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In complex times like these, bold, Gospel-inspired governance is needed more than ever. And yet, we hear stories every day of churches and Christian charities struggling in this area. We can’t navigate these challenges alone, so earlier this year we held our Governance Conference for 2024 across Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington. Over 400 people came together to be equipped with practical governance skills from our wonderful array of speakers, inspired by the Gospel, and informed about how to overcome challenges that lie ahead.
Governance always takes place in context. To govern well requires us to understand what sector trends, changes and challenges are facing our organisation. Scotty will offer his perspective on the unique season the Church finds itself in. Scotty will be joined by James Stewart who will introduce the “State of the Church” report that offers us a data-driven lens for the Christian charitable sector.
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This session will give you the core pillars of what good governance looks like and the responsibilities you take on when accepting a role as an elder, trustee, director or officer. KP will deliver an easy to understand introduction to governance for those new to the role, but serve up a challenge to ‘old hands’ to keep engaged with changing expectations in today’s environment.
Judene Edgar will stand in for Kirsten in Christchurch.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care is sure to land heavily for churches, schools and other charitable institutions involved in care for vulnerable people. We will be hearing from leading experts who will walk us through the lessons for those in governance and what the Report can teach us.
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A core responsibility for those in governance is to keep its organisation accountable to its mission. But how do you monitor this, and how do you measure success? Hear from someone who has devoted her Master’s thesis to this very question. Be sure to be challenged and informed about the questions you are asking at the board table.
Churches and charities are increasingly becoming concerned about where the leaders of tomorrow will come from. With declining rates of voluntarism and increasing financial pressure on charities, those in governance must act strategically to avoid a leadership crisis. Dr Roshan Allpress will walk us through the general state of leadership development in New Zealand and what those in governance must do to set their organisation up for the long term.
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Advocating for Diversity in the boardroom is a key part of Jade’s role with the Wilberforce Foundation as Māori Strategic Partnership Lead. She works with 125x charitable trusts who are hungry to engage iwi, make space for Pasifika and raise up female and next generation leaders in decision-making contexts. Diversity in the boardroom can create better understanding, compassion, impact, offers cross-cultural insights and good representation can lead to effective and sustainable solutions and outcomes.
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The assets of the Church continue to appreciate in value at a rate faster than congregation growth. In some parts of our ecumenical landscape, huge assets are surplus to Sunday requirements and therein lies a significant opportunity for Gospel-inspired stewardship. How should we be stewarding assets and what questions should we be asking about property at our board tables? We take a look at some green shoots popping up across the country.
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Experience an engaging and dynamic evening as we delve into the world of governance through a captivating mock board meeting. Explore the intricacies of effective and ineffective governance firsthand, drawing from the day's themes. Whether you're a newcomer to governance or a seasoned professional, this interactive session promises to sharpen your skills and provide invaluable practical insights for building stronger organisations in the Christian sector.
Jade Hohaia (Ngāi Tahu/Raukawa/Ngā Puhi) is the Māori Strategic Partnership Lead for the Wilberforce Foundation. In her role she works with 125 Chairs & CEOs (from within the Wilberforce Network of Charitable Trusts). She leads a Māori Women in Governance online masterclass with a network of emerging indigenous female leaders from all around the South Pacific. A psychology graduate from the University of Canterbury, Jade is a member of PRINZ (Public Relations Institute of New Zealand), the former Communications Manager of Waikato-Tainui, and she is an author and lover of languages and stories. Jade has a variety of governance experience and focuses on the advocacy of diversity, communication solutions, justice and female and youth leadership in the boardroom.
Steven Moe is a partner at Parry Field Lawyers with a focus on governance and legal structures for purpose driven groups including Churches and Charities. He has 23 years of experience as a lawyer and is on several boards including Christian Savings. He is also the Chair of Community Finance, which has raised more than $163 million for social housing. He is a member of the Charities Services sector group, the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, the XRB Advisory Panel and is a facilitator on governance for the Institute of Directors and hosts their podcast ‘Board Matters’ on governance. He also is the host of Seeds - a podcast with 395+ long-form conversations on governance, leadership and entrepreneurship. He is coordinating the Christian Lawyers Conference in September in Auckland for about 150 lawyers.
Dr Roshan Allpress is National Principal and CEO of Laidlaw College, Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest Christian higher education provider, where he leads a brilliant and diverse team working to equip people to renew their communities with the Gospel. Roshan is an historian with degrees from the Universities of Canterbury and Oxford. His research interests include how the Gospel has motivated social and cultural reform, and he has a particular interest in how intergenerational networks and institutions can remain faithful. He has a background in leadership development, and serves on a number of non-profit boards. Roshan is married to Lottie, and they have three children.
I am Board Chair of Parry Field Lawyers and have been a lawyer since 2002. As well as providing services to a range of commercial clients, I regularly act for churches, schools and other for purpose organisations - assisting with of issues relating to their structures, purposes and activities. One particular area of focus is helping organisations to understand their rights and obligations under human rights laws. I also work with schools and churches in the area of addressing and responding to sensitive claims of abuse or misconduct.
Kirsten Patterson (known as KP) is the Chief Executive of the Institute of Directors and is a Chartered Member of the IoD. She is a qualified lawyer and a Distinguished Fellow of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand, Chair of the Global Network of Directors Institutes (GNDI), and a member of the New Zealand External Reporting Advisory Panel (XRAP). She serves on the boards of the mental health charity Voices of Hope and the Brian Picot Ethical Leadership Advisory Board (Chair) at Victoria University in Wellington. She is a past Chair, and now Ambassador, for Wellington Women’s Homeless Trust. A strong advocate of diversity, KP is a member of Global Women New Zealand and was one of the founding members of Global Women’s ‘Champions for Change’, a group of senior executives and directors who commit to diversity in the workplace. KP was the founder and is Executive Sponsor for Chapter Zero New Zealand – the New Zealand Chapter of the World Economic Forum’s Climate Governance Initiative - hosted by the IoD NZ to mobilise, connect, educate and equip directors and boards to make climate-smart governance decisions.
Judith Bullin is a partner at Parry Field Lawyers in Christchurch. Judith’s practice is varied within the Commercial and Property space with a particular interest in Community Housing, Construction Law and latterly advising organisations in relation to claims of historical abuse. Judith finds it a privilege to walk alongside entities navigating these issues. Outside of work, Judith is a Mum to two pre-schoolers and a Trustee and Director in relation to the Stepping Stone organisations which provide residential and community-based support services for people experiencing mental distress
James Stewart has over 20 years’ experience in the infrastructure finance sector providing advice to governments, charitable trusts, Community Housing Providers, faith-based groups and utility providers. He has a passion for seeing capital unlock social and environmental impact. He leads the team at Home Capital Partners (a housing impact investment fund) and serves on the board of Money SweetSpot (a debt consolidation social enterprise, financed by impact investment), Baptist Resources Limited, Kainga Maha and the Chatham Islands Electricity Authority. He is married to Robyn, has twin 14-year-old boys and attends Ōpāwaho - The River church in Christchurch.
Danielle Diprose is a Chartered Accountant with a mission to provide innovative advisory and compliance services to the faith-based, for-purpose sector. She has over 20 years of experience supporting our sector in both voluntary and employed roles, and currently holds a CFO role at a national charity start up in the Christian camping sector alongside her public practice. Danielle also has a keen interest in governance, specifically increasing financial literacy for all around the board table for better decision-making. She is a board member of Pathways College of Bible and Mission and Arrow Leadership New Zealand; and has a Master in Faith-Based Leadership and Management (Otago) with a research focus on measuring mission.
Chris Clarke brings over 30 years of leadership experience, including 20 years as a CEO, across public policy, health care, humanitarian development, and philanthropy. Currently, he serves as CEO of the Wilberforce Foundation and chairs three boards: the Te Whakaora Tangata, The Emergency Alliance, and Arrow Leadership Global. His past roles include CEO of World Vision New Zealand and Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, with additional experience at the World Health Organisation and NHS. A law and commerce graduate from Canterbury University, Chris has been the Praxis Visiting Scholar at Green Templeton College, Oxford University, since 2009.
Ps Chris Bethwaite lives in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife and four children. He is an ordained minister with The Elim Church of New Zealand and currently serves as their National Administrator. The role sees him responsible for the smooth running of the Elim movement throughout New Zealand. He has been an Elim church member for over 35 years. Chris also chairs the Interchurch Bureau, an ecumenical group that monitors changes in government policy, legislation, regulation or common law that may have a compliance focus or affect the business operations of the churches. They also advocate central and local Government on behalf of churches, to ensure that the needs of churches are taken into account. Throughout his life, he has been involved in various church and youth ministries. Chris believes strongly in using the gifts God has blessed him with to serve the Church. Chris is a keen sports fan, especially rugby, league, tennis and motor sport. He enjoys travelling and discovering new places, movies and spending time out with family and friends.
Scottie is an ordained Anglican Priest, pioneer, and social entrepreneur in Wellington. As the national director the Catch Network, Scottie has a passion for supporting small groups of people with a desire to renew the local church. Scottie is the author of 21 Elephants, co-host of the 21 Elephants Podcast, and contributes regularly to national print media with columns on faith. Currently, he is re-planting the Anglican Parish of Brooklyn alongside his wife Cilla.
Dan assumed the role of CEO in 2021, leveraging his extensive experience as in-house counsel and lending manager. His passion for propelling the growth of the church and Christian enterprise informs his every move. With a solid background in commercial law from Tauranga and a stint at the esteemed Z Energy head office in Wellington, Dan brings a wealth of expertise to our team. His commitment to our vision shines through his collaborations with churches and charities dedicated to making a positive impact throughout Aotearoa. Beyond his professional pursuits, Dan remains an active member of Bethlehem Baptist Church, embodying our core values both within and beyond the boardroom.
