Ministries
Key issues
Under our governance structure, the decision-making process would rest upon four ministry specific boards, with a Church Executive Committee safeguarding the vision and mission of the church. The four ministry-specific boards are:
Worship, Outreach, Family and Discipleship. A Leader Placement Committee will have the responsibility to nominate the members of the Church Executive Committee and the ministry specific boards. This [beta] structure decentralises the decision-making process and increases participation from the wider church body. Below is the outline of purpose, authority and responsibilities of the four ministry specific boards, the Church Executive Committee and the Leadership Placement and the supporting committees.
Church Executive Committee
Purpose: Oversees the four ministry boards that execute the church goals and plans.
Members: Senior Pastor, Director of Ministries, Directors of Worship, Outreach, Family and Discipleship Ministry boards, Heads of Finance, Human Resources and Strategic Planning committees, and four members-at-large.
Meeting: Meets on the last Monday of each month, or as needed, at 1900 hours.
Goals & Plans
1. Develops the Church’s strategic three-year plans for approval by the church body.
2. Oversees any changes in the mission, vision and values of the church.
3. Establishes corporate worship times.
Internal & External resources:
People:
1. Consults with the Human Resources Committee in the selection of conference paid staff.
2. Hires and fires staff (paid from local funds) on recommendation from the Human Resources Committee.
3. Acts on recommendations from the Human Resources Committee to remove individuals from positions of service.
4. Senior Pastor chairs the Church Executive Committee.
5. Selects one of its members to be secretary and keep minutes.
Money:
1. Recommends to the church in business session the annual church budget.
2. Recommends to the church in business session all transaction over US$5,000.00
3. Recommends to the church in business session all requests for financial loans regarding capital improvements.
Monitoring & Evaluation
1. Receives the minutes from the Discipleship, Family, Outreach, and Worship ministry boards, as well as Finance, Human Resources and Strategic Planning committees
2. Receives financial reports from the Finance Committee
3. Develops the monitoring and evaluation procedures for the ministries of the church.
Director of Ministries
1. Oversees and monitors the overall day-to-day administrative work of church ministries
2. The administrative head of church ministries board
3. Ex officio member of all four ministry specific boards
4. Member of the Church executive Committee
Leadership Placement Committee
Purpose: Nominates the officers and leaders of the church. The list of the officers and other positions to be nominated by the Leadership Placement Committee is attached as Appendix 1 to this document. The Leadership Placement Committee does not nominate the paid staff positions to the various boards and committees. The paid staff positions and their job descriptions are attached as Appendix 2.
Members: Senior Pastor, the Associate Pastors, and five Lay Pastors.
Meeting: Meets in April of each year or as and when a serious need arises
Internal & External resources:
People:
1. Nominates the three members at large for the Church Executive Committee.
2. Nominates the members of the four ministry board positions as well as the finance and Human resources committees.
3. Nominates the Lay Pastors of the church for general service to the church body.
4. Makes recommendations to the Church Executive Committee of individuals to be removed from their positions of service.
Strategic Planning Committee
Purpose: Develops a three-year plan for Rainbow Ministries.
Members: Head of Strategic Planning Committee, Head of Finance Committee, plus four members at large.
Meeting: Meets regularly.
Goals & Plans:
1. Develops a three-year plan for Rainbow Ministries
2. Conducts surveys of church members and ministry.
3. Researches needs of the ministry.
4. Presents recommendations to the Church executive Committee.
5. Identifies and recommends projects.
Internal & external resources:
People: Engages an external consultant to facilitate the process, if necessary
Money: Monitors spending against approved budget
Monitoring & evaluation:
1. Monitors progress of strategic planning process.
2. Sends reports to the Church Executive Committee
Finance Committee
(Subcommittee of the Church executive Committee)
Purpose: Oversees the finances and physical assets of the church.
Members: Head of Finance Committee (chair), Pastor for Administration, Church Treasurer, Church Administrative Assistant (recording secretary: nonvoting), Facilities Manager, Head of Human resources Committee, and four members at large.
Meeting: Meets on the third Monday of each month at 1900 hours.
Goals & Plans:
1. Receives and evaluates budget requests along with goals and plans
2. Produces and monitors the church’s financial policy
Internal & External resources:
Money:
1. Oversees the finances of the church.
2. Oversees the physical assets.
3. Develops and recommends an annual budget to the Church Executive Committee.
4. Makes all financial decisions outside the budget, including special fundraising projects.
5. Approves and monitors child education subsidies.
6. Approves all capital expenditures over US$1,000.00
7. Recommends to the Church Executive Committee capital improvements over US$5,000.00
8. Recommends all requests for financial loans to the Church Executive Committee
9. Determines rental rates for use of church building, church vehicles, and grounds.
Monitoring & Evaluation:
Sends minutes and monthly financial statements to the Church Executive Committee
Human Resources Committee
(Subcommittee of the Church Executive Committee)
Purpose: Oversees the hiring and dismissal of church paid administrative staff.
Members: Head and two others
Meeting: Meets as needed.
Internal & External Resources:
People:
1. Recruits, interviews, reference checks and employs non conference employees
2. Maintains compliance with policy (when applicable) as well as wage and hourly laws.
3. Sets remuneration rates and benefits for non-Pastoral staff.
4. Approves future increments in remuneration for non-Pastoral staff.
5. Applies disciplinary measures in harmony with Rainbow Ministries policies (when applicable)
6. Recommends termination of non-Pastoral staff to Church executive Committee
7. Approves employment policies and practices within parameters of Rainbow policy and legal requirements.
Worship Ministries Board
Purpose: Oversees the worship programmes of the church
Members: Director of Worship, Pastor for Worship, Heads of Media, Impact, Hospitality, Decoration
Meeting: Meets the first Friday of every month or as needed, at 1900 hours.
Mission, Vision, and Values:
Reviews and oversees the mission, vision, and values of worship Ministries.
Goals & Plans:
1. Develops a one-year strategic plan for Worship Ministries
2. Plans special worship services, such as conferences.
Internal & External Resources:
People:
1. Appoints and oversees the Worship Planning Committee
2. Develops and revises ministry descriptions for subcommittees and/or ministries of this board
3. Addresses personnel issues, including but not limited to interpersonal conflict resolution, transitions of leadership positions and leadership development
4. Selects one of its members to be secretary and keep the minutes.
Money:
1. Proposes a yearly budget to the finance committee for internal and external funding plans
2. Monitors spending against approved budget.
Monitoring & Evaluation:
1. Sends the minutes to the Church Executive Committee
2. Conducts annual self- evaluation.
Outreach Ministries Board
Purpose: Oversees Evangelism, Outreach and Communications.
Members: Director of Outreach Ministries, Pastor for Outreach, heads of Communication, Evangelism, International Missions, National Missions, local Missions and two members at large.
Meeting: Meets every fourth Wednesday of the month or as needed, at 1900 hours.
Mission, Vision and Values:
Reviews and oversees the mission, vision and values of Outreach Ministries.
Goals & Plans:
1. Coordinates the international, national and local outreaches of the church
2. Develops a one-year strategic plan for Outreach Ministries.
Internal & External Resources:
People:
1. Appoints subcommittees.
2. Develops and revises ministry descriptions for the subcommittees and/or ministries of this board.
3. Addresses personnel issues, including but not limited to interpersonal conflict resolution, transitions of leadership positions and leadership development.
4. Selects one of its members to be secretary and keep the minutes.
Money:
1. Proposes a yearly budget to the Finance Committee for internal & external funding.
2. Monitors spending against the approved budget.
Monitoring & Evaluation:
1. Sends minutes to the Church Executive Committee
2. Conducts a self-evaluation.
Family Ministries Board
Purpose: Oversees and directs children’s and youth programmes in the church.
Members: Director of Family Ministries, Pastor for Family Ministries, heads of Covenant Kingdom Kids, Covenant Youth Ministries, Covenant Family Life, and Child Safety
Meeting: Meets every first Saturday of the month, or as needed, at 1900 hours.
Mission, Vision, Values
Reviews and oversees the vision, mission and values of Family Ministries.
Goals & Plans:
Develops a one-year strategic plan for Family Ministries
Internal & External Resources:
People:
1. Plans and provides leadership development training events
2. Develops and revises ministry descriptions for the subcommittees and/ or ministries of this board.
3. Addresses personnel issues, including but not limited to: interpersonal conflict resolution, transitions of leadership positions and leadership development.
4. Selects one of its members to be secretary and keep minutes
Money:
1 .Proposes a yearly budget to the Finance Committee for internal & external funding
2. Monitors spending against the approved budget.
Monitoring & Evaluation:
1. Evaluates Family Ministries programmes and activities according to its vision and mission.
2. Conducts biannual assessments/ survey of the needs for families, children and youth.
3. Reviews critical incident issues and makes recommendations for quality assurance.
4. Sends minutes to the Church Executive Committee
5. Conducts annual self evaluation.
Discipleship Ministries Board
Purpose: Oversees the spiritual growth and nurture of church members
Members: Director of Discipleship Ministries, Senior Pastor, Heads of Covenant Women, Covenant Men, Covenant Young Adults, Prayer Ministries and two Lay Pastors.
Meeting: Meets every third Wednesday of the month, or as needed, at 1900 hours.
Mission, Vision and Values
Reviews and oversees the vision, mission and values of the Discipleship Ministries.
Goal & Plans
Develops a one-year strategic plan for Discipleship Ministries
Internal & External Resources
People:
1. Reviews and recommends admittance of new members and transfer of membership
2. Recommends church discipline and excommunication to the Church Executive Committee
3. Develops and revises ministry descriptions for the subcommittees and/ or ministries of this board.
4. Addresses personnel issues, including but not limited to interpersonal conflict resolution, transition of leadership positions and leadership development.
5. Addresses anything that may disturb the spiritual growth of the members; sexual harassment, child molestation, conflicts between members.
6. Coordinates with the Family Ministries board when the issue involves youth and children.
Money
1. Proposes a yearly budget to the Finance Committee for internal & external funding
2. Monitors spending against approved budget.
Monitoring & Evaluation
1. Conducts annual assessment of the spiritual health of the congregation.
2. Selects one of its members to be secretary and keep the minutes
3. Sends minutes to the Church Executive Committee
4. Conducts annual self evaluation.
Lay Pastors
Purpose: To serve as the commissioned leaders for spiritual growth and nurture of the church body.
Members: Lay Pastors who have gone through a recognised basic theological training.
Goals: TBD.