If They Are Not Bothering You, They May Not Be Doing Their Job

The congregation must decide.  It is a nice statement.  But what does it mean?  The congregation is made up of people and some are bossy, some are crazy, some are quiet, some are gone for that meeting, some are just really sweet, some get what the issues are and some don’t get what the issues are. 

John Carver, who has written extensively about governing boards, reminds board members that they are trustees.  They are entrusted with the task of operating in the best interests of the organization.  One might be tempted to say, “In the best interests of the members.”  That is perfectly okay if the board members understand that the members may renege on the purpose of the organization here and there and must, therefore, be withstood.  They may renege out of short-sightedness or excessive self-interest.  Or the members may not have all the information necessary to comprehend what is best for the organization.  So boards must always be educating the very membership for whom they are trustees. 

Boards are servants of the membership as trustees not as people to whom the congregation says, “You will do what we say.”  They are to look out for the interests not of any subset but of the whole.  They are to look long term.  They are to keep fixed on the founding purpose even if members forget.  They are trustees.

So for a congregation to decide, the session must educate and lead them.  There must be process of laying the groundwork, letting ideas germinate, and getting everyone involved.  For the session to educate and lead, shouldn’t the pastor be to them what they are to be to the congregation?  Otherwise, we have a small group of the blind leading a larger group of the blind.  Or the bland leading the bland. 

One caveat – the church is a privately held company.  Trustees act on behalf of the owner who is God.  Aaron got that mixed up and built a golden calf.  He acted on behalf of the congregation rather than the owner.  If your session is always making you happy, watch out.  The session should always be making God happy.  And given our sin natures that will mean, from time to time, that their being faithful to God necessitates being firm with us.