Over the last few weeks, I’ve been working with my friend Nathan to make some tweaks to the church consulting section of my website. With more experience and “wins” behind me, I was able to clarify the strategy for what I’m doing to help churches take their next steps.

I know many churches are budgeting for their next ministry year right now. With that being the case, you may want to plan now for me to connect with you and your team sometime in 2011. Specifically, I may be able to assist you in these areas:

• Consulting & Ministry Health Assessment — Complete a comprehensive assessment of your ministry and identify strategic next steps
• Staffing & Structure Review — Determine the best organizational structure for future growth and get the right people in the right roles
• Volunteer Strategy Development —  Review your volunteer structure and develop a new approach for building volunteer teams
• Weekend Service Review — Assess and recommend strategies to improve your weekend service experience
• Leadership Coaching — Network and learn in a dynamic leadership environment for senior level leaders of growing churches
• Speaking & Training — Hear my latest thoughts on leadership, ministry strategies, communications or building volunteer teams

Here’s a list of some churches I’ve helped with coaching and consulting in the past.

Here’s what leaders are saying about what I do.

Here’s where I’m heading next.

Let’s chat about the possibility of me helping you and your team have a bigger impact. Contact me so we can begin the conversation.

Really looking forward to the coming weeks. Lots of great opportunities to connect with church leaders across the country…scratch that…the world. Here’s where I’m heading next:

• Blogging the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta from “Catalyst Backstage”
• Consulting with Grace Family Church in Tampa
• Engaging with the pastors in my current coaching network in Atlanta
• Speaking at a leadership event at Northampton UMC in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
• Blogging and speaking at the National Outreach Convention in San Diego (use promo code NOCOCT for a $50 registration discount)
• Speaking at Milton Keynes Christian Centre near London (the one in the UK)
• Participating in the board meeting for The Launch Network (the guys at DC are pulling together the website)

I’m beginning to plan for the new year. If you are interested in consulting or staff training for your church, we should connect. Let me know if you’d like to talk.

Over the last year or so, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a number of great churches throughout the country. I’ve had the chance to provide training to staff teams and consulting on a variety of topics including staffing, structure, volunteer strategy, discipleship strategy, weekend service environments and more.

Along the way, I’ve connected with many great leaders. It’s given me the opportunity to hear some great stories of how God is working in churches across the country. Here’s a sample of the churches I’ve been at:

• 12Stone Church (Lawrenceville, Georgia)
• Avalon Church (McDonough, Georgia)
• Christ Fellowship Miami (Miami, Florida)
• Cornerstone Church (Auburn, Alabama)
• Harvest Church (Byron, Georgia)
• HighTide Church (Dagsboro, Deleware)
• LifePoint Church (Reisterstown, Maryland)
• LifePoint Church (Tampa, Florida)
• Marathon Church (Greenville, South Carolina)
• New Vintage Church (Santa Rosa, California)
• Oak Leaf Church (Cartersville, Georgia)
• Shore Fellowship Church (Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey)
• Sonrise Church (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
• The Gathering (Sevierville, Tennessee)
• The River (Semmes, Alabama)
• The Rock Church (Monroe, Washington)
• Thomas Road Baptist Church (Lynchburg, Virginia)
• VantagePoint Church (Corona, California)

I share this, first of all, to give you some new churches to check out that may not be on your radar. They’re doing great ministry to impact communities across the country.

Secondly, I just wanted to let you know that I have a few openings left in my speaking and consulting schedule for this fall. I’d love to serve you and your team.

Email me if you’d like to talk more about scheduling a staff training or a consulting visit with your team.

Here’s what on my calendar for the next couple of months leading up to summer:

• Vacation with my family!
• Finishing up ministry strategy conversations with Cornerstone Church in Auburn, Alabama
• Continuing the Atlanta and Web coaching networks with about two dozen church leaders
• Attending the Exponential Conference in Orlando with some of my teammates from West Ridge
• Helping Oak Leaf Church in Cartersville, Georgia revisit their discipleship strategy
• Speaking at the Thrive Conference at Bayside Church in Sacramento, California
• Teaching at the West Ridge School of Church Planting
• Speaking at the Whiteboard Sessions in Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Consulting with Brand New Church in Harrison, Arkansas and speaking at their one-day event for church leaders

I have a few openings for consulting and speaking opportunities this summer. Let me know if I can serve your church.

In addition to starting my new role at West Ridge Church, I’m going to be traveling quite a bit during September and early-October. Here’s where you’ll find me in the coming weeks:

• Speaking at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA and meeting with Johnathan Falwell and the TRBC leadership team
• Facilitating the Next Team Coaching Network in Florida
• Consulting at Church @ the Springs in Ocala, Florida
• Consulting at Shore Fellowship Church in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
• Participating in a Leadership Network learning community on church multiplication in Dallas
• Consulting at LifePoint Church in Reisterstown, Maryland
• Speaking and consulting at HighTide Church in Dagsboro, Delaware (register here)
• Hanging out at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta

My calendar is full through the end of the year, but I’m beginning to work on my 2010 schedule. Let me know if you’d like to talk.

Folks have been asking about what’s happening in my life. I’m continuing to have conversations with people about my next steps. My family and I still don’t know exactly what’s in store for us, but we’re really excited about our future.

In the mean time, I’m staying busy. My calendar is essentially full through mid-August. While I’m in transition, you may be interested in one of these opportunities:

• Coaching – I’m launching a new coaching network in July with Ron Sylvia that’s designed for teams of Senior and Executive Pastors.
• Speaking – I have several engagements including the Killing Cockroaches Summer Tour with stops in six cities.
• Consulting – I’m working with a number of churches throughout the country.

Just let me know how I might be able to serve you and your team. Act soon. My guess is my fall calendar will fill up quickly.

First of all, I just want to thank everyone who has contacted me in recent days and offered their prayers for my family and me. I really appreciate that.

Based on the communications I’ve received, I thought I would answer some of the FAQs from recent days. If your question isn’t listed below, let me know and I’ll try to address it.

1. What’s next?

I seriously have no idea. I’m a strategic guy, but I’m without a strategy here. I’m praying with Emily and my kids. I’m seeking counsel from some friends I respect and trust. I’m waiting for God to tell me what to do next. I’m not sure if that will be a role in a specific church or not. All I know is I’m pretty confident God wants me to provide for my family, use the gifts he gave me and experience joy doing it.

2. Will you stay connected to NewSpring?

We have every intention of staying plugged in at NewSpring Church as long as we’re in Anderson. That’s where we see God moving. That’s where our friends are. Seems silly that we would even consider giving that up.

3. What’s the real story?

The real story is what Perry and I blogged about last week. That’s the story. Maybe I should have made up something else, though, that was a little bit tawdrier. I’m thinking I could have gotten more blog traffic with a scandalous story. Seriously, if you want a little dirt, one area that Perry and I don’t see eye-to-eye is the fact that he really doesn’t believe professional wrestling is fake.

4. Will you plant a church?

Nope. If I’m called to do that, God has not told me yet. Not that I have anything against church planters. I have huge respect for them…though not as much respect as I have for the guys that are trying to transition traditional churches. Those are the real heroes in my book.

5. Will you keep writing?

That’s the one thing I’m quite sure will continue. I’ve been writing since before you knew me. I was the editor of my high school newspaper. I took creative writing classes in college. I had magazine articles published when people still read magazines. I love writing. So, with a little unplanned extra time now, don’t be surprised if you see a little more of it.

6. What about your blog?

The blog will certainly continue. It’ll probably take on a little bit of a different flavor. Since I’m not working at NewSpring anymore, you’ll probably notice less NewSpring news and more content being generated based on what’s happening at other churches. And, since I’ll have more time to write, hopefully the content will add more value to your leadership and life.

7. Are you available for consulting?

I’ve received several requests in recent days for coaching or consulting. While I have some free time, I’d love to be able to help out. Based on my experiences in ministry, I might be able to assist you with coaching/consulting in the areas of ministry strategy, staffing and structure, leadership development, volunteer strategies, guest experiences, creative arts programming, communications, web strategy and online social media. And, if I can’t help you, I may know others who can. If you are interested in either short-term or long-term coaching/consulting relationships, just complete this initial online form to start the conversation.

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have other questions. Thanks for joining me on this new adventure.