Lessons learned in 55 years of church pastoring and coaching In no apparent order
NOMINATIONS
…Most churches have a nominating committee that is set up by the previous nominating committee or the present board of oversight (often called the board of elders or the church board).
…Good people who can see the big picture of the church should be the ones placed on this committee.
…The pastor should chair this committee and should not miss a meeting of this team.
… If a name is presented that should not be on ballot, someone should simply say, “Let’s wait,” giving no other reasons. Often there are confidential reasons or statements that could be gossip that are given. This should not be. If the pastor knows confidential reasons that a certain name should not be on the nominations list, suffice it for him to say, “Let’s wait.” This obviously shows that only strong people of biblical principles should be on this committee.
… Only one person should be nominated for any one office or board position. No one should go home a “loser” in a church meeting and that’s what is happening when you have two names.
… There should not be nominations for things like Sunday school teachers, or church keyboard players or ushers, or, I think, even care people, or assimilation people, or care deacons. Why can’t these be appointed by the pastor with the oversight board, just as we do for teachers of eighth grade boys or ABF leaders? (This might be a major change in some systems.)
… Policies for who can serve in these key roles should be made by the oversight board and kept on file. Policies can be changed by another oversight board, but should not be in the constitution, nor bylaws, so they have to go to the congregation for changes.
… The old habit in writing that if anyone has “ought” against someone whose name is put in nomination, used by many churches in the past, clearly brings up a crisis condition. Someone will be hurt by this, in most cases. Which means the nominating committee and oversight board that approves the ballot before it goes public, must be very careful and must know their Bible:-)