Despite our best efforts to make the best decisions collaboratively with healthy teams, miscommunication happens when we wrestle through complex decisions that impact so many. Staff rarely revolve around losing a specific decision; frustration stems from a lack of proper involvement in the process.

Properly involved decision-making happens:

1. in an appropriate way
2. at an appropriate time

Decisions are made at the top and permeate down through layers of management. Things happen quickly, but sometimes with friction.

There is a clear decision-maker for each decision, but it’s not necessarily a leader or manager. Things usually happen efficiently.

Decisions are collective, with feedback solicited from all stakeholders. Nothing happens until everyone buys in.

The authority grid below has proven helpful to define the kinds of legitimate expectations parties should have related to communication in a decision-making process. This chart delineates roles for various components of Elder Governance at Grace Bible Church using the following definitions:

• Point: This is the person or team responsible to initiate each phase of the decision-making process. Point authority naturally subsumes all other types of authority.
• Input: This person or team has a “seat at the table” in the decision-making process, allowing them to give input and critique ideas.
• Information: This person or team has the right to hear directly about decisions within this area of responsibility. Thus, people and teams with information authority must be informed of decisions before they are implemented.
• Approval: This person or team’s approval must be secured for a decision to be finalized, whether or not they participate in all of the processes leading up to that decision. If this person or team does not give its approval, they have effectively vetoed the decision. In our model, vetoes should be used sparingly or we risk disempowering those to whom point authority has been delegated.
• Oversight: This team must be given the appropriate information in order to ensure the effective accomplishment of mutually agreed upon ministry outcomes.

| | ST Elders | Campus Elders | Elder Board | Senior Pastor | Teaching Pastors | Campus Pastors | Operations Team | Other Pastors/Staff | Deacons | Church | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Mission, Vision, Values, Major Strategic Initiatives | Point | Input | Approve/ Oversight | Point | Input | Input | Info | Info | Info | Info | | Personnel - pastors | Input | Input | Approve | Point/ Oversight | Input | Input | Input | Info | Info | Vote | | Personnel - ministers | Info | Input/ Approve | Info | Point/ Oversight | Input | Input | Input | Info | Info | Info | | Personnel - staff | Info | Info | Info | Approve | Input | Point/ Oversight | Input | Info | Info | Info | | Personnel - volunteers | None | Info | None | Info | Info | Approve | - | Point/ Input | - | - | | Missionaries | Approve | Approve | Approve | Info | Info | Info | - | Point | Info | Approve | | Church Disputes between Members | Info | Point/ Oversight | Input/ Approve | Info | Input | Input | Info | Info | - | - | | Sunday morning teaching/preaching | Info | Input/ Oversight | Info | Point | Point | Input | - | Info | - | Info | | Small Group Curriculum | Info | Input/ Oversight | Info | Input | Input | Point | - | Info | - | Info | | Significant Program/Staff Changes (at church-wide level) | Input/ Oversight | Input/ Approve | Input/ Approve | Point | Input | Input | Input | Info | Info | Info | | Significant Program/Staff Changes (at campus level) | Info | Input/ Approve | Info | Input/ Approve | Input/ Approve | Point | Input | Info | Info | Info | | New church plants | Point | Input | Approve | Point/ Oversight | Input | Input | Input | Info | Info | Info | | Doctrinal/Theological positions | Input | Input | Approve | Point | Point | Info | - | Info | Info | Info | | Constitutional changes | Point | Input | Approve | Point | Input | Info | - | Info | Info | Approve | | Church-wide Long-Term Planning | Point/ Oversight | Input | Approve | Point | Input | Input | Info | Info | Info | Info | | Campus discipleship & evangelism goals | Info | Input/ Approval | Info | Input | Input | Point | Info | Input | Info | Info | | Campus Long-Term Planning | Info | Point | Info | Input | Input | Point | Input | Info | Info | Info | | Debt | Point | Input | Approve | Input | Input | Input | Input | Info | Info | Approve | | Budget | Input | Input | Approve | Input | Input | Input | Point | Input | Info | Info | | New Fund Raising Initiative | Point | Input | Approve | Point | Input | Input | Input | Info | Info | Info | | Large Capital Improvements | Input | Input | Approve | Input | Input | Input | Point | Info | Input | Info | | Campus Staff Terminations | Info | Input | Info | Input | Input | Point | Input | Info/ Input | Info | - | | Campus Church Discipline | Info | Point | Input/ Approve | Input | Input | Input | Info | Info | Info | Info | | Pastor evaluation | Info | Input | - | Input | Input | Point | - | - | - | - | | Adapting Governance Structure | Point | Input | Approve | Point | Info | Info | Info | Info | Info | Info |