When it comes to the business of running a church, Willow Creek’s Board of Directors is ready to serve.

“They have different gifts and different experiences. That’s the way it was when we started out and the way we still are,” says Quigley Fletcher, who has served as the Chairman of the Board since it began meeting 27 years ago. “We look for people who are committed to the church and committed to Christ.”

As a general rule, the Board of Directors consists of business people who utilize their marketplace skills and experiences to serve the church.

“The Elders are the head of our church,” Quig says. “They have delegated to us the handling of financial, personnel, and buildings and grounds issues.”

Getting Down to Business
At their monthly meetings, the Board operates formally, using Robert’s Rules of Order as their guidance. A quorum of two-thirds of the 11 members is required to vote on issues.

“Even though we’re not a business, we try to have proper procedures for our meetings,” Quig says.

Among the Board’s areas of oversight: preparing and approving the church’s overall budget and the self-supporting ministries’ budgets, overseeing building projects, reviewing salaries and job descriptions, and much more.

Board members also have responsibilities on committees and with the church’s ministries.

“Our Board is a behind-the-scenes group,” Quig says. “There’s plenty to do … plenty of challenges.”

It’s Unanimous
One challenge that makes Willow Creek unique is that every vote for nearly three decades has been unanimous.

“That’s not to say that the Board is a rubber stamp,” Quig says. “But I won’t call anything to a vote unless I feel everyone is on board. If we don’t feel something is right, we have to modify it, change it, or table it.”

Quig has seen times when all but one member were in agreement, yet still there was no vote.

“It’s God’s church,” Quig says. “We need to be in full agreement on issues.”

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