TRAINING & CONSULTING

Bob Humphrey, founder of Fresh Start, has interviewed hundreds of pastors, pastoral staff, office personnel, missionaries’ managers and leaders during the past 40 years. Effective interviewing is based upon good tools, good technique and knowing precisely what you are looking for. Bob has consulted with churches, schools, businesses and Christian organizations in designing their own interview tools and procedures. Bob has been mentoring Gordon Penfold in Fresh Start since 2003. Gordon has been involed in pastoral ministry since 1980. Since the late 1980's Gordon has also worked with pastors and Christian leaders on a number of fronts including Conflict Resolution, Building Programs (Gordon has a M.S. in Structural Engineering and worked as a structural engineer for 6 1/2 years), and in developing purpose and vision statements for various ministries.

Training & Consulting on selecting and placing personnel

One thing is certain; there is nothing more uncomfortable than being the right person in the wrong setting. Knowing that people will not consistently act inconsistent with who they really are becomes one key to effective placement. And since people do things for their reasons, not ours, it is equally important to discover their personal values, passions, motivations and skills. Fresh Start has assisted many churches, schools and Christian organizations to successfully develop their application and screening approaches for selecting and placing people within their structures. 
Fresh Start works off from the premise that the higher the degree of fit between a person and a responsibility, the higher the degree of effectiveness.

Training & Consulting on long range planning

Gordon's desire to assist church in becoming healthy, fruitful and reproductive has been has passion since he began ministry in 1980. Gordon is adding to his background and understanding of churches when he worked on his Doctor of ministry degree at Talbot Seminary. The subject of his study is "Growing and Multiplying Churches in the USA." This training plus his years of experience in church ministry have given him a keen insight into churches and helping churches make moves in the right direction.

Training & Consulting on leadership style effectiveness

Gordon has been training and equipping pastors since 1994. He classes have included Ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church), Pastoral Ministry and Christian Leadership. He has also been through the School of Hard Knocks as he began as a solo pastor in 1980. He has experienced both failure and success in ministry. Gordon has helped pastors in the depths of despair rediscover their purpose and joy in ministry. His doctoral project, entitled, "Characteristics of Turnaround Pastors Among Evangelical Churches int he Rocky Mountain States" eventually led to his co-authoring Re:VISION--The Key to Transforming Your Church with Aubrey Malphurs.

Training & Consulting on teamwork & team building
Gordon is developing tools that help church leadership become more effective as a team. Though he is in the early stages of developing these tools you may find them helpful in turning your church around.

Training & Consulting on fresh start

In 1964 Bob Humphrey was called to a small struggling church in a deteriorating small community. The ten remaining members of the church cast their vote and he received a 9 to 1 affirming call to come as pastor. After three years of ministry the church was averaging 80 in attendance and had maxed out their meeting space. Unable to persuade the group to seek a larger facility and having done all he knew to do to bring about additional change, Bob left the congregation in 1967.

This was Bob’s first experience with a church in serious decline and from that youthful adventure he has developed, over the last 36 years, effective means for assessing the causes of decline and has helped scores of churches discover strategies for turnaround.

Gordon's first church had 19 in attendance the first Sunday. In three and one-half years the church grew with a number of new young families being added to the fellowship. The average age of Gordon's second ministry was near 70. Fourteen years later the church had grown to over 100 in attendance and the average age was about 35. Gordon had funerals for 64 of the original 86 attenders. All of this took place in a town that was small and shrinking rapidly. His third pastorate grew from 150 in attendance to figures that were nearing 300. Gordon left this pastorate to take on the ministry of Fresh Start. Gordon is currently a Fresh Start pastor helping a church that has been in a 40-year skid turn the corner to freshness and vitality in ministry.

In 2007 Gordon conducted his first large Pastors' Conference on the principles of Conflict Resolution and Biblical Peace Making in conjunction with training pastors in the principles and practices of Fresh Start. Helping declining churches get a new lease on life is the objective of this training. Since then he has conducted conferences in the Russian Far East, Ukraine, Armenia and in conferences in the US. The Turnaround Pastor Boot Camps are planned to help develop effective pastors.

Training & Consulting on church health & growth
Gordon has taken training in church health and church growth over the course of his ministry. God has infected him with a deep desire to be an instrument in helping churches to be transformed from plateaued and declining to being vibrant and healthy. His Doctor of Ministry studies are in this very area. Fresh Start is designed to help churches develop significant turnaround. Fresh Start also helps churches develop plans for relocation when that move is needed.

Training & Consulting on church conflict resolution

Church conflict is inevitable but it does not have to be destructive. Gordon's first Fresh Start assignment was to help a deeply conflicted congregation. Bob Humphrey mentored him through the process. Gordon's passion and compassion help churches find hope and healing through biblical peacemaking. Since that time Gordon has dealt with many churches in deep conflict. God has been able to bring a measure of healing to these congregations. Some are experiencing significant turnaround in ministry. Gordon brings with him a biblical framework for resolution and effective methodologies and strategies that will help restore a sense of family and unity in your church.

Training & Consulting on being a change agent leader

The 21st Century will be a time of continued cultural, technological and social change. With the world around us changing so quickly, is it possible for the church to stay the same and still be relevant?

The pace of change has increased exponentially. Technological change has radically influenced the way we travel, communicate and learn. New communities are being built in days, when it used to take years! What kind of pastoral leadership is needed to help churches find their way through the time- gates of change?

As a pastor, denominational staff member and Christian leader, Gordon has not only been the initiator of change, he has also been the recipient of change. Change is uncomfortable. Gordon tries to see the big picture when it comes to change in ministry. Change will occur. The question is, "How will we respond to change?" Churches that refuse to recognize the changes occurring around us will soon be in the bone yard of churches past. Our theology does not change, the Word of God does not change, but the way we relate to our culture changes constantly. We need to be on the cutting edge so that we may effectively communicate to our culture.

Helping people cope or accept change is becoming an increasing need in our churches The focus of this portion of the ministry is to train pastors and church leaders to identify trends, select priorities and implement change without destroying the church in the process.

Training & Consulting for pastoral search teams (committees)

The steps toward finding a new pastor can be puzzling in a world of theological pluralism and inter-denominationalism. Added to this climate, is the challenge of believers’ being asked to assume a role that seldom occurs in their life-time and for which they may not have been trained.

Help is available for your church. Gordon works with denominational leaders to help churches find a good fit for their ministry. Many churches have struggled needlessly because they did not "choose wisely" in the pastoral selection process. It is a tragic thing to have to go to a church that has experienced significant conflict because of a "bad fit."

Evaluation of your Association or Judicatory

How are we doing? That is a question that is ignored all too often. Fresh Start is willing and able to help you evaluation your overall ministry as to its effectiveness and impact. The process is necessary if we hope to make a continued impact for Jesus Christ in our generation. Gordon has just completed an evaluation of the Rocky Mountain Conservative Baptist Association.

A ministry of mentoring and coaching

Gordon has been training pastors since 1994. He has been mentoring pastors almost since the beginning of his life as a pastor. He continues to coach pastors and church leadership teams in churches where he has ministered as a Fresh Start consultant.

A tailored approach

This sampling of topics is provided to you for the purpose of helping you get a better understanding of the areas of resources Fresh Start can bring to bear upon the needs of your ministry.

Should you desire a consultation or training event for your church in one or more of these areas, Gordon will work with you to identify your specific needs and then tailor an approach that best fits your congregational culture, structure and desires.

Give Gordon a call at 970.631.6740 or email him at freshstartnetwork@gmail.com for additional information regarding training or consulting with you or you and your church leaders.

Copyright © 2003 Fresh Start Ministries
Revised: 07/31/2012