G. Jeffrey MacDonald
Research for a Reimagined Church
A new day for the mainline
Mainline congregations have reasons to be hopeful even when their funds are stretched thin. Research shows many have cut costs dramatically and increased vitality at the same time.
They do it by redesigning how pastors and laypeople work together. I use my writing, pastoring & consulting to help them get there.
Author, Pastor & Consultant
It’s no secret that mainline Protestant congregations face significant challenges. They’re vying to reach new demographic groups, maintain expensive old buildings, pay competitive salaries and stay true to their vocations – all at once and often with no roadmap.
But they also have plenty to work with. Rich in tradition, talent and faith, their abundance of assets needs repurposing to serve God’s mission in this new time.
I help with the human part of this repurposing.
As an author, pastor and consultant, I use research to guide clergy and laypeople to be strategic in redesigning how they work together. This results in bigger mission impact with dramatically lower financial costs.
Approach
I help mainline Protestant congregations expand their thinking, strategize and transition to thrive with part-time clergy. I help them identify and leverage their strengths while learning from dozens of congregations that have been successful with such changes.
Expertise
With 20+ years as an award-winning religion journalist and an ordained part-time UCC pastor, I'm uniquely positioned to share insights from the fast-growing universe of mainline churches led by part-time clergy.