Defining the spiritual attributes we desire in board members

1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.

2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,

5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?

6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.

11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.

12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—

6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.

7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

We find spiritual attributes described and expressed across all of Scripture. Below are a few examples that might stimulate your discussion regarding the expectations you might have for the directors of your ministry.

• Lives out the qualities of a church leader described by Paul (1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1)
• Clearly evidences a consistent and growing walk with the Lord (Deuteronomy 10:12; Joshua 22:5; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 4:1)
• Consistently evidences the fruit of the Spirit is in his or her walk (Galatians 5:22-23)
• Demonstrates a knowledge of and trust in God that allows him or her to take the risks of obedience and significant steps of faith (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Ephesians 2)
• Has a passion for God’s work; consistently demonstrates a heart for evangelism and discipleship (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:28-29)
• Clearly sees leadership (governance) as a role in which to serve rather than a position to be served (Matthew 20:25-28)
• Possesses the inner resources (spiritual, emotional, character) to deal with challenges of leadership (Genesis 45:5-8; Numbers 12:1-3; Daniel 1:8-13)
• Consistently demonstrates the ability to integrate biblical principles into relationships, decisions, and day-to-day activities (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2)
• Clearly manifests a thirst for and a growing knowledge of God (Psalm 42:1; Jeremiah 9:23; John 17:3; 2 Corinthians 4:6)
• Effectively helps others to see God at work and to appreciate the spiritual dimensions of everyday occurrences (1 Timothy 4:11)
• Has priorities that reflect a spiritual value system; consistently demonstrates a desire to obey God whatever the cost (Psalm 119:4-6; Romans 12:1-2; Philippians. 3)
• Clearly a person of prayer (Luke 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2)

A review of your current list of desired attributes, scriptural references, a statement of faith, and the discussions embedded in the process will generate a list of attributes. The next step is to develop the final list with the right items and wording.

One process might be to have a small board committee (even a board/management committee) take a first pass at expressing the desired spiritual qualities. It would be helpful to have a wise and credible pastor or theologian provide feedback on both the qualities desired and how they might be worded. It is important to discern the demands of both context and constituents. As to context, while there are some qualities that overlap a church and ministry organisation, there are important distinctions as well. Congregants have very different needs than ministry staff, donors, or even the people the organisation serves. The ministry organisation has a very different set of constituents than does a church. You must differentiate those qualities that are the product of training, gifts, and skill. An experienced accountant may have a great heart for God but may also be an introspective person who finds the idea of delivering a devotion to a group any larger than three almost impossible to comprehend. On the other hand, how many pastors can translate a balance sheet and P&L into a comprehensive cash flow statement?

Once a discussion draft has been developed, gather feedback from key stakeholder groups, e.g., the rest of the board, management, staff, and other individuals and groups that may bring insight to the final product.

As we close this part of the content, we put forth a few suggestions:

First, be realistic. We have seen lists of spiritual attributes from churches and ministries that, if applied to the apostles, would have prevented the Great Commission from ever being carried out. Confronted with such a list, many qualified candidates would be inclined to eliminate themselves from the process. How many of us truly believe that we pray enough or spend sufficient time in the Word or worship? Most of those we would hope to attract are more like the tax collector praying in the temple: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Second, earlier we observed that most attributes are relative in nature (e.g., strategic thinker, a person of character, spiritual maturity). One person’s prayer life could be nonexistent whereas another could be deep and consistent. Most of us are somewhere in between. There are very few “yes or no” attributes, and therefore, we must be wise in where we draw the line between acceptable and not acceptable.

Staying with the picture of a continuum for a moment, the idea of growth is important. Paul challenged the lack of growth among his Corinthian readers (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) as did the writer of Hebrews (Hebrews 5:12-14). The question is not only where we reside on the continuum but even more importantly, what direction are we moving and how fast? How would we discern if a person is growing spiritually? There are two sources of information: the person themselves and references from people who know the candidate well. Questions like the following might lead to an insightful conversation from both sides of the table: “What’s God currently doing your life—what new insights about Him or you are you discovering?” “What do you do to keep yourself spiritually fresh?” “What are you studying in the Word?” “Tell me about your Christian community—your church and/or small group.”

Speaking of questions, it is acceptable to be direct. Pat MacMillan tells the story of a board interview he experienced several years ago. The ministry was a large, well-known international organization. Pat and another board member were to interview a top candidate they hoped to recruit. This other board member was an elderly theologian. He was wise, discerning, mature, and gentle in spirit, often going for extended periods of time without saying anything in meetings unless he thought it was important. His comments were always edifying and expressed in a collegial manner. The credentials of the candidate were impeccable. She had been governor of her state, was a renowned speaker for Christian outreach, and had demonstrated commitment to this ministry’s mission for many years in both her giving and availability for personal service. In their meeting, as the polite small talk about the travel ended, the gentle, quiet theologian, blurted out, “Mrs. So-and-So, what makes you think you are a Christian?” Mrs. So-and-So raised an eyebrow in surprise at the assertiveness with which the question was asked. Pat nearly fell on the floor in surprise and was sure that the interview was over before it really got started. Then, she broke out in laughter, exclaiming, “That’s a great question!” She went on to share her personal testimony, which was authentic, solid, and compelling. She later accepted the board position and played a key role in the ministry for years to come.