Best Practices for Effective Boards

A local pastor.A long-standing member of not-for-profit board.A former president of a university.These three authors share their wisdom and experiences from decades of board leadership. With specific areas of expertise, they bring 3 distinctive voices and perspectives to the 12 essential principles every leader needs to develop and maintain a healthy governing board.Best Practices for Effective Boards challenges your board to become the most effective, God-honoring body to ever serve your organization. Regardless of the size of your board or the organizations that you serve, you can benefit from the principles outlined in this book. The starting point is clear and the path is systematically laid before you, helping to transform your vision, strategy, and future. No matter where you start, you can develop your board into a strong and effective body working toward a future of growth and development. Reviews Board development is one of the most important, if not difficult tasks for any organization or leader. Without an effective board an organization is unstable and its leader is unaccountable. These three gifted and respected leaders offer some of the best advice available for grounding and advancing a mission through the development of effective boards.-Tom Nees, President of Lead to ServeThere is no question that any leader will benefit from the thoughtful Best Practice compilation. Looking back on my own career there are many places where I could have applied the principles and ended up more effective and productive. We all should be thankful for the diligence of the authoring team.-Richard Schubert, Executive VP, Executive Coaching Network, Inc.

E. LEBRON FAIRBANKS retired in 2007 from Mount Vernon Nazarene University after serving 18 years as university president. He is a graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University; has graduate degrees form Scarritt College, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Nazarene Theological Seminary; and pursued post-doctoral studies at Harvard University and Yale University. Prior to his move to Mount Vernon in 1989, Fairbanks served as president of Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary, Manila, The Philippines, and as academic dean of the European Nazarene College near Schaffausen, Switzerland. He has also served on the faculty of Southern Nazarene University. Fairbanks is an international speaker and author of the modular course of study text, Leading the People of God.

Dwight M. Gunter II, DMin, is the district superintendent of the MidSouth District in the Church of the Nazarene. Prior to his election in 2018, he served for sixteen years as lead pastor of Trevecca Community Church. Gunter has also previously served in pastoral roles in Texas and South Carolina and is a Certified John Maxwell Team Leadership Coach. His previous leadership service includes membership on several boards and advisory committees and consultant for various district organizations and local churches. Dr. Gunter has written for multiple publications, appeared on the Christian Communication Network with George Barna, presented numerous seminars, and authored several books.

Dr. James Couchenour is the founder and longtime president of Cogun Industries, a construction company specializing in the building of local church and ministry organization facilities. He has formally served as chairman of the Mount Vernon Nazarene University Board, and for years preceding his election as board chairman, served as the chairman of the MVNU Board Buildings and Grounds Committee. He was the founding director of The Way Station, a compassionate ministry center. He is a frequent speaker at organizations on the subject of board development.