When a leader has a bold new vision, she must assess the level of support needed to bring that vision to fulfillment. Even when we have incredible talent within the church, sometimes we need guidance to help everyone work toward a common goal. Congregations can be slow to invite or receive help from external resources, but according to Tim Shapiro, “the more a leader seeks to accomplish, the more outside resources are needed.”
Congregations can find help in lots of different places. Some denominational offices have staff and publications that can resource interested churches when and where they are needed. One advantage of denominational resources is that they will probably reflect the congregation’s context, polity and theology better than those that come from outside the denomination. Because profit may not be a primary concern, denominational resources may be a better value, as well.
But when a church is trying to innovate, its needs may be greater than what the denomination can support. This is when it’s time to cast a wider net.
It’s important to be discerning when seeking consultation or training, especially if they’re designed to serve a broad range of congregations. The fact that they are well-suited for many does not mean they are the best fit for what you are trying to do. Ask good questions. Be sure they are going to measure what matters to your community. If the group is not faith-based, are you certain they understand the nuances of working with a religious organization?
People who succeed at what they do have mentors, coaches and trainers. Is it time for your congregation to reach out and get the help it needs?
Resources
Five tips for churches considering property development
Churches are learning how to get started well with adaptive reuse and property development, writes the co-founder of a nonprofit that has worked with hundreds of churches.
By Mark Elsdon
Get to know your city government: 6 free ways to get started
National politics consume a lot of our attention. But a local government focus often is more important for churches that want to work in their communities, says a consultant who has served in government and the church.
By Rick Reinhard
Let’s take a step back
Sometimes moving forward requires first stepping back to consider the perspective of others, writes the executive director of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.
By David L. Odom
Before you go
The first time I worked with a professional consultant as a pastor was when the church needed to launch a stewardship campaign. I had previous experience bringing pastoral colleagues to facilitate leadership workshops, but at the time, hiring an outside consultant to raise money seemed like a huge deal. I can remember the very reasonable arguments about why we should not hire the consultant: “Why should we pay money to raise money? Shouldn’t do it ourselves and save money?”
Part of the logic for seeking outside consultation was that new initiatives like a stewardship campaign inevitably become a part-time job for someone. Mission-critical initiatives require a level of accountability that may rise above the expectations of unpaid volunteers. We paid the consultant — and the campaign was a success.
Finding outside help does not always require hiring a paid consultant. Wise leaders can reach out to other congregations or community leaders and ask them for guidance. You might be surprised by how much people are willing to help when you ask them.
You can always reach me and the Alban Weekly team at alban@duke.edu. Until next week, keep leading!
Prince R. Rivers
Editor, Alban at Duke Divinity