6 Signs It’s Time to Bring in a Strategic Advisor for Your Church
Leadership in ministry is rewarding, but it’s also lonely. The higher you rise as a pastor or church leader, the harder it becomes to find someone who can speak into your leadership with clarity, objectivity, and wisdom. That’s where a strategic advisor can make all the difference.
I remember times when my team was leading in a place we’d never been before. We didn’t know what we didn’t know. We were doing the best we could, but we needed an outside voice. Several times we brought in some outside voices to either affirm, or redirect our plans. It was SO valuable in those seasons.
You don’t need an advisor every day—but there are critical moments in the life of a church when having one is exactly what unlocks your next breakthrough. If you’re navigating any of these situations, it might be time to bring in a trusted voice.
1. You’re Too Emotionally Invested to Be Objective
You love your church. You’ve poured your heart, your prayers, and your energy into this ministry. But when you’re so close to the people and the mission, it’s hard to see clearly. Especially in sensitive situations—staffing challenges, facility decisions, leadership transitions—a wise outside voice can offer a calm, godly perspective that helps you lead with clarity and courage.
2. Your Team Is at an Impasse
There are moments when even the most capable teams hit a wall. Maybe your elder board can’t align on vision. Maybe your staff is divided on priorities. Maybe tension is simmering under the surface, but no one is naming it. A strategic advisor doesn’t just consult—they facilitate. They ask the hard questions, bring clarity to complex dynamics, and help your team move forward in unity, grounded in mission.
3. You’re Facing Something New
It’s not a sign of weakness to admit you’re in unfamiliar territory—it’s a mark of wisdom. Whether it’s leading through a crisis, scaling rapidly, or stepping into a new role, it helps to have someone in your corner who’s navigated similar waters. A great advisor isn’t helpful because they’re smarter than you. They’re helpful because they’ve already walked the path—they’ve been there, done that, and carry the scars (and stories) to prove it.
4. You Feel Like You’re Making Decisions in Isolation
When you’re the lead pastor, you carry the weight of decision-making—and often, you carry it alone. Even with a great team, there are times when you need a confidential, outside sounding board. A strategic advisor gives you space to process prayerfully, think out loud, and make decisions rooted in both conviction and wisdom.
5. Your Culture Feels Off, and You Can’t Pinpoint Why
You sense something’s not right in your church culture. Maybe it’s staff morale. Maybe it’s a misalignment between ministries. Maybe it’s how your values are lived (or not lived) week to week. Culture issues are often hard to diagnose from the inside. A strategic advisor can help uncover the root issues and chart a path forward toward a healthier, more vibrant ministry culture.
Check out our free Culture Matters guide, built to equip you with habits and actions you as a leader can do on your own to improve your culture.
6. You’re Worried You’re the Lid
It’s one of the hardest questions a pastor can ask: “Am I the bottleneck?” If you’ve ever wondered whether your leadership limitations are holding your church back, you’re not alone—and you’re not failing. That kind of self-awareness is the first step toward growth. A strategic advisor can help you get unstuck, develop as a leader, and create space for others to flourish alongside you.
Pastoral leadership is a sacred calling—but it was never meant to be solitary. If any of these signs resonate, we’d be honored to come alongside you with insight, objectivity, and care.
Let’s start the conversation and see how we can help your church move forward with greater clarity, unity, and kingdom impact. Reach out today.
Learn more about the difference between consulting and strategic advising in this recent interview with my associate, Dave Dummitt.