Forget the Plaques!

It’s time to honor your board chair who is stepping down after weathering six years at the head of the table. What gift will you give him or her?
   • A plaque
   • A Starbucks gift card
   • Flowers
   • All of the above
   • None of the above

I have a new idea!  

This week I enjoyed lunch with a fellow board member. I had never been to his office, and so I arrived early to get a tour of the architectural firm he founded. I love visiting the interesting offices of executives. The tour is often an insight into a leader’s values, passions and soul. This was no exception.

When we arrived in Tom’s own office, he pointed to a stunning commemorative salute to his six years as board chair of an international ministry, JAARS, the center of training and support operation for Wycliffe Bible Translators. 

Beautifully framed with exquisite calligraphy, the large testimonial to God’s faithfulness listed over 125 people groups, in five regions around the world, who had received God’s Word in their own language. At the bottom of this Kingdom artwork was this memorable statement:

“During the years that Tom Matlock served as chair of the JAARS Board,
these New Testaments were completed around the world.
Thank you, Tom and Judi. May God bless you!"

Forget the plaques, gift cards and the gold watches. The best acknowledgement of a board chair’s work is to salute the Kingdom work that resulted from his or her faithful stewardship of the ministry.   

It’s been several years since Tom termed off the JAARS board, but he still got teary-eyed as he pointed to that wall and told me stories of God’s faithfulness. (Me, too.)

QUESTION: When you honor your next departing board member or board chair, how will you meaningfully connect the dots between faithfulness and Kingdom impact?