The Church Assessment Tool (CAT)

The only benchmarked, reliable instrument designed especially for pastoral transitions and strategic planning!

I have found the CAT to be a transformational instrument in working with congregations. I have been doing deployment work for over ten years. The CAT is the best assessment tool I've seen.

 The Rev. Canon William M. Johnston

DDO Diocese of Fond du Lac 

Conversations

A compact, economical assessment tool for churches with fewer than 35 persons in worship.

Conversations® is the fruit of a collaborative effort among Holy Cow! Consulting and small church specialists from the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, and the Pittsburgh Presbytery.

The Leadership Clarity Assessment

How clear is your leadership team regarding the perspectives, experiences, and aspirations of the people they lead?!

The Family Tree

Like no other tool, the Family Tree can help a new Pastor get a good start by laying out how members are connected to one another.

Tim Alderson, Executive Director of the 

Godly Play Foundation talks about the value 

of the Family Tree at start-up.

“This practical book should be in the hands of every pastor and 

board   chair. It provides the right answer to one of the most 

neglected areas   of church life today—

effective leadership transition in the local church.”

--Dr. William O. (Bill) Crews, chancellor, 

Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary 

Mill Valley, California

Strategic Planning

Principle-Driven Strategic Planning

We provide expert assistance, not only in helping churches discern where God is calling them, but the practical wisdom to know how to get there.  Our services include:

• Vision formulation

• Environmental scan

• Development of strategic targets

• Organizational analysis and alignment

• Staff optimization and team building

• Operational support and coaching

The state of the art analysis and strategic plan that Holy Cow! Consulting developed for our congregation continues to serve as an excellent blueprint for our ministry.  Precious few bring to the table as much technical expertise, organizational wisdom and passion for Christ’s kingdom as Russ Crabtree.

Dr. James Glatz

Senior Pastor

Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church 

The Portal

The only benchmarked, reliable instrument designed especially for leadership transitions and strategic planning in middle judicatories.

“The feedback we are getting on our process is super, and so many thanks to you for the very foundational piece of this – the Portal^â.  More than that, your assessment has been critical to our thinking and prayers.” 

 Lynn Schmissrauter, Chair

Nominating/Search Committee for 4th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Tennessee

Regional Associations

Regional Association is a generic term that includes Dioceses, Presbyteries, Synods, Districts, and Conferences.  We provide resources for these bodies which includes strategic planning, succession planning, search, and assessment.

"If you are holding this book in your hands, you have a longing for judicatories to matter.  If you read it, you won't agree with everything Russ says, and you will grapple with things your judicatory can--and should--do that will matter for your mission.  I wish I'd had this book when I began to serve in 1998."

 

 

Rev. Dr. James E. Mead

Consultant and former Pastor to the Presbytery

The Pittsburgh Presbytery

 

    

 What is a transformational regional association?

Russ has the gift of being able to cut through the fog and denial in a way that challenges church leaders without offending them.  He is one of the most capable church consultants available to assist a congregation (or presbytery) committed to transformational work.

Rev. David Dawson

Executive Presbyter

Shenango Presbytery