Serving the Gospel Through Governance
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Benjamin Kreps:
Hey everyone, and welcome to the Mark Prater Podcast, where our aim is to connect our global family of Sovereign Grace churches with our Executive Director. Mark, yet again — as we've talked about each year on the podcast for the last number of years — you are on the verge of heading out to attend the annual Executive Committee retreat. But this one is a little different, because this is actually the last Executive Committee retreat you will attend in your role as Executive Director, as we work through the transition to a new Executive Director. And so that has you thinking and reminiscing and reflecting on the last decade or so — as the polity was introduced, the Executive Committee came into existence, and your role in connecting with them. Talk about how you've been thinking about our history and the Executive Committee.
Mark Prater:
Thanks, Ben. It is the last one I will attend as Executive Director. And so I've been reflecting a bit — and in doing so, really thanking God for how He led us to establish our polity back in 2013. It was April 2013 when we ratified the Book of Church Order that called for an Executive Director and established a governance structure that includes an Executive Committee. In 2013, it looked pretty good on paper — but would this thing even work? That's what we sort of wondered. We needed to test drive it a little. We've obviously made tweaks to our BCO, but the core of our governance structure — our polity structure — really hasn't changed. In other words, as we've used it, we've found that it does work.
Just to remind folks — our pastors would know this, but members of our churches may not — what is that governance structure? The highest governing authority in Sovereign Grace Churches is the Council of Elders. The Council of Elders is one elder from every church that meets once a year. Unless a church has more than 500 members, in which case they can have two council delegates. They do a number of governance-related things as a council. But there's work that has to be done both from a leadership and governance standpoint — so when the polity was ratified, there were two arms that come out from the Council of Elders.
One is the governance work — that's the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee represents the Council of Elders. The men who serve on that committee are voted on by the Council of Elders to serve a four-year term, and they can be renominated. We've had men who have served on the Executive Committee probably from its beginning, which has been a joy to work with. But we also realized we needed not just governance — we needed leadership, so that we could all be moving forward together in mission. And that's where we have the leadership team, which has a delegated authority from the Council of Elders and a mandate from the council to lead us in mission. So that's the basic structure.
Within that, the Executive Committee was formed to provide some basic things that are very important to our family of churches: oversight of the leadership team, an annual evaluation of the Executive Director and the leadership team, accountability for the leadership team, and input for the leadership team. Those are some of the basic functions. Beyond that, they have financial responsibility — to make sure our finances are managed with integrity. They approve the budget. They monitor our governing documents like our bylaws. They have a legal subcommittee that keeps up to date on any legal issues. And a number of other functions like that.
So it's an important committee that has served me well. I'm so grateful for it. It has served me for the last 13 years, and I know it will serve Jon Payne — assuming the Council of Elders votes him as our next Executive Director — as well. And so I'm very grateful as I head to this retreat. I'm reflecting and thinking: Lord, we didn't really know what we were doing, and you helped us establish this. And as we've implemented it, we see the Lord's goodness toward our family of churches. One expression of that is the work being done on this Executive Committee. So that's a little bit of my reflection as I head into next week. And when this podcast drops on Monday, that will be the start of the Executive Committee retreat. So please pray for those men as we gather together.
Benjamin Kreps:
God has been so faithful to us, and He has blessed us with excellent pastors who have served us so well over the last 13 years on that Executive Committee. So — last retreat for you in your role. It's an annual retreat and important work gets done there. What's the plan for next week?
Mark Prater:
Yeah, we've got a full agenda — which we typically do. These guys work hard while they're there. They'll actually start the retreat by praying for Sovereign Grace — that's on the agenda — for specific aspects of our gospel mission and ministry.
And then the Executive Committee chair, Dave York, worked with myself and Jon Payne to send out some questions that Executive Committee members will come prepared to answer — their input to us. So there are three questions they're going to speak to next week. Number one: are you confident in the theological soundness of the leadership team and Sovereign Grace according to our statement of faith — and is there any input for the leadership team in this area? Number two: are we confident that Sovereign Grace is effectively advancing the mission Christ has given us — and is there any input we can give to the leadership team about this area? And number three: do you believe the leadership team is leading in a way that cultivates trust, unity, humility, and healthy partnership throughout Sovereign Grace — and are there areas they could improve or strengthen? It will be good to hear from them, because that input is helpful. That's one of their key functions.
And then I'm going to give a Sovereign Grace Churches update — really a denominational overview of all that's been happening and the plans we have. When I talk about those, there's a lot to celebrate where we see God being faithful to us. But I also speak to areas of vulnerability or weakness where we need to grow — I put all of that together because they oversee the leadership team, and I want them to be aware of it.
Next, we'll talk about strategic initiatives — some new strategic initiatives we're taking as a leadership team that I want them to be aware of. I'll give them an update on the Executive Director transition, and on the transition happening at the Pastors College with Josh Blount moving to Louisville. And then they ask me every year for a report on the departments. So I go through each department in Sovereign Grace: the Pastors College, finance and administration, church planting, West Coast development, publishing, and church development in terms of caring for regional leaders. I just walk them through all of that, they give input along the way, and then we spend a good amount of time evaluating the leadership team.
And then they take time to evaluate me — which I leave the room for. They can take as long as they want. Then I come back in and hear any input they have. And the last day is really devoted to meticulously combing through the budget — them asking all kinds of questions, making any tweaks they want to make. And according to the BCO, they approve the budget; in the fall Council of Elders meeting, it's the Council of Elders that affirms it. So those are some of the things planned for next week. And again, please be praying. You always get a lot of work done at these retreats, but it's all very important work.
Benjamin Kreps:
And lest anyone checking out the podcast — who maybe isn't a pastor — hears about things like an Executive Committee, church polity, and governing structures and is tempted to roll their eyes... and unlike some of the pastors in Sovereign Grace who apparently enjoy using the BCO every morning in their devotions — the real polity wonks among us — share a little bit more. You talked at the beginning about the importance of the Executive Committee, but share with us a little more about why it matters so much.
Mark Prater:
Why do we have this? Why do we even do this? Why did we ratify a polity back in 2013? And I think it really comes down to this: a healthy, active, and engaged governance structure — of which the Executive Committee is the expression — facilitates, strengthens, and protects our denomination's ability to do gospel ministry and gospel mission. At the end of the day, all of this serves the gospel and our desire to advance it together, and to do that in a way that brings integrity to it — which I believe the Executive Committee provides for the leadership team. And ultimately, it leads to the glory of Christ.
We can't miss that. Because it can just become all about polity — and it's great to have polity, I thank God for polity. But if we don't see how it functions within the bigger picture of our partnership, and how it strengthens the gospel ministry and gospel mission being done in different parts of the world, we'll miss the ultimate purpose of all of it. My prayer is that even the effect of this retreat next week would lead to the strengthening of our gospel ministry and gospel mission — and most importantly, glory to the only One who is worthy: Jesus Christ.
Benjamin Kreps:
Yes. And as I think about that, it just makes me very grateful for the men who serve on this Executive Committee. There are nine men who give their time — unpaid — to be away from their families and their church. And they take this responsibility very earnestly. There have been different men over the years on the Executive Committee, and I just thank God for them. And I'm looking forward to being with these brothers when we're together next week, because I want them to know my gratitude, and I want them to hear that they are strengthening our commitment to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ for the glory of God alone.
Mark Prater:
Wonderful. Well, if you're on the Executive Committee and you're checking out this podcast — we do thank God for you. And we're so grateful that God has supplied so many men over the years who have come on and off the committee, gifted and godly men who have served us so well and effectively, for the glory of Christ ultimately, as you were saying. So enjoy the last one, Mark.
Benjamin Kreps:
And let's be praying for all that God will do during this retreat. So thank you, Mark, for your thoughts. Thank you for checking out the podcast, everybody, and we'll see you here next week, Lord willing. Bye for now.