Leading a church today requires more strategy and intentionality than ever before.
In order to maximize your impact in today’s context, you need a trusted partner who can provide the resources you need to reach new levels of health and vitality.
Founded in the 1990s, Dr. Aubrey Malphurs created our organization after numerous requests from churches and leaders asking for help applying the principles they read about in his books. To date, his church leadership books, including Advanced Strategic Planning, have sold over 300,000 copies- serving thousands of churches around the globe.
Since our early days, we have expanded our team and continue to produce a variety of resources all geared toward helping churches and the people who lead them.
Our team continues to champion Dr. Malphurs' work to help churches become healthier and more effective.
What Makes Us Different?
We’re a registered nonprofit. Our mission is helping churches like yours, not growing our bottom line.
We offer our services at a subsidized rate because you shouldn’t need a big budget to get help.
The last thing you need is a one-size-fits-all approach that ends in a three-ring binder filled with overwhelming to-do lists you have to then figure out on your own. Your church family needs a strategic plan that takes your context into account and a trusted partner to guide you through the execution process.
Leadership Team
A.J. Mathieu
President
A.J. serves as President of The Malphurs Group and Healthy Churches Global, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to church health, leadership development, and revitalization. He co-hosts the Church Revitalization Podcast and devotes the majority of his time to international work, serving as a conference speaker, church consultant, and partner to denominational networks across Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia. He also works with a limited number of churches in the United States each year.
A.J. and his wife Erika have two sons and make their home near Fort Worth, Texas.
Scott Ball
Vice President
Scott serves as the Vice President of The Malphurs Group and Healthy Churches Global, and has been on the team since March 2016. He has served churches around the United States and internationally helping them to grow healthier disciples and equip more leaders. Scott spearheads our North American work, developing partnerships with denominations and networks, training new Guides, and expanding the Healthy Churches Toolkit. His vision is for every church to have affordable access to the Strategic Envisioning and Leadership Pipeline frameworks.
Scott and his wife Allison have two kids and live in East Tennessee.
Strategic Envisioning Certified Guides
The ministry of The Malphurs Group is only possible because of the growing team of Certified Guides that partner with churches around the world and lead them through our Strategic Envisioning and Leadership Pipeline processes.
Click below to see our directory of Certified Guides.
Board of Directors
The Malphurs Group is overseen by group of dedicated leaders. Every organization should surround themselves with a team that makes them better. We’re honored to fill that role for churches around the world and are grateful for the team that does this for us.
Dr. Aubrey Malphurs (1944-2022)
Aubrey planted his first church in 1972 and pastored two additional congregations in the Dallas area. In addition to founding The Malphurs group, he spent over 35 years as a professor of leadership and pastoral ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary. With titles focusing on strategic planning, leadership development, and organizational strategy, Dr. Malphurs was an award-winning author of more than 25 books. His intentional focus on serving churches of all sizes allowed him the opportunity to serve church leaders both in the United States and in numerous countries around the world. Read more about Aubrey's legacy here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you ever help churches implement the concepts you write about and train others to do?
Yes, the team at The Malphurs Group regularly consults with and trains leaders and their teams to implement the concepts presented in our resources.
Do you work with all denominations and groups?
The Malphurs Group is not denominationally affiliated but does hold to evangelical theology. We affirm the Lausanne Covenant as our Statement of Faith. You can read it here.
When you consult with churches, what do they request most often?
The majority of denominations want seminars and training on change and church revitalization. Churches typically want help with their core values, mission, vision, strategy, and growing a strong leadership pipeline.
Which of Aubrey Malphurs books has sold the most copies?
Advanced Strategic Planning has sold over 300,000 copies. It’s followed closely by Being Leaders and Planting Growing Churches in the 21st Century.
Can I find any of these books in other languages?
Yes! Several of his books have been published in Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, and Ukrainian/Russian.
Do you accept guest articles for your blog?
Yes, we do! Please reach out to submit your topic.
How is Christianity faring in America?
Christianity is in decline in America. Estimates are that “66 to 75 percent of all congregations founded before 1960 are either plateaued or shrinking”. Thom Rainer writes, “Our recent research on the younger generation, the Bridgers (born 1977 to 1994), indicates that only four percent of the teenagers understand the gospel and have accepted Christ, even if they attend church.” He concludes, “America is clearly becoming less Christian, less evangelized, and less churched.”
What can we do about the decline of Christianity in America?
The Malphurs Group believes that the future of the Christianity lies in planting “Great Commission” churches and revitalizing established churches.