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Leaders have an obligation to take wise risks in service of mission, not simply avoid risk. How boards can discern when risk-taking is faithful leadership.

The tension between congregations operating as warm family systems versus structured institutional organizations. As congregations grow, institutional structures become necessary.

Some theological or values conflicts are too fundamental to paper over, and leaders must help communities make real choices rather than trying to keep everyone happy.

Who ultimately owns a congregation — members, denomination, God, or the broader public — and what the answer means for board accountability and decision-making.

Healthy boundaries between board and staff roles actually enable stronger partnership rather than tension. Clarity about who does what creates the conditions for trust.

Defines the core competencies of an effective congregational governing board, distinguishing governance tasks from management tasks.

Congregations sometimes over-invoke confidentiality in ways that prevent accountability and harm community trust. A nuanced look at when confidentiality is required.

A method for boards to write policies by starting with full authority and chipping away limits — the sculptor approach instead of the painter approach.

Governance questions raised by online board meetings and electronic voting: legal considerations, best practices, and how to maintain meaningful participation.

Two powerful questions — ‘What would be GOOD about that?’ and ‘What would we DO about that?’ — that help boards find the right level of leadership.