Chances are, if your church board functions like most, part of your mandate is to ensure the care, support and accountability of your lead pastor.
And chances are, if your church board functions like most, this vital function often gets overlooked.
Because let’s face it, this crucial role played by board members can often be awkward, and sometimes even be completely misunderstood.
On some boards the following sentiment gets inserted in a monthly board meeting agenda. With the pastor sitting at the end of the table the chairman will announce, “We will now check in with the lead pastor. So, pastor Bob… How’s it going?”
“Fine.”
“Great,” replies the chairman, crossing this item off the agenda. “Next item, repaving the parking lot…”
Here’s a practical suggestion to address this vital board function. Appoint a standing “sub-committee” whose sole purpose is the care, support and accountability of the lead pastor.
I serve on this group at our church, and this week’s coffee with our lead pastor reminded me again how important this role is.
This group, only three of us, meets four times per year with our pastor and includes:
- Performance review. No sugar coating. We celebrate successes and press for results.
- Support. To ensure his success we explore training opportunities and other resources.
- Soul Care. In this safe setting we can look him straight in the eye and find out how he is doing…really. And we can respond with whatever spiritual care he requires. We are also on official “stand-by” to respond quickly should he require immediate care or counsel.
Bottom line? This week when we asked him “So, how are you doing, really,” we actually found out. For our pastor, our board and our church, that was a win.
How do you ensure the care, support and accountability of your pastor?
