Partnering With Today's Leaders for Tomorrow's Success

Bill:

While working late this evening on sentences for each value, I was pondering “accountability” for quite some time. My thinking process led me from ensuring that I avoid the dysfunctional model of accountability without authority, which I endured in my most recent ministry setting, to recognizing that healthy accountability is a component of servant leadership.

While pondering servant leadership, I recalled that, as a campus pastor who sought to model it, I often noticed that many other leaders didn’t seem to put much emphasis on identifying and recruiting the right persons and then training, empowering, encouraging, and resourcing them – all important components of servant leadership.

Thinking that Transforming Campus Ministries’ value may be servant leadership and not just accountability, but considering myself to be less than an expert on the topic, I went online to search for helpful resources.

The first item I found was your 2007 article on your NexStep website entitled The Shape of Servant Leadership, where you said, “Servant leaders empower others” and “create and maintain a system for identifying, recruiting, training, encouraging and resourcing those who agree to do the work of the ministry.”

It reminds me of a conversation we had while I was still in my former ministry setting. I talked about the importance of counting what matters and you said it sounded like I was quoting your book Effectiveness by the Numbers: Counting What Counts in the Church.

Not that you need my affirmation, but I want you to know that it’s very refreshing for me to serve the Lord with someone who “gets it.” Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now, back to those value sentences.

Peace in Christ,

Greg F.

Campus Ministry Leader

Coaching Kudos

Bill: While working late this evening on sentences for each value, I was pondering “accountability” for quite some time. My thinking process led me from ensuring that I avoid the dysfunctional model of accountability without authority, which I endured in my most recent ministry setting, to recognizing that healthy accountability is a component of servant leadership. While pondering servant leadership, I recalled that, as a campus pastor who sought to model it, I often noticed that many other leaders didn’t seem to put much emphasis on identifying and recruiting the right persons and then training, empowering, encouraging, and resourcing them – all important components of servant leadership. Thinking that Transforming Campus Ministries’ value may be servant leadership and not just accountability, but considering myself to be less than an ...

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Bill,

Thanks for your training and coaching. I especially appreciated the depth of knowledge and experience you brought to our table. It will be helpful to our team to reflect on as we deal with some of the difficult issues likely to be in our path as we make the changes we need and apply the model’s key principles to our leadership and managing processes.

Great job.

Thanks

Doug T.

Lay Leader

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Bill,

On behalf of the Session and the Governance Committee, thank you for your time, expertise, teaching, and your love of the Lord Jesus Christ and His beloved ones! We appreciate what you have done for us as a portion of the Body of Christ, and will move forward in the joy and confidence that comes from His sufficiency.

I enjoyed our dinner together, as well as the seminars themselves. Your focus and vision on this topic will really assist us!

Thanks again!

In Jesus,

Walt M.

Lay Leader

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Dr. Hoyt, I just finished a book entitled Soaring in the Spirit by Charles Conniry. In it he mentions your name as someone who came along side of him during a difficult time of transition. It brought back to mind our last conversation in Redding. Things at FBC were looking grim. You had just been diagnosed with cancer. We were sitting in a coffee shop. Bill and I were utterly discouraged, the realization of this not "working out" weighing on our already broken hearts. It is at this point I asked you, "Then why did you come back?" Your answer still remains clear in my mind, "For you." Over the last four years, we have run into many people who know you. In fact, they are so numerous ...

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Bill Hoyt’s skills as a coach are exceptional. He was of tremendous help to me in sorting out my vocational alternatives. Bill has both pastoral sensitivity and the analytical ability to point us in the right direction. Bill’s vast experience in working with executives gives him a unique insight into helping us find a path in the midst of often conflicting claims and stressful situations.

Canon Kevin M.

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Dear Dr. Hoyt,

I purchased your book, Effectiveness by the Numbers, at a conference a few days ago and want you to know that I think this is one of the best books on church growth/health that I have come across.

I lead several groups of pastors in a coaching/mentoring relationship and I am considering taking them through your book. Do you have available a study guides and/or PowerPoint slides?

May God's blessing continue upon your ministry,

Dr. Donald S.

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Bill, you are an excellent consultant and pastor.

I can't tell you how fast our congregation is flying right now. Our attendance is off the dime, our giving isn't dreadful and we are making a difference in the community.

We had our first big ministry Pow Wow on Tuesday evening and had all the ministry teams and took them through the whole value stream and other stuff. It was phenomenal. Over 100 leaders are raised up in these ministry teams and it's a delight to see. All cylinders are firing and even our youth ministry is really gaining steam with two new hires.

It's been very great to see. To be honest you saw it before me!

Tim K. Pastor

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Our assessment and envisioning process was a huge turning point for LifePoint. As we transitioned lead pastors, we needed the perspective of 'outside eyes' to ask the questions we were not thinking to ask. Gathering the data from our congregation cut thought the assumptions and showed us what our people truly thought. The report gave us much to celebrate as well as clear steps and goals to move us to the next level. The more we followed the recommendations and worked toward our re-constructed vision, the more effective we have become in all aspects of our church. Morale and giving have both increased, and the unity and excitement among God's people is becoming contagious. The assessment and envisioning process were exactly the kick start we needed! Bill M., Pastor ...

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Hello Bill, Last evening we had our annual congregational meeting and the consistory presented the change of church bylaws for approval. The bylaws, of course, included the change of governance structure. The change of bylaws was approved by a vote of 85-yes and 9-no. Needless to say, I and the consistory were pleased with the vote. Two governing board members were also selected and I believe we got the best people serving. We will begin the new governance structure January 1. Preparations have already been in place for this change and things should transition pretty smoothly! Thank you for all the work you have done for Cornerstone! I believe we can move forward confidently with what is in place, even though it will take time to adjust. Pastor Mike ...

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About a dozen years ago I began to pastor a Baptist church that was over a century old and had been in decline for over seventy years! When I asked the congregation if anyone in the community would notice or care if we closed the doors, key people realized the answer was “no.” However, a dozen years later, by the grace of God, the answer is now an emphatic yes. Our church reflects the rich diversity of our community and is engaged in mission. Hard work, persistent prayer, humility, and the critical counsel of Dr. Bill Hoyt and NexStep Consulting have helped us turn from an inward to an outward focused church. Early on in our turnaround process NexStep’s assessment process provided us with a clear picture ...

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Bill Hoyt has been a great help to me during these days in a fast changing, highly challenging regional ministry. During my biweekly executive coaching and consulting sessions with Bill, I know that I will receive an understanding ear, wise counsel, straight shooting responses, loving concern, and experience tested advice. Bill has been around the regional ministry block many times and I really like the way he is helping me run this lap.

Dr. Peter J. Holwerda

Home Missions Regional Leader

Christian Reformed Church

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I want to thank you all for your investment, as you have helped us launch our capital campaign. I so appreciate your wisdom, discernment, grace and candor. I am truly excited about all that God is up to in the coming months. Thank you for being such a resource to the Body of Christ.

In His Service,

Aaron Sutherland, Pastor

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Bill Hoyt and NexStep Consulting have had a significant impact on our ministry at Centennial. The church assessment was pivotal for us renewing our vision as a church and regaining a clear picture of what God is calling us to as His people in this place.

Then God was amazingly gracious to us as a church as we raised 2.7 million to implement the vision and reduce our debt. Bill was helpful at every step, giving us wise counsel and expert input. We could not recommend him more highly as a church consultant.

Nick Lillo
WaterStone Community Church

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Dear Bill,

It was such a pleasure to have you come and speak to our pastors here in the Illinois Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Your presentations were very meaningful and timely. I appreciate your ministry immensely. God has gifted you with knowledge and wisdom. Thanks for your important contribution, which will help to expand the Kingdom of God here in Illinois through our pastor's ministries.

Ray P.

President

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Hi Bill,

We are making progress slowly. Last year we had SMART goals from 5 Ministry Teams and this year 10 have developed SMART goals. Not too bad for a brand-new concept.

Have just completed the first of a series of Evangelism Classes for the leadership and members of our church, using "Unbinding the Gospel - Real Life Evangelism" by Martha Grace Reese as an excellent resource. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it to you.

Thank you for your continuing prayers for our Ministry. Please don't stop as we need them. As we progress further, we may call you for a direct report on our activities and ask for your evaluation and critique.

May God continue to Bless your Ministry.
Stan K.

Board Chair

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