Meetings are a part of ministry. But they don’t have to be as dreaded (and dreadful) as we imagine.
Dave Beckwith is the author of God Meetings: An Awakening in the Board Room. In this article, which is a summary of his book, he walks us through some of the first steps in that turnaround.
For more info, you can also listen to How to Turn Board Meetings Into God Meetings, with Dave Beckwith (Ep 057) on the Church Lobby podcast.
—Karl Vaters
When interacting with church leaders, I frequently hear their disillusionment and frustration with board meetings. “Seems like we just spin our wheels.” “The pastor tells us his plan, expecting us to rubber-stamp it. Why do I waste my time going to a meeting?” “I get tired of the conflict and nitpicking over trivial issues. We sometimes have heated arguments and hurt feelings.”
After listening to their woes for a while, the room grows quiet, so I suggest a solution: “Why don’t you cancel board meetings?”
“What?” Stunned—they don’t know whether to cheer or choke.
Some like the idea. Others ask, “Are you serious?” My reply, “Yes, board meetings seem to be a waste of time, so why not cancel them.” Then someone—usually a duty-bound, die-hard loyalist—pipes up, “If we cancel board meetings, how are we going to get the work done?”
Before explaining a biblical alternative, I raise this question.
Are Board Meetings Biblical?
If you check your Bible, you won’t find the phrase “board meeting,” nor do you find the word “board” referring to people meeting together. The meeting in Acts 15 may resemble a board meeting in some respects, but there are unique differences.
If board meetings aren’t in the Bible, when and how did this practice get started? In the sixteenth century, boarders were house guests who typically ate together and hobnobbed around a table made of boards. By the early seventeenth century, those deliberating and discussing issues while sitting around a wooden table made of boards came to be called “the board.” This led to the expression “above board” or honest in contrast to “under the table” or dishonest. The full phrase, “board of directors,” did not appear until 1712.
Today, a board meeting has become a common designation for deliberating groups around the world. A church board meeting is not necessarily a bad thing, but too often it mirrors the world’s way of operating.
Why Training Your Team is a Must
The book God Meetings, with fifteen videos by highly respected Christian leaders from across the country, is a strategic and simple tool to train your team. But why is this important? What problems does it resolve?
1. Up to 80 percent of board members report their spiritual life decreased while serving
Dr. Robert Munger, author of the best-selling My Heart—Christ’s Home and a former professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, did a survey asking, “Since serving on a church board, do you feel your spiritual life has improved or declined?” A shocking 80 percent of board members said their spiritual life declined. Eighty percent? If this were 30 percent, I would be deeply concerned. Eighty percent is tragic.
This is a flashing red light on the church health dashboard. Something is seriously wrong! How can people do God’s work while growing more distant in their relationship with him? We can’t serve God when our spiritual lives are in a tailspin.
Invest in the spiritual life of your leaders so they grow deeper in their walk with God while serving.
2. The leading reason pastors resign is leadership conflict
Over 60 percent of pastors identify control issues and resistance to their leadership as the number one reason they left the church they were serving.
Dr. Larry Osborne, author of Sticky Teams and a speaker in the God Meetings Videos, says, “If you don’t have a healthy board, you’ll never have a healthy church.” In the videos, Larry describes the three years it took to build a healthy team.
Train your team … and transform your ministry.
3. Board members get trained someplace … and that’s the problem
Most learn board behavior from the political or business worlds, which are often characterized by selfish ambition, jostling for power, infighting, backstabbing, and jealousy.
Following a business model, some leaders conclude if you’re not growing 15 to 25 percent annually it’s time to dump the senior leader and get someone who is going to make things happen. Coups are all too common.
There are many helpful things to learn from the business world, but James warns that the world’s “wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (James 3:15-16 NASB). Demonic influence in the boardroom? Sadly, it is true.
In sharp contrast to pushy, domineering leaders, Jesus said, “You know officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,” (Matt 20:25-26 NLT).
Grab hold of the key phrase, “among you it will be different.” Distinctly different. Radically different! Not a dressed-up, warmed-over Christian version of the world’s system.
Prevent the wrong people from getting in positions of power and prevent divisiveness and power struggles.
4. The danger of a “perfect storm” and ministry shipwreck
Few board members understand the unique pressures of pastoral ministry. When I come alongside a pastor being hammered by what I call the “perfect storm”—unrealistic expectations, an unrealistic schedule, and the pressure of unrealistic success—I know they are a candidate to crash or quit.
Burnout, moral failure, and fractured pastoral families are occurring at an alarming rate.
5. The trivia trap
Trivia is the enemy of the eternal, sucking up our most valuable possession—time. John Carver states, “In my experience, most of what the majority of boards do either does not need to be done or is a waste of time when done by the board. Conversely, most of what boards need to do for strategic leadership is not done.”
Management expert Peter Drucker said, “There is one thing that all boards have in common, regardless of their legal position. They do not function. The decline of the board is a universal phenomenon of this century.”
Board meetings are often dominated by personal opinions and preferences, bemoaning the past, and wrangling over people’s complaints.
God meetings are focused on personal surrender, discovering God’s will, and anticipating what God will do.
6. The problem of the lonely quarterback
I have often thought of the role of the senior or lead pastor somewhat like a football quarterback. The quarterback or pastor is not the coach nor the owner of the team—that’s Jesus. However, the pastor, like a quarterback, serves a crucial role—calling plays, throwing passes, and sometimes running the ball.
If a gifted quarterback has a half-hearted team or players opposed to him, he may have a great throwing arm, but he’s going to eat a lot of turf. Quarterbacks and pastors are no stronger than the team surrounding them.
Build an effective team to move the ministry forward.
How to Train Your Team
Here are two options for training your team. Plan a Board Breakfast or a similar gathering to build relationships. This is the format I suggest as you cover one chapter each time you meet: 1) participants read the chapter in advance; 2) when you gather, view the video; and 3) discuss selected questions at the end of the chapter for a lively discussion.
Or schedule a Leadership Retreat. Two retreat formats are available in the third edition of God Meetings: “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work” and “Healthy Leadership for a Thriving Ministry.”
New board members? Have them complete the videos and read the book. They will join your team in step with the others and ready to serve.
God Meetings: The Fireplace for Revival
In these dark days, churches need a fresh awakening. What stands in the way of revival?
One of the major obstacles is the behavior of leaders in traditional board meetings. In too many cases, the Holy Spirit has little influence as the elected leaders assume power and authority, muscling their way through to reach their own goals.
God meetings are the fireplace to ignite the flames for revival. When leaders humble themselves before God, confess sinful behavior, develop tender hearts, allow the Holy Spirit to direct their meetings, and lead the church with humility, it ignites a spark that impacts the entire church.
Jesus, speaking of the last days, said, “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold” (Matt 24:12 NLT).
It’s cold and getting colder. Let’s light the fireplace.
(Photo by Gareth Simpson | Flickr)
