2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Local Church: Governance philosophy

781. The health and growth of the local church is a shared responsibility, with the board focused on governing, the pastor on leading, the staff (employed or volunteer) on managing, and the congregation on ministering to the community and to one another.

The local board of administration governs the local church primarily by

(a) clarifying its mission and stating the primary outcomes it exists to achieve;

(b) setting guiding principles within which the pastor and staff have great discretion and freedom to work in order to achieve the mission, including the adoption of operating policies, the budget, and measurable, annual goals proposed by the pastor for accomplishing the mission;

(c) periodically evaluating the established goals in consultation with the district superintendent, giving special attention to rewarding achievement or requiring specific plans for improvement in areas of underperformance; and

(d) protecting the pastor, staff, and church by dealing with problem issues and persons that threaten fulfillment of the mission.

As leader of the local church, the pastor is responsible for

(a) inspiring and teaching the congregation through word and example;

(b) chairing, motivating, and informing the board;

(c) operating within the boundaries of established guiding principles;

(d) proposing measurable goals for adoption by the board;

(e) selecting, directing, and supervising the staff (employed or volunteer) for the daily operations and ministries of the church in order to accomplish mission-centered goals; and

(f) being accountable to the board for achieving mutually agreed upon goals. In summary, the board focuses on mission clarity, policy, goals, evaluation, and accountability; the pastor and staff focus on leadership and management.