A Milestone on the Journey
Ircel Harrison, Coaching Coordinator
Pinnacle, The Early Years
Ten years ago, Mark Tidsworth approached me about becoming part of a new organization he was forming. He called it Pinnacle Leadership Associates. His goal was to help churches and their leaders as they navigated the significant changes going on around them.
Now, ten years later, Pinnacle is alive and well and continually evolving to meet the needs of its partners and clients. Our team has grown and our approaches for working with churches have changed as we have learned through our experiences.
We know that there are other organizations out there that provide similar services, but we believe that Pinnacle’s strength is our belief in uniqueness of the local church.
Author Simon Sinek wrote,
“People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”
Those of who work with Pinnacle believe that the church in its many local manifestations has the capacity to grow and thrive through all of the challenges that our culture presents. Our associates have been part of congregations and denominations for years. We are enriched by that experience, but we don’t rest on what is past; we continue to imagine and encourage new ways to “doing church.”
How does our belief in the church inform our values? We recently articulated these five commitments that guide our work with churches. Though they describe our approach to consulting, they run through our training, coaching, and most everything we do.
Spirit-led
Though understanding organizations is helpful, being the church involves more than human insight and effort. Focused spiritual practices (prayer, Bible study, worship, etc.) provide the foundation for the congregational discernment process.
Mission-centered
Churches develop and sustain vitality when their structure, staffing, practices, and resources are anchored in and supportive of their mission. Our approach puts your congregation’s mission and calling at the center of the process. Everything revolves around discovering and pursuing God’s mission in the world.
Context-driven
The best consulting work does not bring answers from the outside in the form of ready-made programs that will guarantee success. We believe that those within a congregation best understand the church and its surrounding context for ministry. Thus, we work to craft a process the church can use to discover and pursue God’s mission for their particular place and time.
Congregation-focused
Consulting that engages as much of the congregation as possible results in a high ownership of the process, its results, and subsequent implementation. Therefore, we work closely with the pastor, church staff, a congregationally chosen team, and the congregation at large.
Design-oriented
The consulting process involves give and take among all who are involved. We work to design processes as unique as each individual church.
At Pinnacle, we value each opportunity that comes our way to work with churches without regard to size, location, or demographics. As we begin our second decade, allow us to join you on your journey.