Pastors often face frustration when the board seeks to micromanage and things get bogged down. So often there is confusion in churches over the role of the pastor, the staff, and the board. Frequently people are trying to play the wrong position for their role.
John Kaiser takes a refreshing way of looking at church leadership in his book, Winning on Purpose. He makes a strong case for having the pastor lead, the staff manage, and the board provide oversight.
Kaiser writes about measuring results and being accountable, but in a way that allows the freedom to lead. With goals agreed upon ahead of time, the pastor is then responsible to achieve those goals. He or she must report back to the board on progress. The board provides oversight, accountability and support, but there’s no place for micromanagement or telling the pastor how to get it done. The question isn’t so much about what the pastor is doing, but about what outcomes he or she is trying to achieve.
All of this is to be done in an environment of mutual respect and affirmation. When there is freedom to lead for the pastor—along with appropriate accountability from the board based on results—churches are able to move forward effectively.
Want to learn more about how to work toward this often-elusive of harmony between pastors and their boards? Check out Winning on Purpose by John Kaiser, and get the right people working in the right positions and focused on the right things.