1. ACCOUNTABILITY LEADERSHIP: STRUCTURING THE CHURCH FOR FRUITFULNESS
Indiana Conference
The United Methodist Church

2. OBJECTIVES FOR THIS TRAINING
Understand the key concepts of Accountability Leadership
Recognize the connection between Mission / Vision / Goals and how they apply to leadership responsibility
Identify the problems common styles of leadership
Develop a plan for realignment within the leadership structure that works best for your church and the mission
Cover the objectives for today.
Ask if there are any questions.

3. Typical Church Structure
The typical church structure is DRIVING THE MISSION versus the MISSION DRIVING the structure!
Safe and ineffective.
The church exists for mission, not for structure.
Briefly review the current church structure. This can be done with a handout or by inserting a slide here. Either way, the point is not to speak badly about the current structure but to use this as our starting point for change.
You may want to have a quick conversation around this in order to help people feel better about what they have been doing for a long time.
What has worked well with this structure?
What elements are important for us to try and take forward?

4. Problems of Inward Focus
Hard to win if you’re not in the game
The Great Commission, to make disciples, is displaced by other good pursuits.
Putting the desires of insiders first leads to divisions based on opposing special interest groups.
In the absence of biblical mission, the congregation suffers a lack of vision.

5. Common problems with many Governing Church Structures
Lacks disunity and enables dysfunction
Clear lines of authority exist but no clear lines of accountability
The ultimate responsibility lies on the pastor even though they haven’t been given authority
Process makes it cumbersome to make difficult and timely decisions
Promotes disunity and enables dysfunction – having multiple committees operating in a church will often lead to each one going in a different direction and different interpretations of what is really important; there can even develop a lack of trust due to pastors, staff, boards, etc…feeling like they have to justify everything they do or get permission for their ministry needs
Have clear lines of authority but no clear lines of accountability – many churches have detailed organizational charts, each person on the chart has specific responsibilities. But what happens when they do not fulfill those responsibilities? How is meaningful accountability expressed or exercised?
Place all the responsibility on the pastor, but give him/her no authority – how can a pastor lead the church into the future without the proper authority to make decisions. One example of this in many churches is what happens with there is an issue with a staff member. The pastor is expected to manage the staff but must work through the SPR to hire, fire, disciple, etc…
Nearly impossible to make difficult and timely decisions due to the process – we have all experienced at one time or another the challenge of needing to make a quick decision in a church and running head-first into the bureaucracy process.

6. Types of leadership structures:
Anarchy: lack of any guiding or
uniting principle
Problem:
Hard to win if no
one is sure what game
you’re playing and
who’s picking the plays

7. Oligarchy: Most of the power rests with a small segment of the whole
Problem?
Hard to win if a committee picks the plays
Elder boards easily mistake groupthink for the voice of the Holy Spirit.

8. Democracy: Everyone gets equal consideration
Problem?
Hard to win if
EVERYONE
picks the plays

9. These leadership structures don’t work within our churches if we want to “win” … to make disciples. Anarchy Oligarchy Democracy

10. Leadership Styles Bureaucratic: Committee or Consensus based
Get everyone involved
The more on board the more ownership of the outcome
All opinions and feelings are weighted or valued equally
Autocratic:
Pastor-centered or Personality Driven
Pastor is held responsible for the church’s success
Pastor makes all major decisions
Pastor’s skills, presence, & charisma are the driving force of the church

11. Problems with bureaucratic leadership:
Decisions are slow if they happen at all
Because consensus is the goal, decisions are not always directed by the mission
Consensus is often not achieved; instead compromise is the rule. Belief that it is better to maintain relationships than fulfill the mission of the church
The role of the pastor and staff are limited

12. Bureaucratic (Committee/Consensus driven)
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Bureaucratic (Committee/Consensus driven)
Major Downside: The pastor and staff feel triangulated/ caught; helpless to effect an outcome for which they feel accountable and/or are held accountable.
Major Downside: The pastor and staff feel triangulated/caught, helpless to effect an outcome for which they feel accountable and/or are held accountable.
CCHWRKALPresentation120312

13. Decisions are made quickly – sometimes impulsive or unrealistically
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Problems with Autocratic Leadership: (Pastor-Centered or Personality-Driven)
Decisions are made quickly – sometimes impulsive or unrealistically
Disagreement is not welcomed
Or, if disagreement is allowed, the pastor spends his/her time “putting out fires”
CCHWRKALPresentation120312

14. Autocratic Major Downside:
Congregation feels run-over and disconnected from the ministry of the church
Or, power needs are expressed in a passive-aggressive manner that is manifested in chronic conflict

15. The preference? ACCOUNTABILITY LEADERSHIP
Members = Role is ministering
Staff (paid & unpaid) = Role is managing
Pastor = Role is leading
Board/Council = Role is governance

16. Accountability Leadership
Responsibility =
Object of the Game
Authority =
Rules of the Game
Accountability =
How We Keep Score
This is the key to accountability leadership in our churches.

17. Accountable Leadership:
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HOW THEY “ADD” UP
Bureaucratic:
Responsibility – Authority – Accountability =
Safe but not Effective
Autocratic:
Responsibility + Authority – Accountability =
Effective but not safe
Accountable Leadership:
Responsibility + Authority + Accountability=
Safe & Effective
Accountability leadership is the marriage of responsibility, authority, and accountability.
The next few slides outline some of the key points about accountability leadership from the book Winning on Purpose by John Edmund Kaiser.
(It would be a good idea to have a copy of the book with you and to have reviewed it again prior to this workshop.)
CCHWRKALPresentation120312

18. Accountability Leadership
Position
Players
Functions
Metaphors
Ministry
Members
Outreach first then care for one another
Teammates, champions, athletes, etc…
Management
Staff
Equipping and coordination
Assistant coaches and specialists
Leadership
Pastor
Vision, direction and teaching
Head coach, or quarterback, captain, etc…
Governance
Board
Accountability and support
Commissioner, umpire, scorekeeper & cheerleader

19. 12/03/12
Vision…
the unique way a congregation achieves or accomplishes the mission
the key ingredients need to be outwardly focused and measurable
provides a framework for goals and accountability for the congregation and staff
The church should have already at least begun the process of developing their vision. Ask for someone to share it with the group.
It would be good to have the vision written on a flipchart page and hung in the room for everyone to see throughout the workshop.
CCHWRKALPresentation120312

20. Strengths of Accountable Leadership
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Strengths of Accountable Leadership
Mission/Values/Vision fulfillment is the driving force…not management
Goals and objectives of ministries can be adjusted as needed
Marries responsibility and authority with accountability
After you cover each of the strengths it would be good to also explain some of the challenges the church should expect as the move to this model:
Some people may experience a feeling of disconnection due to no longer being involved in every little decision of the church.
The pastor will need to lead very differently going forward than they have in the past. Not all pastors have experience leading or managing a staff and will need help from some trusted mentors and the coach.
There may be a perception of control or power loss. Those in the congregation who are not part of this training may get the impression that there is a loss of control when there is actually more accountability in place.
CCHWRKALPresentation120312

21. Strengths of Accountable Leadership
4. Promotes church unity
Functions on a high level of trust
Decision making is more timely

22. Culture Shift
To fulfill God’s intended purpose for your church everything must be in alignment with the mission and vision
Everything means EVERYTHING!
Every Team/Committee
Every Ministry
Every Staff Person
Every Program
More about alignment – see Simple Church

23. Setting the Boundaries
The Administrative Council/Board has neither the time nor the expertise to list everything that can be done.
The Administrative Council/Board determines what SHOULD
NOT be done.

24. All games have rules or boundaries

25. As in the game of Basketball,
the Administrative Council/Board determines what should not be done by setting boundaries.
The rules of a game do not tell you what you can do, the rules tell you what you can’t do.
Rules give you freedom – Adam & Eve were told what not to eat not what to eat.
Like the basketball coach & player, those leading ministries are given the freedom to operate within boundaries or guidelines.

26. Setting the Boundaries
The Administrative Board/Council establishes the boundaries within which the Sr. Pastor, staff and ministries may operate.
Boundaries are prohibitions within which the Staff and ministries operate.

27. Setting the Boundaries
Boundaries do not tell you what you can do, they tell you what you can’t do.
A budget sets a boundary – stay within your budget and you are okay
A building use policy sets boundaries
An employee manual sets boundaries for the work place

28. Accountability Leadership Model:
All staff and ministry leaders should establish yearly goals
All ministry goals should be reviewed at least yearly to ensure alignment to the mission, vision and values.

29. Accountability Leadership Model:
If the ministry does not align, it is advised as to how to correct itself.
If the ministry is still misaligned it can continue but will not be supported by the church.

30. This is called Accountability

31. BREAKDOWN OF RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE CHURCH STRUCTURE
What? Directional Leadership
What? Operational Leadership
What? Hands-on Ministries
Who? Administrative
Council
Who? Paid staff/Team
Leaders
Who? Team members in
ministry
Responsibilities:
Oversees the Structures of the church. (Budget, facilities, staffing & evaluation, policies, etc.)
Keepers of the mission and vision of the church.
Holds ministry areas accountable to their fruitful goals as they pertain to the vision.
Day to day operational/management needs of PAID STAFF responsibilities as it pertains to programming.
Day to day management/ operational needs of ministry teams by UNPAID STAFF leaders.
On-going recruitment and/or training of ministry leadership.
People agree to serve on ministry teams
Persons commit to serve in areas that are in alignment with their individual passions, gifts and talents, and experience.
Team members should expect to be given responsibility to work towards clearly defined goals, authority to provide ministry and held accountable for ministry goals.

32. Administrative Board /Council
God
Bishop/
Cabinet
Chairperson
SPRC Chair
Trustee 1
Trustee 2
Trustee 3
Finance chair
Senior Pastor
Lay Leader
Young Adult rep
UMW/UMM rep
At large
Children?
At large sec?
This represents the “Directional” team of the church. There does not need to be a set number of persons on the team BUT each of these areas need to have a person who represents an area or multiple areas.

33. ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL/BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES
Function is to govern, not be involved with day-to-day activities.
Affirms the vision, defines operational boundaries (budgets, policies, evaluations, etc.) and holds staff and ministry leaders accountable to fulfill the mission and vision of the church.
Function of Administrative Council is to govern, not be involved with day-to-day activities.
Council affirms the vision, defines operational boundaries (budgets, policies, evaluations, etc.) and holds staff and ministry leaders accountable to fulfill the mission and vision of the church.
Need for over communication – up and down and across. Feedback loops, town hall meetings, etc.
Would meet at least 6 times a year as a Council however, initially may need to meet monthly until everything is in place.
Leads an Annual Retreat with all Ministry Team Leaders.
Pastor responsible for annual retreat for Administrative Council.
Visioning; support, budget/financial oversight; policy manuals (building, SPRC [personnel handbook], safe sanctuaries, etc.; Establish system for accountability to mission, vision, goals; establish system for accountability to operational boundaries for staff (including pastor(s).

34. ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL/BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES
Need for over communication – up and down and across. Feedback loops, town hall meetings, etc.
Would meet at least 6 times a year as a Council, however, initially may need to meet monthly until everything is in place.
Senior Pastor responsible for coordinating an Annual Retreat with all Ministry Team Leaders.

35. Titles and Definitions:
Administrative Board/Council: The single board, directional leadership team.
Comprised of a chairperson, Sr. Pastor, 3 Trustee Reps, SPRC coordinator, Finance Coordinator, Young Adult rep, UMW/UMM rep, Lay leader, and other key leadership (respective to each church).
Fifteen (15) should probably be the largest number of members on this team. This team serves as the governing team of the church. This team is responsible for reporting to the District Superintendent. Key to remember that everyone on the team is the SPRC team, the Finance team, the Trustee team.

36. Titles and Definitions
Operational Team Leaders
Day to day operational/management needs of PAID STAFF responsibilities as it pertains to programming.
Day to day management/ operational needs of ministry teams by UNPAID STAFF leaders.
On-going recruitment and/or training of ministry leadership. .

37. Titles and Definitions
Ministry Teams: These are the teams that do hands-on ministry that fall under a respective Operations Team. Each ministry team has a team leader with multiple team members needed for that ministry. Members join a team based on their passion, spiritual gifts, experience, and/or abilities. Team leaders report to their respective Ministry Coordinator

38. Organizational Structure
GOD-
the Owner of the
Church
Organizational Structure
1st Beneficiaries: PEOPLE OUTSIDE
2nd Beneficiaries: PEOPLE INSIDE
BISHOP/CABINET
ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD/COUNCIL
(DIRECTIONAL TEAM)
SENIOR PASTOR
5 FRUITFUL MINISTRY AREAS
(OPERATIONAL TEAM)
staff
staff.
RADICAL HOSPITALITY MINISTRY COORDINATOR
PASSIONATE WORSHIP MINISTRY COORDINATOR
EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY MINISTRY COORDINATOR
INTENTIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY COORINATOR
RISK TAKING MISSION & SERVICE
MINISTRY COORDINATOR T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T

39. Nuts and Bolts By-Laws: How the Board is authorized to be the board.
Book of Discipline defines a church’s by-laws.
A sample based upon The Discipline of the United Methodist Church

40. Leadership Team Covenant:
Nuts and Bolts
Leadership Team Covenant:
Creating a covenant can help the Board enjoy healthy and holy relationships.

41. Nuts and Bolts Reports:
Pastor and Board Chair determines the agenda and reports for each meeting, subject to previous requests from members
Agendas and reports are distributed at least seven days prior to meetings
Board members may request an item be placed on the next agenda and/or additional information regarding unresolved issues prior to the next meeting, if practical or for the next meeting.

42. Nuts and Bolts
Minutes:
For legal purposes it is necessary to ask for and include reports for SPRT, Trustees, and Finance even if they have no report.
Create a template for your minutes where each “responsibility” is listed to insure proper legal protocol is followed.

43. Next Steps
Senior Pastor will name a team of leaders to determine best model of accountability leadership for your church.
Team shall consist of:
Senior pastor
Current Board/Council chair
Staff Parish chair
3 additional lay leaders
Your Coach will serve as an advisor

44. Next Steps: 2. Team will meet until a recommendation is prepared & presented to the Board/Council for approval Work begins for implementation Includes filling leadership roles and perhaps a special charge conference.

45. OBJECTIVES FOR THIS TRAINING
Understand the key concepts of Accountability Leadership
Recognize the connection between Mission / Values/Vision / Goals and how they apply to leadership.
Identify the problems common styles of leadership.
Develop a plan for realignment within the leadership structure that works best for your church.
Cover the objectives for today.
Ask if there are any questions.