Don Dancer spoke on “Reflections on Institutional Governance” at a Center for Faith and Culture Ph.D. luncheon on Dec. 4.

Dancer is a retired corporate attorney and currently teaches at Elon University School of Law in Greensboro, North Carolina.

He spoke on the importance of accountability and transparency in business and in the Church. He explored several ways to prepare for and improve best practices. Dancer encouraged organizations to anticipate challenges in governance and be prepared if difficulties arise.

Dancer believes transparency in pastoral staff is supposed to be beyond reproach is crucial to recognize and to diversify power and oversight.

“It is important for someone to ask the right questions such as if the organization is truly doing the right thing and keeping accurate records,” he said. “Any organization has to develop and review their practices to meet transparency and accountability practices.”

“Any entity needs someone to ask the right questions, to raise questions,” Dancer said.

Dancer suggests organizations follow their own rules, develop a culture of compliance, watch for misguided priorities, and conduct compliance and integrity training.

“If there is a problem, raise it. Better to find it yourself than someone else,” he said.

Dancer and his wife, Lucy, recently founded the Business and Cultural Engagement Scholarship at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

To learn more about how to apply for the Business and Cultural Engagement Scholarship please contact the Financial Aid Office (financialaid@sebts.edu)

To view photos from this event, please click here.

To watch this lecture online, please see below.