FAQ
Have a question? This is the place to begin.
Q: I don't think churches need consultants. They need the Bible, Jesus, pastors, and the Holy Spirit!
A: Hey…wait a minute. That’s not a question. In all seriousness, though, I mostly agree with you! The term consultant has something of a negative connotation to many people because we know there are always people trying to fleece churches, and since some people aren’t confident that they know what consultants actually do, it’s easy to be suspicious of them. I’m sympathetic to this concern. In the 1990s, I let an unscrupulous church consultant convince me, for quite some time, that most of them were shady characters.
For years, I didn’t refer to myself as a church or ministry consultant because of the baggage that the word has for many people, myself included. That’s one of the reasons I’ll work with churches even if they can’t to hire me. If a church can pay, that’s great, but I understand that sometimes the financial resources just aren’t there. For 19 years, I’ve trusted in God’s provision, and he has always provided sponsors to underwrite my work on those occasions when churches or ministries haven’t had the resources themselves.
Secondly, as a pastor, I want to help churches attain a level of health where their God-called leaders are properly equipped for service, the people have confidence in their church’s biblical mission and vision, and everyone commits to living out their strategic plan to the degree that they don’t need to rely on outside helpers like me (with the caveat that most of us could use an outside perspective from time to time to help us work through a particularly thorny issue, or learn a new leadership skill).
Q: Why don't you charge churches a set rate for the work you do?
A: The simple answer is that I don’t ever want to burden churches that need help but might not seek it because of limited financial resources. For a fuller answer, please read my response directly above this one.
Q: We're a small/medium/large-sized church or ministry. How can you help us?
A: Regardless of your church’s size, Jesus has given it the same Great Commission as every other church. Your church is also built on the same foundation and cornerstone—the teachings of the prophets, apostles, and Jesus himself (Eph. 2:19–22)—as every other church that has ever or will ever exist. As a pastor myself, I find that to be profoundly reassuring. The differences between churches are often most evident at scale. I’ve served in churches averaging as few as 40 and as many as 1,000+ people in Sunday morning worship services. Each church looked different in staff size and responsibilities, age–graded ministry options, budgets, and infrastructure. Each church also had its particular ways of measuring success. Your church or ministry is unique. I understand that, and I’ll tailor solutions specific to your needs.
Q: I'm a pastor of a smaller church. I don't have any other paid staff here. How can you help me?
A: A pastor in your situation often has to wear far more hats than church members realize. Maybe you don’t feel like you’re a specialist in every area that you’re expected to cover. I often help pastors in your situation map out sermon series, locate or recommend specific resources, clarify mission and vision statements and other church documents, give advice for difficult counseling cases, and help them prioritize the endless tasks that are expected of them.
Maybe you’re just stuck in your sermon prep, and you need someone to bounce ideas off of. I love to help pastors climb over obstacles and to be an encouraging partner to them in ministry. (I’m so grateful for those who do this for me.) You might just need a three-minute phone conversation to clarify your thoughts. Whatever you need, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Q: What's the difference between consulting and coaching? Do you do both?
A: Consulting focuses on bringing in outside experience and expertise to meet the needs of the church or ministry as a whole, or those of a group within the church or ministry—like the staff, a committee, or a search team. Coaching focuses on the leadership and skills development of an individual—like a pastor, staff member, or organizational leader. Consulting is group-oriented. Coaching is most often done with and for individuals.
I do more consulting than coaching since my primary goal is to move churches and ministries forward in healthy ways, but I’m available for (and enjoy!) coaching.
Q: I don't know if I need consulting services or coaching, but I need some kind of support. I just don't know what to call it. Can you help me?
A: If you’re a pastor or church leader, you know that when people feel confused or lost while listening to a sermon, or during a small group discussion, or in their daily Bible reading time, that’s often the moment they feel like they have run into an immovable object. This might be a temporary setback, or it might have long–term effects on them and their faith. Pastors, staff members, committee members, and search teams can run into obstacles that also seem to stop their forward momentum. I can provide a map to help you navigate around or over those obstacles that are holding you back or causing division and discord.
We could all sometimes benefit from some direction and encouragement, offered from an objective perspective, by someone who has either been where we are now or who has the broad experience to be able to come alongside us in our particular situation and context. Feel free to think of what I’m describing as consulting, coaching, or just asking for and receiving advice.
Q: So, you're a full-time pastor. Are you a consultant at your church?
A: I wouldn’t be a consultant where I personally serve, even if it were possible to do so. An important part of ministry consulting is providing an outside perspective and source of information to a church or ministry organization. I bring many of the principles I’ve learned through working with other churches and ministries to the church I currently serve. However, as their pastor, my calling is to be their shepherd, not their consultant.
I want to stress that if you’re a pastor or ministry leader, YOU are indispensable to the church to which God has called you. I’m not. A consultant might be able to support you in your Great Commission work, but he or she could never replace your value to the mission that God has called you to fulfill in your church. My tasks as a pastor and a consultant serve the same ends—to bring glory to God, strengthen believers, and reach the lost with the truth of the gospel—but they are distinct roles. Good ministry consultants exist to support the work of pastors, churches, and ministries.
Q: We're a larger church looking for an intensive, long-term consulting partnership. What do you recommend for us?
A: I know my limits. Some churches need services I’m not equipped to provide. I also know some ministry consultants whose dedicated teams and programs could be exactly what you need. I’d be happy to connect you with a consultant who might better suit your needs. Just let me know what you’re looking for, and I’d be glad to give you my recommendation.