Missional Leadership: A Model for Governance and Ministry Church Council Presentation by Pastor Austin March 25, 2019 VBC’s Missional Priorities In March 2017, we adopted a bold vision for the future of our church. Our new mission statement, changing lives and transforming our community with the love of God , led us to prioritize growing disciples and local missions. Since then, we have started or expanded many local mission projects including Generosity Feeds, afterschool mentoring at Cunningham Park Elementary School (CPES), a bus service restoration campaign, and special projects with CPES. Our missions focus has made a tremendous impact in our local community and helped VBC to develop new relationships with our neighbors. In the coming years, we will continue to expand our community-focused missions to serve more of our neighbors in need and enhance VBC’s public witness. As part of our focus on growing disciples, a new “Connections Team” was formed to create an intentional ministry of welcoming new people into our community and helping them get connected to our ministries. So far, almost 20 people have participated in our Connections classes and we have welcomed 5 new members into the life of the church. The pastoral staff has also focused their time on developing the growing group of young families in our congregation. Currently, one of Pastor Austin’s ministry priorities is developing a comprehensive strategy for thriving discipleship to help everyone at VBC grow in their faith. The work of the financial strategy team and our decision to sell the Lost River Retreat Center last year were driven by the commitment to create a sustainable financial plan so we could continue pursuing God’s mission for our church. We believed that by paying off our mortgage we would be freed from debt so that we could be freed for mission. This year, we are continuing our work to improve VBC’s financial health so that we will have the resources necessary to invest in this exciting chapter of mission and ministry. We want to continue to grow in our intentionality in the area of church growth , recognizing that there are many people in our community longing for a faith community like VBC. Growing in Mission There is no such thing as growth without change. A caterpillar does not become a butterfly without embracing the messy excitement of transformational change in the cocoon. In the same way, Vienna Baptist cannot grow in our missions and ministries without embracing change. Currently, one of the areas where we must recognize a need for change is our governance model. Our current structure, implemented in 2012, is based upon the governance model that was used by VBC throughout much of our early history. When Pastor Austin took office in September 2014, the organizational structure required 20 committees and 82 elected leadership positions at a time when our average attendance was about 120 people. Recognizing that the size of the governance structure was not right-sized for our current congregation, the Nominating Committee and Church Council have worked together over the past few years to create a simpler committee structure. Today, the organizational 1
structure requires 11 standing committees/groups and 52 elected leadership positions at a time when average attendance is about 110 people. Although we have simplified the governance structure, it remains oversized and creates many burdens on church leaders. Problems typically arise due to the complex decision-making process and large number of people required to make management decisions. For instance, in the fall a chiller pump that served the Education wing’s HVAC system broke. The problem was identified by staff members who also discussed the current building needs and possible interim solutions. The Building & Grounds Committee was enlisted to retrieve three bids for a new chiller pump, the logistics of which required staff participation. Once bids and timelines were coordinated, the group sent their recommendation to the Financial Administration Committee for review. The committee needed a full briefing on the nature of the problem, solutions proposed, and bids reviewed in order to properly conduct their work. Since the price of the repair required a special distribution of funds, a special Budget Council session was called to approve repairs and funding. Then the staff, Building and Grounds chair, and a Church Trustee all had to coordinate with one another for scheduling the repair and signing contracts. As a result, in total 35 people, or one-third of a Sunday morning worship service, needed to be involved in the decision-making process to restore cool air to the Education wing. 1 If you are exhausted after reading this paragraph, imagine how our staff and lay leaders felt! As a church leader, perhaps you have your own stories of navigating our large committee structure in order to accomplish your work. The complexity of decision-making and the administrative burden of our current model are taking time away from the Lead Pastor’s and church leaders’ ability to focus on VBC’s priorities of community- focused missions, thriving discipleship, and church growth. We must consider what is more important to us: our leaders spending time navigating bureaucracy or advancing our mission? If a change is not made in the near future, our church will not be able to devote the time and energy necessary to fulfill our bold strategic goals for our church. As a result, this proposal is not about a governance change for its own sake. It is about building a leadership structure that best serves the church and advances our mission. Simply put, our goal is to create a governance model “kept as simple as possible so that it can function efficiently, trying to allocate human resources wisely by forming committees that are not too large or numerous for the congregation but large enough to allow for a democratic process.” 2 Organizing for Mission Before presenting a renewed model for governance and ministry, it is important to recognize the recent history of governance change at Vienna Baptist. Since 2002, Vienna Baptist has undergone two significant governance changes: The first, implemented in July 2002, led to the team-based model and the creation of the Leadership Team. While the change alleviated the burden of an oversized organizational chart (148 spots) and a complex committee structure (27 committees), it also produced unique challenges. Primary concerns were a lack of accountability at all levels, a lack of clarity in authority and decision-making, and a lack of transparent communication. The structure was also not able to provide effective leadership during times of congregational conflict and pastoral leadership transitions. As a result, in October 2013, the congregation approved the current organizational design, modeled after the 2001 Organizational Manual. While we recognize a need for organizational change in order to invest in the growth of our mission and ministry, our priorities for governance remain the same: clear and transparent leadership, mutual accountability, efficient decision making, effective oversight, and congregation-based authority. Any 1 4 staff members, 3 Building & Grounds members, 7 Financial Administration members, and 21 Church Council members 2 Maring, Norman H., and Winthrop S. Hudson. A Baptist Manual of Polity and Practice . Edited by David Gregg. 2nd ed. (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2012), 141. 2
proposal which does not meet these standards will not be approved by church leaders and the congregation. A Renewed Model for Governance and Ministry A fundamental law of leadership is that no group rises higher or moves beyond its leadership. There are many great resources devoted to helping churches and non-profits organize their leadership in ways that help the congregation climb higher and move closer to fulfilling God’s vision. The renewed model for governance and ministry outlined below relies heavily on two resources: Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership (Second Edition) by Dan Hotchkiss and The Handbook of Nonprofit Governance published by BoardSource. Before examining the proposed model, it is important to establish a shared understanding of the key terms and concepts that serve as the foundation for subsequent recommendations. We will use the figure below as a guide to our discussion. The Mission Comes First – The highest authority in our church is God’s mission for Vienna Baptist. Everything we do, from daily operational decisions to strategic mission priorities, is rooted in our shared understanding of who God is calling us to be and what God is calling us to do. Our mission statement of changing lives and transforming our community is much more than a catchphrase; it is the standard by which we evaluate every decision in mission and ministry. Governance – Governance includes top-level tasks of articulating mission, selecting strategies for getting there, making sure the strategy is followed, and ensuring that people and property are protected against harm. Governance produces mission statements, minutes, policies, strategic goals, and lists of core values. Ministry – Ministry is the daily work of building a community, managing resources, and changing lives. Ministry brings into being worship services, study groups, mission trips, service projects, mowed lawns, happy children, and renewed hope. Although it borders on oversimplification, a helpful summary may be that governance produces words on paper and ministry produces action . 3
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