FROM THE EDITOR
Filling a void , together
As of press time , the Church Executive team is preparing to attend The Church Network 62nd Annual Conference in New Orleans .
Personally , this will be my 14th trip to this annual gathering ; so , the gentlemen on our cover this month — CEO Simeon May and Deputy CEO Phill Martin — are familiar , friendly faces .
If they aren ’ t familiar to you , however , we believe they should be .
Established in 1956 , The Church Network ( formerly the National Association of
Church Business Administration , or NACBA ) is uniquely tailored to come alongside church leaders as they navigate tough organizational and operational challenges .
From networking opportunities ( online and in-person ), to salary insights , to Certified Church Administrator ( CCA ) accreditation , an e-learning lab , job center and much more , TCN is filling an in-demand resources void . In many ways , its tagline and guiding principle — Don ’ t Go It Alone — mirrors our own at Church Executive .
In this article , you ’ ll be introduced to The Church Network , of course . But , you ’ ll also learn how May and Martin came to their roles from the pew and the pulpit , respectively , and how this in-the-trenches perspective has helped them ensure the association ’ s education and training offerings are not only relevant today , but also predictive — ahead of the curve . Look for that article beginning on page 6 .
Exploring military chaplaincy : We ’ re also honored to be presenting several “ Chaplain Profiles ” throughout this issue , in conjunction with The United States Army .
If you ’ ve ever considered military chaplaincy , you ’ ll see — through the personal stories of five different Army chaplains , both active-duty and Reserve-duty — that the path looked different for each . Their backgrounds are extremely diverse , and even unexpected . Yet , without exception , all these chaplains now find themselves exactly where they need , want ( and most importantly , are called ) to be .
Look for those profiles on pages 10 , 18 , 20 & 22 .
In Active Shooter Awareness & Training , two church security experts talk about how a church can make itself less of a target ; the most critical elements of an effective response plan ; crisis communication tools at a church ’ s disposal ; training tips and more .
In The architect as partner , architects , pastors and a church CFO talk about how to navigate — or better yet , avoid — the usual challenges of a church building project by ensuring a true partnership is in place from the get-go . That means the architect must understand the relationship between ministry and space design ; turn challenges into opportunities ; translate the church ' s unique culture into its design ; and ensure the resulting facility — first and foremost — reaches people for Christ .
In How to retain & expand supporters through digital giving , two digital giving experts discuss the correlation between digital giving and engagement ; the reasons why some church leaders still resist digital giving ; and how digital giving can attract first-time gifts , move those givers to more regular contributions , and encourage consistent givers to sustain ( or even increase ) their generosity .
In How to drive connection & assimilation using church management software , four experts in church management software ( ChMS ) development talk about what prevents church leaders from using their ChMS to its maximum advantage when it comes to driving connection and assimilation among first-time visitors and new church members . Importantly , they also offer practical , triedand-true strategies for breaking free from those constraints .
As always , we ’ re eager to hear your thoughts on these offerings , or anything else you read in this issue .
All the best ,
RaeAnn Slaybaugh Editor in Chief
CLA
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EDITORIAL ADVISORY PANEL
Stephen Briggs Associate Pastor of Administration First Baptist Church | Hendersonville , NC
Denise Craig Chief Financial Officer Abba ’ s House | Hixson , TN
Mike Klockenbrink Chief of Staff Lakeside Church | Folsom , CA
Dan Mikes Executive Vice President Bank of the West | San Ramon , CA
John C . Mrazek III Executive Pastor Pathways Church | Denver , CO
Sam S . Rainer III Senior Pastor West Bradenton Baptist Church | Bradenton , FL
Mark Simmons Business Manager Christ Community Church | Milpitas , CA
Eric Spacek Senior Manager GuideOne Insurance | West Des Moines , IA
A publication of :
A host of topical Remote Roundtable Discussions : We believe that a mix of expert and peer perspectives is an effective way to help our readers overcome common church management challenges .
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