Teaching Staff Core Values �and Theology

Dr. Andrew Sears

President, City Vision University

Citygate Conference 2025

�

Dick McMillen

VP of Partner Care

​

Slides Available at:

www.cityvision.edu/rescuemissionvalues/

In Toolkit Ministry OS / Workshop Slides folder

Outline

1. Why it is critical to continually teach staff the history, theology & core values of your ministry & the larger rescue mission movement
2. Best practices for employee training around history, theology and core values
3. How to use City Vision’s Ministry OS to develop strategy to ensure staff alignment with your ministry’s core values & theology

Part 1: Why Teach History, Theology and Values of Your Organization & the Movement

Biblical Pattern

Ministry Secularization Pattern (Mission Drift)

Steps of Unintentional Secularization

1. The organization becomes dominated by �high-end professionals (staff & board) without�strong counter-cultural tendencies and values.

2. There are extremely strong sociological &�funding pressures to conform to changes.�i.e., Their friends and other work �environments support societal changes.
3. It is extremely difficult for those who have�experienced success to give that up to�support an organization that is marginalized.

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Pattern is difficult to perceive because�it happens over decades or centuries.

Intervention Points

Why Christian Nonprofits Experience Mission Drift & Secularize?

• Very few leaders of Christian nonprofits study parachurch history
• The lessons of church & parachurch history is why we have to take the secularization threat seriously
• Organizational secularization almost always happens unintentionally and by causes that are complex and not obvious
• i.e., Sociological and organizational cultural implications of professionalizing staff or a board composition primarily of rich Christian businesspeople
• Requires deep training in organizational culture, management and leadership from a Christian perspective (secular training doesn’t cover the key issues)
• Organizational secularization typically happens over generations, so it is difficult for a single leader to observe the long-term consequences of their actions
• i.e. Government funding, seeker-sensitive church

History of Rescue Mission Movement

Misalignment

New Wineskin

Recontextualization

New Theological Vision

(Difficult and Dangerous)

"Many of today's problems are a result of yesterday's solutions." —Thomas Sowell.

1. Founding

2. Scaling

3.Professionalizing

4. ???

Time

New �Wineskin

No one puts new wine into old wineskins – Luke 5:37

Values Alignment

Professionalism

3. Hiring Program Grads

1. Hiring Professionals�Externally

2. Promoting Staff

from within

Strategic Options to Professionalize without Compromising Values

Hiring Professionals with

Intensive Values Training

Promoting staff from within

with Intensive Training

Hiring Program Grads�with Intensive Training

Frontier of �Staff Quality

Frontier of �Staff Quality

CVU Enables Partner Ministries to Increase Staff Training by 200% to 400%

Increases

Secularization Risk

1�Founding

2�Scaling

3

Profession-

alizing

Dual Expertise in Developing New Wineskins

New Wineskin

Recontextualization

New Theological Vision

(Difficult and Dangerous)

Develop dual expertise

2. Innovation: Emerging

Trends & Models

1. Tradition:�Understanding Values,

Theology & History

Core Theology, Practical Theology & Ministry Expression

Doctrinal Foundation�or Core Theology

Ministry Expression

Theological Vision

What to Believe

How to See

What to Do

A faithful restatement of the gospel with rich

implications for life, ministry, and mission

in a particular culture at a moment in history

• Mission, Vision & values
• Ministry “DNA”
• Philosophy of ministry
• Theory of change
• Priorities & Emphases

Timeless truths from the Bible

about God, our relationship to Him,

and His purposes in the world

• Theological tradition
• Organizational statement of faith
• Systematic & biblical theology

Adapted from Tim Keller’s Center Church

Practical �Theology

Strategic�Alignment

How the gospel is expressed

in a particular ministry in one

community at a point in time

• Programs
• Culture & staff
• Systems & Policies
• Funding model

Framework for Training in Staff Values & Theology

• Keeping staff aligned with core values and theology is like keeping physically healthy:
• You have to always exercise against the natural momentum
• Example: fewer than half of self-identified evangelicals follow evangelical beliefs:
• The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.
• It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.
• Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.
• Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.
• Other common issues for self-identified evangelicals:
• All roads lead to heaven (51%)
• Do not attend church weekly (39%)
• No absolute moral truth (44%)
• Do not follow a Biblical worldview (66%)
• Not understanding the uniqueness of a Christian approach to programs, counseling, etc.
• Lead with preventative teaching rather than punishment & legalism

Source: Biblical Literacy and Adherence to Core Evangelical Tenets Among Self-Identified Evangelicals

How Worldview & Practical Theology Influence Programs & Outcomes

Rescue Mission Secular Homeless Shelter

Theology/Worldview Holistic Christian Worldview Secular Scientific Positivism

Practical Theology Christian Holistic Approach Quantitative Best Practices & Harm Reduction

Fundamental Problem Holistic: Christian 4 quadrant Physical: Lack of Housing + Overdose Deaths

Solution/Mission Salvation + holistic needs Physical interventions: housing + medical

Who You Serve Anyone (often dry shelter) + Anyone (low barrier shelter) �(Residential programs) people ready for change

Programs Shelter + Christian Recovery Housing First + Methadone + Safe Injections

Primary Funding Private Donations Government Grants

Outcomes Spiritual, Housing, Job, Decreased deaths and # of homeless� Sobriety, Healthy Relationships ��

But Are We a “Rescue Mission”?

• The artist formerly known as “Prince”

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• The movement formerly known as “evangelical”
• The term “evangelical” getting misused for political reasons has created issues especially in moderate to liberal states in the US
• Even the most conservative organizations often “rebrand” formally or informally in context where the old brand is a “stumbling block”. Southern Baptists, AG, Cru, etc.
• It is important to retain the theology & values regardless of “brand”�
• The movement formerly known as the “rescue mission movement”
• Similar (but much less significant) challenges with the term “gospel rescue mission” in some parts of the country causing some missions (and Citygate) to rebrand
• Whether to do this depends on the value of your organization’s current brand, the “gospel rescue mission” brand in your region and risks of rebranding
• It is important to retain the theology & values regardless of “rescue mission” branding

Core Values of “Gospel Rescue Missions”

1. Gospel-Centeredness / Christ-Centeredness
2. Serving the Last, the Least and the Lost
• especially the destitute & those recovering from homelessness, addiction & life controlling issues
3. Serving through Love, Compassion, Mercy, Grace, Hope, and Dignity
4. Deep Life Transformation & Discipleship
5. Holistic Programs Emphasizing Personal Responsibility
6. Biblically-Based with High Value on the Authority of Scripture
7. Dependence on God, Prayer and the Holy Spirit
8. Emphasis on Organization Excellence, Integrity & Scale
9. Bridge-building, Citywide Partnerships, especially with the larger Church
10. Skepticism or avoidance of government funding & secularizing influences

Based on over 190 sources including history & values statements of 100+ missions and 50+ books & articles on the rescue mission movement. �Adapted and expanded from NotebookLM Compiled in: Core Values of Gospel Rescue Missions

How Values Define the Movement

Ministries without Same Emphasis on Scripture (Catholic Charities, Lutheran Services, Interfaith, The Y)

Non-Christian FBOs�(Jewish, Muslim Social Service Organizations)

Secular Organizations Serving the Homeless (continuum of care)

Secular Addiction Treatment Centers

If you are unwilling to define values that determine who is in and �who is out, then you will inevitably have mission drift and secularize

Discussion

• Why do you care about Teaching Staff Core Values and Theology? Why is it important on a practical level?

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• What does your organization currently do to teach staff core values & theology?

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Part 2: Best Practices for Employee Training in Values, Theology & History

Best Practices for Employee Training in Values, Theology & History

2. Training in Professional Development�Plans

4. Strategy & HR Procedures on Values Alignment

3. Outsourcing Training�(City Vision,

Citygate)

1. Employee�Orientation &�Onboarding Training

Best Practices

1. Require that all employees go through training in values, theology & history �in orientation & 3-month onboarding training
2. Provide a menu of similar but deeper training for professional development plans
3. Invest in outsourcing partners like City Vision & Citygate for values training
4. Develop organizational strategy & HR procedures for values alignment

Best Practices for Systems to Promote Training

• Utilize a week 1 & 3-month training checklist
• Sample Checklist
• Promoting professional development
• Have staff list their professional development in their annual staff evaluation
• Consider including quantitative measures of professional development also �(total hours or internal CEUs = learning hours/10)

Resources for Employee Orientation & Onboarding

• Training during orientation week
• History & values of your ministry
• Work with CVU as a partner to create customize history orientation materials
• Rescue Mission History & Values Bay Area Rescue Mission
• Bay Area Rescue Mission History

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• Training during 3-month onboarding period
• History & values of the larger movement
• https://www.cityvision.edu/rescuemissionvalues/
• Program values training (for program staff)
• Books: More than a Homeless Shelter
• Develop custom program values training as a project in ADC506. See sample outline.
• Theology: Free Apostles’ Creed Course

www.cityvision.edu/rescuemissionvalues/

Discussion

• What are some other best practices in Teaching Staff Core Values and Theology?

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Part 3. Using City Vision’s Ministry OS to Develop Strategy to Ensure Staff Alignment with Ministry Values & Theology

Values Alignment

Professionalism

Training to Professionalize without Compromising Values

Frontier of �Staff Quality

Increases

Secularization Risk

1�Founding

2�Scaling

3

Profession-

alizing

Intensive Values Training

& Values Alignment Plan

Frontier of �Staff Quality

Ministry Emphasis in Wesleyan Quadrilateral for in 1) Founding & 2) Scaling Stages

Fields: Science, Social Science, Counseling

Fields: Business, Leadership, Nonprofit Mgmt

Fields: History

Fields: Bible & Theology

Leadership dominated by those with “ministry” background & long history with organization

Professionalizing Stage Can Create Imbalanced Emphasis that Can Secularize

Fields: Science, Social Sciences, Counseling

Fields: Business, Leadership, Nonprofit Mgt

Fields: History

Fields: Bible & Theology

Leadership

with limited

training in �theological

pyramid

Leadership

uneducated

on history of�movement &�secularization

trends

Staff and Board dominated by high-end professionals from these fields

Growth & Professionalization

Wesleyan Quadrilateral and Staff Training Domains

Fields: Science, Social Science, Counseling �Program Alignment from Christian integration (books)

Lead Role: Staff Christian Counseling Integration Expert

Training for: Counselors & program staff

Example: ADC506: Christian Approaches to Counseling � & Life Transformation

Fields: Business, Leadership, Nonprofit Mgmt, Law

Organizational Alignment with Mission and Values

Lead Role: CEO

Training for: Executive Leadership

Example: MIN640: Aligning Strategy with Theology � & Values

Fields: History, Church/Parachurch History

Movement history, tradition & secularization trend

Lead Role: Staff Historian

Training for: All staff

Example: https://www.cityvision.edu/rescuemissionvalues

Fields: Bible & Theology

Scripture -> Practical Theology in Related Fields

Lead Role: Staff Practical Theologian

Training for: All staff

Example: Thirdmill’s Apostles’ Creed

Theological�Pyramid

Staff Training Needs to Development Competencies in All Domains

Limitations of the Business Frameworks Like Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)

Business frameworks like Traction only provide the business (experience) lens and do not provide the lenses from other quadrants to ensure values alignment in ministries

City Vision’s Ministry OS

ADC506: Christian Approaches to Counseling & Life Transformation� Project: Program Values Training Manual

For: Program Leaders

CVU Courses & Degrees,

Wounded Healers Aftercare,�Free Ministry Toolkits &�Free Staff Training

ORG620: Strategic Management�Project: Strategic Plan

For: Executive Leaders

MIN640: Aligning Strategy with Theology & Values

Project: Values Alignment Plan

For: Executive Leaders

Why? Values or Heart of Organization

How? Skills & Competencies (Nuts and Bolts)

https://bit.ly/ministryos

Aligning Strategy with Theology & Values Course

• Recommended for Executive Leadership
• Offered in January
• https://bit.ly/min640

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CVU Avoiding Mission�Drift Checklist

https://bit.ly/missiondriftchecklist

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CVU Avoiding Mission Drift Plan

https://bit.ly/missiondriftplan

Use the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to Guide Staff Development Strategy (example below)�

Template Available as Tab on�CVU Avoiding Mission Drift Checklist

https://bit.ly/missiondriftchecklist

CVU’s Ministry OS Partner Innovation Network

Toolkits

• Free Staff Training Toolkit
• Values Alignment Toolkit
• Program & Counseling Toolkit
• Human Resources Toolkit
• Food Services Toolkit
• Development Toolkit

600+ Partner Meetings

500+ Students

Advisory Councils

Documents for Toolkits

Sources of

Innovation

Research

Training & Tools

Experts

Our Vision at CVU

(Doctoral Program)

Enlisted: Serve as an aftercare partner program and an innovation hub for aftercare and program practices

Officers: Serve as an innovation and training hub among staff to enable ministries to professionalize while retaining core values

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Generals: Our goal is to be a primary source for thought leaders out of the rescue mission and similar movements to enable the movements to continue to innovate while preserving their core values

(All Programs)

Our vision is to serve as innovation hub that radically transforms the effectiveness of ministries serving the poor and addicted while preserving their core values.

For More Information

• Resources from this Workshop
• www.cityvision.edu/rescuemissionvalues/
• https://bit.ly/ministryos
• Partnering with City Vision
• https://www.cityvision.edu/lp/partner/
• partnerships@cityvision.edu

Appendix

Dr. Andrew Sears

President

​

Ways City Vision Can Partner with Your Organization

Clients:�Aftercare or Transitional Program

Wounded Healers

Aftercare Partnership Program

Staff Training

All CVU Programs +�Innovation Hub for Staff Training

Thrift Store Staff

Retail Management Certificate

Food Services Staff

Food Services Management Certificate

Development & Fundraising Staff

Nonprofit Fundraising Certificate

Internal Staff & Client Training Programs

CVU’s Credit Recognition Program

Ongoing Professional Development: Customizing Values Training for Needs of Various Staff

Strong Christian Faith

(with professional training of

faith integration with their discipline)

Highest Levels of�Professional�Skill

Commitment to

the Poor

(with experience and�cultural fluency)

Program Graduates

Corporate Hires

Bible College Grads

LPCs & MSWs

Risk Losing Connection &

Effectiveness with the Poor

Risk Losing Effectiveness from�limited Professionalism

Risk Losing Christian Mission

MIN640�& ADC506

CVU’s Wounded

Healers Program

CVU Practical�Courses

Ministry Staff Alignment Trilemma (Pick 2)

Best Practice: Customize Values Training for Various Staff

Top Tips to Avoid Secularization

• Policies
• Have a policy to only hire Christians
• Join Alliance Defending Freedom, get a document review & follow best practices for legal protection
• Culture
• If your organization is in the “professionalizing” stage, have strategies to offset the secularizing tendencies of this (see next slides)
• Programs
• Align program strategy with theological vision
• Train program staff in Christian integration in their fields
• Funding
• Diversify to maximize resiliency for cultural funding shifts
• Avoid or be very cautious with any government funding
• Theological Vision
• Develop extended Theological Vision for your organization
• Need senior, values-aligned practical theological expertise on staff
• CVU Course: Aligning Strategy with Theology and Values

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CVU’s Ministry Education Strategy

Aligning �Strategy with Theology and Values Course

Biblical Interpretation

Intro to Biblical Interpretation

New Testament Survey

Old Testament Foundations

New Testament Foundations

Foundations of Theology

Biblical Theology

Christian Approaches to Counseling & Life Transformation

Vocation, Calling & Purpose of Work

Cross-Cultural Management & Ministry

Leadership in Under-Resourced Communities

Christian Community Development

Theology & Strategy of Urban Ministry

Urban Youth Ministry

Christian Counseling Courses (33)

Ministry Management & Leadership Courses

City Vision Practical Theology Courses

Alliance Defending Freedom Recommendations

• Free guide & membership information at www.adfministryalliance.org
• Have the following statements
• Statement of Faith
• Statement on Marriage and Sexuality
• Statement on the Sanctity of Human Life
• Statement of Final Authority for Matters of Faith and Conduct
• Religious Mission Statement
• Code of Christian Conduct
• Use the following policies & procedures
• Religious Employment Criteria
• Signed Statement of Faith
• Religious Job Description
• Facility Use Policy
• Emphasize Religious Character throughout organization

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Aligning Strategy with Theology and Values Course

Social Enterprise Competencies

Social Entrepreneurship

Intro to Entrepreneurship

Introduction to Business

Food Services Management

Retail Management

Educational Program Development

Fundraising Competencies

Nonprofit Fundraising

Major Gifts & Planned Giving

Grant Writing

Nonprofit Marketing

Executive Leadership & Board Dev’t

Administrative Competencies

Nonprofit Human Resources

Nonprofit Financial Accounting

Nonprofit Financial Management

Intro to Accounting

Project Management

Ministry Competencies

Fundraising�Competencies

Administrative Competencies

Social Enterprise Competencies

Ministry & Relational Competencies

• Cross-Cultural Management & Ministry

• Leadership in Under-Resourced Communities

• Christian Community Development

• Urban Youth Ministry

• Organizational Behavior & Health

• Volunteer Management

• Nonprofit Program Planning

• Vocation, Calling & Purpose of Work

• Technology, Life Balance & Addiction

• Bible & Theology Courses

• Counseling Courses

Cross-cultural

Competencies

Spiritual�Formation

Introduction�& Capstone�Courses

• Introduction to Nonprofit & Ministry Management

• Introduction to Management & Leadership

• Strategic Management

• Aligning Strategy with Theology and Values

(Collaborate)

(Create)

(Control)

(Compete)

Risk of Various Funding & Support Streams

• Government funding
• Secular foundation & corporate grants
• Positive PR with local news agencies
• Non-Christian donors not familiar with depth of religious nature of mission
• Local zoning cooperation with city
• Wealthy & upper-middle class Christian donors
• Middle-class and below Christian donors
• Loss of tax exempt (501(c)(3)) status
• Earned income
• Church-based donations (evangelical)
• Tithe (for churches)
• Being legally allowed to exist

High�Risk

Low�Risk

Acculturation, Assimilation & Biblical Engagement

Is it important to maintain one’s Christian identity & community?

Is it important to

develop relationships

with larger society?

No

Yes

No

Yes

Source: Adapted from Berry’s Acculturation Model

Why Did We Create this Course? 1) To Meet a Dual Crisis

Need for Innovation

(Risk of Irrelevance: Not �Keeping up with a Rapidly

Changing Society)

Staying True to Scripture

(Risk of Secularizing)

Truth in Tension

Potential outcome for ministries serving the poor and addicted in the US, without better navigation:

• 25% will successfully adapt
• 25% will secularize
• 25% will become irrelevant by not adapting
• 25% will not need to adapt because of limited changes in their environment

Why We Designed this Course? To Help Align Enacted Values with Espoused Values

Doctrinal Foundation & Core Theology

Ministry Expression

Theological Vision

What to Believe

How to See

What to Do

Adapted from Tim Keller’s Center Church

Practical �Theology

Disconnect

Espoused values

Enacted Values

X

Many of the challenges faced by ministries

are due to the lack of strategic alignment

of enacted values with espoused values

X

Lack of Expertise

The Need for (and Dangers of) New Wineskins

Misalignment

New Wineskin

Recontextualization

New Theological Vision

(Difficult and Dangerous)

Develop dual expertise

2. Innovation: Emerging

Trends & Models

1. Tradition: Understanding

the How and Why?

How We Limit Debate to One Side

Every Organization & Culture has an Overton window of norms and limits to debate

Overton Window of Leaders and Balancing Tradition with Innovation/Change

Examples & Traits

Less Comfortable with Change

Most Conservative Theology�Leaders from within the Tradition

Myers-Briggs SJ

Operations/Accountants

Tradition

Innovation & Change

Traditional Overton Window: Primarily Focused on Avoiding Secularization

Entrepreneurial Overton Window:

Must Agree with the �Need for Change

Examples & Traits

More Comfortable with Change

More Moderate Theology�Leaders outside the Tradition

Myers-Briggs NP

Entrepreneurs

Experience/Reason Case Study: Springs Rescue Mission

• Dr. Jack Briggs, CEO
• Thought leader on leadership
• Dr. Jeff Cook, Chief Programs Officer
• Thought leader on Christian holistic programs serving the homeless
• Anissa Boyd, Chief Human Resources Officer
• Thought leader on Human Resources
• Strengths
• National thought leaders (reason) in leadership, holistic homeless ministry and HR
• Platform
• Book, CVU Faculty, Citygate Workshops, Local

Experience Case Study: St. Matthew’s House

• National Thought Leader in Growth & Social Enterprise
• Grew from $2 to $40 in about 15 years
• Strong entrepreneurial core-competency

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• Strong staff and program graduate training
• Had 55+ Students with City Vision in 5 years
• Provided 46,000+ people-hours of training. Likely a more than fourfold increase in staff training hours through CVU partnership
• Developed a $100,000+ education fund for clients and staff
• Invested in internal staff and client training, so that program grads can get up to 16 credits and staff can get 3 credits
• Many program graduates became senior leaders both in St. Matthew’s and at other missions
• Provided two faculty members and one board member to CVU

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Scripture Case Study: Engineering Ministries International

• Structure
• Develop future leadership through program with 10-20 full-time Fellows globally each year
• Became a 501(c)(3) religious order
• Training: major investment in values alignment for Fellows program
• 13-18 hours of training each week
• Half of training internally developed
• Significant portion of training outsourced through City Vision partnership
• Require courses in Theology, Bible Interpretation, New Testament in addition to other values-aligned courses
• Developing a commissioning program
• Parachurch/religious order counterpart to ordination, but less intensive
• Ensures stronger alignment

Tradition Case Studies: Bowery Mission & The Salvation Army

• Bowery Mission
• Third oldest rescue mission in the US
• Took over operations of the oldest mission in the US, Water Street Mission (now New York City Rescue Mission)
• The Salvation Army
• 10+ current excellent histories of the Salvation Army
• Maintains tradition through policies, procedures and culture
• Requires all officers to be ordained, align with denominational values and attend two years of schooling

Case Study for Discussion at Staff Meeting

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uzbCNw486MxMuLeClk_DV1-DnMIZXDKdiBh_wWDky6E/edit#bookmark=id.12sprzbsmnr6
• Feel free to download and change as you see fit