our leadership model

Our Governance Model reflects a more biblical way of leading a community of believers. While not clearly spelled out, there are multiple examples of how to lead and how not to lead the church in the Bible. (1 Samuel 8, Acts 6, Ephesians 4).


This new model is not a complete departure from how we are structured currently but it reminds us that we follow the Lord. The vision of each of these teams focuses on allowing more people to be involved in hands-on ministry. The model places a high accountability structure on the staff who are placed in positions for the service of the Lord and the church.  


For our church, we have four key leadership teams, each with a different purpose and under which the other ministries fall.  


FAQ's are listed at the bottom of this page.

Four Key Teams

There are four key teams under which all ministry functions. The Spiritual Leadership is the key lead team with the Discipleship, Staff, and Management Teams working together to help support the mission and vision of leading people in a growing relationship with Jesus by connecting, growing and serving. 

Spiritual leadership team

The Spiritual Leadership Team is the overarching leadership team of the church. Guided by the Senior Pastor (representing the pastoral team and staff), this team prayerfully and biblically seeks God’s vision. The team then provides oversight to the total ministry as it moves toward what God desires for our church. 

Members:

Pastor Todd

Jim Miller (“President”)

Nancy Donovan

Carrie Bell

Scooter White

Char Skoviera

Nicole Hansen

Staff Team

The Staff Team, led by the Senior Pastor or designee, provides key equipping leadership to the other teams. Working with servants and other staff, these Directors, Associates, and Assistants are accountable for carrying out the mission and vision-culture of our ministry on a day-to-day basis. This team works closest to the Discipleship Team.

(Click here for the list of staff members)

Management Team

The Management Team, led by the Business Administrator or designee, continually asks how it can best steward or manage the physical resources of our church to further our vision. These resources also include our finances. This team works closest to the Spiritual Leadership Team. 

Members:

Ken Gerhan

Pastor Todd

Dan Gaeu (“Treasurer”)

Blaine Verdoorn (“Secretary”)

Jody Nichols

David Miller

John Stelling

Dennis Lee

Discipleship Team

The Discipleship Team, led by the Pastoral office or designee, works with the Staff Team to prioritize and support discipleship in our church. Discipleship, broadly defined, is growing in faith through Biblically-based preaching, teaching, and ministry involvement. More narrowly defined, discipleship is ministry-multiplication; encouraging a culture of training “replacements” for outreach and growth.  

Members:

Pastor Jim

Mike and Shelly Weyers

Jason and Michelle Koerth

Brett and Judy Easler

Wally and Margie Spaeth

Denny Hartung

John Schwalbach

Frequently Asked Questions:

What happens to the rest of the committee’s and boards that may exist in the church? 

  • The other teams stay in place, making decisions for their ministry within the context of our mission and vision-culture. The biggest change in the other leadership groups is that there is an emphasis on active service rather than meeting regarding ideas. This will give freedom for individual ministries to execute more effectively, under the direction of the Pastors and staff. 

Will we rename the existing committees and boards?

  • Yes. The words “Ministry Action Team” or a subset of those words would be used.  

What is the benefit of changing the names of the existing committees and boards? Even with a name change, are they still the same committee or board?

  • The goal of this model is to change the mindset of our church culture that highlights meetings over hands on. Many in our church want to participate in active ministry and not simply a think-tank. The change in names help reinforce that while some meetings are necessary, the focus is on active and multiplying ministry.  

How does this model keep the Sr. Pastor or any other leader from going “rogue?”  


The four main ideas that stem this potential problem are:

  1. The spiritual make-up of the team members a sensitivity toward how God is leading and not on personal agenda’s. 
  2. There is no voting. Decisions are made by the consensus of the Spiritual Leadership Team.  
  3. The Spiritual Leadership Team operates under the “low control — high accountability” mindset. Practically speaking, the Pastors and staff are held accountable for outcomes and effectiveness. Ultimately, this “high accountability” falls squarely on the Sr. Pastor.
  4. The men on the Spiritual Leadership Team, Discipleship Team, and Management Team act as an Elder Team when needed.  

If we decide to operate with this model past the 12 month trial period, who makes this decision and when would it be implemented?

  • As of now, the transition decision falls to the Board of Directors who are part of the new model. If we decide to make the change, it would be following a 6,12, or 18 month trial period.   


If you have other questions, please send an email here.