Church Business Faith-Based
Program

CEB 0307 | Business Skills for Faith-Based Organizations - Gateway Program (LCEF C5)

Starts Aug 22, 2025
13.5 CEUs

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Full program description

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About this Program

Course Description

This professional development program is designed to equip leaders of faith-based organizations with the skills they need to effectively manage their operations.

This program is formatted in eight micro-learning courses that cover topics such as: 

  • Human resources management and development
  • Conflict resolution
  • Financial management
  • Social media marketing
  • Fundraising
  • Strategy
  • Change management

 

By the end of the program, leaders will complete multiple action plans that will foster useful solutions for some major pain points in their organization.

 

Course Outlines

  1. Introduction to Business Skills for Church Workers
    1.5 CEUs
    This course is designed to provide an overview of the program and allow participants to take an inventory of their current organization.  This inventory will be useful for developing the deliverables in the program.
  2. Managing People
    2 CEUs
    This course is designed to help the user explore Human Resource Management and Development concepts that impact employee productivity and organizational effectiveness. Church leaders can discover current methods and practical business applications that lead to enhanced team performance, employee engagement and employee and volunteer retention strategies.  
  3. Conflict Resolution
    1.5 CEUs
    This course focuses on the practices and policies intended to manage and resolve disagreements with minimal cost and adversarial impact. The application to disputes in religious contexts is emphasized. 
  4. Social Media Strategies
    2 CEUs
    This course is designed to help church leaders understand basic social media concepts, tools and applications. This course will provide church workers with the practical knowledge and insights needed to successfully plan, implement, manage and measure social media marketing efforts to engage their congregations. 
  5. Financial Management
    1.5 CEUs
    This course examines the basic elements of financial management to enable church leaders to make informed decisions. Church leaders will examine the various elements of the balance sheet, evaluate tools to account for costs, manage cash, and assess the financial health of their organization.  Additional coverage will focus on internal controls to protect the assets of the organization, manage risk, and ensure accountability. 
  6. Raising Funds
    1.5 CEUs
    This course presents best practices in the area of fundraising and grant writing for nonprofit organizations. Given the vital nature of fundraising and grant writing for almost all nonprofits, this course will provide the tools necessary for success in this field. Special emphasis will be given to the development of the case of mission support.  Additional coverage on current practices for online giving and direct deposits will be provided.
  7. Strategy & Change Management
    1.5 CEUs
    This course is to will challenge church leaders to revisit their overall strategic plan and equip them with the tools to create and maximize participation, collaboration, and effectiveness during times of change in order to build team identity, commitment, and trust. Church leaders will understand the nature of organizational strategy and change management, revisit strategies for dealing with organizational conflict during times of change, and learn to build a collaborative leadership process.
  8. Action Plans/Capstone
    2 CEUs
    This course will be the culminating experience in the program.  Church leaders will be challenged to utilize the skills and knowledge gained in the previous continuing education modules and apply those towards the preparation of 2 Actions Plans for their organization.

 

Course Schedule\Program Map:

 

Course Sequence Course Name Course Description Primary Deliverable Modality CE units 2025/2026 Start/End Date Schedule- 2025/2026 Zoom Schedule- Central Time Instructor
1 Introduction to Business Skills for Church Workers This course is designed to provide an overview of the program and allow participants to take an inventory of their current organization.  This inventory will be useful for developing the deliverables in the program. Business Model Canvas Inventory 2 2-hour Zoom sessions, cohort introductions, business model canvas. 1.5 8/25/25-9/21/25 T, 8/26 6-8pm
T, 9/9  6-8pm
Kim Schave
2 Managing People This course is designed to help the user explore Human Resource Management and Development concepts that impact employee productivity and organizational effectiveness. Church leaders can discover current methods and practical business applications that lead to enhanced team performance, employee engagement and employee and volunteer retention strategies.   Employee Engagement Plan 3 2-hour Zoom sessions, every other week.  Work on deliverables during the off-weeks. 2 9/22/25-11/2/25 T, 9/23 6-8pm
T, 10/7  6-8pm
T, 10/21 6-8 pm
Matt Hurtienne
3 Conflict Resolution This course focuses on the practices and policies intended to manage and resolve disagreements with minimal cost and adversarial impact. The application to disputes in religious contexts is emphasized.  Reflection on a recent conflict. 3 2-hour Zoom sessions, every other week.  Work on deliverables during the off-weeks. 1.5 11/3/25-12/14/25 T, 11/4 6-8pm
T, 11/18  6-8pm
T, 12/2 6-8 pm
Peter Hannes
4 Social Media Strategies This course is designed to help church leaders understand basic social media concepts, tools and applications. This course will provide church workers with the practical knowledge and insights needed to successfully plan, implement, manage and measure social media marketing efforts to engage their congregations.  Social Media Marketing Plan 3 2-hour Zoom sessions, every other week.  Work on deliverables during the off-weeks. 2 1/5/26-2/15/26 T, 1/6  6-8pm
T, 1/20  6-8pm
T, 2/3 6-8 pm
Peter Hannes
5 Financial Management This course examines the basic elements of financial management to enable church leaders to make informed decisions. Church leaders will examine the various elements of the balance sheet, evaluate tools to account for costs, manage cash, and assess the financial health of their organization.  Additional coverage will focus on internal controls to protect the assets of the organization, manage risk, and ensure accountability.  Develop 5 SMART goals 3 2-hour Zoom sessions, every other week.  Work on deliverables during the off-weeks. 1.5 2/16/26-3/29/26 T, 2/17  6-8pm
T, 3/3  6-8pm
T, 3/17  6-8 pm
Julie Dilling
6 Raising Funds This course presents best practices in the area of fundraising and grant writing for nonprofit organizations. Given the vital nature of fundraising and grant writing for almost all nonprofits, this course will provide the tools necessary for success in this field. Special emphasis will be given to the development of the case of mission support.  Additional coverage on current practices for online giving and direct deposits will be provided. List your current fundraising sources.  Brainstorm at least 3 new avenues for raising funds. 3 2-hour Zoom sessions, every other week.  Work on deliverables during the off-weeks. 1.5 3/30/26-5/10/26 T, 3/31  6-8pm
T, 4/14  6-8pm
T, 4/28  6-8 pm
Kim Schave
7 Strategy & Change Management This course is to will challenge church leaders to revisit their overall strategic plan and equip them with the tools to create and maximize participation, collaboration, and effectiveness during times of change in order to build team identity, commitment, and trust. Church leaders will understand the nature of organizational strategy and change management, revisit strategies for dealing with organizational conflict during times of change, and learn to build a collaborative leadership process. Review Current Mission, Vision, andMinistry Plan, Prepare a SWOT Analysis 4 2-hour Zoom sessions, every other week.  Work on deliverables during the off-weeks. 1.5 5/11/26-7/12/26 T, 5/12  6-8pm
T, 5/26  6-8pm
T, 6/9  6-8 pm
T, 6/23 6-8pm
Steve Schave
8 Action Plans This course will be the culminating experience in the program.  Church leaders will be challenged to utilize the skills and knowledge gained in the previous continuing education modules and apply those towards the preparation of 2 Actions Plans for their organization. 2 Action Plans, selected from topics in previous coursework. 2 2-hour Zoom sessions, with a break in between.  Work on deliverables during the break. 2 7/13/26-8/9/26 T, 7/14 6-8pm
T, 7/28  6-8pm
Kim Schave

Ready to get Started?

Fill out the Application For This Program