Help Churches Get Healthy.
Become a Certified Strategic Envisioning Guide.
Get trained in the Strategic Envisioning process, developed by Dr. Aubrey Malphurs and refined over more than two decades, and bring real revitalization to the churches across your network or as an independent consultant.
Want to help churches develop leaders too? Add Leadership Pipeline Certification for one more day of training.
Who Is Certification For?
Leaders With a Burden for Healthier Churches
You don't have to be an expert. You just have to care about seeing churches make more disciples.
Denominational & Network Staff
You're responsible for the health of many churches and need a proven way to help.
High-Capacity Pastors
You lead a healthy church and are ready to pour into others across your network.
Lay Leaders
You have the life experience, skills, and God-given calling to equip struggling churches.
A Proven Process to Revitalize Churches
Certification licenses you to lead churches through Strategic Envisioning, the process Dr. Aubrey Malphurs developed and refined over more than two decades. With this certification, you bring a best-in-class framework to churches that want healthy growth.
Dr. Malphurs has written more than 20 books, together selling over 375,000 copies, and The Malphurs Group has worked with hundreds of churches to help them get healthy and make disciples. Once certified, you're listed in our directory, where churches can contact you directly, and you carry the credibility of a name churches already trust.
Learn to Lead Churches
As a certified Guide, you'll navigate churches through six outcomes:
- Articulate Their Great Commission Mission
- Discover Their Discipleship & Unique Values
- Build an Effective Discipleship Pathway
- Discern God’s Future Vision
- Develop a Strategic Plan
- Follow a Proven Implementation Framework
Multiply Your Impact
Reach More Churches
The Strategic Envisioning process replicates in churches of every size and challenge at low cost. One or more trained Guides lets your own team bring it to every church you're called to serve.
A Trusted, Proven Process
Lead with the credibility of a name churches already know. The Malphurs Group has served churches for decades, built on the faithful ministry of Dr. Aubrey Malphurs, whose books remain seminary mainstays.
Long-Term Support
We host monthly live calls to support certified Guides, address common challenges, and build community with leaders across networks and independent consultants. We are all on mission together.
Clear Pricing
Offer consulting to your churches at no or reduced cost as part of your role, or work independently with clear pricing guidelines that ensure fairness with other Guides and a competitive rate for churches.
Three Phases From Called to Certified
Step 1: On-Demand Video
Learn at your own pace. Around 8 hours of video on the content and how to facilitate every workshop.
Step 2: Live Workshop
Two days, hands-on. Practice leading workshops with direct feedback, then learn the practical how-to.
Step 3: On the Job
A coach beside you. Lead your first church while an experienced Guide supervises, so you launch with confidence.
Choose Your Certification
Every Guide starts with Strategic Envisioning. Leadership Pipeline is an optional add-on you can complete at the same training or add later.
REQUIRED FIRST
Strategic Envisioning Certification
$2,500
Two days of live training, plus about 8 hours of on-demand video before you arrive.
- Lead churches through mission, values, discipleship pathway, vision, and strategy
- First-year license, the Healthy Churches Toolkit, and the Guide Hub
- A Platinum Guide partners with you on your first church
OPTIONAL ADD-ON
Leadership Pipeline Certification
+$1,500
One more day of live training right after Strategic Envisioning, plus about 8 hours of on-demand video before you arrive.
- Help churches recruit, develop, and deploy leaders from the board to the staff to volunteers
- Requires Strategic Envisioning, or take both at the same training
- A Platinum Guide coaches you remotely before and after your first Pipeline church
- Already a Guide? Add it anytime from your Guide Hub in the Healthy Churches Toolkit
Most Guides earn back their training cost after their first church. No renewal fee while you're in good standing (working with at least one church a year). Many denominations cover certification for the leaders they certify.
Trusted by Hundreds of Churches
“Before I joined the leadership team at The Malphurs Group, I trained as a Guide. I immediately started working with churches across the United States, and after more than a decade in local-church ministry, I launched the next phase of my ministry as a consultant. I found my true calling. Even now, as Vice President, I still get excited every time I walk into a new engagement with a church.”
Scott Ball
Vice President & Lead Guide, The Malphurs Group
FAQ
What does certification cost?
$2,500 covers the two-day live training, your first year's license, and access to the Guide Hub. There's no renewal fee as long as you stay in good standing by working with at least one church a year. If you fall out of good standing, you can keep your certification and Toolkit access for $83.25/month. New Guides need a Platinum Certified Guide or TMG staff member present for their first church's workshops. That Guide's travel costs (up to $1,500) need to be covered, either by the client church or by the new Guide.
What's the difference between Strategic Envisioning and Leadership Pipeline certification?
Strategic Envisioning ($2,500, two days) is the core certification. It equips you to lead a church through mission, values, discipleship pathway, vision, and strategy. Leadership Pipeline ($1,500, one more day) is an optional add-on that equips you to help a church structure and develop its leaders. You need Strategic Envisioning first, but you can complete both at the same training. Certified Guides can add Pipeline later from their Guide Hub.
Can my church or denomination pay for my certification?
Yes. Many denominations cover this fee for the leaders they certify. You can pay online by card, and if your church or organization needs an invoice instead, contact us and we'll send one.
How does the training work?
Training has three phases: about 8 hours of on-demand video training, a two-day live training event, and on-the-job coaching as you lead your first church.
What happens after I apply?
Our team reviews your application. Once you're approved, we'll email you a link to choose your training date, review the agreements, and register. You'll get access to the on-demand training right away so you can finish the videos before you arrive. Each training's application deadline is listed with its dates above.
How much can I earn?
We provide pricing guidelines during certification. Your earnings depend on your ability to network with churches; most Guides earn back their training cost after their first church.
Do churches pay The Malphurs Group directly?
No. Churches pay a registration fee for our training platform, but all consulting, coaching, and travel fees go directly to you. We teach you our pricing guidelines and how to build proposals.
Can I earn Gold or Platinum status?
Yes. Guides who work with at least 3 churches a year earn Gold Certification; 6 or more earns Platinum. Both receive premium directory placement and must be re-earned annually.
What does it take to maintain certification?
Attend at least four monthly team meetings a year and work with at least one church a year to stay in good standing. Guides in good standing pay no renewal fee. If you aren't in good standing, it's $83.25/month to maintain your certification and Toolkit access.
What does a church engagement look like?
Three phases: remote video training, a two-day on-site planning retreat with a Guide, and a year of monthly implementation coaching, about 15 months total.
What's in the Guide Hub?
All of our training and workshop videos, workbooks, templates, and a growing library of resources to help you serve churches well.
Get Certified and Embrace Your Call
Give the churches you serve more than encouragement. Give them a proven path forward, led by you.