What Are the Qualifications of a Baptist Church Trustee?
Because trustees in a Baptist church must represent the church as legal custodians of the corporate body and its property, trustees must possess spiritual understanding and knowledge and skills in property and asset management, budgeting and legal matters. They are expected to have the capacity to listen to and interact with people of all ages and to work well with other leaders.
Trustees must be long-time members of the Baptist church who are born-again Christians. They can be men or, at some churches, women who are not only filled with the Holy Spirit also prudent and intelligent business persons able to make informed decisions.
Baptist church trustees work closely with the pastor to manage the financial affairs of the church, guided by the constitution of the ministry and the law. A prospective trustee should show genuine interest in ministry through an attitude of servanthood and skills in administration, giving and evangelism.
A potential trustee must demonstrate a stable life with evidence of prior effective ministry leadership in the areas of stewardship of assets, active and growing discipleship, the ability to preside over meetings and delegation of responsibility.
Members of the trustee board must account for time and money spent in church activities. A trustee creates sustainable ways to run church ministries such as youth programs and ensures the church can meet its financial obligations, goals and objectives to fulfill the spiritual demands of the congregation and the greater society.
