Governance and Ministry

hands in a pile Vital and vibrant ministry depends on effective governance. And boards lie at the heart of good governance and leadership. Congregational boards go under various names, including the vestry, session, council, trustees, and directors. The board's primary purpose lies in mission--serving the congregation's call, purpose, and identity. The key governance question is: "What is our process for deciding to make major change, empowering people to make it happen, and holding them accountable for the results?

The articles below are adapted from Dan Hotchkiss' new book, Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership.

Why Governance Matters

How is governance and ministry interconnected? Why is good congregational governance so important? Read on...

How Congregations Organize

Though congregations are remarkably diverse in many ways, three structures predominate how they tend to be organized. Read on...

A Map for Thinking about Governance and Ministry

What does good governance look like? How does the board, staff, and congregation share in discernment of mission and strategy? Read on...

The Job of the Board

What is the job of the board? What is the role of individual board members? Here are some ways to think about the board's purpose, roles, and responsibilities. Read on...

Make Your Board Meetings More Productive

Are you making the best use of your board member's precious time and energy? Learn how to take control of your board agenda. Read on...

Exploring Governance Change

How well the board and clergy work together to lead the congregation relies on the organizational structure. What happens when that needs to change? Read on...

Alban Seminars Related to Governance & Ministry

Governance & Ministry - April 2011

Governance & Ministry - September 2011

Alban Books Relating to Governance

Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership by Dan Hotchkiss, Alban Senior Consultant
Alban Institute senior consultant Dan Hotchkiss offers congregational leaders a roadmap and tools for changing the way boards and clergy work together to lead congregations.

Transforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders by Chuck Olsen
Chuck Olsen presents a bold vision of leadership—one that offers church board work as an integral part of congregational leaders’ faith experience and development. Board or council members’ faith is engaged and informs the way they conduct the church’s business.

Byachad: Synagogue Board Developmentby Bob Leventhal
Byachad is a 72-page workbook that every synagogue board member should have. This workbook is an attempt to build board consensus about critical governance functions and to create a systematic plan to motivate and support leaders in developing new practices.