A Board Prayer
Ministry boards are comprised of human beings who often forget what to seek first. Boards reflect the wonder and grandeur of creatures made in God’s image as well as the challenges and scars of a family tree that bends toward self-centeredness.
The theme of the age-old nursery rhyme could apply to ministry boards today.
“There once was a girl, who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead
And when she was good, she was very, very good
And when she was bad, she was horrid.”
Very, Very Good
At times, boards are very, very good.
At times, boards are very, very good. They demonstrate the best that godly service has to offer. Prayerful planning discovers wise and fruitful pathways forward. Comprehensive policies establish fair and just operational practices. Wise financial decisions ensure adequate resources. Healthy mutual respect defines the CEO/Board relationship. And all the while, deep bonds of friendship flourish between those serving arm in arm.
Bad to Horrid
However, that idyllic image of board service is rare and fleeting. Too often boards fall short of this model – far short. At times, board work descends into a cesspool of angry, self-serving, hostility. Reports are deceptive shams. Decisions subverted. Confidential discussions leaked. Distrust runs rampant. Cliques tighten. Incessant tension drives good members to the exit.
In Between
Most boards find an acceptable place somewhere in the middle. They get the job done and get along reasonably well. Whether a board is doing well, poorly, or somewhere in between, they face tough challenges.
Boards function within an ocean of ever-fluctuating tides – external and internal. Economic, political, cultural, legal, demographic, environmental, and a host of other factors rise and fall on currents far beyond a board’s control.
Board rotations bring new members contributing fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. But these new viewpoints often join the conversation with little awareness of the grand history that guides the ministry’s current trajectory. Culture keepers and wise chiefs migrate off the scene creating leadership voids and momentum shifts. These tensions can take their toll on any board.
Flawed board members, dealing with external and internal twists and turns also face the reality that they have lives outside the boardroom. Board members often manage responsible careers, are active in their church and community, take family obligations seriously, and maintain other priorities besides their board service. Limited time, energy, money, creativity, emotional reserves, and relational capacity impact every member. Board members make significant contributions, but they can only do so much.
The Solution – Turning to God
Recognizing the imperfections, transiency, and limits of boards, it makes sense is to turn to the one who is perfect, unchanging, and boundless – the true owner of the ministry. Board members act on behalf of the owner; they make proprietorship decisions, but they are not the boss.
A Board Prayer leads boards along a guided pathway of prayer.
To help boards tap into the wisdom, strength, and resources God provides and to center themselves on doing God’s work in God-honoring ways, A Board Prayer leads boards along a guided pathway of prayer. The route winds through seven significant reminders of whose ministry this is and the importance of serving the true owner, not themselves.
One ministry CEO said, “A Board Prayer had been an important part of our meetings, helping us align our hearts and minds with our God-given mission.”
Summaries of The Seven Reminders of A Board Prayer:
- Dear God, thank you for calling this ministry into existence and for allowing it to serve and care for the people you love.
- Father, allow me to report honestly. Help me to tell the whole truth and not just the parts that make me look good.
- God, as we approach this meeting, help us to see clearly. Help us to see the issues before us from many perspectives, but ultimately from your perspective.
- Help me to listen objectively. Help me to focus on what is being said more than how I will respond.
- Help me to speak cautiously; let me use the least words, the least intensity, the least volume needed to be understood.
- Dear God, give the board wisdom to plan wisely. Help us to honor the past but give us the courage to abandon the methods that provided yesterday’s success but will lead to futility tomorrow.
- And dear God, help us to remain unified. Grant us the joy of arriving at adjournment closer to one another because we are closer to you!
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously…” (James 1:5). This is true individually, and it holds true for boards as well.
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Dan Bolin retired from his role as CEO of Christian Camping International in 2018. He now serves as president of Refueling in Flight Ministries, a nonprofit that supports his writing, speaking, and event hosting. He has authored 10 books. Learn more at www.refuelinginflight.com or contact him at dan@danbolin.com. (For a free copy of the full Prayer, please go to www.refuelininginflight.com.)
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Dr. Dan Bolin will be teaching a workshop at The Outcomes Conference 2025 entitled “A Board Prayer.” Join us April 29 – May 1, 2025, in Dallas: www.outcomesconference.org.
