"A Kinder, Gentler Board Meeting"
Charles M. Olsen
The boardroom can be a place for spiritual growth. But it calls for a change in how we approach our board work.
—Charles M. Olsen
Have you ever thought about what happens to former church officers? After hearing layleaders say about their term, "I'm glad it's almost over" or "Whew, I made it" or "Never again," I began asking why. I also noticed that a significant number of former church officers became inactive or dropped out of the church.
Recently, Set Apart Lay Leaders, a project aimed at revitalizing church boards, polled more than 600 board members. Nearly a third—29 percent—indicated they left "tired, weary, and burned out." They had come asking for bread and were given a stone.
One board member said, "The last three presidents of the church board in our church have dropped out of activity in the church within six months of their term."
Another said, "We were looking for three new council members and went through sixty-three names before we heard our third yes."
What frustrated them about serving on the church board? Here are some comments that reveal deep frustration.
"How burned out I feel. My last year was my most unproductive one."
"How secular it is. We spend more time discussing leaky toilets than why our church is slowly dying due to no growth or vision."
"The lack of interest in pursuing God together. Prayer is a formality, not a way to seek his purpose and plan."
"The lack of concern for seeking Christ's guidance versus following our own personal agendas."
Can serving on a church board truly be life-giving instead of life-draining? Can board meetings actually become "worshipful work"?
Spiritual Focus
I believe board meetings can become worshipful work, and I've devoted the past three years to working with a group of churches ...
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