Welcome to our site, especially if it is your first visit...and especially if it is the first time you've considered how The Church, your church, might benefit from the best practices of the search industry. In secular terms we would be described as a 'retained executive search firm'. Ever hear of a 'headhunter'? That's us! We, however, prefer the term 'holy headhunter'. In all seriousness, we are a group of guys (so far) with significant experience helping organizations find the best possible fit for open staff positions and we are pretty passionate about The Church. So again, welcome to our site. Now take ownership of it! We want this site to be about you, and your church...which is a part of our church...part of His Church! We had to start somewhere, and this is that start. But we don't expect to stay here long. We expect, hope rather, that you will tell us what to offer, how to offer it, and most importantly who we need to be in order to enable you to be in the right place with the right people doing the right things to accomplish all that God is calling you to do. So, before you read any further, STOP! Ask yourself, "What can these church staffing consultants do for us...for me?" Now, click here and jot those answers to us. We look forward to meeting you. Email Darrell Read Darrell's Blog I'm originally from the southeast. I say this because I'm a military brat. My family did tours in Florida, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. We had the privilege of meeting many different people and being a part of many different churches as we moved from place to place. I think that has helped me have a "larger view of the Church" since I have been a member of so many through the years. We were living in Pensacola, Florida when I graduated from high school. I ended up staying there and getting my BA in psychology from the University of West Florida. I was a double major in psychology and music, but finished in psychology. The University did not have a minor for all my music, so I just have ALOT of music credit out there. My ministry experience has been much like my childhood. I have been a Worship Pastor in Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Texas. I started serving my first church at 16 years old. Since that time, I have had the privilege of serving on staff in churches full-time for 10 years and many more years of service on a part-time or interim basis. It has been exciting seeing ministry change over the last few decades. Now, I have the opportunity to help other guys and ladies find their place in service for the kingdom through The Shepherd's Staf. I find it very exciting to be part of the process of "finding each other". It is hard to believe that my job is networking with ministers and churches to help them connect. WOW, it is so much fun! I'm still involved in the local church, serving as interim worship pastor in the North Atlanta area. When not serving on staff, I enjoy worshipping with my family at our home church in Cartersville, GA. I have been married to the beautiful Dr. Shelly M. Whipple for 17 years. Shelly is a chiropractor in our town. We have two incredible kids, our daughter Mikhayla is 13 and our son McKenna is 11. They are involved in athletics and music at their schools. We love trying to keep up with them. It is truly a blessing from God to have them in our lives. What a gift!!! During my spare time (can a person still have some of that?), I enjoy spending time on the lake with my family. We enjoy boating, skiing and riding our wave runners. God knew what He was doing when He created lakes surrounded by mountains! What a breath-taking view! I'm also an "amusement park junkie"! Give me a rollercoaster and we will have some serious FUN!!! I am so blessed to enjoy the life, family and job God has given me. Life is good when you are serving others. I look forward to serving you and helping you connect with the right minister or church through The Shepherd's Staf. Together, we can equip the church to further His Kingdom!! Email Darrell Greg Allen When people ask me what I do for a living, I usually hesitate to answer - just for a moment. Mostly because I'm wondering, "Do I have time to talk this all the way out?" That's because what I do for a living always seems to invite further questioning and discussion - not that I mind that! I just sometimes wonder if I'll be able to explain it all to people who are sure to ask all kinds of interesting questions. I can honestly say that as recently as 6 or 7 years ago if you had told me that I'd be spending my days helping churches and pastors connect for ministry, I'd have laughed at you. But isn't that how it always is? I'm here because at one point I was open to a totally new direction for my gifts and talents - one I do believe was opened up to me by God - and now I am committed to helping others discover that same joy in spite of the challenges that come along with it. I, like many people I talk with daily, was not necessarily looking for a new opportunity. But the opportunity presented itself, and I looked further. So here I am. I have been consulting with churches in order to help them find and hire key staff members now for over five years. I was fortunate to be a part of MinisterSearch for all five of those years. I joined The Shepherd's Staf in June of 2007. Prior to working specifically with churches, I worked for three years as an Executive Search Consultant with one of the largest retained executive search firms in the country, assisting Texas banks with hiring senior-level officers. Years before that, I had discovered the importance of organization-building through qualified executive search while working in sales and marketing for two large companies and consulting daily with top retailers, manufacturers, and distributors. But who am I really? First things first - I am married to my beautiful bride, Dixie Allen. We met in college at The University of North Texas, where she was studying Biology and I was pursuing an education in Music. We didn't have much in common educationally, but we discovered that our love for God and for each other matched perfectly. We married before graduating college, and we began growing as a family almost immediately. I'm blessed to have been married to Dixie for nearly 25 years. We have four children that range from college age to 1st grade. Dixie has worked for several years in the non-profit and educational sector, specializing in education about two issues that plague our society - relationship violence and sexual assault. She is a regionally-known public speaker, having educated thousands of high school and college students as well as police officers, civil servants, corporate leaders, and volunteers working in non-profit agencies. She is currently on staff at Texas Woman's University in Denton, TX, heading up a program designed to put an end to violence against women on campus. Both of us are very active in church. One of my passions is music. I have served my church as a part-time worship leader for the past 15 years. In addition to leading worship and developing worship leaders and musicians, I have also served as an elder for the past four years. I am passionate about leadership and development in all areas of the church. Dixie and I currently head up a ministry to young adults as well. Helping churches is very rewarding in many ways. I've often said that I feel particularly blessed because I am getting to do something that I love and that I've been trained to do well in an area that really matters to me. What more could I want? Email Greg Ryan English I've been involved in Pastoral Search for over 2 years. Before joining The Shepherd's Staf, I worked closely with Greg Allen at MinisterSearch. Before my work in staffing, I was a Scheduler for a Title Office, which meant I made sure borrowers met with the proper agents to sign all of the necessary documents. From that experience I learned that one of my passions is connecting people. Establishing relationships with vendors and getting to meet new borrowers all the time kept me interested enough to keep working there, although I knew that the Title industry wasn't where I was designed to be. Born and raised in Texas, I mostly grew up in the Dallas area. After high school, I went to Abilene Christian University where I got B.S. in Youth Ministry and Human Communication. In studying ministry, I was able to participate in internships and weekend ministry. These both gave me a glimpse at structure and culture of full-time vocational ministry. I met my wife in college, although she didn't like me at first. After spending a semester abroad in Oxford with 15 other students, we became friends. A few years after school we meet again and married a year later. We've been married just over 2 years and live in Plano. Sarah works as a Textile Designer for JC Penny and is a senior member of 500X gallery, the oldest coop-art gallery in Texas. We help lead the Young Married ministry at our church and love seeing movies together as often as possible. The search/staffing field really appealed to me when I first discovered it. I love connecting people and helping them navigate the process. When I discovered that there was a place (and a need) in the Kingdom for this role, I knew what I wanted to do. Being able to use my passion in a way that works with the Kingdom as a whole has been a true blessing. Email Ryan Jim Nutt I was born in Abilene, TX, down the street from Abilene Christian University, where my dad coached basketball and my mother taught. Consequently, I was lucky to be raised in an overtly Christian culture. The next significant development in my life came living in Mexico City, Mexico for three years while in elementary & middle school. That experience exposed me to the universal nature of the church and the fact that much of what I thought to be Scriptural was really cultural and traditional. After graduating from Abilene Christian with a degree in Biblical studies I naturally began a career coaching basketball! (My father had been a basketball coach all of my life, including my high school coach...one of the true innovators of the game.) After coaching high school for three years, I was a grad assistant at Texas Tech University where I completed a M.Ed. in counseling and met my Angel. After a couple of more years coaching on the collegiate level, Angel and I returned to Lubbock, TX where my sweet wife worked towards her doctorate and I taught in the psychology department at Lubbock Christian University where I eventually became department chair. Soon my desire for something different than I had grown up with led us to leave Texas (gasp) and I pursued various opportunities in sales and business. After learning some hard lessons, I was very eager to follow my Angel, now Dr. Lee Ann Nutt (she finished hers, I am Mr. A.B.D.), back to Texas - specifically the Dallas area. Soon after I was led to the staffing industry which I never knew existed. I began working for a very successful start up providing allied health professionals to hospitals. After almost exactly three years of staffing in the hospital world, I was privileged to spend two years working at MinisterSearch, which as far as I know, was the first staffing firm to work exclusively with churches. Once I realized the opportunity that was available to assist churches through the best practices in staffing and once my entrepreneurial interests were rekindled I began to plan the inception of my own company. In June of '05 the opportunity to do so presented itself and I started Church Staff Solutions. Now two years later the name has been changed to The Shepherd's Staf and we are four very qualified consultants strong! It is not being overly dramatic to say that since I began this endeavor a little over two years ago now, my life makes sense! (Get Angel to give you her perspective on this sometime.) I never thought that I would ever find something to commit to that I enjoyed more and that fed the 'who' of who I am more than coaching...but God has blessed me far beyond what I had imagined or dreamt. I have the opportunity almost daily to use every skill that I have gained over my life, from my degrees in Biblical studies and counseling to my experiences with teaching, coaching, recruiting, sales, start-ups, marketing...and I am having more fun than I thought a grown-up was allowed to have. In addition, my daily efforts encourage my other greatest passion...speaking & preaching, which I began doing when I was. On top of all that, I get to work along side truly great friends and with people like you. Angel, A.K.A. Dr Lee Ann Nutt, is the Vice President of Instruction at North Central Texas College, a three campus community college. We have been married for 18 years. I have a 21 yr old son, Brackston Dee, who is a wonderful son, a spiritually mature thinker and one of God's warriors. Angel and I have two children. Michael Lee will be four in January and is every bit as cool as your kids/grandkids. Rachel Ann just turned one this past August. She is our little miracle and just another example of how we have been blessed beyond what we could have imagined or asked for. (I have more to say about her under 'Our Name & Logo'.) Let's see...I have two older sisters...we all live in Texas...I am at least 75 pounds overweight...oh yeah, I am very prematurely gray! What else do you want to know? Email Jim Our Story After five years in the staffing industry, three in health care and two working exclusively with churches while on staff at MinisterSearch, I (Jim Nutt) launched my own effort to be a church staffing resource in June of 2005. The original name of the company was 'Church Staff Solutions'. A year and a half later I concluded that while 'Church Staff Solutions' communicated what I did, no one was remembering the name! I was repeatedly & mistakenly associated with other firms within the church world like... 'ChurchStaffing.com' for instance. Wanting to brand my efforts in a way that would 'stick' in your mind, I eventually settled on the name 'The Shepherd's Staf'. Right in the middle of re-branding including developing this website, I was blessed beyond my imagination when Greg Allen asked to join me which he did in June of this year ('07). Greg and I had worked together the two years I was at MinisterSearch. I starting hoping that we would work together again the day I left...but my best guess was that the opportunity to do so was still a year or two away! Greg brings eight years of experience in the staffing industry five of which have been working only with churches. But beyond his experience with the art and craft of 'search', he brings serious spiritual depth, significant church leadership experience, and a sincere commitment to best interest of you and your church. And then Ryan English joined us! Ryan spent the last two years working as Greg's 'right hand'. Consequently you know he has as strong a foundation in our endeavors as anyone can have. In addition to his degree in ministry and his two years of experience in church staffing, Ryan brings a very mature dedication to both the local church as well as the entire body of Christ. Far sooner than I had imagined, The Shepherd's Staf was three strong! And then Darrell Whipple joined us! Greg and I both worked with Darrell at MininsterSearch while Darrell's wife Shelly pursued her chiropractic degree. We both saw first hand how gifted he is at discovering the best possible fit for your open staff positions. When Greg and I asked each other who we wanted to invite to make us a foursome, Darrell was at the top of both of our lists. When we caught up with Darrell he was back home in Georgia and Shelly's practice was thriving...and the timing was right for him to open our Atlanta office which he did in September of this year ('07). One of the many reasons Darrell is so good at what we do, is that he is one of you! He was a full-time associate pastor at 21 and has a total of eleven years of full-time worship pastor experience. So yet again, we were blessed with far more far sooner than I could have imagined. I am more excited about this team that The Shepherd is enabling us to build than I have ever been about a team I have been a part of...and there have been a few. Each of us is committed, individually and as a team, to being as useful and unique a tool as a staff in The Shepherd's hand so that He is able to empower you and your church through our services. We would all agree that we are just getting started, but what a start! The four of us have over eighteen years of experience in the staffing industry. Twelve of those have been spent working with churches exclusively. Between us we have two degrees in ministry, a degree and a minor in music, a degree in psychology and a graduate degree in counseling. We are all actively serving our respective churches in leadership roles that include/have included: ministry leader, teacher, deacon, elder, interim, part time & full time staff. In addition we have each been prepared for this time and place through an assortment of experiences that only God could make sense of...and so He has. We are having a great deal of fun following where He is leading. We know that one of the ways that God will continue to lead us is through your ideas, suggestions and requests. So give us a 'click'. We love ideas and know that even a silly one straight out of nowhere can lead to the one that makes the biggest difference. We want to journey with you and you with us and to anticipate together the next time (and the next time, and the time after that...) God chooses to bless us with more than we are asking or imagining as He confirms our efforts to follow His lead. Comment Our Mission Our Mission: To empower churches for ministry. Comment Empower... Is there anything inherent in our mission statement that makes you uncomfortable? There is for us. What keeps us appropriately unsettled about it is the realization that the power for ministry is of and from God...not The Shepherd's Staf. The only way that God can use us to empower ministry, is for us to constantly strive individually and collectively to shape ourselves into a tool of the right dimensions so that He can use us to empower churches. We expect our shape to continually develop, partially as the result of your feedback, but to always remain as uniquely shaped a tool as a staff in the hands of a shepherd...The Shepherd. Comment Churches... Our commitment is to the Bride of Christ. We've all been victims of 'friendly fire' and we've all asked ourselves if it's worth it. It is. We believe in the synergy of the Spirit that is created when two or more of us band together to live within God's grace and to engage our world with the same...and we can't think any better endeavor to support with our time professionally and personally. We know our services are not a fit for every church, but we commit to providing all that we can for as many churches as we can. Comment Ministry... We believe each of our church clients has been called to a specific mission and corresponding ministries. We believe that God has prepared individuals to build up each church towards maturity through the exercise of its collective gifts in ministry to others. We know first hand of the debilitating effects on ministry of having ministers mismatched with a ministry and/or a method...and we know the energizing, maximizing, and glorifying effects of having 'the right fit' in place. Comment Our Goal: Ensure the best possible fit for our church client's ministers & ministries. Comment Our Vision: The church in America and around the world continues to grow in size and Spiritual strength and maturity as it passionately pursues God's grace, engages its culture with God's grace, and hands the responsibilities of God's grace to the next generation and each succeeding generation instead of stagnating upon erroneous assumptions of what maturity in Christ looks like. Comment Our Belief(s)... We believe in Jesus. Comment Our Values... We value the role of God's Holy Spirit in finding the right fit for your church staff. We value mission and ministry over money. We value relationships. We value your trust in us, and our trust in you. We value the wisdom and experience of the leaders in your church. We value your ability to discern God's leading regarding your staff. We value our wisdom and experience in church staffing and related areas. We value every resource God has provided to facilitate the finding of your new staff. We value the next generation of church leaders...and the one after that. We value the confidentiality of your information. We value working and ministering and living from within our 'sweet spot'. We value your suggestions. Comment Our Tactic Our single tactic is to get you to do one thing. The one thing that we want you to do, the one thing that all of our services and resources are designed to encourage you to do, the one thing we hope you will do above all else...is simply to 'Tell us First'! When you have an open position on your staff, 'Tell us First'! When you feel that God may be preparing you for a move, 'Tell us First'! It's that simple. Now, let's go ahead and get this out of the way...if you can't trust us to keep it confidential that you might be open to the possibility of considering there may be a chance that another minister or ministry might be a better fit for you and/or your situation...than we can't stay in business. Do this: register and create a confidential file and password for yourself, start building your portfolio which can be kept on file for you until you retire...and then confidentially activate your file, email us, call us, text us, mail us (just kidding), or preferably all of the above in order to tell us first! Then, let's talk through our experience as it relates to you and/or your church. Once you are used to 'Telling us First', we will be in the best possible position to ensure the best possible fit for each minister and each ministry opportunity we know about. We'll even break the news to your spouse! (Just kidding again...we know it was their idea in the first place.) Comment (Have you read any of the Rich Dad/Poor Dad series? I (Jim again) strongly recommend that you read them all...especially, Before You Quit Your Job: 10 Real-Life Lessons Every Entrepreneur Should Know...Kiyosaki's discussion of mission, tactic, spiritual money, and service among other topics is a very, very powerful read and applies to everyone leading a church.) Our Name & Logo Old name... Church Staff Solutions Comment New name... No one remembered 'Church Staff Solutions'. The name may have described what we are all about but it wasn't 'sticky'...and you know from reading The Tipping Point (Read it!) that for something to 'tip', it has got to be sticky. Nothing personal against ChurchStaffing.com, but we are not them! And another thing, 'solutions' is such a secular biz buzzword that it has to go out of style...and we don't intend to. Now consider 'The Shepherd's Staf', no on second thought don't consider 'The Shepherd's Staf'...instead forget it...go ahead, forget it! Forget the obvious word play on your job as a staff member of a church which is part of the body of Christ, who as you know has been likened to a Shepherd on at least a couple occasions. Forget the name of that unique, rod-like tool with a crook on the end of it that a shepherd would use...say maybe in finding something. Forget all of those references Jesus made to lost, harassed, and hungry sheep. OK...ready...set...forget! Comment One 'f'... Why one 'f' instead of two? The question is your answer...as Greg likes to say. If you just can't get over the fact that it is missed spelled...read Blink too (same author as above) and grow over it! (If it makes you feel any better, go to www.theshepherdsstaff.com and see where you end up.) Comment The logo... The font is intended to be 'contemporary' in an effort to appeal to the next generation of church leaders. The words are designed to visually reinforce the concept of a staff that a shepherd would use to accomplish his purpose. For us, the staff is a reminder of our requirement to shape ourselves useful for The Shepherd. For you as a paid staff member in the employ of The Shepherd, well for you it is serves as the very same reminder. Comment The lamb... In some applications, the circle with the lamb is the 'dot' in '.com'. In either case, hopefully the image will serve to remind you of any number of things which we hope you share with us. But here are two of the reminders it provides us. First reminder: the one...the next one, the single one from among the throng of the helpless and harassed that God would have me/you touch. Second reminder: God's continual healing grace in the life of Jim's infant daughter, Rachel Ann. Rachel was born with a serous heart defect that God continues to heal (ask him to tell you the story) and Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome). 'Rachel' means 'innocent lamb' and 'Ann' means 'full of grace'. The lamb in the logo continually reminds us of Rachel and God's gracious provision for her sweet life and the lives of the rest of our families. Comment Your Ideas We really want to hear your ideas on how to make this website the most useful one in your folder of favorites. And while you're at it, what thoughts do you have about the services we currently offer? What additional services do you see a need for? Let us know what you are thinking: info@theshepherdsstaf.com. We would also like to hear your ideas on what to include in your ministry portfolio. We encourage everyone to have one...so much so that we are offering to save a password protected copy of yours for as long as you need it...for free! As soon as you register and create your file and password you can start uploading docs that you think you might like to have for any number of reasons down the road...even if they are just drafts. When you do, please shoot us an email telling us what you thought might be worth saving for posterity and we will add your idea (anonymously) to a list of suggestions for all to see. Another idea...thing really. We are building a collection of stories...short ones, long ones, one sentence ones...even an incomplete sentence will do. We would like to hear your stories and snafoos about hiring and getting hired, situations from the silly to the egregiously serious. We believe there is a lot of wisdom to be gleaned from your stories and we would like to make your lessons learned available to all...anonymously of course. (Remember, if you can't trust us, we can't pay the rent!) ...just curious, what conference or workshop have you attended in the last two years that you would like to go back to? As long as you are firing off emails, would you please send a link to our website to your friend who recently asked who you knew that could handle their open position (assuming you aren't interested...) AND to the friend who told you to be on the lookout for the right ministry fit for them? We thank you...they thank you. Open Positions Here are the positions we are in the process of filling. But before you click on that link, know these four things: First, however many positions we have posted...we are constantly in the process of developing relationships with at least that many more churches who may be needing you. Second, if we do not currently have a position posted that you are a fit for, if you go ahead and register with us and create your own confidential, password protected file in our database, we will be able to contact you once we do know of a position you may be a fit for. Third, if you add a position to your 'shopping cart' you are not buying anything. You are simply linking that position to your file so that you can keep a close watch on it. Fourth, just in case, keep your file updated and check our Open Positions regularly. For Churches Maximum Ministry! Maximum ministry achieved through securing the best possible fit for your open staff ministry position. That is the goal. The single most significant step in accomplishing this goal is for you to 'Tell us First' as soon as you know you (might) have an opening on your staff. Once you are in the habit of 'Telling us First' we will be in the best possible position to ensure the best possible fit for every minister we know and every open ministry position we know of. After telling us of their open positions, here are the formal ways churches have asked us to help them so far. What other ways can we help you? Search Search is who we are...it is that we do. We are nothing if we are not a retained executive search firm (ask Greg about that inside joke). Practically all of our other services are a distinctive piece of our search process or play a significant supporting role to our search process. Although the search industry in this country is enormous and has existed for a long, long time, the concept is still relatively new for churches. However, there is a sizeable and growing demand for these services among churches. These churches are most often larger churches (with over 1,000 in attendance) with executive pastors on staff (half of whom have moved from the business arena where search was common). We have watched the demand for our services grow steadily over the last four or five years and believe that trend will continue especially as the number of churches increase that are 'non denominational' in flavor that do not have the staffing network that a more traditional, mainline denomination would have. The skill set required to lead these large churches effectively is becoming harder and harder to find as these churches continue to grow and become more sophisticated...like adding multiple campuses for example. We like to describe our search process in terms of three relationships. *The relationship between our staf and yours. *The relationships we generate with potential candidates for your position. *The relationship you develop with the candidate you choose to hire. Beginning with our first conversation, our hope is to get to know you, your church, and your 'ideal' candidate well enough to begin to develop an intuitive picture of the person we will be looking for. The most important part of this process is our trip to meet you in person. We want to worship with you, tour your campus, meet everyone involved with the hiring decision...including the senior pastor, and familiarize ourselves with your community. We have found no substitute for this visit. We can not get a complete picture of who you are without it. You can not trust the accuracy of our feedback about your church without it. And we can not represent you in the first person without it. We may be able to assess a candidate's character and competence without shaking your hand...but not chemistry! After meeting you, we will begin to systematically introduce and reintroduce ourselves to potential candidates for your open position. (While with you, together we will have decided where someone God has prepared for your ministry would be.) This is one of the many distinctives that we bring to your search process...we are NOT you! Since we are not you, since we may be working on filling your same position at a number of other churches, and since we will represent many other positions like yours in the future...our discussion with individual ministers sounds substantially different than if we were on staff or the search team at your church. Don't take this personally...but candidates will talk to us more readily than they will talk to you and they will tell us more than they will tell you...precisely because we are not you. After formally interviewing a potential candidate, viewing appropriate media and beginning the vetting process, the third relationship comes into play. Your formal introduction to potential candidates will be a digital one and will include: a resume, a Complete Ministry Profile, initial reference feedback and relevant media when appropriate. Once you begin your interview process, another significant distinctive that we offer will emerge. You will know each candidate better...more quickly...with us in the middle of your relationship than you would otherwise. Your candidates likewise will know more about you and perhaps even more important, they will have more confidence in what they know because they are hearing it from, or at least having it confirmed by, an objective third party...that has first hand knowledge of your situation. Once the interviewing and the vetting are completed and you have decided to extend an offer...a call to a candidate, we are available to manage the compensation negotiations for you...and we are just as happy to stand ready on the sidelines and you have those discussions without us. Keep in mind that since we know where both parties are financially at the inception of the process, this is usually more of a formality than a true negotiation. Once your offer is accepted, we will continue to counsel the hired candidate on the details of his or her resignation and help them navigate the process of relocating their family. Even after your newest staff member's start date, we will not disappear...completely. Since our placements are 'guaranteed' for a year...we will be in touch. FYI...our fee is set, fixed, determined before we ever start the search and is designed to be budget sensitive. For more information contact us at info@TheShepherdsStaf.com. Consulting Sometimes you just don't know...you just don't know if you need to invest in the 'full meal deal' or not. Maybe with the right counsel you would do just as well searching on your own. Maybe all you need ts to talk to someone who is standing far enough away from your tree to have a pretty good view of the forest. Maybe you just need someone to spend a day or two with you and to give you some good ol' fashion advice. If you think that a good shot of consulting is all you may need, here is an option for you. Depending on the position(s), one or two of us will come spend a few days with you. We will share with you all that our experience has to offer on how to complete your search successfully on your own. You will be responsible for covering our travel expenses and an appropriate consulting fee. But, if you later decide retain us to complete the search, we will apply the amount you invested in our consulting services towards the Initiation Fee of your search. And since we will have already visited with you in person, we will be good to go. More Info Vetting This is the first service we were asked to provide independent of a comprehensive search. We had a church client who was petty sure that they had found the best possible fit for their position (all by themselves, imagine that). But a small and illusive doubt was standing at the back of their collective mind, the senior pastor and the executive pastor knew the elder board (with several prominent business men who new a little bit about hiring and firing) preferred at least a small pile of paper in support of a hiring decision, and they wanted to be sure that if they did hire the candidate that they knew how to go about leading him in order to ensure his success...so they asked us to 'check him out'. A formal interview and 8 conversations later, we had our first stand alone service. We have since added the option of including a background check. More info Ministry Transition Coaching This service is designed to be included in the individual's severance package that for any number of reasons is no longer a fit on your church staff. We can not promise to find them another ministry position, but we will: *Help them develop a resume and portfolio, *Formally interview them, *Preview any media they have, *Recommend which references to use, *Help identify potential positions, *Discuss interviewing skills, *Provide coaching during actual interview processes, and *Etc. Request more information at info@TheShepherd'sStaf.com Leadership Team Coaching We have partnered with TransFormax to provide a comprehensive, powerful, and practical 360 evaluation of your staff's leadership capabilities within the different demographic subsets of your church. This tool also provides a tangible corporate measure of your church's behaviors in key areas of discipleship. In addition, we will consult with you appropriately in order to implement any of the changes you choose to implement that were indicated by your data. FYI: TransFormax was developed my Dr. Brent McCall, who is one of you! Brent is the Senior Pastor at RainTree Christian Church in Lubbock, TX, a growing Independent Christian church. For more information contact Jim at JimNutt@TheShepherdsStaf.com. Speakers Bureau You have to know that I (Jim) am the weakest link in this chain! Especially considering that the next speaker to be added is my Angel, Dr. Lee Ann Nutt. This list will continue to grow and will provide your church with some serious and significant resources for every situation from pulpit fill to staff retreats to church wide seminars. Not just anyone will be included on this list. You can be confident that everyone here has the most current information in their field, is scripturally focused, and is a polished presenter. Ms. Dixie Allen On April 22, 1990, a stranger broke into our house and raped me. Shocking? Yes it is shocking. Nothing grabs the attention more than saying something shocking. But telling you I've been raped is not meant only to shock for shock value, it is meant to launch the story of how God changed the course of my life by the hand of violence. For the past 15 years I have been able to tell the story of God's wonderful provision, grace and healing to many, many people. Not only did that single event change my outlook on living, it changed my livelihood. Following God's direction has led me down an amazing path. I have worked in the domestic violence and sexual assault fields for seven years as a community educator for Denton County Friends of the Family and New Beginning Center, both in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Previous to that I was active as a volunteer public speaker for Denton County Friends of the Family for more than ten years sharing my story. I was named Educator of the Year 1997 by Texas Association Against Sexual Assault under the auspices of the Attorney General's Office of Texas. While at New Beginning Center, I developed the program Expect Respect, a three-part series on dating violence and domestic abuse geared for high school students. I have also conducted trainings in the area of domestic violence and sexual assault for domestic violence field workers, law enforcement, clergy, volunteers, community response teams, and other professionals. And I developed a summer teen leadership workshop called Trendsetters. This seminar focuses on helping teens develop stronger character traits and equip them to be leaders in their schools and communities. I am currently the Program Coordinator for Project [REV], Resources for Ending Violence, on the campus of Texas Woman's University since February 2007. Project [REV] is a program funded by the U. S. Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women and is designed to educate about and to advocate for college students experiencing domestic violence, dating violence sexual assault or stalking. I love working with teen and college women! When I faced the mirror for the first time on April 23, 2007 and wondered what would become of this new person staring back at me, God spoke to me. "You can let this beat you down or build you up to help others. The choice is yours." I chose living and helping. I never dreamed that He could do so many great things with so dark a day. What do I have to offer your church body? *I can provide training for church staff, lay pastors and small group leaders about the dynamics of domestic violence, how it impacts the church, how to recognize it, and how the church can support the families involved in domestic violence. *I would love to speak to women's groups, seminars, retreats and conferences on a wide variety of topics: *Uncovering the Shame and Hurt of Violence *Overcoming Obstacles *Relying on God's Provision *Turning Tragedy into Triumph *Helping our Sons and Daughters Build Healthy Relationships *Reading the Sighs and Eye-rolls *Is this Normal or Should I worry? *Forgiving the Hurts of the Past. *I can offer teen workshops on dating relationships and train peer on peer teen educators For more information and availability, please contact me by sending an email to info@TheShephedsStaf.com. Jim Nutt M.Ed. Thanks to my high school Bible teacher, Mr. T. Hahn, I had the opportunity to start preaching when I was 16. I have preached and taught every opportunity I have had since. I have also spoken professionally. I have multiple sermon series currently prepared that will be appropriate for your church at some point if not now. The first one I would like to share with you is a six week series dealing with change from a spiritual perspective. The content was developed to present to churches as they embark on a search for a senior pastor. As my calendar permits, I can be available for all six presentations or we can condense the material down to one, preferably two weekends that pertain specifically to the search for new, senior leadership. Here is the outline of that series: Ready or Not, Here I Come! Growing over life's changes Series Objective To prepare individual members and congregations as a whole for an active and healthy role in the life of their church during times of significant and dramatic transition. Part One Change: God Objective For each member to become aware of the ways they need to change and to commit to doing so. Part Two Control Freak: Me Objective For each member to begin to take positive action in the areas that each of us have control over and to actively turn what we do not have control over to God. Part Three Listen Up: You Objective For each member to begin to practice the skills that influence change in those around us, especially those closest to us. Part Four Right Side Out: Our Church Objective For each member to decide what is important to them about the church and to commit to helping to sustain those characteristics of the church. Part Five Hurry Up and Wait: Who's our Pastor? Objective For each member to begin actively waiting on the Lord regarding the arrival of a new senior minister. Part Six The Honeymoon Ends: Our new Pastor is not so new! Objective For each member to anticipate, appreciate and support new leadership styles and initiatives. For more information and availability, please contact me directly at: jimnutt@theshepherdsstaf.com. And check back as I will be adding additional titles and series. Dr. Lee Ann Nutt Born in Borger, Texas and raised in the Texas Panhandle, Dr. Nutt graduated from Amarillo High School in 1985. A Red Raider, Lee Ann earned three degrees from the Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (B.B.A.) in 1989; a Master's and Doctorate of Education (M.Ed.& Ed.D.) in 1992 and 1996, respectively. Her doctoral research was a predictive study of career satisfaction of female presidents of higher education institutions in the United States. With over 10 years of leadership experience in college and universities, Dr. Nutt uses her knowledge and expertise to help higher education institutions, churches, and other organizations achieve new levels of effectivelness. Currently, Dr. Nutt is Vice President of Instruction for a 7,000-student community college - North Central Texas College (NCTC) - which is one of the fastest growing academic institutions in the Texas. Lee Ann joined NCTC in August of 1999 as the Dean of Continuing Education. In October 2000, she became Provost of the Corinth Campus and retained responsibility for the Continuing Education Division. Most recently, Dr. Nutt was named VP of Instruction and is now responsible for leading all instructional programs and academic support divisions for the entire NCTC tri-county system and retains responsibility for the growth of NCTC in Denton County. In addition to various administrative positions in higher education, Dr. Nutt has experience directing continuing education programs for health care providers. She has also taught research methods, writing and research, and statistics at Lubbock Christian University. So, what does Dr. Nutt have to offer churches? First, she serves as the lead investigator for all of the major research projects conducted by The Shepherd's Staf. Secondly, although her executive leadership and teaching experience enables her to provide unique leadership strategies for every church leader, they are particularly useful for senior pastors, executive pastors, education ministers, and administrators of church-related schools. Dr. Nutt has developed and presented the following seminars and workshops: R.E.A.L. Customer Service Calling church members 'customers' will make many cringe. But the provocative nature of this approach to the evaluation of your corporate interactions is what assures tangible results from this workshop. The application of R.E.A.L. customer service fundamentals within your church will facilitate more rapid, enjoyable and sustainable growth. R - Reception E - Empathy A - Action L - Learning Workshop topics include: *Defining R.E.A.L. Customer Service *Discussing Your Customers' R.E.A.L. Expectations *Describing R.E.A.L. Customer Service *Interpreting the REALities for Customer Service *Assessing the R.E.A.L. Value of Customer Service Do You Have What It Takes to Break All the Rules? Based on the best-selling book by Buckingham & Coffman, "First Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest managers Do Differently," the objectives of this workshop are to apply the research and concepts to your organization within your own culture and context. Focus is on: *The Big 12 Characteristics of a Healthy Workplace *What Great Managers Know & Do (And How Great Leaders Let Them) *4 Keys to Great Management Leadership 101 Designed for anyone in a leadership role - officially or otherwise - this seminar helps participants identify their own style and to make adjustments to meet the needs of their followers: *Leadership Theories *Evaluation of Personal Leadership Style *Self, Staff and Departmental Management Strategies *Practical Application of Leadership Theory in Real Life A Nutt-y Approach to Adult Education This workshop is designed to prepare those responsible for providing educational opportunities and experiences for adults. Topics covered include: *Concepts of Adult Education (Androgogy) *Adult Learning Methods & Strategies *Idiosyncrasies of Adult Learners *Teacher's Impact on the Success of Adult Learners Keeping it S.I.M.P.L.E. - Strategic Institutional Mission, Leadership, & Expectations If you are the one charged with setting the course and painting the picture of where your organization is headed, then this session will help you determine that vision and actually implement the steps needed to be successful. For more information and availability email Dr. Nutt at: info@TheShepherdsStaf.com Dr. Beth Robinson Beth and I (Jim) taught psychology together at Lubbock Christian University. We had a great time and have kept in touch ever since. Beth is an experienced Licensed Professional Counselor, author of several books, and an accomplished speaker. More importantly, she has a special rappoet with...well with everyone. Beth offers a variety of significant seminars and printed resources for your church on childhood safety, teen sexuality, pastoral counseling fundamentals, and other relevant topics. Visit her website, www.drbethrobinson.com, and send her a request for a sample copy of her coloring book entitled God Made Me: A Safe Touching Book to give to your children's minister. Tell her to send the bill to me. For more information and Beth's availability, please contact her directly via her website listed above. Current Clients This page serves two functions. First, as a church client, this will be where you access your password protected file. Simply 'click' on the 'Open File' tab to the left. Once you have opened your file, you will be able to see our progress on your behalf in real time, view each submitted candidate along with their resume, ministry profile, references, etc., manage scheduled interviews, and provide feedback for candidates currently in process. Secondly, the tab to the left labeled 'Sample File' is a dummy file that will allow you to see what an active church client file looks like and how you can use it to keep everyone on your end updated and involved in the process. We will provide you access to this file while you are evaluating the appropriateness of our services for your situation. Curious? For Ministers Each of us at The Shepherd's Staf knows how limiting and frustrating it is to be in pursuit of a passion either in the wrong way, or in the wrong place, or both. Our vision is to impact the effectiveness of Church in America by ensuring the best possible ministry fit for as many ministers as we can. We don't expect to be able to help every single pastor in the country...but since you are reading this there is at least a chance...perhaps a good chance...that we can help you. Most of what we do for individual ministers is free. However, because we are regularly asked what we have to offer someone who is not a fit for one of our current open positions, we have put price tags on a couple of ways we may be of more help to you. After you have reviewed both our 'free' and our 'fee' services, tell us what else you need to manage your ministry career and we will see what we can do! Confidentiality If we can't keep a secret, your secret, then we can't stay in business. Our kid's college education is at stake here! Seriously, our conversations and your password protected file are 100% confidential. So, register with us now and create your file...upload your resume and begin building your portfolio. Whether you are thinking about moving closer to your parents within a few years or you have decided it is time to at least hear about other opportunities (even though you can stay indefinitely where you are)...once you are registered with us we will be able to contact you when appropriate at the email address and phone number of your choosing. Our hope is that you will 'Tell us First' once you are open to hearing about new venues for your ministry. One way to do that is to log on and change the status of your file. 'Tell us First' and we will return the favor...you will be one of the very first to know when we begin working on a search for which you may be a fit. Questions? Free Services We can do A LOT for you...absolutely free. That is because our services are 'church driven'...churches pay our fee. But we CAN'T DO ANYTHING for you UNTIL we know who you are! Although after speaking with you on the phone, we will probably never, ever forget your name, or your title, or where you are, or where you want to be, or where you went to school, or how many years of experience you have, or what you want to be when you grow up...although we will never, ever forget any of that after only a phone call or two, you might want to register with us and create your very own confidential file...just in case. The reality is that if you are not in our data base...as much as it hurts us to say it...we really don't know you...and we really, really want to! On the other hand, if we know you...in a digital way...the file's password is your key to everything we are doing, everything we have done, and everything we will ever do to ensure the best possible fit for ministers and ministries. Everything we do swings on the hinge that is your digital file. But keep reading...there are other advantages to creating your file. Questions? Portfolio Development Beyond merely having a confidential, password protected file in our data base enabling us to contact you, there are at least four additional values this free service has to offer. #1 Any time...24/7...you can activate your file...telling us that you are at least interested in hearing about openings you may be a fit for. It can not be any easier to 'Tell us First'! #2 Upload your resume and we will keep it for you...indefinitely...at least until you retire! How many times have you had to start over with your resume because you couldn't find it or your hard drive crashed or the disc it was on disappeared? Once uploaded, you will always have an updated copy of your resume available to you...24/7. #3 Update the resume in your file regularly! At least at the end of the summer (it's not too late!), over the holidays (c'mon, do something productive besides eat!) and at the end of the school year (do it...or you will regret it!). Details you are immersed in today...will be murky memories by Christmas...document your work. That is part of being a responsible steward of your ministry. #4 Begin now collecting a quality portfolio of your work! Get in the habit of uploading samples of everything you create to our database which is backed up multiple times daily and guarded by fierce digital attack dogs! You can not imagine how many times we have asked, "Can I get a copy of that agenda you put together, your parent handbook from your last church, the outline of your class this past summer, the planning docs for that big event coming up this fall, the set list for last years Christmas cantata?" only to hear in response, "Hmmm...I will try to find a copy of it...I may have a hard copy lying around somewhere...but I don't think I saved it." MISTAKE! Save a copy of everything you generate this year in your file...you don't have to use it all later...but somewhere along the line you more than likely will. Then spend some time over the holidays, while your leftovers are spinning in the mircowave, to add everything else you've done that you can get your fork into. I (Jim) learned the importance of these practices from my wife, Dr. Lee Ann Nutt. Her resume...or Curricula Vita as they call it in academia...was 14 pages long the last time I checked. And anytime she interviews for a top level executive position at another college...she always provides the search committee with her portfolio to review overnight...a three ring binder full of plastic covered samples of the work she cites in her resume. That's impressive! But forget interviewing, think of what that book is going to mean to her when she is done being a college president...and to our kids and grand kids... One more thing, when you upload a copy of something for your portfolio, shoot us an email and tell us what it was. We will start a list of suggested items to include and post them on this page. Candidating There are two cool things (at least) about considering one or more of our open positions. Cool thing #1 is that we are not a church. You can talk to us as long as you want...and that is all you are doing...you are just talking to us. You are not talking to a church and you are certainly NOT applying for a job. Cool thing #2 is that you are in total control of the process. You set the pace and you decide when and if a church hears your name. Once you do choose to become a candidate for one of our open positions, we will get to know you VERY well over the phone. That process will begin with a formal interview during which we will talk chronologically through your resume and the other documents in your portfolio. We will discuss your references with you during this 'interview' as well, BUT we will never talk to one of your references without your permission. You will always remain in control of the process. Another area we will cover with you is your salary wants, needs, and/or expectations. You will know up front if you fit financially within the church's budget. We are not going to waste weeks of your time, the church's time, and our time only to realize that you and the church are irreconcilably $5,000 apart on compensation. Once one of our client churches decides to interview you, we will do everything we can to enable you to maximize each of your visits with them. In addition to discussing general phone interviewing techniques with you, we will tell you who you are going to be talking to and what they are likely to ask you. After every conversation you have with the church, you will have the opportunity to ask us questions, discuss concerns with us, and even ask us to withdraw your name from consideration. We will continue to coordinate your interactions with the church until the process is concluded...one way, or the other way. You can expect to know where you stand with the church...how many other candidates they are considering, what questions/concerns they have about you, what the next step is likely to be...throughout the process. We do everything we can to understand 'who' it is our client churches are looking for, including spending a couple of days visiting with all of those involved in the hiring decision on their campus. Consequently, you can count on our insights into the church being 'third party 'objective but also based on first hand impressions. What questions do you have? Fee Services Depending on your circumstances, it may make cents to refine your job search by investing in our experience and expertise. Here are the two ways we have identified for you to do that so far. Let's us know what else you would consider a worthwhile investment. Q&A This page is designed to be a running question and answer session between us. Send us your questions...remember that there is no such thing as a dumb one (although we've heard some that came pretty close) and that the person next to you may have the same question but be too embarrassed to ask it...and one of us will stay up passed our bed time and compose an answer. We'll post your question, the date you asked it, your first name, a generic title, and the state in which you reside, if you are brave enough to provide it. We will post our answer...and if it is a good answer, we'll post which one of us wrote it! Our Blogs You might want to keep up with our blogs...eventually one of us is probably going to write about you...and you don't want to miss that! Greg Allen's Blog Ryan English's Blog Jim Nutt's Blog Darrell Whipple's Blog Our Research Coaches, who are by nature 'game film junkies', like to say, "Mr. Kodak doesn't lie." When it comes to the behavioral sciences, we may not be able to measure human behavior as definitively as coaches do when they break down game film (it is not really 'film' anymore) but we can still arrive at valid and reliable empirical conclusions that will make us all more effective spiritual leaders. Since we have the resources available to conduct inquiries ranging from the qualitative to quantitative, from the simple to the sophisticated and to contribute to the body of research in the area of church leadership...we intend to do just that. Simple Survey Our current simple survey question is: What conference or workshop have you attended in the last two years that you would like to go back to? Please include your title with your answer. Check back from time to time and see where others in your role are going to make sure you are not missing out on something. Your Stories Send us your stories...the fairy tales and the horror stories about hiring and being hired. Tell us as simply as you can what happened, how it worked out, and what you learned. We believe there is a lot of wisdom to be gleaned from your stories and we would like to make your lessons learned available to all...anonymously of course. The names will be changed to protect the innocent...and everybody else too. Future Research We are currently prepping for the following research projects: Later this fall, we will begin conducting an informal survey which will assess the overall preparedness for effective career transitions among ministers. Request to be included in this study. Early next year, we plan to initiate a formal study of the career satisfaction of senior pastors in churches with an average attendance of over 1,000. Request to be included in this study. Also on the horizon is an evaluation of leadership authority in churches based upon perception as opposed to position. Request to be included in this study. Our Partners We would like to introduce you to some people we know very well. Each of them of course have agreed to be plastered on our website and welcome your inquiries via their respective websites. The list will grow relatively quickly, so check back soon. (This is a 'by invitation only' list...so don't ask!) Mr. Ted Ogilvie Ted is our corporate attorney. He too believes in Jesus and is a true friend. If you are lucky enough to reside in Texas and have a legal issue or question, he is good one to call. Here are some out takes from his website: www.ogilvielawoffice.com. "Mr. Ogilvie practices in the areas of general civil litigation, contracts, dispute resolution, family law, health law, consumer law, and landlord/tenant. His preferred method of conflict resolution is by mediation and alternative dispute resolution methods." "In 1991 he married his long-time sweetheart, DeAnn (a pharmacist). They have one daughter and one son. He and his family attend Crossroads Bible Church and host a weekly Bible study at their home. His hobbies include fly-fishing, playing and listening to jazz, playing piano and trumpet, golfing, and spending time with his wonderful family. He has a large sense of humor and an equally large desire to build fruitful relationships." Ted is our kind of guy! Park East Inc. What do you think of our website? When you need to develop or overhaul a website, we highly recommend the services of Noel Green at Park East, Inc. We contracted with Noel based on the creativity and variety of his portfolio. We were not disappointed. This website is far beyond what we had imagined it would be. We plan on using him again...and again. He believes in Jesus too, and it shows in his work ethic, his professionalism, and his responsiveness. For every day that we waited on him, he waited at least a week...or two...or three on us, well...on Jim. And maybe more important, he successfully talked Jim 'off of the ledge' more than once without ever appearing frustrated himself. Contact Us Greg Allen GregAllen@TheShepherdsStaf.com 972.434.2408 office 214.724.1812 cell 888.239.4530 fax Ryan English RyanEnglish@TheShepherdsStaf.com 940.230.0430 office 972.249.8849 cell 888.239.4532 fax Jim Nutt JimNutt@TheShepherdsStaf.com 940.239.0122 office 940.390.9681 cell 888.239.4492 fax Darrell Whipple DarrellWhipple@TheShepherdsStaf.com 770.607.4541 office 770.607.4541 cell 866.416.2250 fax