As struggling churches become more aware and accepting of outside help to address church health and growth issues like declining attendance, low participation in church ministries, fund raising, and facilities issues, more and more are turning to consultants. At the same time, more ministers and other church leaders are turning to consulting in order to help churches fulfill their mission.

Just 4 percent of America's 400,000 churches were willing to hire a consultant five years ago, according to Dr. Thom S. Rainer, a widely respected expert on church health and leadership. Rainer's research shows that today, nearly 10 percent are looking for help.

"The number of churches using church consultants more than doubled in the past two years," Rainer said. As president of the Rainer Group, a successful consulting firm, he and his colleagues have consulted more than 500 churches.

In 2002 he co-founded Church Central and is the company's president. Church Central focuses on the purposes of the church as outlined in Acts 2:42-47: worship, fellowship, discipleship, evangelism, ministry and prayer, to train consultants and steer churches in a scriptural direction.

Church Central offers a five-level consultant training program developed by Rainer, who also serves as Dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. Once the consultants are trained they work independently, but Church Central does provide a directory to help churches locate consultants near them.

Rainer created the Church Health Survey, a unique assessment tool based on the six purposes. With the survey, consultants begin with a clear goal of analyzing existing conditions in a church and suggesting improvements for its overall health.

It is a process where a qualified consultant, who is not a member of the church, provides insights and recommendations to improve how well the church functions according the purposes. Often an outside look at the internal workings of a church can be a catalyst for change. A qualified consultant can help leadership discern the church's issues and help the church act more quickly and effectively to institute change.

"We live in a day when the church has never been unhealthier," Rainer said. "Over half the churches that contact me don't even know their symptoms. They don't know what it is that is keeping them from reaching the unchurched."

Church leaders using church consultation services cite the following reasons for doing so:

• Attendance is at a plateau or is declining.
• Planned giving and/or offerings are declining.
• People who attend do not return or join the church.
• There is conflict within the church.
• The church wants a plan for growth.
• The church is planning a major effort; e.g. building expansion, mission effort, capital campaign, etc.
• The church wants to assess its strengths and weaknesses.
• The church wants to assess its health and address any issues more quickly than it could by relying on its own staff.

Church consultants listen to the church leaders and members. They analyze the church's health based on the Church Health Survey and make recommendations. They investigate both problems and solutions for the church. Then, not only do they encourage change, they help to implement it, when needed.

Church consultants are trained and licensed by Church Central. The next training will be July 26-28 in Louisville, Ky. More training is scheduled: Aug. 17-19 in Anaheim, Calif.; Sept. 13-14 in Louisville; Nov. 2-4 in Anaheim; and Nov. 8-9 in Louisville.

Interested in becoming a consultant? For more information click here.

Does your church need a consultant? Take a FREE church health quiz.

Check the consultant directory to find a consultant near you.

Learn more about the Church Health Survey.