Single Board Model Frequently Asked Questions

Is moving to a single board model of leadership legal (allowed by the United Methodist Book of Discipline)?

Yes ¶ 247.2 of the 2016 Book of Discipline reads:

2. The charge conference, the district superintendent, and the pastor, when a pastor has been appointed (see ¶ 205.4), shall organize and administer the pastoral charge and churches according to the policies and plans herein set forth. When the membership size, program scope, mission resources, or other circumstances so require, the charge conference may, in consultation with and upon the approval of the district superintendent, modify the organizational plans, provided that the provisions of ¶ 243 are observed. Such other circumstances may include, but not be limited to, alternative models for the conception of a local church, such as coffee house ministries, mall ministries, outdoor ministries, retirement home ministries, restaurant ministries, and other emergent ways in which people can gather in God’s name to be the church.

Who needs to approve going to a single board model?

A church conference and the district superintendent must approve moving to a single board model of leadership.

What committees are effected by moving to the single board model?

All of the Administrative Committees i.e Trustees, Finance, SPR (PPR) and Church Council (or Administrative Council) all cease to exist once the single board model has gone into effect. The Lay Leadership/Nominations committee remains in place. Other ministry committees such as Children’s Committee, Evangelism or other hands on committees do notgo away. Although this is a good time to evaluate the overall structure of the entire church leadership and consider creating a new overall structure.

How many people should be on the board?

The Center for Congregational Excellence (CCE) recommends a total of nine-twelve people make up the New Board. Further, it is recommended that the Sr. Pastor be a voting member but never the chair of the Board.

Can other church staff be on the New Board?

Every church situation is unique, but as a general rule the CCE recommends that other than the Sr. Pastor other paid church staff can have a voice but no vote on the New Board.

Why should our church consider this change?

Many churches in the in United Methodist churches have made this change and find that it allows for more nimble decision making, it allows the leadership of the church to focus on the big picture view of making disciples of Jesus Christ and it pushes the day to day management of ministry out to where it belongs with the pastor, staff and hands on volunteers.

What is the New Board called?

The church can call the new single board whatever it wants. However, this style of leadership is not unknown in the Methodist church. In the 1930’s and 1940” s there was a group of leaders called the Board of Stewards that were the governance for the Methodist churches of that era. “Leadership Table” is a good option (board=table; “table” is a good biblical and ecclesiastical word that connects us to our table of Holy Communion)

What are the rules for the New Single Board?

The New Board has the ability to create the operating rules for the church. The CCE recommends that there be in essence two sets of rules. The first set we call Organizing Documents (or “founding documents”, i.e., by-laws) and we recommend that they can only be changed by the approval of a Church Conference. The second set of rules can be called whatever the church wants to call them, but they are “operating guidelines” (policy manual) for how the Board, the Pastor, the Church Staff and the Congregation will interact. The board will, with these operating guidelines, set the boundary rules for all of the entities that make up the church. These rules should not try to include rules for every conceivable situation, but should instead be rather broad in its writing. The operating guidelines can be changed by a majority vote of the new board.

Single Board Model of Governance Brings Benefits toCongregations of all Sizes
Article from the Texas Conference – Read here.

Sample Organizing Documents for the Single Board Model

It is recommended that at the Church Conference voting on the Single Board Model that these rules (or ones similar) be voted on by the church conference and that once approved these rules may only be changed by a majority vote at a church conference.

In accordance with ¶244 and ¶247.2 of the 2012 Book of Discipline Last United Methodist Church, Anywhere, Texas in order to more effectively complete its mission of making disciples for Jesus Christ has made the choice to move to an alternate form of governance. The church is choosing to place the functions of the former administrative committees (Staff Parish Relations (Pastor Parish Relations), Trustees, Finance Committee and Administrative Council) into a single board. All of the functions of these former Administrative Committees will be handled by this single board. This does not include the Nominations/Lay Leadership Committee. This committee will remain in place and function as outlined in ¶ 258.1. These are the rules under which the Board, the Sr. Pastor, Staff and Congregation will function effective XX/XX/XXXX.

1)This single board will be named The Board of Stewards (This is only an example you may pick any name that is relevant to your congregation/vision and mission).

2)This board will be made up of nine (or thirteen, or fifteen) members of the church (each church should decide on the best number for its particular context) and the Sr. Pastor, each individual having one vote. The Chairperson of the board shall not be the Pastor, but one of the nine other members. Only one person from an immediate family shall serve on the board. (Here one can choose to have the Chair elected at the annual church conference or as the Trustees do in the old system elect their own chair) (Also, other paid staff e.g. church administrator or other clergy may be a part of the committee with voice but no vote.)

3)Except for at the initial creation of the board, and the Sr. Pastor each member shall serve a term of three years and shall not immediately repeat a three-year term, but can serve as a member of the board once they have not served on the board for two consecutive years. (Again, this is only an example and each church may choose its own length of service)

4)In the event that a board member is unable to fulfill her/his three-year term the Board in conjunction with the Nominations/Lay Leadership committee and a majority vote shall fill the vacancy with an eligible church member to serve the remainder of the vacating member’s term. The choice of this person will be voted on at the next annual Church Conference along with the new board members rotating on. (This is only an example and your church may choose some other way of handling vacancies)

5)A quorum shall be considered more than 50% of the voting members. No business shall be conducted if a quorum is not present. There are no proxies. In the case of email voting all voting members must be included in the email and a majority of responses for or against will be all that is needed to consider a vote binding. (This is only an example and your church may choose some other method)

6)The board will meet at least quarterly. It shall meet additionally at the request of Bishop, the District Superintendent, the Pastor, the chairperson of the committee or any other member of the committee. The Board shall meet only with the knowledge of the Sr. Pastor or District Superintendent. The Sr. Pastor shall be present at all meetings unless he/she voluntarily excuses his/her self. The Board may meet with the District Superintendent without the Sr. Pastor present as long as the Sr. Pastor is informed in advance of such meeting and shall be brought into consultation immediately thereafter. (This comes almost verbatim from ¶258.2 e) as it relates to SPR committees. It is highly recommended that this or similar rule is put in place as to avoid the board meeting without the Pastor without his/her knowledge or consent.)

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A Sample of Broad Operating Guidelines

These are the operating guidelines under which the Board, Pastor, Staff and Congregation shall operate. These guidelines may be change by a majority vote of the Board.

Principles and Boundaries:

1)The Sr. Pastor shall not cause or allow any practice, activity, decision or organizational circumstance that is unlawful, imprudent, unethical or un-scriptural.

2)The Board’s responsibility to God on behalf of people in our community who need the saving grace of Christ’s love and to those who have joined this church to reach those who need Christ’s love is to, through the leadership of the senior pastor ensure that this body of Christ

  1. fulfills its mission and vision
  2. Functions within its rules and guiding principles

3)The staff’s responsibility is to work with the Sr. Pastor to equip, train and recruit the People for the effective completion of its mission and vision.

4)The Congregation’s responsibility to God is to go out into the community, and their everyday life to share and invite others in the community to receive Christ’s saving grace and love.

Ashford United Methodist Church

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Ashford United Methodist Church is organized under the United Methodist Book of Discipline, with administrative authority vested in the Ashford Board. The Senior Pastor is the spiritual leader and the executive officer of the Church.

MISSION PRINCIPLE:

Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of our community and the world.

VISION PRINCIPLE:

Love, Bless, and Teach others as we unite hearts to transform the world.

BOARD:

  1. The Ashford Board (“Board”) shall function in the role of the governing body of the Church. The essential responsibilities of the Board are to serve both the congregation and the community, to define the Guiding Principles with emphasis on strategic leadership rather than administrative detail, and to monitor the performance of the Senior Pastor. In addition, the Board shall exercise
  2. the authority granted to it by the Book of Discipline of the UMC.
  3. The Board shall maintain an outward vision, strive for collective decision making, and place emphasis on the future rather than the past or present. They shall prescribe the mission to be achieved and the boundaries within which to operate
  4. The Board shall include in its membership a Chairperson, Lay Leader, Secretary, and one or more Finance representatives. The Secretary must maintain accurate minutes of all meetings, and store all materials and documents appropriately.
  5. Each member of the Board must be a member of the church, shall not be an immediate family member of the pastor, employees, or other Board members. Upon recommendation and approval by two-thirds (2/3) of the Board, a member may be removed for cause, including excessive absenteeism or any other act or inaction deemed to be detrimental to the accomplishment of the
  6. Guiding Principles. Any vacancy shall be filled by the Board, and the person selected shall serve for the full unexpired term of the replaced member.
  7. The Board membership will serve staggering terms with no more than one-third (1/3) of the membership’s term ending in any one year. Therefore, the first elected Board will have four members serving a one year term, four members serving a two year term and four members serving a three year term.
  8. Each Board member shall be expected to attend all meetings, held quarterly, at a minimum. Should a member be unable to be present, the Chairperson must be notified. A quorum will be considered when two-thirds (2/3) of the members are present. The Senior Pastor is not included in determining a quorum, and may vote only in case of a tie. In the event a Board member is absent for three or more unexcused absences, the Chairperson will address the situation.
  9. All Board meetings shall be open meetings for the congregational (church) members. A written notice of such meetings including the agenda will be given to each Board member not less than ten days before the date of the meeting. Such agenda and notice shall also be posted in the church office and on the website. Those who wish to address the Board should notify the Chair or the Senior Pastor one week in advance. Meetings shall be closed only when the
  10. Board must go into an executive session.
  11. Each Board member, other than the Senior Pastor, is entitled to vote if present at the Board meeting or if that member has provided a Proxy to another member. In the event of a required vote on matters outside of a scheduled meeting, voting will be permitted using electronic means (i.e. email).
  12. The Chairperson and the Senior Pastor shall ensure that members of the Board are fully aware of their responsibilities and roles. They shall prepare and coordinate the meeting agenda, communicating in advance to the Board the times and locations.
  13. The Board shall review the results achieved by the Senior Pastor annually as the basis for reward for positive results. These results include both those achieved with reference to annual goals and those achieved in addition to annual goals.
  14. The compensation (salary and benefits) of the Senior Pastor shall be decided by the Board.

PASTOR:

  1. The Senior Pastor has the responsibility, authority, and accountability to serve as the primary leader of AUMC. The Senior Pastor may use any reasonable interpretation of these Principles in carrying out the mission of the church. Consequently, the Pastor shall not fail to uphold high standards of biblical teaching and morality according to the UMC Book of Discipline.
  2. The Senior Pastor is the Board’s only link to operational achievement and conduct, so that all authority and accountability of the staff, as far as the Board is concerned, is considered the authority and accountability of the senior pastor. Job descriptions for all staff positions must be developed and maintained. All increases to salary/pay or benefits to the staff must be included in the annual budget, and any pay increase exceeding 5% must have prior approval of the Board.
  3. The Senior Pastor shall oversee the development of the yearly budget reflecting the mission of AUMC, consult staff and financial leaders as needed, and present the budget to the Board for review and approval. The finance manager shall submit a monthly financial report to the Senior Pastor.
  4. All deviations from the budget must be approved by the Senior Pastor. The Senior Pastor shall inform the member of the Board designated to address finances of any budget expenditures in excess of 2% of total budget.
  5. The Senior Pastor must write measurable goals each year that correspond to the mission statement and prescriptions, present those goals to the Board, and provide quarterly updates on the progress.
  6. The Senior Pastor shall not allow the assets of the church to be unprotected, inadequately maintained, or unnecessarily risked. The Senior Pastor shall not fail to inform the Board of significant financial issues regarding the maintenance and protection of the assets of the church, and cannot acquire or dispose of real property unless authorized by the Board, the congregation and district and conference as required.
  7. In order to provide the necessary specialized expertise in certain areas, the Pastor shall consult resources outside of the church staff as necessary, following approval of the Board.
  8. The Senior Pastor will be instructed by the Board though written principles prescribing the mission to be achieved, allowing the pastor to use any reasonable interpretation of these principles. Only decisions of the Board as a whole are binding on the Senior Pastor.
  9. In the event of a pending pastoral change, the current Senior Pastor shall inform the Board of issues pending and processes involving the entire operation of the church, allowing sufficient time in advance to resolve any needed concerns.
  10. The Pastor’s compensation package is set by the Board and approved by the Church at charge conference.
  11. The Senior Pastor will be required to report to the Board on compliance with these Guiding Principles at each annual performance review and to affirm or give evidence of compliance upon request by the Board at any time.

SIMPLIFIED ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

Single Board and Accountable Leadership Model

A Guide for the Churches of the Oklahoma Annual Conference

(Also referred to as Simplified or Streamlined “Governance”)Ordering the churches governance, management, and ministry

  1. Why?
  2. It can free up more persons for engagement in ministry rather than administration.
  3. It can create a healthier, more missionally focused and responsive leadership environment and process.
  4. Simplified governance with leadership accountability is one of the key factors of churches that enter into new lifecycles of vitality (Farr/Kotan, Renovate, pp.108-09)
  5. Main Point:
    ““The church [that renovates into a new lifecycle of vitality] enjoys streamlined [or simplified] structures that include a more permission-giving environment than most mainline churches,” and implements appropriate leadership accountability. ~ Farr’s # 4 of the 6 factors, Renovate, pp.108-09
  6. Key points: with regard to churches that enter into new lifecycles of vitality:
  7. “Develop internal systems that are conducive to the outcomes they desire.”
  8. “Organizational structures motivate and cultivate ministry rather than stifling and restraining creativity and energy.”
    (Farr, 108-09)
  9. Administrative structure, governance and organization are “more agile and responsive than most churches.”
  10. Leadership Accountability is informed by and aligned with faithfulness to fruitful ministry more than adherence to rules. “The church will go to the [simplified, single board,]accountability leadership model for the staff and structure of the church. Staff (paid and unpaid) and lay teams will set goals and be held accountable to fulfill those goals based on the mission and vision of the church. In this model, the board governs, the pastor leads, the staff (paid and unpaid) manage, and the congregation does “hands-on” ministry.(Farr, Bob; Kotan, Kay (2015-04-21).Ten Prescriptions for a Healthy Church (Kindle Locations 2296-2301). Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition. Emphasis added.)

Important Essential Points to Note! Please attend to these!