About

The Quick Summary

ChurchNext builds healthy congregations by connecting passionate Christians with experienced mentors.

Hi, I’m Chris Yaw, and my passion is healthy churches. Like you, I love to see vibrant, healthy, faith communities doing their part to change the world. I created ChurchNext to help you and me connect with the very best mentors around. This is a place where these mentors come to tell the success stories behind their ministries so that we can learn from their experiences. I do this by offering courses and inviting speakers to online interviews.

The ChurchNext Mission

The ChurchNext Mission is to introduce you and me to innovative church doers and thinkers whose ideas and stories are so powerful that just hearing them will change us.

The ChurchNext Mission is to put the spotlight on a diversity of ministries that are flourishing today – and the dynamic leaders who are building them. We uphold the notion that the best way to grow is to learn from a variety of smart people who are willing to share their expertise and experiences.

The ChurchNext Mission is to ignite our passion for the work of Christ and help us build healthier congregations.

The ChurchNext Mission is to act as a counter-weight to an increasingly secular society that is trying to convince us that the only option for the Christian church today is decline. The Church has made it through tougher times than these and will continue to flourish as followers increase their knowledge and commitment to the Gospel of Jesus.

The ChurchNext Mission is to encourage us to follow a vision so big and important that our ministries, congregations, and lives are reinvigorated and inspired like never before.

The Chris Yaw Story

Sure, this blog is not about me, it’s about the mentors and the information they share. I’m convinced that the wisdom they offer will change the Church and the world, for good. So since I want you to connect with them, here’s some background to help you connect with me.

Starting Out in Media
Most journalists have one thing in common: curiosity! This is what led me after college to positions at small radio, then television stations. This is where I began to hone my skills as an interviewer. As I gained experience I worked at bigger and bigger media outlets. All the while, the call toward Christian ministry was becoming stronger until I could no longer resist.

Off to Seminary
I continued working in the media world, winning an Emmy in Los Angeles as I attended seminary there and in the UK. Meanwhile, in graduate school I learned at the feet of theologians and church leaders where I was struck by the wealth of knowledge and expertise. I noticed the huge contrast between the superficiality of the spiritual leaders prevalent in the popular media and the depth and wisdom I was finding among these highly intelligent and lesser-known Christian voices. I remember listening to my New Testament professor and more than once thinking, ‘Now here’s a guy who should have a cable show…’

After Ordination
After ordination, I began serving local congregations.  This is where I first began incorporating my work in media with my ministry. I started blogging and video blogging.   I made a series of videos for my denomination based on a book I wrote.  I love my work as a pastor, which is my primary calling, and fuels the fire for my passion for church vitality.

ChurchNext is Born
My beloved friends in the pews inspired me to put together The Grow My Church! Course. During my two years of research and writing I came across dozens of writers, pastors, theologians, and academics who have important things to say about church growth. I became convinced that their stories and advice needed to get out. What if there could be a place where passionate pastors and ministers could connect with these important voices? What if we could harness the power of the Internet to showcase this knowledge? So I began this venture under the name, Grow My Church!, before changing it to ChurchNext – a place where passionate Christian leaders meet experienced congregational development experts.