How to Get New Ideas AcceptedWhat to do before you present a proposal.James Watkins| Topics: | Board, Commitment, Committees, Goals, Meetings, Objectives, Planning, Vision |
| Filters: | Church board, Church staff, Deacon, Discipleship, Elder, Pastor |
| Purpose: | Discipleship |
| References: | Acts 17 |
| Date Added: | July 12, 2007 |
1 of 4
After serving on church boards for fifteen years, I've learned a few things:
- Flat roofs always leek—but never over the baptistery.
- Don't plan a "Seal the Parking Lot" workday on Saturday—unless you want a "Clean the Carpet" day on Monday.
- The furnace breaks down only on weekends.
- Agendas that look the shortest take the longest time.
- Committees choose beige.
But the greatest of these is:
- Church boards don't like surprises!
Surprise, Surprise
My first experience with the no-surprises rule of church politics occurred when I was leading the youth group. We had planned an outdoor concert on the front lawn of the church. Unfortunately, we hadn't told the board that "Amazing Grace" and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" weren't in the band's repertoire. Instead, the huge speakers blasted Christian rock music into the next Zip Code.
Suddenly a board member appeared and made a determined run for the electrical outlets. He was intercepted by an understanding pastor. I'm not exactly sure what was said, but the plug wasn't pulled, and afterward about fifty teens indicated they wanted to follow Christ.
That was fifteen years ago, and people still talk about "that rock concert." It is a lesson I vividly remember.
I've learned that to get new ideas accepted, one needs to be as "shrewd as a snake and harmless as a dove." This doesn't mean to be manipulative or unethical, but there are some prudent ways to institute new ministries or programs. Here's what needs to be done before you present a new proposal to the board.
Test the Soundness of the Idea
I've found it helpful to ask myself some questions, and come up with solid answers, before I recommend an idea. This process helps me present a persuasive case.
-
Is the idea spiritually and doctrinally sound?
While our denomination's book of rules and regulations may never be canonized as the inspired Word of God, we do need to respect the doctrines and policies of the church we have chosen to associate with. So, while "Bingo Night" might lead to an exciting senior citizen's ministry, in the churches I've been involved with, the stand on gambling
would guarantee a "no" vote—for the idea and perhaps for you in the next election of church officers.
-
Is the idea well researched, the implications thought through?
One board member thought it would be great to have farmers donate hogs for a charity luau. After the "yeas" died down, committees were assigned to turn the fellowship hall into a tropical paradise, to publicize the event, to sell tickets, and even to dig a pit in the back lawn—until the health department sent a rather stern letter to the pastor noting that local health codes prohibited such an event. (Now what do we do with five 600-pound hogs?!)
-
Is the idea in good taste?
One of the highlights of a youth ministry I worked with several years ago was the annual October haunted house. Our director and his staff went all out to provide enough theatrical blood and guts to make even Stephen King squeamish. Then one year, October passed without a mention of "Scream in the Dark." The organization's leaders had decided that mutilated, decapitated bodies were not the best publicity for a Christian organization. Over the years the idea had attracted huge crowds, but perhaps at the expense of good taste.
share this page
