This post was originally published on MinistryPlace.net.
What a shoe store can teach the church
Sometimes you learn life lessons in the strangest places. I learned a lesson about church consulting at a Red Wing Shoe Store. There are some high standards for selling shoes that have the Red Wing logo. And those standards have something to say about how churches should think about their own health and growth.
Use technology to assess, but do not rely on it alone
When I looked at the styles, the worker asked if I knew my shoe size and width. She walked me over to a pad on the floor with two footprints on it, hooked to a computer. I stood on the pad and it measured the size of my feet.
In churches, we need to get past some of the cookie-cutter church growth methods and look at the role of an individual church in its community demographics. Assessments can be helpful. But data is a starting point, not a destination.
Church assessments need to be honest, but there also needs to be flexibility to allow for factors not previously considered.
Better than the competition
They try to have a better guarantee than any of their competitors. They want to have a lifelong relationship with the customer.
Many church consultants have built a reputation of having very little follow-up after the assessment. This does a disservice to the church. There has to be regular follow-up to determine the best courses of action for the congregation.
The danger of one-size-fits-all
Red Wing does not try to sell the same shoe to every customer. They assess the individual and recommend based on that person’s needs. Church consulting should work the same way.
Too often, church growth advice is generic. What works in a suburban church of five hundred may be completely inappropriate for a rural church of fifty.
What churches should look for in a consultant
- Willingness to listen before prescribing. A good consultant spends more time asking questions than giving answers.
- Familiarity with your context. Has this person worked with churches like yours?
- Commitment to follow-up. Avoid consultants who deliver a report and disappear.
- Honesty about limitations. No consultant has all the answers.
- Respect for the church’s identity. The goal is not to turn your church into someone else’s model.
We are better together
The principles are the same: assess honestly, fit carefully, follow up faithfully, and never settle for a one-size-fits-all solution.
Frequently asked questions
How do we know if our church needs outside consulting?
If your church has been stuck in the same patterns for years, if leadership is burned out, or if you are facing a transition you do not know how to navigate, outside help may be valuable.
What should we avoid in a church consultant?
Avoid consultants who promise quick fixes, who push a one-size-fits-all model, or who are not interested in understanding your specific context.
Can small rural churches benefit from consulting?
Absolutely. Small churches may benefit the most because they often lack the internal resources to do strategic planning on their own.