The goal of consulting at the Center for Congregational Health, Inc.® is to help faith communities become healthier and stronger while building their capacity for effective leadership and decision-making. Our consultants walk alongside a congregation at times when they need expertise, experience or a perspective beyond what is present within the congregation. In the early church, apostles like Paul and other itinerant ministers and teachers filled such a role.
Outside perspective and assistance is valuable to all congregations. Our consultants can help faith communities find positive solutions in situations involving conflict, identity confusion, change management and decision-making. The Center can help faith communities to be more effective in fulfilling the church’s calling and mission.
Our philosophy is that consulting is a spiritual process. Our consultants help congregations create procedures and an environment through which the Holy Spirit can provide insight, energy, reconciliation and wisdom.
A congregation and its leaders will do the work, but we can help them determine how to get started. Our consultants use an interactive approach, either one on one or in small group settings, to help faith communities engage in generative conversation in order to identify problems and develop solutions.
Some specific challenges our consultants help congregations deal with include:
- Conflict over a pastor or staff member
- Finding common ground in the midst of significant differences of opinion
- Addressing issues created by multiple worship or music styles
- Evaluating the need for staff positions
- Training search committees and facilitating search processes
- Team building for staff members
- Charting a new course for the future
- Responding to declining membership and resources