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The Missing Board Member
For years, we had church members and staff members serving on Life Church’s board. Once we decided to add other senior pastors, our board became increasingly effective.
If you are developing your own personal board, it could be that you are missing an important person.
Perhaps you are missing:
- A spiritual mentor—The spiritual mentor is one who has walked with Christ longer than you and can help you grow deeper.
- A financial adviser—Even if you are good with money, you’d be wise to seek advice from someone who is great.
- A futurist—All of us need someone who can help us see and create our futures.
- A barrier remover—Some people have the ability to help remove obstacles from our path.
- A connector—Most valuable relationships I have today came from an introduction from a friend. Most of my most strategic ministry friendships can be traced back to a few connectors.
- A spouse—Even though you might be married, you may not be taking advice from your spouse. If you aren’t, start!
Who is missing? What are you going to do about it?
Who is missing at your table?
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I need to find a futurist (wonder if Erwin McManus is available :) ) and a financial person. I really need to begin to look around and see if I can find people who would really fit into those roles.
Jim, Erwin would be my pick as well. He’s brilliant!
I have been inventorying my life of these advisers for the past few months. I am praying for people to come into my life and seeking them out as the Spirit leads. Eventually this will be in place, for now I wait. Good way of assessing personal spiritual growth.
I’ve been so blessed to read the blog and podcast the sermons from Life Church.tv. Loving “The Ghost.” Have been reading up on this for the past month. Sermons are bringing some clarity to my searching and understanding. Be blessed.
I think we (I) need a child and/or teen at the table. Someone that still believes that his Daddy can beat up anyone! Jesus said we have to be childlike to enter the Kingdom - this isn’t a call for us to behave immaturely but rather with total trust, unbridled passion, contagious joy, monstrous faith and uncontrollable laughter. We need this around our tables!
~ I’m not just suggesting being ‘childlike’ but instead, bring them in … they’ll color outside the lines, they’ll interrupt with songs, they’ll make honest observations about our hair, shirts, adult talk; they’ll make us take recess and fly paper airplanes… they’ll remind us the God is REALLY REAL, SUPER STRONG and ALWAYS THERE!
Is this too crazy? Not sure… but, I’m gonna try it!
Could you go into more detail about the “barrier remover”…thanks
I like Chilly’s idea of having a younger person, a teen or someone like that. When people grow older, very often we are our own obstacles and cannot see the reservoir of resources our Father has.
After reading this over a few more times, I’m wondering how to find mentors. I’m open to waiting for God to show me, but maybe I could be doing something while I am actively patient. Any suggestions?
Love Chilly’s comments. K Magazine did an article on the value of having “reverse mentors” or young people who help you see how you do (or more likely don’t) relate to their generation. We simply cannot predict their view from an older mindset no matter what stores we shop at. :) That’s what I need to add.
As a young person who has served on the board of a megachurch, I love what many of you are suggesting with having a young person on the board. However, if I could, I would encourage you to be very intentional with how you incorporate that person - it may well be the first board that they work on, and therefore something that they are not familiar with. If you are going to have young people on your boards, you had better train them, and you have to actually listen to them (or give them reasons as to why you aren’t listening to them) - incorporating young people could potentially raise up future leaders, but done poorly, could also turn those leaders off of the Church.