Executive Director, Siburt Institute

Dr. Carson Reed is vice president for Church Relations at Abilene Christian University and executive director of the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry. He serves as dean of the Graduate School of Theology, holds the Frazer Endowed Chair for Church Enrichment, and serves as associate professor for practical theology in the GST. Reed holds a B.A. in English from Oklahoma Christian University, an M.Div. from Harding University, and a D.Min. from Abilene Christian University. Carson frequently serves as a consultant to congregations across the country. With his academic and research work in leadership, faith and culture, and discipleship, Carson brings a wide array of resources to help congregations and leadership teams. His work has taken him to over 50 churches in the past five years, with a focus in the following areas:

1. Transitions. Carson works with congregational leaders in developing appropriate processes to prepare for and seek out new ministers.

2. Leadership and governance restructuring for mission. Many congregational leadership teams struggle with creating useful, empowering leadership systems that support the congregation’s mission. Carson’s experience with varied models and contexts serves well by helping develop healthy, streamlined structures that help church leaders attend to God’s prompting and provide appropriate monitoring and direction.

3. Aligning mission and ministry. In the sweeping contextual shifts and often shrinking congregational sizes and resources, churches must be intentional about a focus on mission and hope. Carson provides resources and processes to help church leaders practice leadership that is anchored to both the best of the past and the possibilities of God’s preferred future.

4. New church initiatives. Carson partners with churches and groups engaging in theologically and culturally informed work to plant new churches and take on mission-focused initiatives that lead believers into secular and public spaces to bear gospel witness.

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Assistant Professor and Associate Dean, Graduate School of Theology

After spending two decades as a Preaching Minister in Churches of Christ, Wes joined the ACU faculty in 2019. He serves as the Associate Dean for the Graduate School of Theology, Associate Professor of Church History, and Director of the Center for Restoration Studies. Through the Siburt Institute, Wes offers the wisdom he has accumulated from many years of congregational leadership to congregations around the country. He leads Siburt's "Looking Team," which helps connect ministers and congregations during periods of transition, and he also provides consultation services to congregations.

1. Transitions: Wes works with congregations as they transition from one season of ministry to another. Among other services, he offers interim preaching and consultation to leadership teams as they search and hire new ministers.

2. Church Leadership: Drawing upon his twenty years of congregational ministry experience, Wes works with church leaders as they develop new programs of ministry. He also offers consultation to elders and ministers seeking to relate to one another in healthier ways.

3. Church History: As a scholar of the American church, Wes consults with congregations seeking to address polarizing issues within their congregations, such as race and nationalism. He provides a healthy historical perspective on many of these issues and also helps congregations manage the conflict that often follows in their wake.

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Mason serves as the Director of Contextual Education and Assistant Professor of Practical Theology within the ACU Graduate School of Theology. Mason’s primary areas of research revolve around the theological foundations of ministry and in helping ministers, elders, and other church leaders think constructively and theologically about their role as leaders. Mason and his wife, Kelci, have been married for 12 years, are active members of the University Church of Christ in Abilene, and have two daughters, Addison and Marah. Mason’s work with congregations usually focuses in the following areas:

1. Transitions & Interim Ministry: Mason works with congregations at various stages of transition, helping them navigate the often-complex dynamics such transitions create and establishing the processes for moving faithfully into new seasons of congregational life. Mason’s work in this area revolves around strategic planning, minister searches, interim preaching, and other interim responsibilities as needed.

2. Congregational Health: Mason is trained in the use of the Siburt Institute’s Church Health Assessment instrument, and works with church leadership on understanding, learning from, and implementing action plans as a response to what is learned through the assessment.

3. Minister Coaching: Mason often works with ministers in various formal coaching capacities, helping them to develop in a specific area of their ministry or to move towards their long-term goals of excellence and flourishing. Through his relationship and coaching work, Mason seeks to help ministers multiple their impact and live well into their calling and vocation.

4. Emotional Intelligence: Emotional Intelligence – our ability to understand and express our emotions in constructive ways – is a vital component of flourishing ministry and healthy church leadership. As a certified Emotional Intelligence coach, Mason uses his experience and training with emotional intelligence to better equip ministers and church leadership groups to function as a leadership team. By identifying strengths, naming weaknesses, and establishing plans for growth, Mason helps ministers and other church leaders thrive in their roles.

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Consulting Partner, Siburt Institute

Cheryl served 39 years at ACU – nine years in various public relations roles and 30 in the classroom. For 20 years she was chair of the nationally accredited Journalism and Mass Communication Department at ACU, where she taught public relations and writing courses. In retirement Cheryl is a writer, editor, and consultant for churches and church-affiliated organizations.

1. Communication audits. Too often churches have multiple communication tools – bulletins, websites, social media, email blasts, print publications, and more – that don’t serve the mission and goals that staff and leadership believe are important. Through structured interviews with staff and analysis of those communication tools, Cheryl determines whether a church is using its communication resources effectively and makes recommendations to help messages match the mission.

2. Crisis management and media relations. Often when churches want to reach out through local media to promote their ministries or when they must respond to media during a crisis precipitated by violence, disaster, or misconduct by leadership they don’t know how. Cheryl helps churches prepare in advance for such circumstances, and she provides real-time consulting and media relations expertise when a crisis strikes.

3. Writing and editing. An experienced writer and writing teacher, Cheryl has written brochures, newsletters, news releases, website content, grant proposals, book chapters, obituaries, and special event scripts. She will research and produce original content or edit existing materials.

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Director, Center for Youth and Family Ministry

Robert brings 38 years of ministry experience as well as ongoing research in the areas of church leadership and development. His work with Ministers’ Support Network shows his love for those who work in the mission of God. As a church consultant, Robert works with youth ministers and church leaders at crucial transition points or in crisis moments.

1. Search process for youth and family ministers. Robert has worked with hundreds of churches to set up a search processes that will help them find the person who will have a significant impact on their students. With an extensive network of churches and youth ministers, Robert can help identify potential candidates.

2. Youth ministry model transitions. Many churches are asking questions about the traditional model of youth ministry, and many are exploring more family-friendly models of youth ministry. Robert can assist churches with how to implement a transition plan to the newer model.

3. Building a healthy team between ministry staff and elders. A church is only as healthy as the leadership team. It is crucial to build structures that promote teamwork and a create a healthy culture among the staff and elders. Robert has experience as an executive minister and has worked with elderships extensively. He helps leaderships explore the hard questions in a safe environment.

4. Congregational crisis management. Crisis moments are never planned. An affair, the sexual assault of a child, the divorce of an elder's child catch everyone by surprise. Sometimes it is helpful to have an outside consultant to help facilitate the first steps for sensitive situations. Robert has consulted with a variety of churches through some of these difficult times.

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Consulting Partner, Siburt Institute

Chelsie worked in a non-profit counseling agency for five years before opening her own private practice in 2011. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor - Supervisor (LPC-S) and is currently pursuing her doctorate in professional counseling. Chelsie grew up in the Churches of Christ and is an active part of the Southwest Central congregation in Houston, where her husband is the senior minister. Chelsie frequently presents in congregations, conferences, and retreats. Her specialties include:

1. The Enneagram. This time-honored personality examination tool has a multitude of benefits and insights for congregations and church leaders. Chelsie blends the Enneagram and the spiritual life, tailoring her conversational-in-nature presentation to large groups (congregations or communities) and smaller groups (ministry staff and shepherding teams). Chelsie has also worked with D.Min. cohorts on this topic for the last three years.

2. Ministers, staff, and shepherds self-care. Leaders in ministry are not immune to the burdens, anxieties, and stresses of the day. How do they continue to serve well their congregation and all its ongoing needs when personal pressures build up and seem insurmountable? Chelsie works with persons on leadership teams to tend to and develop forward-thinking plans to address immediate and long-term self-care needs.

3. Mental health care and education. Does your ministry team have up-to-date resource lists of local mental health providers for your congregants? At what point does pastoral work with a person, couple, or family need to transition to professional counseling? What are the identifying signs of mental health issues, and what are the steps leaders in the church can take to foster good mental health without unintentionally bringing about shame or reinforcing stigmas? Chelsie educates church leadership teams on mental health issues and helps develop a comprehensive plan for the congregation.

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Summit Director, Director of the Center for Women in Christian Ministry

Jennifer brings 17 years of ministry experience to the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry. Her primary areas of research center around the spiritual formation of children and the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in ministry. She is deeply invested in working with ministers and churches as they reimagine what ministry looks like. Jennifer frequently presents at conferences and to congregations. Her specialties include:

1. Children and Family Ministry Transitions. As churches seek to either build or redefine children and family ministry programs, Jennifer is able to help churches discern what a spiritually-formative and sustainable ministry looks like that reflects the church’s vision and context. She then works with the church as they implement this new ministry environment.

2. Intercultural Competence. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are key elements of ministry that impact spiritual formation. Jennifer is able to help churches not only understand the role that intercultural competence plays in ministry but also how to foster an environment that more fully reflects “on earth as it is in heaven.” As a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI, LLC), she has navigated this conversation with both church leaders and ministry staff.

3. Ministry Equipping. As there continues to be a shortage of formally-trained children’s ministers, churches are seeking to hire invested and highly-capable people from adjacent fields. As a result, many ministers feel ill-equipped to take on the challenges that go with this new ministry role. Jennifer mentors those new to children’s and family ministry in order to help them grow into the role in which they have been called.

4. Special Needs Ministry. The most underserved people in churches are children and adults with disabilities. Jennifer works with churches to help them create an environment that is truly welcoming for all people.

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Consulting Partner, Siburt Institute

Eddie has been in congregational ministry since 1971. His experience with churches and other non-profit organizations, combined with his academic preparation, gives him deep perspective in the following areas of church life:

1. Leadership transitions. Selecting new elders and navigating shifts within a church ministry staff present a variety of challenges related to church mission, congregational stability, and the personalities of the people involved. Eddie can offer wisdom and concrete proposals, addressing a congregation’s unique needs in these situations.

2. Spiritual formation. Eddie has been trained as a teacher of spiritual formation through the Transforming Community ministry of Ruth Haley Barton (author of Sacred Rhythms) and leads spiritual formation processes in congregational and retreat contexts. He works with elderships, Christian non-profit boards, and individuals in developing spiritually formative practices that honor God, enhance personal lives, and bless others in the world.

3. Spiritual discernment. Churches want to do the will of God, but often have little understanding about how to seek God’s will. Eddie leads trainings in spiritual discernment, helping both churches and individuals know and do God’s will in the world.

4. Minister stress and burnout. Eddie and his wife Annette were part of the Ministers’ Support Network retreat team for 15 years. In that time, they worked with over 400 ministry couples, meeting godly servants in every possible situation that ministry can offer. This experiential background gives Eddie and Annette tools for coming alongside ministry couples in times of crisis. They are not licensed counselors, but offer help as experienced spiritual friends to ministers and their spouses.

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Consulting Partner, Siburt Institute

Barry recently retired after 23 years as the Senior Minister with the Monterey church in Lubbock, Texas. He holds both the M.Div. and D.Min. degrees from Harding School of Theology; and has a Graduate Certificate in Conflict Management from Lipscomb’s Institute for Conflict Management. He has taught church leadership and conflict management at the graduate level for the past two decades. His academic training and experience in congregational ministry for the past 40 years give him unique perspectives in the following areas of church life:

1. Leading A Church Through Transition. Barry has years of experience in leading churches through major transitions in new ministry initiatives, leadership structure, and worship practices. His perspectives can provide valuable insights for church leaders as they initiate change in their congregational setting. Barry also works with congregational leaders during minister transitions by developing appropriate processes to prepare for and search for new ministers. He also has experience in helping churches navigate significant transitions such as the selection of new elders/leaders.

2. Conflict Management. The question isn’t whether a church will experience conflict, but whether they will navigate conflict in healthy ways. The voice of an outside consultant is often valuable as church leaders deal with conflict. Barry’s academic training in conflict management, and his experience in guiding churches through conflict and change can provide a voice of wisdom for church leaders who are facing conflict in their congregational settings.

3. Staff And Staff-Elder Relationships. For many years, Barry led a large ministry staff, and helped build healthy relationships among staff members, and between elders and ministry staff. He is equipped to help elders and ministry staff build strong, healthy relationships with each other, and to guide them in building a healthy culture in their congregational setting.

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Consulting Partner, Siburt Institute

After two decades of serving as a congregational minister, David dedicated the next 20 years to researching, teaching, and administering at ACU. Recently he directed the annual spiritual renewal program at ACU, called Summit. Having served as an elder for 35 years, David’s educational background and life experiences have provided opportunities to consult with churches across the globe for more than three decades. He consults with congregational leaders in the following areas:

1. Staff Relationships. Serving for many years as an elder, minister, and leader in the Ministers’ Support Network, David is well equipped to assist elders and ministerial staff members toward healthy communication and productive working relationships.

2. Spiritual Formation. Congregational leaders desire for each disciple in their faith community to be transformed into the image of Christ. David’s university teaching, writing, and consulting provide church leaders with biblical and theological principles that enrich their congregations’ spiritual formation culture.

3. Strategic Planning. Encouraging congregational leaders to discern their spiritual mission and vision is vital. David provides leaders with models and strategies that clarify their discernment to then implement a mission and vision toward God’s promised future. Along with strategic planning, he guides leaders in processes of individual and communal discernment, providing skills necessary to pursue God’s will together.

4. Shepherding. The role and responsibilities of being a shepherd in the 21st century is complex and challenging. Throughout history, God has raised up elders to lead disciples toward holy living, to pastor churches, and to provide mature and wise congregational management. David consults with elders to boldly embrace their responsibilities and lead their congregations toward greater spiritual health and vitality.

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