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The Congregational Consulting Group, organized in 2014 by former consultants of the Alban Institute, is a network of independent consultants. We publish PERSPECTIVES for Congregational Leaders—thoughts on topics of interest to leaders of congregations and other purpose-driven organizations. —  Dan Hotchkiss, editor

planning

Living into a Both-And World

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Time and time again in congregations, I encounter either-or thinking. People want to focuseither on church growth or mission to the world; maintain the building or give the staff much needed pay increases; focus on the number of people who attend worship or the number of people our ministry “touches” during the week; have classical or praise music. In so doing, we pit things against each other that should be working together for the glory of God and shared purpose of the congregation.

What to Do When Nothing Works Anymore

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If you’re doing everything you’ve always done as a congregation but it’s not working anymore, you may be alarmed, but you’re not alone. Once upon a time, we all shared a congregational business model that seemed effective and ordained: Over the last couple of decades, however, this model has changed. Now, growing congregations look very …

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What’s Your Brand?

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by Dan Hotchkiss
Successful store managers know there’s one thing customers like even more than quality, convenience, or low prices: People like to get what they expect. And so smart store managers advertise a strong, distinctive “brand” and consistently deliver customer experiences that fit that brand. Churches and synagogues can learn from this.

Quick Wins

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by John Wimberly

Yes, it is a gimmick. But it is a gimmick that works. When creating a strategic plan, I always encourage congregations to include one or two strategies that they will accomplish a highly visible change in a matter of one or two months. I call these quick wins.

What I No Longer Believe about Congregations

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Susan Nienaber
For most of my consulting practice, I “held certain truths to be self-evident.” I used to believe, for instance, that many congregations had declined so far they could not possibly revitalize—but I have changed my mind.

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