Pregnancy care center leaders regularly respond to this column, and often their comments and questions lead me to the subject for the next article. That's what happened this time. A director wrote:| CENTERBOARD |
By Tom Lothamer
Pregnancy care center leaders regularly respond to this column, and often their comments and questions lead me to the subject for the next article. That's what happened this time. A director wrote:
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MADE, THE BOARD, ADMINISTRATION, AND OTHER STAFF MUST OWN IT. |
She made some good points, and I tend to agree with her evaluation; but I'm not going to suggest her board made a mistake or fault ministries that refer to their chief administrator as President or CEO. That's not the point of this article.
What we're going to consider here is this: When a board is confronted with changes to the ministry, how do they go about it? What information do they need to help them make an appropriate decision? In the case of a decision between 'CEO' and 'Executive Director,' the board would need to know why consultants make this suggestion and what the possible benefits and losses would be.
Consultants provide a tremendous service to PCCs and other ministries; yet when the day is done and a decision has been made, the board, administration, and other staff must own it. They understand the environment in which the PCC serves and they, not the consultants, have to live with the decision.
Knowing she's the CEO of Chester County Women's Services of Coatesville and West Chester, Pennsylvania, I asked Karen Pennell for her thoughts on this issue, and she was very helpful. She suggested that whether the decision involves adding or changing a program, adding or reducing staff, moving to a new facility, or changing the center's mission, boards should consider the following questions:
Karen explained how CCWS's board concluded they should adopt the CEO designation as her title. Since her centers are located in suburbs of Philadelphia, where there are many corporations and businesses, and since her job necessitates visiting with corporate executives in order to seek donations, having the CEO title gives her quicker entrée into their offices. A center in another community may operate in a completely different environment, and its board may come to a different, but equally valid, conclusion.
Our own board considered an important question for over a year — whether or not to establish a new staff position. At a special board meeting this past June, the position of Associate Director of Ministry Development along with a job description was approved. In my next article, I'll describe the path we took to finally reach this point and outline the various roles that the board, the staff, and I carried out.
Meanwhile, the director with the original question emailed to say she'd come to a decision about her title. "I think I'm going to change my title back to what I feel comfortable with. May our Lord continue to strengthen and encourage you to do that which is meaningful in His sight!"
Her last remark puts it all in perspective, doesn't it? In all decisions, boards must have the courage to do what is meaningful in God's sight. In so doing, we'll be on target for doing His will in the ministry.
| Tom Lothamer is Executive Director of Baptists for Life, which is celebrating its 25th year in 2009, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information, go to www.bfl.org. |
