The Small Church Board: Pitfalls of the Small Church Board

Without question, the small church has a number of advantages because of its size. It possesses a strong sense of community where people mutually care for one another and support each other in times of difficulty and crisis. There is often a sense of authenticity as people know the strengthens and weakness of each other so there is no need for pretense. The small church often has a greater impact in the community as people become involved in activities. This is also true of those serving in leadership. Because there is a close connection between the leadership of the church and the people, the leadership is better equipped to guide the church in ways that are relevant to the needs of the people. The board and the people maintain a close interaction that enables the leadership to ministry more directly and personally with the people. As we look at the concept of a shepherd and the personal care that it implies, the small church board has the unique ability to minister directly to people. Rather than oversee programs and organizations, the board in the small church can oversee people and needs as they encourage people in their spiritual growth.

However, just as there are inherent strengths in the small church there are also inherent risks. The challenge of the board is to utilize the strengths while avoiding the pitfalls. It is easy to ignore potential pitfalls because we do not want to acknowledge that we can have problems, however, when we ignore them, then we are assuring ourselves that we will fall prey to them. Read more