About Us 1. What is a consultant?
2. What is the process for consultation?
3. What is a church consultant?
4. What are consulting fees?
5. What are the skills needed to be a church consultant?
6. Why should I hire a consultant?
7. Are there different levels of consultation?
8. How do I know which level of consultation that I need?
9. What are some common areas of consulting needs?
10. What type of final report do we receive?
1. What is a consultant?
A person who provides expertise, information, and/or direction to an organization, a group of people, or an individual.
2. What is the process for consultation?
The on-site consultation consists of the following steps:
- The request for consultation
- Defining the problem
- Writing the proposal
- Data gathering: statistical and information
- Data gathering: interviews
- Problem solving
- Report and recommendations
- Implementation and feedback
3. What is a church consultant?
A person who has as his or her client a church, a denominational body, or some similar religious organization, with the goal of providing direction to that client.
4. What are consulting fees?
Compensation paid by the client to the consultant for consultation services provided to the client. Most consultants charge a per-hour fee, a per-day fee, or a per-project fee. The Lawless Group prefers a per-project fee so that the church is fully aware of their final costs.
5. What are the skills needed to be a church consultant?
- An unwavering commitment to Jesus Christ and his church
- Local church experience
- Biblical/theological training
- Good written communication skills
- Good verbal communication skills
- Time management skills
- The ability to produce quality reports
- Deductive skills
- Leadership skills which engender accountability
6. Why should I hire a consultant?
- To provide an objective, independent viewpoint
- To complete short-term projects without adding to staff
- To provide specialized expertise for a specific need
- To provide creative solutions for church challenges
- To train personnel
- To act as a catalyst between internal groups
7. Are there different levels of consultation?
There are several types of consultation:
Telephone Consultation: for brief advice which can usually be given without an in-depth analysis.
Community Awareness Consultation: provides not only basic demographic trends, but psychographic, praxiographic, and mediagraphic trends. Learn how the community "thinks," what worship styles it prefers, what needs it expresses, and what type of church it seeks.
Church Health Survey Consultation: suggestions and action plans based on the results of a 160-question church health analysis; includes no on-site visits.
Short-term On-site Consultation: for churches seeking specific guidance in the overall direction of the church, or answers to specific issues such as facility needs, staff needs, spiritual gift/lay ministry assessments, or stewardship issues. This type of consultation is the most popular.
Long-term On-site Consultation: the most comprehensive of the consultation ministries, this ministry includes several on-site visits and in-depth analysis of the church. Not only are recommendations made, but the consultant is available to review the implementation of these recommendations.
Intentional Interim Pastorates: the consultant not only provides pulpit supply during a time when a church is without a pastor, but he also provides guidance and consultation for the church and the search committee.
8. How do I know which level of consultation that I need?
Typically, an email conversation and/or brief telephone interview will give us sufficient information to make first step recommendations.
9. What are some common areas of consulting needs?
- Strategies for growth
- Sunday School revitalization
- Stewardship growth
- Evangelistic strategies
- Leadership/management
- Search committee consultation
- Relocation guidance
- Community awareness
- Conflict resolution
- Facilities recommendations
- And many more
10. What type of final report do we receive?
The report varies according to the type of consultation. In a full consultation, the report includes 75-100 pages of recommendations, analysis, demographics, and Church Health Survey results.