The Goehner Group

Don Goehner conducted a comprehensive all-church survey involving hundreds of people, and another several hundred in focus groups, doing so in a friendly, professional, and competent manner. TGG was also involved in a thorough evaluation of our pastoral staff, providing us with accurate and appropriate recommendations for our staffing decisions.

Don Goehner and Denis Baker's study of and report on our congregation has guided our long-range planning in countless ways. He did an excellent job of listening to our people and reflecting accurately what he heard in honest, yet gracious, ways. His insights into our ministry and recommendations for our future have proven to be just what we needed to chart our course for the 21st century. Don delivered what he promised in a timely manner and his professionalism was evident every step of the way.

Don Goehner co-conducted a capital campaign feasibility study by personally interviewing more than 100 of our staff and lay leaders, surveying our entire congregation, and observing our ministry firsthand. Don coached us to perform at our very best, customizing the training, timeline, and communications to our church's culture and goals. The preliminary results of our campaign -- $14.5 million ? will enable us to retire our debt, tithe 10 percent to missions and have money left over to pursue additional dreams God has placed on our hearts.

Don Goehner co-conducted a capital campaign feasibility study by personally interviewing more than 100 of our staff and lay leaders, surveying our entire congregation, and observing our ministry firsthand. Don coached us to perform at our very best, customizing the training, timeline, and communications to our church's culture and goals. The preliminary results of our campaign -- $14.5 million ? will enable us to retire our debt, tithe 10 percent to missions and have money left over to pursue additional dreams God has placed on our hearts.

We hired Don Goehner and he was a great fit for us. We found that our campaign needed someone to be a working leader and coach, and our consultant needed to work for the organization (not the other way around). God blessed our campaign unbelievably, with $20 million raised and a completion date a year earlier than expected.

We signed a contract with The Goehner Group for executive search services to find a president for our newly formed camping corporation, managing and operating three campground facilities located in Southern California. Our experience in this process with The Goehner Group was simply outstanding. Don was a suburb facilitator in arranging the logistics of the interview and acting as a trusted go-between during the negotiation process.

I asked Don to come to The Chapel and train our campaign committee for successfully meeting with the leadership givers of our church. Don understood and supported our desire to avoid a high-pressure campaign and conduct a stewardship drive that would depend upon God and His work in the hearts and lives of His people. Don is an expert in capital campaigns, but he also has a heart focused on God, on furthering the Great Commission, and on training and helping God's people to give generously and biblically.

We retained The Goehner Group to assist us with a feasibility study which was followed by direct consultation throughout our building campaign fund drive. Don proved to be just the right person to help us get to the issues and move through the process. He was accessible, personable and forthright at every point along the way. His wealth of wisdom in the field of consulting with non-profit and church organizations was invaluable.

David Buchanan's clear direction was a huge confidence-booster to members of our capital campaign steering committee, and his support was so encouraging when they were feeling overwhelmed. He was a great help as he reminded me over and over again of our church's strength, health, and vision. The Goehner Group helped us discover that we are capable of doing far more than we believed possible. In the end, the most important benefit of our capital campaign was not the money raised, but our congregation's discovery of its own ability and commitment.

No one comes close to Dennis Baker's search expertise:

• Extensive experience working with churches and pastors
• Wisdom and insight to see beyond the surface of both parties and help provide the best match
• Pastoral candidates -- knows who (and where) they are
• Helps the church see what it really needs
• A man of God who can spot a man of God

God used Dennis Baker to bring us just the children's ministry leader He intended and our ministry moved forward beyond anyone's imagination. TGG's search process saved us dozens (if not hundreds) of precious hours, hours that would have otherwise been unavailable for ministry. We have truly been blessed by our association with The Goehner Group.

Dennis Baker conducted a comprehensive all-church survey involving hundreds of people, and another several hundred in focus groups, doing so in a friendly, professional, and competent manner. TGG was also involved in a thorough evaluation of our pastoral staff, providing us with accurate and appropriate recommendations for our staffing decisions.

Dennis has been a key resource for more than 15 years. I have relied upon his analysis and experience to guide me through substantial changes of leadership style, worship service format, staffing analysis, cultural assessment and many other items. I have observed Dennis in a number of roles, including dealing effectively with the governing boards of dozens of churches. Good consultants like Dennis know how to raise issues without trying to compel solutions. He has seen God work in enough different ways that he isn't foolishly dogmatic. Dennis' great contribution to churches is his intuitive insight and a gracious spirit, coupled with loving forthrightness.

From my work with congregations across the North America and overseas, I know of no one better than Dennis Baker in conducting pastoral searches. I use him constantly in our Northern California and Northwest Nevada region. When I work with congregations in the U.S. and Canada I recommend Dennis for their pastoral search processes. Dennis not only works well with the search committees, he has the widespread contacts to generate the best candidates.

Dr. Dennis Baker understands local church ministry better than anyone I have known in my nearly 30 years of walking with and serving Jesus Christ. Dennis' unusually strong gift of discernment helps pastoral search teams and leadership teams in find God's servant leader for their churches. Dr. Baker has a wide and deep pool of nationwide contacts for consideration. Because of his long tenure with The Goehner Group and with various denominational and non-denominational ministries, Dennis is widely recognized as one of America's finest church-health consultants.

Van Elliott showed an extraordinary amount of professionalism, respect and care while conducting the capital campaign feasibility study, and then coordinating our campaign. This was very important, as it was the first time the church had ever worked with a consultant. The pastors and the entire church are highly appreciative of The Goehner Group's consulting services in the development and implementation of our capital campaign that resulted in the construction of our new $1.8 multipurpose center. I know we could not have done this without the help of The Goehner Group.

Neil Fichthorn and Dan Bolin conducted a capital campaign feasibility study by personally interviewing more than 100 of our staff and lay leaders, surveying our entire congregation, and observing our ministry firsthand. Don coached us to perform at our very best, customizing the training, timeline, and communications to our church's culture and goals. The preliminary results of our campaign -- $14.5 million ? will enable us to retire our debt, tithe 10 percent to missions and have money left over to pursue additional dreams God has placed on our hearts.

Dan Bolin and Don Goehner conducted a feasibility and marketing study for us on behalf of our camp and conference center. Their report was widely praised for its thoroughness. We found Dan to be very easy to work with, and very approachable in answering our questions. His experience and competence was well evidenced in both the written and oral presentations. The study freed us up to glimpse the reality with which we must deal, and has released some energy that had been blocked because of confusion about environment in and outside our organization.