About Us
Church Assistant exists to aid pastors and local churches in pursuing God's plan for them as they carry out the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. We come alongside churches to assist them in analyzing current trends and ministries in their local context and help them evaluate future direction.
Who Are We?
Bill Abernathy has served on a pastoral staff, as a solo pastor and as the lead pastor with a church staff. His broad experience enables him to identify with small, medium and large churches and their pastors.
Raised as a pastor's son, Bill was called into pastoral ministry during his college years. After serving for 40 years in two local churches, in 2024 he "re-deployed" into a more broad ministry of helping pastors and churches.
In Bill's most recent pastoral ministry he served as lead pastor for fourteen and a half years in a church of 500 where he directed a pastoral team of 3 other pastors as well as other full-time and part-time staff. As he was arriving at the church, it was engaged in planting a daughter church which is now running about 400.
In 2019 Bill began preparing the leadership of the church for a transition to a new lead pastor. The process was delayed by COVID, but planning and preparation continued and in 2022 the beginning of the process was announced to the congregation. By God's grace, in 2023 Bill facilitated a time of overlap with the incoming pastor who is now effectively serving that church. Bill stepped down at the end of 2023.
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Bill loves pastors and the local church, and in 2024 he established Church Assistant as a means of using his experience and gifts to continue to minister to the Church for the glory of God.
Bill has led churches through growth and change and through difficult situations, including COVID. He has served on leadership teams for regional church fellowships in both states where he pastored and helped lead those fellowships through change. He has been involved in counseling and mentoring younger pastors; sat on advisory groups counseling struggling churches; provided pulpit supply; and served on various non-profit boards.
Bill has also been privileged to teach and preach on various mission fields - both to national pastors and missionaries.
Education:
BA in Pre-Seminary Bible from Cedarville University
M.Div. in Pastoral Studies from Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary
(now Cornerstone Theological Seminary)
Doctor of Ministries degree from Grace Seminary
(Dissertation Topic: Cultivating a Biblical Worldview in the Context of the Local Church)
Certified Church Revitalization Specialist - Church Answers Organization (Thom Rainer)
OUR SERVICES
Helping Your Church Move to the Next Level
Go to the 26:30 mark for a sample of Bill's preaching style.
When pastors need a break or need to be away for other reasons, Bill is available to preach. With over 40 years of preaching experience, he is a trusted voice.
Pastoral Mentoring and Encouragement
Pastors are often lonely and in need of encouragement, but where can they turn? Statistically many are leaving the ministry every year. We offer one-on-one mentoring and encouragement for pastors in all roles of ministry. This can include a self-analysis tool to help the pastor see how God has wired him. Counseling is also available.
Church Impact Analysis
Together with the church leadership, we assess the impact of the church on those around it and how that might be enhanced. This includes:
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* church health assessment in key areas (worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, prayer, and ministry)
* church ministry audit
* change readiness analysis
* facility audit
* limited church webpage and social media audit
* budget and finance audit
A report with suggestions will then be made available to the church leadership. These elements are also available as "stand alone" services.
Church Revitalization Evaluation and Assistance
Many churches across the United States are plateaued or declining, but that can change. Jesus promised to build His Church, overcoming the opposition of Satan and his forces. We can help you analyze whether your church needs revitalization, what steps toward revitalization might look like and what tools are available to help you.
This is our most extensive service and involves many of the other elements we offer. It can be customized to the needs of your church.
Secret Guest Visits
This is like the "secret shopper" that stores and business use. It allows for a person unknown to the church to come on a Sunday morning and view the facilities and ministries with fresh eyes. A report with suggestions will then be made available to the church leadership.
Church Policy Review
Church policies are often in need of updating, but this can take valuable time away from ministry if the church staff does it. We will look with fresh eyes at current policies and suggest changes as well as additional policies for the church and its leadership to consider in light of current cultural trends.
Church Constitution and By-Laws Consultation
When was the last time the constitution and by-laws of the church were reviewed and updated? In our ever-changing ministry context, it is critical that by-laws be up-to-date and that they are followed. This service allows for fresh eyes to examine these areas and to make suggestions for the church and its leadership to consider.
Community Analysis
How well do you know the mission field around your church? Who lives within a short driving distance? What are they like? Our sovereign God placed your church in that location. It is your first mission field. Learn to know them so you can show God's love.
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Using advanced demographic (who people are) and psychographic (what they prefer) tools, this analysis can help a church spot opportunities for ministry and growth. We use Church Answers and their partner ESRI for this report. You set the boundaries you would like investigated based on drive time from your church.
Pastoral Transition Guidance
Unless Jesus returns soon, every church will experience pastoral transition. How can it be done with the least upheaval to the church? What steps can be taken to help both the pastor and the people?
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We understand that pastoral transitions can be difficult for churches, and that's why we offer guidance and support to make the transition as smooth as possible.
This is especially geared for situations where the pastor is planning to retire or to step away from pastoral ministry, though the principles can be applied more broadly.
Financial Analysis
An in-depth look at the church's giving trends, how funds are being expended, how the budget compares with national averages, and other key financial insights. This is offered to churches with a general fund budget of one million dollars or less. A report with suggestions will then be made available to the church leadership.
Missions Policy Review and Assistance
Reaching out with the gospel beyond a church's immediate neighborhood is a critical component of the Great Commission. But churches need to spend mission initiatives and mission dollars wisely. This service provides an analysis of how missions funds are being spent and how the church can more effectively connect with and communicate with missionaries. We can also help you think through what it means to be a sending church.
Worldview Training
What does it mean to have a biblical worldview? How can God's people more effectively see and shape the world according to His direction? These seminars equip people to understand both the competing worldviews around us and the biblical worldview that they are called to demonstrate.
Leadership Development
Training faithful leaders who in turn can train and lead others is a critical component of any church's ministry. Paul's command in 2 Timothy 2:2 still applies. These workshops lay out basic biblical principles of leadership and encourage church leaders to work at development of key leaders within the church.