Applications Open May 1 for the Helping Churches Thrive Shared Learning Cohort
It doesn’t take long in a conversation with church leaders today to hear a common realization: the world around the church has changed—and many congregations are still learning how to respond.
Across North Carolina, churches are navigating shifting participation patterns, widening generational gaps, evolving community needs, and the growing sense that the old ways of “doing church” no longer carry the same clarity or effectiveness they once did.
And yet, in the midst of all that change, one truth remains: God did not call the church simply to exist. The church is called to be a living, growing community—one that forms disciples, cultivates leaders, loves neighbors, and bears witness to the hope of Christ in every generation.
That conviction is what continues to shape the Helping Churches Thrive initiative at CBFNC. And now, we are entering a new season.
Applications Open May 1 – June 29
We are excited to invite congregations across North Carolina to apply for the third Helping Churches Thrive Shared Learning Cohort, with applications open from May 1 through June 29.
We know that congregations need time to discern opportunities like this—time for conversations, leadership approval, and shared visioning. That’s why this moment matters. Now is the time to begin those conversations in your church about what it would look like not just to maintain what has been—but to step into what God is calling your congregation to become.
Not One-Size-Fits-All
One of the most important things to understand about Helping Churches Thrive is this: it is not a one-size-fits-all program.
Over the past two years, we have journeyed alongside more than twenty congregations—from churches with as few as eight active members to those averaging more than four hundred in weekly worship. From rural to urban, from the mountains to the coast, each church brings its own story, context, and calling.
Because thriving isn’t about size. It’s about a congregation discerning how God is calling their community to live faithfully in this moment.
Cohort Alum and Colleague Congregations
Already, a diverse group of congregations from across North Carolina have participated in the Helping Churches Thrive shared learning cohort, including:
Brunswick Islands Baptist Church
Canton First Baptist
Edenton Baptist Church
Embrace Church
First Baptist Church of Elkin
First Baptist Church of High Point
First Baptist Church of Monroe
First Baptist Church of Morehead City
First Baptist Church of Rutherfordton
First Baptist Church of Smithfield
First Baptist Church of Spindale
First Baptist Church of Valdese
First Baptist Church of Wadesboro
First Baptist Church of Waynesville
Iglesia Morning Light Church
Iglesia Cristiana Sin Fronteras
LaFayette Baptist Church
Littleton Baptist Church
Loray Baptist Church
Providence Baptist Church
Zebulon Baptist Church
Together, these congregations represent a wide range of contexts, cultures, and communities—each engaging the question of what it means to thrive in their unique setting.
What the Cohort Offers
Each cohort includes twelve congregations who commit to a shared learning journey that is both structured and adaptable. That journey includes:
- An opening and closing retreat for a congregational thriving team
- A church-wide process with facilitated workshops and conversations
- A worship focus and small group engagement
- Monthly learning sessions with leading voices in congregational thriving
- A dedicated thriving guide to coach and support your church
- And up to a $3,000 creative ministry grant to experiment with new ideas
At its core, this is not about adding more programs. It’s about creating space for your congregation to listen—to God and to one another.
As one cohort pastor shared: “The main value that this part of the process brought to us was an integral process to gather around the table and have our church members talk with each other about what it means to be a thriving church. The steps of the initiative helped us take a strong notice of what God is already doing within our congregation, while highlighting some of our ‘growing edges’ we need to consider for this new era of ministry.”
And that work is not done in isolation. Each congregation is paired with a thriving guide who walks alongside them throughout the process. As one guide described: “I am there to listen and to help the congregation move forward. Do no harm is my mantra. Pastors need conversation partners. I know how to do church, but not church in a particular context. Our conversations help me listen intently, offer suggestions when requested, and brainstorm next steps. This is the most exciting work I do.”
For Pastors: This Is Not More Work
We also want to say this clearly to pastors: This initiative is not about creating more work for you. It is about empowering and equipping the members of your congregation to more faithfully live as the body of Christ together. The future of the church will not be sustained by clergy alone. It will be shaped by congregations who rediscover that ministry belongs to the whole people of God.
Why Now?
Churches are busy. There will always be another season, another program, another demand on your calendar. But that is precisely why this moment matters. Now is the time to pause long enough for your congregation to come together—to listen to one another, share insight, build authentic community, and learn how to thrive not only for today, but for the future.
As one cohort pastor reflected: “Thriving now looks like a church that is flexible and willing to try new things; authentic in the new communities we are seeing on our campus; willing to partner locally with a nonprofit for unaddressed community members; intergenerational in providing parents a class on Wednesday nights; cultivating leaders, including one of our youth who found a voice through this process; and continuing to be formed in this new way of approaching life as a church.”
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
If your congregation is asking questions about its future…
If you are navigating change…
If you sense that God is inviting your church into something new…
You don’t have to figure it out alone.
We would love to walk with you.
Learn more and apply here.
Application window: May 1 – June 29
The Invitation Before Us
The future of the church will not be built by accident. And the choice before many congregations today is simple:
We can settle for merely existing…
Or we can courageously learn how to thrive.
