Board members of religious congregations benefit from training to make unity a priority
How does one prepare to be a member of the board of a house of worship? Moreover what qualifications should those appointed or elected to govern America’s houses of worship possess?
Most clergy are trained by attending seminary for years before they enter the arena of serving a congregation. They study theology, history, ancient texts from their faith traditions, philosophy, homiletics and pastoral care among many other classes. They receive the knowledge upon their ordination to lead the congregation. Yet, when it comes to serving on a council or board, the volunteers come to their positions from many backgrounds with expertise in varied fields of employment.
Most boards allocate funds for clergy and professional staffs to receive professional development. Boards send them to conventions with their colleagues and for special programs to work on enhancing their skills. Yet, how many congregations make board development a priority? How many boards provide retreats and other programs to strengthen the skill sets of our volunteer leaders? Should boards of faith communities invest time and resources in training the future leaders of the church, synagogue or mosque?
Besides maintaining the financial stability of the congregation, board members have other major duties to their faith communities. They are role models not so different than their spiritual leaders. They, too, are supposed to be problem solvers, and, most importantly charged with the greatest challenge, which is to maintain peace in the vineyards of God. We live in a world where the word politics is almost a profane term. In the house of worship, we like to believe we are above those kinds of battlegrounds. The truth is the opposite, because the most political places can be in the houses of worship. This may be one reason why the largest denomination of adherents in America is the unaffiliated in our ranks.
Boards who work on their skills in making shalom inside their communities and who can demonstrate that they are not a toxic congregation tend to be more successful and attract new and devoted members to their faith. The difference today is that people aren’t afraid to walk away from those communities as they might have been over the decades.
My congregation’s board of trustees recently had a retreat, and it was truly a delight to watch everyone, including myself, engaged in exercises towards revealing their intentions and dreams for what the congregation could become. With the guidance of a professional facilitator, we divided ourselves into small groups and focused on themes such as finance, membership and communication. The best part was getting away from that board conference table and breaking down those barriers to explore new ideas knowing that we are all equal and valuable to the well-being of the congregation. No judging other people and welcoming new ideas was the theme of the day.
Professional development helps build trust and mutual respect among the directors. Feeling that sense of camaraderie, and even having fun together, let alone enjoying lunch and just visiting with each other, goes a long way toward establishing the team spirit which boards need to be effective.
On today’s boards, we have trustees from business, law, education, mental health and medicine, just to name a few areas. Some think the congregation is a business and should be run that way. Others see it as a spiritual place and emphasize the specifics of the religion itself as the guiding force over standard operating procedures in the business model. And then there are others who see how the value of financial integrity and the spiritual mission must blend together and compliment each other. Being able to take a break from the daily work of building and managing a faith community to work on the big picture and identify the critical issues for the congregation makes board members more effective and benefits the congregation in the long run.
Today, faith leaders speak about the partnership between clergy and the board. An effective board which understands the core values of the congregation and appreciates the clergy, let alone the professional and administrative staff, makes for a more unified faith community. Similarly, staff who enjoy their work and respect the congregation’s financial obligations and its rules of governance will support the board too. Together, the congregation can feel that unity, and it will reflect in the way they speak of these professional and volunteer stakeholders.
In the Torah there is a story about when Moses became overwhelmed with the burden of his duties. In the Book of Exodus it is written, “Moses picked competent men from all Israel and set them as leaders over the people who were organized by the thousand, by the hundred, by 50, and by 10. They took over the everyday work of judging among the people” (18:25-27). Even then, Moses organized the first board of directors for a new faith tradition. Despite God’s instructions and presence through his journey toward the Promised Land, Moses eventually realized that he needed help to take care of the daily concerns of the people.
Today’s men and women who serve on and lead boards of directors serve their faith best when they cultivate the necessary skills to sustain their houses of worship. Religion needs the best leaders it can attract to secure the future. Board development aims to train leaders to achieve their noble and worthy goals and, in that way, grow the community they work hard for and cherish.