEXT WEDNESDAY: 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.” (Note: Don Walter wrote this blog several months before his homegoing.)

ORDER THE BOOK TODAY!

BULK ORDERS: Click here.  For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, visit the book's webpage.

LESSON 30 – 7 Ways to Avoid a Financial Train Wreck

Welcome to Lessons From the Church Boardroom—The Blog, a 40-week journey through the new book, Lessons From the Church Boardroom: 40 Insights for Exceptional Governance, 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.”

LESSON 30 OF 40 – 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.

THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: 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.  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. Where would be the witness in that?! 

MY COLOR COMMENTARY:
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. 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.

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 The Four Loves. That sense of a shared vision, of shared ministry, is tremendously powerful and, at times, has financial implications. One brief example will do.

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 the church celebrated receiving more than two and one-half times the shortfall—all in cash donations members hand-delivered to the church—just that week. The average donation was less than $100.

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. 

THIS WEEK’S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY BOB FRY:

BOB FRY is an investment advisor, writer, private equity investor, Bible study teacher and Senior Gift Advisor with the National Christian Foundation of California. He is also the author of Nonprofit Investment Policies: Practical Steps for Growing Charitable Funds, and Who’s Minding the Money? An Investment Guide for Nonprofit Board Members. 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!”

TO-DO TODAY: 
• Ask each board member to describe what the church does well and why people attend.  
• Then have each board member ask their friends in the congregation that same question.
• Compare the answers and correct as needed!
• Visit the ECFA Knowledge Center and read and share the short chapter, Lesson 30, “7 Ways to Avoid a Financial Train Wreck.”
• Inspire your board members to enrich their governance competencies at the ECFA Excellence in Governance Forums (eight cities, Fall 2019).










NEXT WEDNESDAY: On Sept. 18, 2019, watch for the commentary by Cathy Barrett on Lesson 31, “Watch Out for Boards Asleep at the Wheel. Golden opportunities are missed when a board’s eyes are wide shut.”

ORDER THE BOOK TODAY!

BULK ORDERS: Click here.  For more resources and to download the book's Table of Contents, visit the book's webpage.