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What larger trends are impacting churches across the country? The landscape of our culture continues to shift & evolve. Growing churches respond to those changes and find ways to thrive. Learn from the latest insights on trends and how those impact you and your team.

Don’t miss this special podcast episode as we hear from three Executive Pastors in the trenches who are making a difference today:

Jeremy Peterson is an Executive Pastor at One Church in New Hampshire and Vermont with 20+ years of experience. He loves helping churches and teams break through barriers, and enjoys reading, running, and college football.

Lisa Penberthy is a church leader and consultant with 20 years of experience and an M.Div and MBA in nonprofit management. She was an Executive Pastor of Operations at San Diego Rock Church. She’s passionate about stewarding people’s calling and church resources.

Brandon Beard is a church leader with 30 years of experience and is an expert in church growth, ministry structures, and leadership development. He currently serves as Executive Pastor of Campus Ministry at Compass Christian Church in Colleyville, TX, helps churches navigate the future and experience exponential growth, and loves working in Uganda and cheering for Seattle sports teams.

We’re talking about their outlook and their current strategy for 2023.

• Communicate why giving matters. // It’s not uncommon for churches that went debt-free during covid to now see giving drop 30-40%. Whether you’re going after a particular vision during a capital campaign or going debt free, after you celebrate, it’s important to continue the conversation. Make sure to thank your givers and help them understand why giving matters. Connect the dots for them so they can see how they are helping to move the mission forward.
• Clear entry points for service. // While churches have gotten people back into the seats, we are still struggling to get volunteers to return and serve. A whole new group of people joined our churches in the last year, and people who are new have to learn what it means to serve. If you have a discipleship program, the first step is to help people find an entry point, whether they have made a decision for Christ or are haring about him for the first time. Make that process really easy for them and help them get engaged with opportunities as they move forward in their relationship with Jesus.
• Listen to your team. // Slow down and listen to your staff team to really know where they are at. Listen to some younger people on your staff and learn from them. Set aside short-term thinking and start dreaming about where the church wants to be in five or ten years.
• Support your lead pastor. // Covid has taken its toll on most lead pastors; it’s time for executive pastors to lead up. Be sensitive to your lead pastor’s exhaustion; give them some care and time off for the sake of their mental health. Everyone needs to be honest about where they are right now.
• Business or friends. // It may be harder to develop a relationship with the lead pastor. You need to know if your lead pastor wants to be friends, or wants to do business. You can do both, but know which is priority.  Take notice of how involved the lead pastor really wants to be in different aspects of the church. Remember that trust with your lead pastor is built over time.
• Find the needs of the community. // Figure out who you are as a church and what is the need in your community. If something isn’t working to reach your community, make the necessary changes. Engagement is the new way to measure attendance.
• XP Summit. // XP Summit is an opportunity for executive pastors to connect with one another. It allows you to sit down with others and talk about the challenges you’ve all been going through, plus get the coaching you need.

For $50 off the XP Summit in Dallas on May 16 & 17, 2023 use the discount code unseminary, which can be applied until February 15. Learn more at www.xpsummit.org.

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Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: CDF Capital

Since 1953, CDF Capital has helped Christians and churches embrace their part in this story by providing the 3 kinds of capital every congregation needs for growth—Financial Capital, Leadership Capital, and Spiritual Capital. At CDF Capital, we care about each of these components. When a church is properly resourced financially, spiritually, and in leadership, lives are transformed.

Sign-up to learn more about CDF Capital and how we can help your church grow. Receive a 50% discount on a monthly subscription to the CDF Capital Subscribe & Save Bundle.