Board Nominations

Before making a nomination to the committee, please prayerfully consider the following responsibilities and qualifications for our Boards:

What is an Elder?

An Elder is responsible to shepherd the community as a whole, without preference for any particular group. Discerning God’s voice concerning the direction of the church and motivating others toward this vision.

Unique Responsibilities of the Elders

1. Provide oversight and support and prayer for pastoral staff
2. Be fully informed of Woodland Hills mission, ministries and finances
3. Review and provide input on various ministry strategies and goals for fulfilling the vision of the Church
4. Participate in establishing theological positions of the church; teach and defend biblical truth
5. Assist in church discipline as needed
6. Operate as a member of the official governing board of the Church, providing business oversight
7. Communicate individual convictions while supporting the Board’s final decisions

Time Commitment

(approximately 2-6 hours per quarter on average)

1. Participate in quarterly meetings or more as needed
2. Availability to receive and review e-mail as needed
3. Spend time in prayer for staff & ministries of Woodland Hills Church
4. Participate in Baptisms, Communion and Healing Prayer as needed
5. Attend Covenant Partner Meetings and help facilitate as needed
6. Be available to meet with Covenant Partners

What is a Trustee?

A Trustee is responsible for the oversight of the business practices of the church and managing the various resources of the church without preference for any particular ministry group. Establishing business practices in support of the vision of the Elders and consistent with our mission and values is critical to this role.

Unique Responsibilities of the Trustees

1. Be fully informed of Woodland Hills mission, ministries and finances
2. Participate in the employment process by reviewing salaries and benefits and employment changes as needed
3. Facilitate the budget process to manage resources consistent with the short and long term goals set by the Elders and Pastors
4. Review financial reports, making recommendations to the Elders if needed
5. Research and make recommendations regarding business policies of the church for financial management, personnel matters, fundraising and facility management
6. Communicate individual convictions while supporting the Board’s final decisions

Time Commitment

(approximately 3-6 hours per quarter on average)

1. Participate in quarterly meetings, or more as needed
2. Availability to receive and review e-mail regularly regarding day-to-day business matters
3. Sign checks monthly on a rotation with other Trustees
4. Spend time in prayer for staff & ministries of Woodland Hills Church
5. Participate in Baptisms, Communion and Healing Prayer as needed
6. Attend Covenant Partner Meetings and help facilitate as needed
7. Be available to meet with Covenant Partners

Qualifications to consider for Elders or Trustees

• Godly character
• Established covenantal relationships
• Christian maturity (not a recent convert)
• A good reputation
• Doctrinal soundness
• An ability to learn/mentor biblical values
• A desire to be an Elder or Trustee
• An ability to work effectively with others (teamwork)
• A demonstrated ability to manage “big picture” concerns
• Must be a Covenant Partner of Woodland Hills Church

Commonly asked questions about becoming an Elder or Trustee

Can women serve as Elders or Trustees at Woodland Hills Church?

Our conviction is that the qualifications for ministry are a person’s calling, passion, character and giftedness – not his or her gender. Though there are some cultural contexts (such as first century Jewish culture) in which the status of women has prevented them from taking on leadership roles, modern America is not such a context. We believe that sexism is part of the fallen “pattern of the world” (Rom. 12:2) and that God’s ideal is to have it abolished in the church and in society. We therefore encourage women to pursue whatever ministry they feel called to, including being an Elder or Trustee.

Can a divorced or remarried person be an Elder or Trustee at Woodland Hills Church?

While there are many churches that prohibit divorced or remarried people from serving in leadership, our conviction is that God’s grace permits and empowers people to serve in any area of ministry in which they are qualified, regardless of their past. What matters is a person’s present calling, passion, character and giftedness – not a perfect or imperfect past.

One of the qualifications for an Elder and Trustee is that they have a good reputation. I have done things in the past that have tarnished my reputation in the eyes of some. Am I prohibited from these positions?

It is true that Elders and Trustees must have a solid reputation, for we lead by example more than by words. At the same time, we are more concerned with one’s present reputation, among those who will be expected to follow that individual’s leadership, than with one’s reputation among persons in the distant past. If there is evidence that character issues that may have contributed to past failings have been addressed and overcome, and if the person has done all he or she can do to repair damage caused by past decisions, our conviction is that the individual may by God’s grace aspire to any ministry he or she is called to.

Why does the leadership of Woodland Hills Church believe it is important that racial and ethnic diversity are represented on the Elder and the Trustee Boards?

We encourage anyone who has a passion and calling for leadership to pursue this ministry. At the same time, if we are to reflect the “one new humanity” in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:15), and if we are to fulfill the vision God has called us to of becoming a bridge-building community, we require a diversity of racial and ethnic perspectives in leadership.

In closing:

Thank you for your participation in this process! As you prayerfully consider whether God is calling you (or someone you know) to leadership at Woodland Hills, we encourage you to refer to the verses below for spiritual guidance and direction:

• I Timothy 3:1-13
• I Peter 5:1-4
• Psalm 115:1