Episodes

  • Unlocking the Potential of Underutilized Church Properties

    Unlocking the Potential of Underutilized Church Properties
    Feb 23 2025
    This webinar on church and nonprofit real estate transactions is hosted and sponsored by Ministry Pacific Insurance Services. Ministry Pacific is a property and liability insurance broker exclusively committed to serving houses of worship and charitable nonprofit organizations: http://www.MinistryPacific.com. Many churches face unique challenges regarding their physical spaces. Some congregations thrive with an abundance of members but lack a permanent place for worship. Others possess vast facilities but struggle with dwindling attendance. While these scenarios may seem problematic, our expert guests in this webinar specialize in transforming them into opportunities. Consider these possibilities: Could a congregation sell its property and lease back a portion for worship and ministry?Could a church without a permanent home lease space from an existing congregation, benefiting both organizations?Could a church sell or repurpose part of its property for mission-aligned uses, such as affordable housing, nonprofit offices, or daycare services? Restructuring a church’s real estate assets does not mean abandoning its mission. Instead, reducing financial burdens and shifting property management responsibilities can revitalize ministry efforts and strengthen community impact. Exploring the Challenges In this webinar, Landis Graden and Megan McIver from DCG Strategies discuss the pressing real estate challenges facing churches with underutilized properties. They offer a faith-driven yet strategic approach to decision-making, emphasizing that property transactions should not be viewed solely as financial matters but as crucial extensions of a congregation's mission. Their expertise provides guidance on transforming real estate obstacles into opportunities for sustainability and growth. The discussion highlights how churches in evolving communities struggle to adapt amid changing demographics and rising costs. Drawing from their extensive experience in faith-based real estate, Landis and Megan stress the importance of aligning real estate decisions with a church’s core mission and values. They explore practical strategies for congregations determining whether to sell, renovate, or repurpose their properties. Landis underscores the necessity for church leaders to confront their realities, which may involve reimagining facilities to better serve their communities. This transformation could include leasing underused spaces, selling property to invest in new ministries, or developing partnerships for shared use. Lessons from Success Stories The webinar also features compelling case studies of churches successfully navigating these transitions. One example includes a congregation in West Oakland that repurposed its property to provide housing for vulnerable seniors. Another case highlights a Newark-based church that merged with a neighboring congregation to maximize resources for a stronger community impact. Throughout the discussion, Landis and Megan reiterate the importance of collaboration, patience, and open-mindedness when exploring property solutions. Churches that embrace change proactively can ensure their mission remains vibrant while adapting to evolving needs. Key Takeaways Demographic Shifts: Many churches are grappling with declining membership, shifting neighborhood dynamics, and mounting maintenance expenses. Mission-Driven Decisions: A church’s real estate strategy should be guided by its mission, not just financial concerns. Three Core Options: Congregations can lease, sell, or develop their properties to optimize resources. Transformation in Action: Examples of churches repurposing properties for housing, community services, and ministry expansion. Pastoral Considerations: Real estate decisions involve emotional and spiritual factors, not just financial ones. A Patient Approach: Property transitions require trust-building and careful planning. Rushing the process can lead to unintended complications. Building Bridges: Churches can explore partnerships with neighboring congregations or mission-aligned organizations to maximize property use. Specialized Expertise Matters: Church real estate requires knowledge of unique operational timelines, mission priorities, and risk management strategies beyond standard commercial transactions. Positive Reframing: Restructuring property should be seen as an opportunity for growth, not as a failure. Timestamped Session Overview 00:00:00 - Introduction - Host Roy Harryman welcomes attendees on behalf of Ministry Pacific. - Introduces guests Landis Graden and Megan McIver from DCG Strategies. - Provides background on Ministry Pacific, an insurance brokerage serving churches and nonprofits. 00:01:45 - Guest Introductions - Megan McIver shares her background and details DCG Strategies' mission. - Explains that DCG Strategies is a full-service real estate firm dedicated to faith-based and mission-driven ...
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    51 mins
  • Church and nonprofit boards need training for effective leadership

    Church and nonprofit boards need training for effective leadership
    Dec 23 2024

    Presented by Ministry Pacific Insurance Services

    This webinar, presented by Max Herr, delves into the essential role of board training and governance within churches and nonprofit organizations. It examines the multifaceted responsibilities of board members, emphasizing the necessity for diligent oversight, adherence to compliance standards, and a thorough grasp of both the spiritual and business operations inherent in church management. Despite the voluntary nature of these roles, they encompass significant legal and financial duties that demand meticulous attention, training, and a proactive approach to leadership.

    The session addresses common issues of dysfunction within nonprofit boards, attributing these challenges largely to insufficient training for these pivotal, yet unpaid, volunteers. Herr points out that while these individuals often enter their roles with noble intentions, a deficit in business knowledge and understanding of corporate compliance frequently leads to governance complications.

    Exploring the dichotomy within churches, Herr discusses their spiritual objectives and their secular obligations as formal establishments. He stresses the critical need for clear, well-structured governing documents, such as bylaws and operational policies. These documents are crucial for defining the board's structure, powers, and duties, and require regular assessments and revisions to prevent misunderstandings and operational disruptions, which became particularly evident during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Additionally, Herr highlights the indispensable role of board members in financial oversight, underscoring their fiduciary responsibilities that remain with the board and cannot be transferred to others. Throughout the webinar, real-life instances of governance failures are examined, illustrating the severe consequences of non-compliance with state and federal regulations and reinforcing the importance of sound governance practices.

    By the conclusion of the webinar, participants are expected to acquire a more profound comprehension of the roles of board members and receive practical guidance on enhancing the effectiveness and compliance of governance structures within their organizations. Herr advocates strongly for church and nonprofit leaders to prioritize comprehensive training and allocate necessary resources to reduce risks and bolster their operational effectiveness, thereby ensuring that their organizations not only survive but thrive in their missions.

    Who we are
    Ministry Pacific is an insurance broker devoted to serving churches and charitable nonprofits.
    We’re different from your insurer. As a broker, we help you evaluate policies from many insurers so you can choose the best one for your individual needs. We're not agents or employees of an insurance company. Instead, we work for you. As brokers we are free to explore creative solutions to your problems. We also assist you with claims when you need to file one with your insurer. Questions? Please contact us.
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Effective Marketing Communications for Churches and Nonprofits

    Effective Marketing Communications for Churches and Nonprofits
    Nov 28 2024
    Churches and nonprofits face the challenging task of communicating effectively with their audiences, whether they be a congregation or donors and stakeholders. These organizations are often operating with lean resources and limited technology, exacerbating the difficulty of communication. In this webinar, sponsored by Ministry Pacific Insurance Services, we present a way forward. Even lean organizations can communicate effectively by identifying their audience and then maintaining simplicity and consistently on a few media platforms. The transcript of this webinar is below: IntroductionI’m Roy Harryman with Ministry Pacific and our topic is Effective Marketing and Communications for Churches and Nonprofits. This show is a free service of Ministry Pacific. We provide webinars and numerous other free resources to help our clients succeed. Ministry Pacific, we are not insurance agents and we do not work for an insurance company. Rather, Ministry Pacific is an insurance broker. That means we work for you. We’re exclusively committed to serving churches and nonprofits. As a broker, we are free to research the market and find the best coverage for your specific needs. We have no limitations. We can look anywhere for anything you might need. Please take us up on our offer of a free consultation at ministrypacific.com. Speaker introductionI will begin with a very short bio on myself, basically for the reason that I want to give you some justification for why you should listen to this presentation. I am a journalism school graduate. I worked as a reporter and editor for about 10 years before serving as the communications director of two large churches. In 2015, I started my own marketing agency and I exclusively work with small businesses and nonprofits to help with their marketing needs. In addition, I served 12 years on the board of the International Association of Business Communicators in Kansas City. And I am currently on the board of the Social Media Club of Kansas City. So enough about me. Avoid Shiny Object Syndrome (S.O.S.) My goal is to lay out a process to guide your efforts. So wherever you're at in your communications ministry, there'll be something here today that will be applicable to you. Now before we talk about what to do, I want to talk about what to avoid. And that is what I refer to as – and others coined this phrase – shiny object syndrome. And what is shiny object syndrome? It means that instead of having a plan and a strategy, we just lurch from one new idea to the next, and we're constantly distracted by the newest thing on the market. Now right now that's AI, who knows what it'll be next. So certainly adapting to new technology has its place. We have to do that. But shiny object syndrome gives the new an inordinate amount of attention. Now why do we do that? Well, sometimes it's just more interesting than the actual work that we have to do. I mean, I've, I've been there. We might consider what we need to do mundane. It's easier to run after this shiny thing over here. So if you do want to explore new technology, by all means, please do that, but schedule time for that. Don't let it blow up any kind of consistent workflow that you're trying to create. Identifying our audience Okay. So where do we start? Well, the first thing we need to do is ask is: Who are we communicating to now? That that's simple, right? It's the church, or if you're a nonprofit, it's your donors, but let's dig a little bit deeper. Who is in your database? Some people will be saying, “My what?” Your database, is your definitive listing of who is affiliated with your organization. In the old days, that was the paper church directory. Now it may be an Excel file. It may still be on paper. It may be something more advanced, like a Church Community Builder or something like that. But whatever it is, you want to make sure that the people who attend your services and contribute to your budget are in your database. Those two audience should overlap 100%. If they're not in your database, you can't reach them. How do you know if your information is up to date? Well, how many people are in your organization versus how many people are in your database? Do you get bounced emails? Do you get returns? Do you get returned postal mail? Like it or not, our database is our most important asset when it comes to communicating with people, because we can't communicate to people who we're not connected to. So someone needs to champion that database to protect it and to keep it updated. We don't really like to be bogged down with administrative tasks, especially if you're a creative type person. But this is foundational. Think about someone who is excited about building your home, but skimped on the foundation because it was boring. No matter how cool our communication looks, if we don't send it to the right people, it's not going to be effective. Database upkeepNow, making sure our database is updated and accurate is not, ...
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    31 mins
  • Churches and Nonprofits: Creating a Culture of Generosity

    Churches and Nonprofits: Creating a Culture of Generosity
    Oct 2 2024

    MinistryPacific.com
    Statistics about church giving routinely demonstrate that a minority of congregation members do the vast majority of giving. This is not an example of a few wealthy donors carrying the day. Reluctance to give cuts across demographics. Could part of the solution be for churches to give more money away?

    In a world where collaboration is key, the relationship between churches and nonprofits can often be complex, even fraught. But what if we could flip the narrative?

    In this webinar, sponsored by Ministry Pacific, Scott Harris, VP of Church and Global Engagement at Mission Increase, shares how collaboration can become a reality that benefits both organizations and the communities they serve. Mission Increase was started with seed money donated by a couple who desired not only to give money, but to help faith-based organizations become sustainable.

    In order for more community impact to occur, churches and nonprofits must abandon a spirit of competition and embrace their shared mission as co-laborers. As an example, Scott cites Memorial Drive Presbyterian in Houston, which gives away 50% of its budget. He also shares his personal journey as a missions pastor, where his church’s missions budget grew from $75,000 to $1 million in just four years. The secret? Compelling storytelling and consistent encouragement.

    Scott introduces the APEST model – an acronym that represents apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, teacher – and the importance of having all five voices represented in leadership. This diverse approach is essential for an outward focus.

    Communication is a critical part of inspiring generosity, yet paradoxically churches shy away from discussing it. When they do, it’s frequently misaligned. Radical generosity can engage the younger generation – one that cares more about causes than buildings.

    • Learn more about Mission Increase at missionincrease.org
    • Learn more about Ministry Pacific Insurance Services and schedule a free consultation at MinistryPacific.com.
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    55 mins
  • Mission-Minded Money Management With Brook Maturo

    Mission-Minded Money Management With Brook Maturo
    Jun 21 2024

    www.MinistryPacific.com

    In this episode of Ministry Pacific Insights, we discuss the world of church and nonprofit finances with a focus on helping ministries creatively and wisely manage their funds for maximum impact. Our guest is Brook Maturo, executive director of The Admin Hub (www.TheAdminHub.org).

    We discuss challenges, including lack of resources and expertise, and explore practical solutions. From telling a financial story to creating a culture of transparency and empowerment, we cover key principles and best practices for healthy church finances.

    In addition, Brook shares inspiring examples of financial transformation within ministries, showcasing how creative funding, coupled with strong financial management, can lead to impactful results. From a pastor starting his own ministry to a construction ministry in Haiti empowering local staff, these stories illustrate the power of financial stewardship in fulfilling a ministry's mission.

    Listen in as we explore the themes of transparency, storytelling, simplicity, and empowerment in financial management, and learn how these principles can help ministries thrive and make a difference in their communities.
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    41 mins
  • Should Your Church Update Its Bylaws?

    Should Your Church Update Its Bylaws?
    Apr 24 2024

    www.MinistryPacific.com
    Church bylaws may sound like gobbledygook, but they are the bedrock of church governance. At least they should be.

    Church bylaws are the documents that serve as the backbone of a church's operations, guiding its decisions, practices, and overall function.

    As important as they are, church bylaws are often neglected, ignored and rarely reviewed or updated. But your church could stand or fall based on their content.

    Church bylaws play a pivotal role in establishing a framework for order within the organization. By outlining fundamental rules and guidelines, these governing documents help maintain consistency in decision-making processes. This includes defining the roles of church leaders and setting clear expectations for members.

    Bylaws, when drafted appropriately and with input, can enhance accountability and transparency within the church. By clearly outlining procedures for financial management, conflict resolution, and decision-making, these documents promote a culture of openness and integrity.

    Church bylaws also play a role in safeguarding your organization in terms of legal compliance.

    Bylaws provide clarity regarding financial management, leadership structure, dispute resolution and other matters core to the healthy functioning of a church.

    Church bylaws are not static documents. The more that church leadership is familiar with them, the more effective the bylaws can be. Being familiar with bylaws can reveal important omissions and statements that need revision or removal.

    This seminar is presented by Max Herr, president of Church & Ministry Compliance Consulting. He has more than 25 years of experience in insurance, financial services, compliance and governance, including more than 10 years as a church treasurer. Max served as a church compliance specialist for the California Southern Baptist Convention for six years.

    Ministry Pacific is an insurance broker devoted to serving churches and charitable nonprofits. We’re different from your insurer. As a broker, we help churches and nonprofits evaluate policies from many insurers so you can choose the best one for your individual needs. We’re not bound to any particular insurance company. But we are bound to you, our customers. As brokers we are free to explore creative solutions to your problems. We also assist you with claims when you need to file one with your insurer. Questions? Please contact us: www.MinistryPacific.com
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    1 hr and 43 mins
  • California SB 553 for churches and nonprofit organizations

    California SB 553 for churches and nonprofit organizations
    Mar 7 2024

    A California workplace violence law requires employers, including churches and nonprofits, to comply by July 1, 2024. SB 553 requires employers, including churches and nonprofits, to develop workplace violence prevention plans by the deadline. Requirements include creating the plan, designating an implementation team, maintaining violent incident logs, education and more. Ryan Abernethy, an attorney and shareholder at Weintraub Tobin in Sacremento, Calif., shares his expertise with Ministry Pacific in this webinar. Ryan breaks down CA SB 553 to help California employers apply it. Learn more about this law and download the state’s model Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, from Ministry Pacific at www.ministrypacific.com/sb553.
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    35 mins
  • Crisis Communications 101 for Churches and Nonprofits

    Crisis Communications 101 for Churches and Nonprofits
    Feb 26 2024

    www.MinistryPacific.com

    Churches and nonprofits are up to good – literally. So why would they need a crisis communications plan? Because life happens. Litigation. Accidents. Embezzlement. Crime on your property. All of these things can land you in the media spotlight. Not only that, you have to communicate coherently to your congregation, donors and the general public. You won't communicate effectively on the fly. That's why you need a crisis communication plan. Although you can't schedule a crisis, you can educate yourself on how the media works and set a system in place to help you rapidly respond when a crisis hits. In this seminar, communications professionals Roy Harryman and Megan Neher explain how to develop a crisis communications plan and what you can do now to be a responsible steward of your organization's message and reputation. In addition, liability insurance often provides coverage for public relations in the event that a crisis involves litigation or a cyber breach.

    Ministry Pacific is a property and liability insurance broker for nonprofits, ministries, churches and other faith-based organizations. Contact us for a free consultation at www.MinistryPacific.com.
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    46 mins