Hiring a Consultant
When churches begin a discussion on church growth (or the lack of it), that discussion often turns to the need for a consultant. Hiring a consultant can help a church identify blind spots or can bring to light information and insights that can incite change and new direction.
Church consulting has been around a long time, and there are certainly ideas and processes a consultant can provide churches, especially to those who are struggling.
An approach that many churches are turning to recently is coaching.
Let’s take a look at each of these approaches and see how they differ.
First, when hiring a consultant, churches should keep in mind they are primarily hiring an expert. Someone who has a wealth of knowledge or experience about churches – structure, trends, and options. A good consultant will know what has worked for other churches, and, just as importantly, what has not. Great consultants will not have a “plug-and-play” attitude but will know that what has worked for other churches may or may not work for your church.
A consultant will ask questions such as, Who are you (as a church)? Where are you going? What, challenges or obstacles are you experiencing?
While a consultant will ask questions to determine the needs of your church, they will be the ones finding solutions to your church’s situation. They will offer solutions to church growth, outreach, staffing, and church structure and systems. A consultant comes in from the outside and often sees things those on the inside cannot see. They can identify blind spots.
Consultants bring knowledge and experience into a church that often has run out of ideas to try. They also bring an outside viewpoint, which is lacking many times in churches that have become closed or small in their thinking and execution.
Hiring a Coach
Another option that churches are opting for more frequently is coaching.
How does coaching differ from consulting?
Remember, when working with a consultant, the idea is: We are bringing in an expert from outside the church to help us.
With coaching, the idea is: We already have the expertise within the church, but we need someone to lead and inspire us.
Think of coaching like this: A church hires a coach to ask the questions that leadership can answer for themselves. Then the coach will ask additional questions that will cause the leadership to act upon the answers to achieve the results they want.
Just as a coach might lead a basketball or a football team, a church or leadership coach doesn’t do the work for you. A coach is not someone from the outside, but develops a relationship with the pastor or leadership team. Great coaches ask good questions and inspire teams to be successful.
A great coach can do the same for your pastor or leadership team.
Instead of asking they type of questions a consultant would ask, coaches will do more listening. Good coaches will ask the right questions at the right times, allowing the church leadership to make their own decisions that are based on sound reasoning.
A coach can inspire churches and leaders to see what they need to do and how to do it. It’s often easier to implement change when the idea for the change has come from within as well.
When considering consulting verses coaching, each has their strengths and weaknesses. If changes are needed in vision, purpose, direction, or staffing and systems, churches should first consider which approach would be most beneficial for their situation.
Churches can hire a consultant or a coach. Either might work, but one is certainly more right for your situation.
