Business Meetings

We do ours only when necessary. We' have about 4 a year. But they are on Wednesday nights after we've prayed and had a short teaching time.

On a separate note, we don't call them business meetings because we believe the business of the church is done on Sundays and any Bible teaching times. We just call them family sessions.

Over 9 years the level of trust in the church is such that the congregation sets a goal - right now we are landscaping the outside - and the financial limits - say $10,000 - and then the bldg and grounds people take care of it. Our family times last about 15 minutes.

 

We have one on the first Sunday of September whether we need to or not.

 

We have ours the second Sunday evening of the month (usually). Ours is a time of both taking care of business - reports, committee recommendations, etc - and sharing about the good things God is doing in the different areas of our church. It is more like a testimony service than a business meeting. Every now and then there is some "real" business to take care of. Soon we're voting on a rather expensive renovation that is needed. I do believe that on the big things it's important that the church be united. We certainly don't want to undergo our renovation unless the church agrees about it.

 

As rarely as possible.

We hold one a quarter, and don't call it a business meeting. The way our church is set up our finance and personnel committees, along with staff leadership take care of all the basic stuff and we only have our laity vote on budget. Our "business meetings" are really just updates on how we're doing with our budget and so forth. All that info is readily available for members who ask for it.

If I was at a church that we in more of a rural and smaller format than I'd suggest doing it once a quarter. Also with the advent of so many options through the internet I'd arrange for internet meetings for those who didn't want to come. There are just too many options available not to work things in through the internet.

I'm not so sure business meetings as they were done last century are good for this century. One of the things I never understood growing up in a super traditional Baptist church was some members only suited up for business meetings but would never be involved beyond that point. I think that is wrong headed for us not to call them on that. Besides I never really got the format of voting on everything from people who are joining to changing the kind of toilet paper used in the stalls.

 

Any "rubber stamp congregation" can change that in a heartbeat, if it so desires.
On more than one occasion in my church the deacons have brought recommendations to the church, only to learn that a majority of members questioned them.

Truth be told, I was actually tickled to death that a usually quiet congregation was getting involved.

And boy, Pipedude did you touch a nerve with your comments about voting on membership. In fact, the pastor and deacons discussed that situation at its last meeting. I strongly believe Baptist churches should guard their doors more carefully. The failure to do so has produce bloated memberships and 30-40% member attendance. I'm with you on that one.

 

It's uncanny, mnw. My church and yours are a whole lot alike.

 

As the pastor, it is my desire to have only a few meetings a year unless something comes up that the congregation needs to approve or be given details on. The books of the church are open at all times to anyone that asks and I have a standard policy to personally explain every dollar spent outside of regular bills (lights, water, insurance, gas, and so on)

I am not afraid of meetings or accountability, it is just that I don't see the need in calling a meeting every month to handle what the officers of the church should be handling. I don't use deacons. :thumbs:

 

Our church, as it has grown, has become much more "staff-directed" with regards to day-to-day operations.

5 1/2 years ago, we had a business meeting that went long. The reason? The staff decided to go to a monthly, rather than a weekly newsletter. A stink was raised...until one of our dear old saints pointed out the silliness of the matter.

During our business meeting, new members are voted on, very brief highlight reports are given on several ministries (every 3 months there is a more comprehensive report).

As we are about to embark on a new building, there's more "details" to be hashed out...but it's been years since we had a contentious meeting. They used to all be that way.

The smartest thing our pastor ever did? He pushed through a motion that said, "ANyone who wishes to bring new business to the church must turn the item at least a week before the meeting, so that it may be on the agenda."

That did a wonderful thing...it cut out all the folks who would raise their hand every month, open their mouth, and utter random, unfixable, bitter complaints. In addition, our pastor is quite organized (all of our staff are), so when he makes a proposal, he's ready for pretty much any question that arises.

 

I'm not so concerned about the method that a church uses so much as I object to claims that it comports with the congregationalist model. In some churches the pastor doesn't present the prospective members until he has counseled with them privately and ascertained their profession of faith. Even in such a case, though, the congregation has no say if the "vote" is taken just before dismissing.

Contrariwise, if new members are voted on during the business meeting (with the prospective members not present), then the congregation is free to ask questions or to share information like "I saw that guy tending bar at the strip joint Friday night."

 

This is how we handle new members. Someone comes forward and is presented to the church as wanting to join the church by letter, statement, baptism, etc.

Usually by that time myself, and/or the deacons have talked with them, given them an information packet about the church, and discussed how/why they are joining. If not, we'll take care of it by the next business meeting. If all is well by then, the church has a chance to discuss it and then vote.

As for other "rubberstamping," we try to keep all business in its right place. Every committee, including the deacons, has its own area of responsiblilty and budget. If they are within that area, they are free to make that decision. Otherwise, it is discussed in the business meeting. We are trying very hard right now to get away from the idea that the deacons are a board of directors...or any decision making body for that matter.

 

I agree. And in no case should any candidate for membership be presented until they have met with the pastor (and maybe the deacons).