Vital and fruitful churches must be governed and led in new ways today so that Christ’s mission for us can be fulfilled! The disciple-making mission which Christ has given us is too important to let bureaucratic redundancies distract us from our work. For the sake of Christ’s mission and our mission fields, many churches are discovering that there are simpler ways to provide governance and strategic direction, so that the congregation can be unleashed for ministry. Sometimes these models are called a “one-board structure” or a “single-board structure.”

A simplified single board structure makes it possible for your church to better focus on leadership equipping, missional alignment, and your next steps in ministry. Meanwhile, removing bureaucratic redundancies allows more members to spend their time in service as disciples who make disciples. By consolidating administrative functions into a single board, disciples can focus on using their spiritual gifts and passions for ministry to contribute to the vitality of the congregation as it seeks to reach the mission field.

This method of simplifying your church’s administrative leadership and governance is allowed by¶247.2 of the 2016 Discipline of the UMC :

The charge conference, the district superintendent, and the pastor, when a pastor has been appointed (see ¶ 205.4), shall organize and administer the pastoral charge and churches according to the policies and plans herein set forth. When the membership size, program scope, mission resources, or other circumstances so require, the charge conference may, in consultation with and upon the approval of the district superintendent, modify the organizational plans, provided that the provisions of ¶ 243 are observed.

In Mission Possible 4, Kay and Blake walk you through four distinct phases to implement this model and transform your church:

1. Discerning the right path for your congregation

2. Designing the right leadership structure for your context (a new phase in this edition)

3. Equipping participants for accountable, missional leadership

4. Implementing both technical and adaptive changes to align your resources for the church's mission

Each phase includes right-sizing guidance for large, medium, and small congregations, along with tips for navigating common obstacles leaders are likely to encounter.

This edition also includes significant new content on the nuances of the adaptive changes needed to shift to a new leadership culture. Technical changes are not enough. Churches must also change how leaders organize, make decisions, and lead together. Practical tools, including worksheets, charts, samples, checklists, and a detailed index, help leaders implement the model with clarity and confidence.

At over 300 pages, Mission Possible 4 draws on best practices from hundreds of congregations and thousands of leaders across the country. It is designed for board members, pastors, nominations committee members, and judicatory leaders, particularly United Methodists, who want a field guide they can actually use.

Resources are available for free in the SAS Resource Hub. Join for Free!

An annual pass for editable SAS downloads, additional resources, and multiple SAS training videos featuring authors Kay Kotan and Blake Bradford is available upon paid subscription at the Pro+ Hub.‍ ‍

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We ecognize the many demands on your time as a judicatory leader and the importance of having timely, reliable, and accessible tools to support your work and the leaders you serve. In response, Kay Kotan and Blake Bradford invite you to explore the SAS (simplified, accountable structure) Judicatory Resource Hub, a FREE online space created specifically with judicatory leaders in mind. We hope this curated space serves as both a practical toolkit and a collegial community as you continue to lead with wisdom and grace.

Click here to join the FREE Judicatory SAS Resource Hub

Inside the Hub, you'll find:

• A training video for judicatory leaders commissioned by Discipleship Ministries

• Recordings of key discussions from our SAS Forum

• Curated tools and resources to support the implementation of SAS across various contexts

• Access to a message board where you can ask questions, share insights, and connect with fellow leaders navigating similar challenges and opportunities in SAS