“We have different gifts…if it is leadership…govern diligently.”
Leadership responsibility at Cornerstone is shared by the partners of the church, the Leader Health Team, the Board of Trustees, the Church Health Team, and the Senior Pastor and staff.
Cornerstone partners – Cornerstone does not offer a typical church membership option. Instead, Cornerstone believes in the concept of an active and committed partnership. Cornerstone partners have professed faith in Christ, attended the church for at least six months and participated in our Heart and Soul seminar. In addition, they have agreed to a number of commitments within the church. Unlike typical church membership, partnership carries specific responsibilities and is annually renewable. Cornerstone partners have voting rights in several areas.
Leader Health Team– The Leader Health Team supports Cornerstone leaders in their personal growth as effective leaders. The Leader Health Team’s responsibilities are to:
• Establish a general program of basic leadership training and development for all church leaders.
• Encourage each leader to develop a plan for his or her leadership skills and spiritual health and growth.
• Ensure that each leader has access to others who are skilled in envisioning, strategy development, and shepherding and can support implementing their plan of action.
• Work individually with a few, critical leaders to develop and implement their plan.
o Identify areas of need for training, mentoring, coaching, or other assistance and create a plan of action to meet the need.
o Hold the leader accountable for following through on their plans.
• Establish supervisory processes for paid staff, including defining job descriptions, setting objectives, and conducting performance reviews.
• Walk alongside leaders, watching for signs of overburdening, burnout, unhealthy personal situations and behaviors, and conflict situations.
o Counsel, offer suggestions for mitigation of issues.
o Develop and implement plans appropriate to the situation if issues persist.
The Leader Health Team focuses on selected individual leaders.
Church Health Team – Ensures Cornerstone’s continuing spiritual health and growth so that it may serve God by fulfilling its mission (“To know Him and to make Him known”). The Church Health Team responsibilities are to:
• With the Senior Pastor, determine and pursue strategic goals to help Cornerstone fulfill its mission and live out its vision
• Monitor progress toward strategic goals
• Provide guidance and feedback to other teams
• Identify any core issues or barriers that are inhibiting the health or growth of the church
• Formulate strategies to address these issues or barriers
The Church Health Team makes a special effort to function at a strategic level rather than an operational level. The team creates an environment allowing self-managed ministry teams to function and succeed. The Church Health Team measures the overall progress of the church and of each team in advancing toward Cornerstone’s mission and vision.
The Board of Trustees – The Board of Trustees oversees the financial and physical resources of the church. Its responsibilities include:
• Asset Transfers – Manage activities associated with receiving and disposing of real property and capital assets [Article 13].
• Lease Management – Manage activities associated with property leases and subleases.
• Risk Management – Work with Cornerstone leadership teams and staff to identify and mitigate risks. Includes concerns related to legal liability, financial liability, safety, and any other condition which might involve significant risk to continuing Cornerstone operations.
• Prepare the annual budget, which shall be included in the Annual Plan.
• Budgeting Support – Provide budget inputs and manage expenses for the BOT areas of responsibility including facility management, lease management, and risk management activities.
• Financial Oversight – Oversee the financial teams, establish financial policies and procedures, monitor for compliance, and manage payment priorities during times of severe shortfalls in funding.
• Long Term Planning – Work with Cornerstone councils and staff to establish long term plans for meeting the church facility needs.
• Official Documents – Keep the formal records of the church as required by law, the Cornerstone Constitution, and Cornerstone Policies and Procedures.