Serving on a church board can be a tough assignment. Marathon business meetings and petty squabbing can quickly take a toll. But lay leaders aren't the only ones who find board meetings to be a harrowing experience. So do many pastors.

Larry Osborne was no exception. Six months into a new pastorate, he found himself embroiled in controversy. Old members left as fast as new ones could be added. He and the board seldom saw eye to eye on anything.

Troubled and confused, he went out to find some answers. What were the secrets of an effective leadership team? Could a pastor lead without becoming a dictator? What would it take to develop and maintain a unified board? Could it even be done?

Now, many years, board meetings and hours of research later, Osborne applies tested, no-nonsense wisdom to questions like these:

• What roadblocks keep a board from working well together?
• How can they be removed?
• What do you do when a member of the leadership team isn't working out?
• What roles can a pastor take with the board and which one is most effective?
• What work should a board handle? What should it definitely not touch?
• How can a leadership team guide a congregation through controversial changes?
• What does it take to negotiate a fair salary?

Whatever your situation...whether your church is in a start-up phase, is small and struggling or is one of a growing number of so-called mega-churches, Osborne has been there. As the pastor of North Coast Church, he's walked his congregation and board through each stage. Now, in The Unity Factor, he shows us what it takes to develop a healthy leadership team with sensible strategies and warm encouragement.