Local Board of Administration

OVERVIEW

Purpose of the Job:

Members of the Local Board of Administration at Cucamonga Christian Fellowship (CCF) support, champion, and implement the mission and vision of the local church through accountability to the Lord, the Scriptures, and Free Methodist Church governance.

The local board of administration works in partnership with the Lead Pastor(s) to implement the vision for the church and to promote and support the church’s mission. It seeks to be guided by and strive to model the scriptural admonitions found in Matthew 28:19-20; Matthew 22:37-39; Ephesians 4:11-16; Matthew 20:25-28; John 17:20-21; that we may be presented to Christ in accordance with Ephesians 1:22-23; John 13:34-35; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Galatians 5:22-23; James 3:17; and Hebrews 12:14.
(¶ 6300 D Free Methodist Church Book of Discipline)

The responsibility of the Pastor(s), in partnership with the board, is to make provision to accomplish the mission of the church, including Christian education, evangelism, missions, church growth, and the work of stewards.
(¶ 6300 E Free Methodist Church Book of Discipline)

Appointment

A local board of administration member shall be selected by the Nominating Committee from among those being nominated to serve on the Board of Administration to be confirmed by ballot at a Town Meeting. Reviewed annually.

The local board of administration shall be composed of the lead pastors and ministry leaders as determined by the society.
(¶ 6300 B Free Methodist Church Book of Discipline)

Qualifications:
To serve as a member of the local board of administration one must:

Be a person committed to loving God, loving people, and making disciples,
Be a faithful member of CCF in attendance (in-person), in tithing and in serving,
Be committed to the Mission, Vision, Priorities, and Discipleship Path of CCF,
Be committed to the Mission, Vision, and Polity of the Free Methodist Church,
Be committed to praying for the congregation and leadership of CCF,
Exhibit the fruits and gifts of the Spirit,
Have faithful practice of spiritual disciplines, biblical study, and self-care,
Be committed to attend all board meetings,
Be an engaged and collaborative board member, with a commitment to confidentiality,
Have an understanding of managerial and leadership principles and decision-making abilities,
Be familiar with reading and understanding financial statements,
Be comfortable with evaluating complex interpersonal situations and resolving conflict,
Have experience with balancing vision and mission with resource allocation,
Have long term strategic planning experience,
Be willing to use technology for collaborative work,
Have awareness and insight of contemporary issues concerning the U.S. and global church, and
Be open to the Lord’s guidance as it pertains to board membership.

WHO DOES WHAT?

“One of the most frustrating aspects of church leadership is the tendency of boards to deal with minutiae rather than the significant matters…A core distinction between the roles of a church’s staff and its board is that day-to-day management falls to staff or key volunteers, while governance – the establishment of policy and direction – falls to the church board.” - T. J. Addington, High Impact Church Boards

Key Roles of the Church Board

Effective boards focus on rocks. “Rocks drive ministry forward, affect the whole church, concern spiritual health, and relate to doing ministry more effectively (future focused).” These include:

Values and Mission: The non-negotiables that define “who we are” and “why we exist”.
Strategic Planning: Discern where God is leading the church and how we get there.
Big Ministry Initiatives: Oversee key initiatives based on your preferred future.
Policy Guidance: Establish policies that guide the work of the church.
Spiritual Support and Oversight: Stimulate and ensure the spiritual growth and development of the entire body including interviewing and approving LMCs.
Financial Oversight and Legal Compliance: Ensure stewardship and compliance consistent with the church’s mission and strategic plan.

Key Roles of Church Staff

If boards focus on rocks, staff focus on pebbles, the day-to-day management of the church.

Day-to-day management: of the details of church life including the management of ministries, finances, property and facilities, tenants, volunteers, communication, etc.
Staff management: Hiring and firing, performance management, compensation, etc.
Design and implementation of specific ministry plans: “Boards are not good places to design programs or figure out complex problems. It is far better to delegate the task to a working group of individuals with the necessary expertise to return to the board with a recommendation for approval or tweaking. Staff teams design, boards refine.”