Governance and Ministry

Dan Hotchkiss consults with leaders of a wide spectrum of churches, synagogues, and other organizations. As a senior consultant for the Alban Institute for 14 years, and as an independent consultant, Dan has helped hundreds of congregations in over thirty denominational groups. He is the author of the two previous editions of Governance and Ministry (2009, 2016).

Dan Hotchkiss is the voice we have all come to rely on as our trusted guide in governance. This latest edition has everything you need to shape or reform governance practices in your congregation.

• List of FiguresPreface To the Third EditionHow I Came to Write This Book Planning and the Governance QuestionWhat Has Changed—And What Hasn’t Size Still Matters Who This Book Is For Gratitude1. Organized ReligionContaining the TensionTwo Kinds of LeadershipGovernance and Ministry in Brief Some of My Assumptions Benefits of Governance and Ministry2. Ways Congregations Have OrganizedBoard-Centered CongregationCommittee-Centered CongregationClergy-Centered CongregationSome Even Worse IdeasI. Overview of Governance and Ministry3. A Map of Governance and MinistryBoard and StaffThe Congregation Committees and Teams Three Zones of Leadership Clear Delegation4. Board-Led GovernanceThe Board as Fiduciary Duties of Board Members Modes of Board Governance5. Staff-Led Ministry Epiphany in Louisiana One Structure for Ministry Decisions Key Elements of Staff-Led Ministry Ministry Teams Stresses of Transition6. Leading in Partnership Lay-Clergy Tensions Nothing New Here What Can Clergy Do? Practices in Partnership Boundaries Healthy PartnershipsII. Life After Governance Change7. Better Board Meetings Poor Robert and His Rules Board Meetings that Are Less Excruciating Board Meetings that Are Fun and ProductiveCommittees that Help the Board A Board Covenant Why Improving Meetings Is Not Easy8. Effective Staff Structure The Head of Staff The Staff Leadership Team An Org-Chart Workshop Teams for Effective Ministry9. Skilled Staff Leadership Shifting from Contributor to Leader Supervising—The Core Skill of Staff Leadership Three More Staff Leadership Skills Emotional Skills for Staff Leadership Testing Leadership and Emotional Skills Whistling While You Work10. Faith and Money in One ConversationBoard Governance of Finance Staff Management of Finance Organizing for Finance Transparency About Money Budgeting as Leadership How Boards Raise Money11. Board-Staff CollaborationMinistry Vision Open Questions Holy Conversation Staff Management and Implementation Monitoring Evaluation Strategic planningIII. A Governance Change Process12. Starting the ProcessGovernance Workshop Governance AssessmentQuestions to Ask Up Front Workshops with the Board Governance Change Vision The Governance Task Force Planning the Work13. Bylaws and the LikeHierarchy of Documents What Bylaws Should Say What Bylaws Should Not Say14. Writing Leakproof Policies Writing Like a Sculptor Policy Writing as a Process Style Guide for Policy Writers Quick Tour of the Bourne Street PoliciesBourne Street Board Policies Glossary of Terms Used in Governance and Ministry Workshop Plans A. An Org-Chart WorkshopB. The Board’s Time, Part 1: AnalysisC. The Board’s Time, Part 2: PlanningBibliographyBoard Governance Congregation Size History, Sociology, and Law Management, Staff, and Teams Meeting Facilitation Planning and EvaluationNotes