Survey Results on the Economy

Warren Schuh has completed a brief survey of 31 churches about the effect of the recession on ministry. Take a look and learn from his insightful information.

Survey on Sabbaticals

Dave Carder (on staff at First Evangelical Free Church in Fullerton) and Paul Poelstra (director of Research at Rosemead), are leading a survey on sabbaticals. "We felt that our sabbaticals were life changing experiences. We want to help individuals and churches get the most bang for their sabbatical buck.” The will give the XPastor community an article after they collect the data.

Who Is Your Church, Really? Understanding Church DNA with David Fletcher

Does your website accurately portray your church? Are you looking for a new position and need the essentials? Do the people of your church have an “elevator speech”?
In April 2009, Worship Facilities magazine hosted a free Online Seminar with David Fletcher, Founder & Host, XPastor.org.

View the slides from the webinar. Also view the Questions to Interview a Church. Also, you can listen to the webinar.

In this online seminar, learn how to discover the spiritual DNA of a church. Discuss specific tools so you can put in writing “the essentials” of your church. Get it down before trying to move forward with your church growth objectives! What if you are moving to a new church? Attend this webinar to equip yourself with the know-how to analyze a church and its needs, present or future, in order to carve out your path. Led by a visionary Executive Pastor who is in the process of moving to a new church, this webinar is not to be missed!

Introduction to XPastor.org

Dr. David Fletcher
Founder & HostWe all get into places where we could use a friend, reference material, or a mentor. XPastor has helped a myriad of church leaders decide on their next step in managing and leading their church. Check out the free help available. Also, read bios of XPastor speakers and writers.

Just recently, a newly minted XP shared how XPastor helped him decide on the XP role in his church. XPastor has plenty of help for you! XPastor is free, run by XPs for XPs. Participate in the Forum and by sending in your job description, church policy guide or org chart! Contact David.

• Post a comment on the XP Forum.
• Come to an XPastor event:
  • How to Design & Build Your Church
  • National XP-Day
• Read about past XP Seminars in 2005, 2006, 2007 or 2008. Come in 2009!
• Peruse scores of articles written by XPs.
• Receive the free XP e-newsletter.

We had a great time at the 2007 Pastors Executive Forum, "Build your facility with your church's spiritual DNA" at WFX in Atlanta and then in 2008 in Indianapolis. We will be in Houston in November. This forum is done in partnership with the Worship & Facilities Conference & Expo (WFX).

We are now making available over 20 case studies from past XP-Seminars and David's doctoral students in the United States and India. These will help you go deep into the issues of another church. They require work to read and understand—but they are rich.

Senior Pastors Compared to Executive Pastors

In January, 555 executive pastors described their priorities, favorite book and magazine, and satisfaction with their senior pastor. The illustrated report has dozens of significant findings and is available free.

Connect with others

• XPastor on LinkedIn
• David on Facebook
• XPastor on Google Groups
• David on Twitter
• XPastor on the Google Groups Forum
• Get an XPastor.org e-mail account, great for XP job searches

• Warren Schuh, Current Economic Impact on American Churches—A report on a recent survey of Executive Pastors and Schuh Economic Survey
• Michael Welles, The Church and the Economic Crisis
• John C. Mrazek, Antibodies to Change: How to Leverage the Body’s Natural Defenders to Insure Change is God Honoring & People Treasuring
• Bob Bonner, XP, Hiring: Last Step, Best Step
• Gordon Griffin dissertation, Vision Building as a Second Chair Leader for a Large Congregation
• Mark Hudgins dissertation (done under David at Dallas Seminary), Case Studies of Effective Deacon Ministries in Large Southern Baptist Churches
• Suzanne Martinez on Leading and Managing through Change with Grace
• Garrett Lafferty on Perception Equals Reality
• David Fletcher on Care & Correction or Shaming: Drawn from a Case Study on Church Discipline with National Media Attention
• Rob Curry on How About Followership?
• Dianne Miller on Your Churches’ Policy Regarding Women in Ministry The Risks and Rewards of a Written Position Statement on this Controversial Topic
  • Women and Ministry at IBC, Irving Bible Church, Irving, Texas
  • Women in Ministry, Bent Tree Bible Fellowship, Carrollton, Texas
  • Overview of Women’s Roles in the Church, Grace Covenant Church, Austin, Texas
• The P.E.A.C.E. Plan will be featured at a lunch at the XP-Seminar, An XP Involved in the PEACE Plan

• See how one church is examining it's vision, the top-to-bottom process of seeing how to examine and change a church's vision.

• Does Prayer Change Attitudes toward Evangelism? A Case Study of The Brooklyn Tabernacle by Paul Utnage. Pastor Cymbala told his small congregation: “It’s not fancy or profound or spectacular. But I want to say to you today with all the seriousness I can muster: from this day on, the prayer meeting will be the barometer of our church."
• Transforming a Hierarchal Church Culture: Pastor Jeff Harris transformed a church into a highly efficient values-based team structure by Erin Weaver. It wasn’t long after arriving on staff that Jeff Harris discovered that he had his work cut out for him.  Jeff not only had to deal with the struggles of leading in his first full-time ministry position, but also knew that he had bigger problems looming on the horizon. 
• Steve Shaffer: An Administrator Transitions to Executive Pastor by Larry Hoyle. How would he transition from the position of church administrator to executive pastor? How would Steve’s new role play in Peoria?
• Sabbatical: Siesta, Study or Sayonara? by Dr. David R. Fletcher “Mark, there’s an undercurrent that you are half way out the door. Mark, are you coming back? Mark, are you being disciplined by the Elders?” or read the shorter article version published in Church Executive magazine.
• see other cases!

• XP Mark Dougharty has an excellent resume: "Executive Pastor: COO responsibilities for all operations of the church. The church had 28,000 members, 360 acres of property, $90,000,000 of building assets, multiple committees, 170 active deacons, 200 staff members, 300 part time & seasonal staff members, and an annual budget of $24,000,000."

• Ministry Related Expense Reimbursement Policy of Apostles Church of New York City, New York
• Economic Risk Plan of Vanguard Church of Colordo Springs, Colorado
• Money Counting Procedures of Terra Nova Church of Troy, New York
• Cell Phone Policy of Church of the Saviour of Wayne, Pennsylvania

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