The trustee should be a church member whose spiritual qualifications are as high as the deacons who assist the pastor in the spiritual affairs and general administrative oversight of the congregation.  The spiritually-minded trustee understands the mission of the church and never allows pure financial matters to retard the progress of a membership that has adventurous faith and courageous motivation to attempt forward moving projects for the glory of God. Carnal-minded trustee thinking can be destructive to the spirit and enthusiasm of a people obedient to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, who always calls God’s people from the security of the status quo to the challenge of achieving the powerful possibilities of growth potential. Yet, the effective trustee is careful to protect the vested interests of the church from careless persons who would waste the economic resources of the congregation.  By keeping the members informed on all fiscal and related matters, the responsible trustee conserves the assets of the church.

A good person who has no business acumen should not become a part of the trustee board.  The popular member may not be the best trustee. The best trustee should have some technical skills, a love for the members and the ability to work creatively with the pastor in preserving economic stability in the church.  The ideal trustee is always improving in business and management skills, and he/she introduces the latest methods for helping the church to function in God’s mission to the world.  The ideal trustee also strives to protect the business reputation of the local within the community.

In an attempt to allay power struggles, the board of the trustees and the pastor should work in a climate of open communication.  The pastor is an ex-officio member of the board of trustees. He or she should meet privately with the trustee chairperson for dialogue, prayer, planning and briefing.  When the pastor cannot attend a meeting of the board of trustees, the secretary of the trustee board should provide the pastor with a copy of the minutes.  The trustees should operate with the leadership aims of the pastor.  The pastor should not expect the trustees to be a “rubber stamp” (a person who goes along with everything that the pastor says and does just because he/she is the pastor).

Maturity in Christ allows the pastor, the deacons, and the trustees to work in unity as members of the Body of Christ. Neither board should endeavor to supervise the other.  Chairpersons of the deacon and trustee board should meet with the pastor, at least bimonthly, to compare notes and share mutual concerns.