Current Governance Documents

The Governance Board (hereafter “the board”) shall be responsible for the spiritual welfare of the Church and its members. It shall have the general oversight over all aspects of the church and its ministries and shall prayerfully implement God’s will for the church.

The board derives its authority from the congregation, represents the membership in its relationship with its Senior Pastor and is ultimately responsible to the membership. As such, its decisions may be modified at a business meeting of the congregation in accordance with the rules set out in the by-laws and regulations.

The board has six responsibilities:

  1. The board is responsible for defining the “ends” of the church. An end is defined by the following question: “What outcome is the church trying to achieve for what beneficiaries at what cost?” An end is distinguished from the “means” used to achieve an end. Means are the responsibility of the Senior Pastor.

  2. The board is responsible for defining “executive limitations”. “Executive limitations” are limitations on the freedom of the Senior Pastor, preventing him from using certain means even if they would help achieve the ends of the church. Executive limitations are always stated as prohibitions.

  3. The board is responsible for setting the criteria by which the senior pastor’s performance will be evaluated and for performing the actual evaluations. The senior pastor is responsible for achieving the ends of the church while avoiding means prohibited in the executive limitations. The board shall evaluate the senior pastor on this basis alone and shall choose criteria which are suitable for making this determination.

  4. The board is responsible for designing and governing its own operation as a board in any areas not addressed by the by-laws or regulations.

  5. The board is responsible, in consultation with the property and finance coordinator and as part of the budgeting process, for determining the senior pastor’s compensation.

  6. The board is responsible for such other decisions, approvals, confirmations or actions as are delegated to the board by the bylaws or regulations.