Educational Resources
-
Church Finance
Stewarding the resources God has entrusted to you and your ministry.
-
Church Health
Resources for leading your church to a stronger future.
-
Invest & Retire
Managing your finances to make the best use of what God has given you.
-
Read More5 Biblical Truths About Pastoral Retirement
At first glance, the Bible seems to be silent on the subject of retirement. However, the scriptures do contain a detailed account regarding the retirement of the priests who facilitated worship and ministry surrounding the temple. The Israelite tribe of Levi was set apart to be priests and facilitators of worship in the Jewish temple […]
-
Read More10 Options for Church Boards to Consider Regarding Retirement Benefits
The Bible teaches us that pastors are God’s gift to the church (Ephesians 4:11-12). Although the church as a whole is expected to care for a pastor, most churches delegate that stewardship to the church board.
-
Read MoreBiblically Responsible Investing
CEP is honored to partner with Cornerstone Management for investment management of our Charitable Gift Annuity and Charitable Trust assets. Additionally, Cornerstone Management serves as our Investment Advisor for all Endowment Funds managed by CEP. In this article, Winters Richwine, COO at Cornerstone, discusses Biblically Responsible Investing.
-
Read More5 Ways to Generate More Funds for Ministry
If you’ve ever thought, “I wish there was more money to do more ministry,” you’re not alone. Many pastors have a vision to do ministry that they are not sure how to fund. In these moments, we need to think in terms of good stewardship. How can I use what God has given me to cultivate […]
-
Read MoreHow Much Should Your Church Be Saving?
Unplanned expenses are inevitable. How prepared is your church for the next unexpected event that interrupts routine cash flow? COVID taught us that circumstances can dramatically change in a matter of days. Within one week’s time, many churches were unable to hold in-person weekend gatherings. We witnessed COVID impact our communities as well. Businesses and […]
-
Read MoreFree eBook: Stewarding Pastoral Transition
Pastoral transition can be a daunting process. Church Extension Plan has created this guide to help you think about the four most important stewardship tasks during this type of transition.
-
Read MoreCEP + The Unstuck Group
CEP is honored to partner with The Unstuck Group to provide some valuable resources that can grow your church’s impact and your own effectiveness as a leader. Click button below.
-
Watch VideoThe Church Construction Process – Pt. 1
Our own Jeremy Stamback sat down with Adam Holmes, Owner and CEO of Vanman Architects & Builders, to discuss different aspects of the church construction process. Make sure to check out parts 2 and 3 of this interview.
-
Watch VideoThe Church Construction Process – Pt. 2
In the second part of the interview, Adam Holmes, Owner and CEO of Vanman Architects & Builders, and Jeremy Stamback discuss the types of contractors, hiring a professionals, and utilizing skilled people in your congregation.
-
Watch VideoThe Church Construction Process – Pt. 3
In the third part of the interview, Adam Holmes, Owner and CEO of Vanman Architects & Builders, and Jeremy Stamback discuss how to include professionals as well as people invested in your church community in your construction process.
-
Watch VideoThe Pre-Construction Process
Tad Swedin, Head Concierge of Pre-Construction Services, and Angie Knodle, Senior Architect, from Vanman Architects & Builders discuss the process of pre-construction and the steps needed before your project begins.
-
Watch VideoThe Importance of Master Planning
Tad Swedin, Head Concierge of Pre-Construction Services, and Angie Knodle, Senior Architect, from Vanman Architects & Builders discuss the process of taking the dreams of the future of your church and putting it together into a plan.
-
Watch VideoRenovate or Build?
Tad Swedin, Head Concierge of Pre-Construction Services, and Angie Knodle, Senior Architect, from Vanman Architects & Builders discuss the question of when to renovate an existing property vs building a new structure.
-
Watch VideoPre-Construction Tips for Pastors
Tad Swedin, Head Concierge of Pre-Construction Services, and Angie Knodle, Senior Architect, from Vanman Architects & Builders discuss some important steps in the pre-construction process when looking for a parcel of land.
-
Watch VideoBecoming a Bilingual Church
Discover what Pastor Abner Adorno learned transitioning from a Spanish speaking only church to a bilingual and multicultural church and how they are making sure their staff is a reflection of the community.
-
Watch VideoPreparing Financially
Too many pastors get to the last chapter of their career and aren’t prepared for the future outside of ministry. Learn how younger pastors should prepare now for retirement and what seasoned pastors need to do to prepare these next generation leaders.
-
Watch VideoPastoring in a Digital Space
What does it mean to pastor in 2022 and beyond? For Viva Church, this meant adding an online campus pastor who is reaching thousands outside the regular four walls of their church.
-
Watch VideoDeveloping Young Leaders
Why it is important to raise up the next generation of leaders for your church.
-
Watch VideoMultiplying Your Church
Developing leaders is a valuable practice, but do you have space for the leaders you are developing to live out their call?
-
Watch VideoConnect With Your People
How do you keep your people energized and excited about their ministries? Pastor Tracy Brooks explains how the best way to encourage people is to notice what they do and brag on them.
-
Watch Video5 Systems Your Church Needs
How do you get your people to grow from just being an attender to serving to leading? Pastor Mark Zweifel shares the five systems that help you do just that.
-
Watch VideoHow to Reinforce Vision
Vision can be defined as a preferred future that you are looking for and looking toward. True North Church has a 10-year vision that is both attractional and missional. Learn how Pastor Mark Zweifel reinforces this vision in everything they do.
-
Watch VideoWhy Your Church Is Stuck
Pastor Saul Gonzalez shares his own experience of his church being stuck and what he learned in the process to move forward and become a growing and thriving ministry. Learn about the 5 P’s that can help you get unstuck.
-
Watch VideoWhat Leaders Do
What do leaders do to inspire, encourage, and motivate their teams? How do leaders lead both week-to-week, and also build and grow their churches into a legacy they can leave to bless future generations? Pastor Chad Stafford shares the most important—but not always easy—ways that he leads his multi-campus church.
-
Watch VideoA Story of Change
Cornerstone Church in Statesville, North Carolina had plateaued in their growth and even started to see a decline in attendance. Watch how a pastor who dug his heals in the sand and was against change, move to embracing the ‘new’ and seeing the church become a touchstone for their community.
-
Watch VideoHow to Get Unstuck
Many churches are stuck, waiting for a grand revelation or inspiration to strike before they make the first move. Pastor Saul Gonzalez shares what he did when he found himself stuck, and the steps we need to take to finally get ourselves and our churches unstuck.
-
Watch VideoWhen Finances Are Tight
It is the rare church that exists for years and never hits a patch where funds get tight. This is especially true in the post-COVID environment we are currently in. In this video, Josh Herndon explains how to get a clear picture of your finances and what you can do to be proactive and make […]
-
Watch VideoMore Funds for Ministry
Jeremy Stamback discusses how you can leverage and use the resources God has given to your church to produce more funds for ministry.
-
Watch VideoEstate Planning
Most of us hear the word ‘estate’ and think it only applies to the wealthy. Darren Mullenix explains how estate planning is applicable to everyone and how you can use the 4 P’s to help determine how to start an estate plan.
-
Read MoreCEP + Generis
CEP is honored to partner with Generis to provide some valuable Generosity Resources. Click button below to read some excellent articles that can help you create a sustainable culture of generosity in your church. Featured resources include: The Offering Moment The Big Shift Accelerating Generosity Fund the Vision About Generis: Regardless of your ministry’s size […]
-
Read More11 Numbers That Matter
How Healthy is Your Church? These 11 Numbers Will Tell You.
-
Read MoreThree Savings Principles According to Benjamin Franklin
The pressure to “keep up with the Joneses” is real, and many people spend too much on their current lifestyle without giving appropriate thought to the future.
-
Read MoreLeading Through a Financial Crisis
When elected as Superintendent of the Northern California & Nevada District in 2004, I faced twin financial crises that threatened to bankrupt the District.
-
Read MoreWhere’s the Time Gone? – 5 Steps to Save for Retirement Today
It may not surprise you to know that a large majority of Americans are unprepared for retirement. After all, many of us don’t feel any urgency surrounding our retirement until it’s right around the corner.
-
Read MoreHow to Manage Investment Risk
You may be asking the question, “How do I determine the difference between an okay and a foolish investment risk?” While there is no established set of steps for the perfect investment strategy, there are many ways to ensure you assume an adequate degree of risk.
-
Read More5 Retirement Realities
While the average person plans to retire, he doesn’t always take the time to think through each step needed to reach that goal. With many aspects to consider, some important matters may fall by the wayside. Below are several considerations which should be remembered when planning for retirement…
-
Read More5 Beneficiaries for Your Retirement Account
When naming beneficiaries on a retirement account, the most popular options are spouse, non-spouse individuals (including children, grandchildren, or friends), trust, will or estate, or charity…