Pastors and board members often clash because they approach situations from different perspectives. Pastors typically possess a theological or biblical perspective, a problem-solving method that they probably picked up in seminary. Board members tend to solve problems more pragmatically, using a tried-and-true method they learned in the business world. It's the idealism/realism rub.

In-depth discipling

People with different perspectives often have trouble seeing the other's point of view. Perhaps Jesus' periodic struggles with his board of 12 were intensified because of this. Yet he described to them a different perspective—that of the kingdom of God.

Jesus committed himself deeply to those men. Robert Coleman, in The Master Plan of Evangelism, sums up the idea well: "Frequently he would take them with him in a retreat to some mountainous area of the country. … He actually spent more time with his disciples than with everybody else in the world put together." ...