In this course you will be guided step-by-step to create a customized Board Governance Manual tailored specifically for your church. You’ll receive a comprehensive, editable template along with practical guidance throughout the course to help you personalize and implement your manual. This course is designed to address the unique needs of smaller churches, offering a biblical foundation and practical resources.

Why this Course Was Created

Through our work with churches across Canada—many of them small—we noticed that most resources for church boards were tailored to larger churches and often didn’t address the unique needs and relational culture of smaller churches. Additionally, many resources felt too corporate and lacked integration of biblical principles. This course was created to bridge that gap.

What's Included:

Module 1

Introduction

We’ll introduce the four key areas of a board manual: Mission, Board Responsibilities, Ministry Boundaries, and Ministry Evaluation. You’ll also understand the importance of having a governance manual and how it can enhance your board’s effectiveness.

Module 2

Mission

A clear mission statement provides direction for all areas of church ministry. In this module, we explore Scripture passages that provide a solid foundation biblical foundation for understanding and defining your mission.

Module 3

Writing a Mission Statement

Learn the process of creating a powerful mission statement. We’ll explore what makes a statement effective and provide real-world examples of mission statements from various churches.

Module 4

Board Responsibilities – Spiritual Postures of Board Leaders

This module highlights the spiritual postures and key responsibilities of board members. Topics include:

Module 5

Board Positions, Committees, and Agenda Planning

Explore the different roles on the board (Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer) and learn how to structure board committees, create effective agendas, and implement proper minute-taking practices. The course includes sample committee descriptions you can customize to suit your church’s needs.

Module 6

Ministry Boundaries & Expectations

Effective leadership begins with clear expectations. This module provides sample ministry boundaries to help you define expectations for both board members and the Lead Pastor, establishing healthy boundaries and alignment within your church leadership team.

Module 7

A Biblical Foundation for Evaluation

Many churches struggle with how to approach ministry evaluation beyond financials and attendance. This module examines how Scripture informs evaluation processes and provides a biblical framework for evaluation processes and criteria.

Module 8

Evaluation Processes for the Church

In this module we’ll cover three key areas of evaluation:

You’ll also receive practical tools and examples to help you apply to your church’s specific context.

Terms of Use

At Five Smooth Stones, we strive to be open-handed in sharing resources and have designed our courses to be budget-friendly for all. Purchasers are encouraged to share the course materials internally within their own church leadership group to foster growth and learning.

However, to honour the spirit of this ministry and ensure continued accessibility, we kindly ask that these materials not be shared, distributed, or replicated for use by other churches or organizations outside of the purchasing church.

We deeply appreciate your understanding and cooperation.