Most people don’t get into nonprofit work with the goal of becoming consultants. Typically, they are looking to make a difference in the world or in their communities by providing solutions to those who need them most. However, after spending a good amount of time working to serve their target populations, nonprofit employees inevitably become experts in their respective fields. They also learn how to use limited resources to solve real-world problems. It makes sense, then, that nonprofit leaders would be called upon to serve as consultants on occasion.
At the nonprofit where I work, VitalChurch Ministry, we were founded in order to serve churches across the United States by providing them with interim pastors when they are in between lead pastors. Our interim pastors have served in churches of all sizes, in all parts of the country. They do a lot more than just preach sermons. They also help churches get their operations in order, help resolve any internal conflicts, address long-standing issues, and refocus them on their mission and vision. Over the years, our pastors have become experts at turning around struggling churches.
As a result, our organization often gets asked if we do church consulting. These inquiries sometimes come from churches we’ve worked with in the past, but other times, they come from churches that are struggling with some issues but don’t necessarily need an interim pastor.
Typically, we consider these church consulting requests on a case-by-case basis. If it’s a church that has gone through one of the diagnostic assessments we offer, and certainly if one of our interim pastors has served in the church at any point in time, we are more likely to work with them for church consulting than if it’s a church with which we are wholly unfamiliar. In addition, we likely won’t work with any churches that simply want us to come in and identify their issues and offer advice. This is because our approach to church revitalization comes from a pastoral perspective. Our pastors immerse themselves in the life of the church and help them make true and lasting changes that will positively impact the church for many years. Any church consulting project we take on needs to align with this mission.
As your nonprofit organization considers consulting opportunities, you should make sure that what is being asked of you aligns with your stated mission. Otherwise, you can quickly lose your focus, and your organization can suffer as a result. In addition, consider whether taking the time to consult will take too much time away from providing vital services to your own target population. If it will, you should pass on any consulting gigs.
On the other hand, you should also consider the benefits of providing consulting services. Consulting could potentially broaden your organization’s reach further than you ever could have imagined. It can also create opportunities to form partnerships that may prove to be beneficial long-term.
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