Team & organisation
Decide on gifts, not on seniority
For elder teams, church councils, and spiritual boards that stagnate in decision-making — or sense that their gifts aren't being consciously deployed.
Elder teams and church boards face a specific problem: decisions often turn implicitly on seniority, voting weight, or roles built up over a long time — while the actual gifts and functions in the team aren't being consciously deployed. JANE exposes who within the team holds which function, and helps you structure decisions on the basis of that reality.
Does this sound familiar?
- You make decisions the congregation doesn't always go along with — or that you reverse yourselves after a while.
- Certain members of the team implicitly dominate, others remain underused.
- You notice that old role divisions no longer fit the congregation as it is now.
- A collective blind spot feels recognizable but can't be named.
What Jane® does for you
Individual profiles for all board members
A personal Jane profile for each member — often surprising compared to how the team thinks it knows one another.
Team diagram + collective blind spot
The profiles together show what kind of decisions this team naturally makes — and which decisions it systematically avoids.
Working session 'how do we make decisions'
Concrete agreements: who has which voice on which type of decision, and how do we make the implicit dynamic explicit.
Confidential setting
The trajectory is internal and discreet — outcomes are shared only as the team itself chooses.
What does the journey look like?
- 1
Orientation with the chair
1.5 hours
Assessment of the group, support, and how we safeguard confidentiality.
- 2
Individual profiles
Per member, 2–3 sessions
Personal trajectory for each team member.
- 3
Team day
1 day off-site
Laying out profiles, recognizing the blind spot, restructuring decision-making.
- 4
Decision-making framework
Closing block of the team day
Concrete agreements about how decisions are made.
- 5
Follow-up after 6 months
Half a day
Check whether the new structure works — any adjustments.
This fits you if…
- An elder team, church council, or spiritual board that has worked together for 6+ months.
- Enough board-member-to-board-member trust to be vulnerable.
- Willingness to re-examine existing role divisions.
Less suitable if…
- The team is in the middle of a conflict over leadership — resolve that first.
- One member refuses to take part or only takes part under pressure.
- The team wants to 'meet more efficiently' without a fundamental reorientation.
The method behind this journey
JANE has been used since 2007 with elder teams and governance layers of congregations, the earliest example being 'the Shelter Elder Team' (2007) and 'Jane proposal EC Europoort' (2006). The trajectory is suitable for Pentecostal, evangelical, free-evangelical, and Reformed congregations.
Frequently asked questions
Does the entire elder council have to take part?
Yes. One missing member makes the diagram incomplete and the working session less effective.
How confidential is this?
Completely confidential within the team. Nothing is shared with the congregation or third parties without an explicit team agreement.
Is this an audit?
No. It is an insight trajectory without judgment or advice about individuals. The outcomes are descriptive, not evaluative.
How long does the whole trajectory take?
From orientation to follow-up: 4–6 months.
A final step
Deciding on gifts instead of on seniority can profoundly relieve an elder team. Schedule a confidential conversation with the chair — without obligations.