Are ministry leaders on your Church Board?

[piaairline]

Hello! Our church is small but growing. One of the things that we are stuck recently is the inclusion/exclusion of the ministry leaders on the Church Board. Specifically, we are confused about whether leaders from the children ministry, student ministry and family ministry shoud be on the Church Board. Please share you experience and help us to clear the confusion. Thank you

 

[rbell]

What does your church board do? How does it function? How you answer this dictates how I would answer your question...

 

[piaairline]

The church board decides on major issues pertaining to the church events, finance, evangelical events, outreach, fellowships, children ministry, youth ministry, Sunday school ministry. Are these helpful?

 

[rbell]

If the board has a say on issues such as children's ministry or youth ministry, it would only seem right to have some leadership from those areas represented.

 

[PJ]

Our church council is comprised of department directors. We discuss topics and make suggestions in the areas you've mentioned, then take them to the monthly business meeting for possible action. We don't have a "board." Hope this helps ...

 

[donnA]

We don't have a board. Each ministry has a leader and they report to the pastor and deacons,and at the business meetings. Some of the ministries have chosen to have council, like parent council for the youth ministry.

 

[rbell]

You'll find a multiplicity of ways to "do church" here on this board. But, I always feel that those who have a passion and giftedness, and are recognized by the church as leaders in a particular area, should be allowed to lead.

That's why I would lean toward putting leadership from youth & children's ministry on the particular church's church council.

I tend to get nervous when people without my giftedness, passion, and experience are "running" the ministry that I'm in charge of.

It sounds to me like the leaders from this church's student & children's ministry should be on the council.

 

[donnA]

Originally posted by rbell:
You'll find a multiplicity of ways to "do church" here on this board. But, I always feel that those who have a passion and giftedness, and are recognized by the church as leaders in a particular area, should be allowed to lead.

That's why I would lean toward putting leadership from youth & children's ministry on the particular church's church council.

I tend to get nervous when people without my giftedness, passion, and experience are "running" the ministry that I'm in charge of.

It sounds to me like the leaders from this church's student & children's ministry should be on the council.

I just love this, we should mail this to everyone!

 

[piaairline]

Thank you rbell for pointing out the need of gifts, passion and experience for running the ministry! Question:

What about someone who is gifted and experience, but disagree with the Pastor on many issues? (The pastor is on the Church Board and every committees)

Thank you.

 

[StraightAndNarrow]

Originally posted by piaairline:
Hello! Our church is small but growing. One of the things that we are stuck recently is the inclusion/exclusion of the ministry leaders on the Church Board. Specifically, we are confused about whether leaders from the children ministry, student ministry and family ministry shoud be on the Church Board. Please share you experience and help us to clear the confusion. Thank you

Your church is small but you have:

1) A Pastor

2) Minister of Music (?)

3) Children's Minister

4) Student Minister

5) Family Minister

Just curious as to what you call small.

 

[piaairline]

It's 150 small comparable to many of the churches mentioned here? I thought so...

 

[Tom Butler]

piaairline said:

What about someone who is gifted and experienced, but disagrees with the Pastor on many issues? (The pastor is on the Church Board and every committees)

Then you have a problem. Our deacons operate under the philosophy that the pastor is the one who must give account to God. Therefore, he gets the benefit of the doubt. If the deacons propose something and the pastor doesn't think it's a good idea, it doesn't get done.

On the other hand, a perceptive pastor who detects deacon reluctance toward something he wants to do will think twice before ramming it through, even if the deacons are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.