The Middle Project is committed to supporting and resourcing progressive congregations as they strive for excellence in ministry. To meet the challenges of changing demographics, declining interest in religious institutions and shifting values between generations, faith communities are learning new competencies and strategies to achieve vitality. The Middle Project offers a variety of services to strengthen congregations who desire to be more inclusive, understand how to initiate and manage change and plan strategically for their preferred future.
The Middle Project provides the following consulting services to congregations and religious institutions:
- Strategic Planning – Assisting congregational leaders in the process of ministry assessment to clarify their identity, core values, vision and preferred future. Moving from data gathering to specific measurable goals for a 3-5 year plan of ministry the process helps congregations manage the dynamics of needed change. The Middle Project resources congregations in becoming more multicultural, more multiracial, LGBT inclusive and effective in reaching young adults and creating innovative worship that is a container for diversity.
- Conflict Intervention – Helping congregations discover the systemic contributing factors and relational dynamics that generate unhealthy conflict in order to map the path to healing and reconciliation and create behavioral covenants in the congregation.
- Clergy Leadership Transitions – Resourcing congregations in managing healthy, constructive clergy transitions. Creating thoughtful “goodbyes” and helpful “welcomes”; achieving closure and negotiating expectations.
- Constructive Evaluation – Assisting congregations in shaping covenants for shared ministry between staff and the faith community they serve and lead. This process will explore various methods and provide helpful tools to assess ministry and insure mutual accountability.
- Leadership Development – Expanding leadership capacities through training for staff and Boards on issues of congregational growth, change and conflict, characteristics of spiritual leadership, team building, and understanding organizational systems.
For more information on coaching and consulting services, please contact John Janka or fill out the form below.
The Middle Project also offers leadership Coaching and Large Group Presentations & Retreats
Large Group Presentations and Retreats – Experienced presenters with expertise in developing and leading multicultural, multiracial congregations, breaking down the walls of exclusion for LGBT adherents, deepening our understanding of religion’s role in the public square, what it takes to reach young adults and shifting the worship culture of the congregation.
Leadership Coaching – Short term coaching for congregational leaders at times of stress in the system, critical decision-making and deepening leadership effectiveness. Coaching is formatted as a one-on-one contractual relationship with a clear agreement for goals and outcomes.