Accountable Leadership Model Presentation

© Mission International Research and Development 2008

The Basics of the Accountability Model

The Senior Pastor is called to lead the church. The staff (both paid and unpaid) reports to the Senior Pastor (not the congregation) and is responsible for managing the church and carrying out the implementation of the vision. The Church Board governs the Senior Pastor through Guiding Principles. The Congregation does the ministry of the church.


The Strengths of the Accountability Model

.

1. It marries responsibility and authority with accountability.

2. It promotes church unity. It stops triangulation among board & staff.

3. It functions on a high level of trust.

4. Decisions are made with relative ease and very quickly.

5. Mission/Vision fulfillment is the driving force not management.

6. The document is fluid and can change as needed.


The Problem with most church structures:

1.Most structures create a sense of anxiety…promote disunity and enable dysfunction.2. Most structures have clear lines of authority but no clear lines of accountability.3. Most structure places all the responsibility on the Pastor, but give no authority to the pastor to carry out responsibilities.4. Making difficult and timely decisions are nearly impossible because of the process.


“What Winning on Purpose can do for a congregation is to provide a system to help identify, attract, retain, and support a strong senior pastor. However, both leading that system and following it are dependent on the character and competency of the people in the system..” P. 76

From John Kaiser


“What is an appropriate response for pastors winning big on the mission question? Short answer in a free system: a big raise. Whatabout pastors who are losing big on mission? No raise and a year or less to turn around their performance to a reasonable degree. What if there is a “draw” on mission - no great gains or losses? No raise until the congregation starts winning and perhaps two or three years to make that happen.” P.104 Winning on Purpose

From John Kaiser


What does meaningful Accountability look like?

1) Board creates/revises Guiding Principles.

2) Pastor interprets Guiding Principles.

3) Staff applies Pastor’s interpretation of GP’s.

4) Pastor holds Staff accountable for application.

5) Board holds Pastor accountable

for interpretation AND application.

Adapted from Winning on Purpose by John Kaiser


Board

Pastor

Staff

Position Rhythm Functions

1) Board creates/revises Guiding Principles.

2) Pastor interprets Guiding Principles.

3) Staff applies Pastor’sInterpretation of GP’s.

4) Pastor holds Staffaccountable for application.

5) Board holds Pastor accountable for interpretation AND application.

Govern

Lead

Manage


The on-going rhythm


Positions People Functions Sports Analogy

Ministry Members Outreach first then Care for One Another

Teammates or Champions, Athletes, etc.

Management Staff Equipping and Coordination

Assistant Coaches and Specialists

Leadership Pastor Vision, Direction, and Teaching

Head Coach or Quarterback, Captain, etc.

Governance Board Accountability and Support

Commissioner, Umpire, Scorekeeper, & Cheerleader


Who plays what position?


Area ofFair PlayFreedom

AuthorizationLegitimate Actions

Boundaries and Freedom

“Touchline” (boundary)

“Touchline” (boundary)



1.Making Disciples

2.Multiplication of Leaders

3.Ministry Growth

Boundaries and Goals

Doctrine

Moral

Legal

Budget


Mission Principles

Boundary Principles

Accountability Principles

Clarifies the Object of the Game

Clarifies the Rules of the Game

Clarifies How to Keep Score

Responsibility Authority Accountability

Ends Means Oversight

Board speaks to Pastor

Board speaks to Pastor

Board speaks to Chair

Prescription Language

Prohibition Language

Process

Language

Where are we going?

How will we get there?

Are we there yet?

What are the Guiding Principles



Quarter Focus Training Status Check

Emphasis of the 1st Quarter

Connecting with Christ

Biblical Mission and Values

•Connecting with people•Updating the principles•Monitoring performance

Emphasis of the 2nd Quarter

Connecting with People

Culture and Community

•Monitoring performance•Connecting with Christ•Connecting with people

Emphasis of the 3rd Quarter

Updating the Principles

Accountability and Support

•Monitoring performance•Connecting with Christ•Connecting with People

Emphasis of the 4th Quarter

Monitoring Performance

Leadership Development

•Connecting with Christ•Connecting with people•Updating the principles

Quarterly Emphasis for Board Meetings



• Meeting more often than necessary tempts a board to manage rather than govern.

• Meeting less often than necessary tempts a board to abdicate rather than govern.

• Most boards will govern effectively by holding carefully prepared meetings.

• The staff should meet much more often than the board to coordinate the details of management.

Board Meeting Frequency



Item Part 2 Hour Version

5 Hour Version

12 Hour Version

Agenda-Based Prayer & Scripture

10% 15 min 30 min 1 hr, 15 min

Board Training 25% 30 min 1 hr, 15 min 3 hrs

Accept/Revise Consent Agenda

5% 5 min 15 min 30 min

Focus of the Meeting

50% 1 hr 1 hr, 15 min 6 hrs

Status Check of Governance Tasks


Concluding Thoughts & Prayer


Board Meeting Agenda Templates



Initial Instances

Continuing Pattern

Stubborn Persistence

Minor Lapse

Allow room for self-correction.

Ask for corrective action.

Adjust conditions to counteract.

Real Problem

Ask for corrective action.

Impose corrective action with deadlines and penalties.

Confer with District President.

Serious Offense

Confer with DP and offer rehabilitation.

Have DP advise about removal from roster.

Never allow it to get this far.

When performance problems develop in a pastor’s life or ministry



Category Goals or OutcomesCompassionate Outreach

Spiritual Formation

Weekend Services

Growth Strategies

Communication

(1) Develop and implement a plan for increasing the body’s involvement in personal evangelism.(2) Create and implement a comprehensive promotional strategy to communicate our ministry to the larger community

(1) Develop and implement the building blocks for spiritual growth and identify pathways from initial contact to full integration with spiritual formation.(2) Continue training and development of coaching systems for leadership and integration with spiritual formation.

(1) Re-imagine and implement a strategy for developing worship services that help people feel welcomed, inspired and motivated to take the next step.(2) Develop and implement a plan to create a helpful campus orientation, a positive guest atmosphere and an effective connection environment from parking lot to parking lot.

(1) Develop and implement strategies that identify, reach, attract and connect families with young children.(2) Increase and improve connectedness that draws Young Adults (22-30). (as demonstrated through growth through our six spiritual habits)

(1) Complete development of website and procedure for updating and maintaining.(2) Develop and implement procedures to improve oral, written and digital communications internally and externally.

Sample of a Church’s Goals


Sample of Pastor’s Personal Goals

Personal Category Goal or outcome

Health Working out 3 times a week

Spiritual/Disciplines Monthly check-in on scripture reading, memorization, and types of prayer

Restorative Uses vacation and comp. time yearly

Time Away Takes a 2 week block off

Counseling 2-3 counseling sessions per month to be reassessed after 6 months

Listening Skills

Quarterly non-anonymous director scorecard on pastor’s listening skills

Monthly Planning Monthly planning and reflection day


Potential Landmines1. It takes a lot of patience and time.Don’t try to do too much too soon.

2. Be prepared to answer questions and concerns from the congregation all along the journey.

3. Don’t underestimate the toll that this change will have on the pastor.

4. Remind people often about why the change is being made so that they don’t lose sight of the big picture

5. Don’t declare victory too soon

6. The administration of the process can be wearing because of the details.

7. The pastor must be ready for the spotlight to shine on him more than it has in the past.


Sample Consent Agenda Format

Consent Agenda

Board Meeting:

The officers of the board believe that each item below complies with the Guiding Principles andshould be adopted by consent. Any item marked as questionable by a board member will beremoved.

Instructions: Mark any item you believe is questionable with regard to the Guiding Principles, sign theform, and return it to the secretary or another officer prior or upon arrival at the board meeting.

Proposal Questionable

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

I hereby vote to affirm each item above except for any I have marked as questionable.

Board Member Signature: Date:

Date



Sample Agenda Item Worksheet

Board Meeting:

Board members may submit an item for the agenda by completing this work sheet.The chairperson will certify whether the item falls within the board’s written jobdescription and, if so, will schedule the discussion for an appropriate quarterly orspecial board meeting.

1. Which part of the board’s job description makes this issue a board issue?

Creating and revising our Guiding Principles

Evaluating the pastor’s progress toward fulfilling one of our Mission Principles

Identifying a violation of one of our Boundary Principles for the pastor to rectify

Connecting with people in our community in order to serve them ahead of ourselves

Connecting with Christ through prayer and study of Scripture pertinent to our role

Connecting with people in our congregation in order to help them care for one another

2. In one sentence, what is the question you want the board to address?

3. Which one of our Guiding Principles speaks most directly to this question?

4. List the alternatives you see for addressing this question and the implications or each one:

Chairperson’s initials:

certified as board work scheduled for meeting distributed to board

Date


Accountable Leadership Model Presentation

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