Church planting leaders Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee discuss the often overlooked but critically important topic of church governance, including how and when to establish an elder board.

1:25 Danny advises church planters on the things they should be thinking about in the beginning of the church governance process

3:40 Danny says being part of a network is helpful

4:30 Danny says it’s important to remember that your model of governance will change over time and the challenges that will come with that

10:35 Lee says you have to pay attention to the language that you use – bylaws vs. constitution

11:01 Lee talks about the style of governance he used at his church plant and how it changed over time

16:10 Lee says church planters don’t need an elder board right away, should use an advisory team instead

18:10 Lee says to use terminology that makes sense to your church

20:00 Lee gives advice on what to look for when picking an elder and what the selection process looked like at his church

24:24 Lee and Danny discuss how they made sure people knew that the board was serving its purpose

27:32 Danny and Lee talk about what they’ve learned from their mistakes