When Good Leadership
Isn't Enough
Understanding the Four Domains of Stability Masterclass
Introducing the Four Domains of Stability
A free 7-minute self-guided assessment to reveal where your leadership systems are strongest — and where they are most vulnerable. No email required.
Authority*Vitality*Clarity*Agility
Authority*Vitality*Clarity*Agility
Keith E. Powell
Keith Powell doesn’t just study church systems; he has spent four decades testing their strength. Converted at 19 and entering the pulpit at 20, Keith served Southern Baptist congregations across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arizona for over 23 years.
His ministry was marked by a rare combination of being known for Expositional Depth in the pulpit and Organizational Precision as a senior pastor. In 2004, Keith led an Arizona congregation through a season of rapid expansion—growing from 300 to 800 in attendance in just 40 days. While many have focused on the numbers, Keith reminds everyone that the key was to be focused on the structure required to reach and then welcome those new people into the life of the church. Growth is not sustainable without the structure. Keith's leadership achievement was recognized by Dr. Rick Warren with the International Church Health Award in 2005.
Beyond the pulpit, Keith has proven that systemic stability is a universal law of success. Between 2016 and 2020, he led a faltering hospitality organization to a 23% year-over-year revenue increase, moving their public reputation from 3.5 to 4.8 stars. The organization received the prestigious Trip Advisor Traveler's Choice Award (top 1% of properties in the world receive this designation) in 2019 and the organization maintains that designation five years later. This achievement wasn't a marketing trick; it was a systemic overhaul of Authority, Clarity, Vitality, and Agility.
Keith now brings this extensive "dual-sector" insight to local churches. Currently residing in Portland, Oregon (having been diverted on his way to Ireland), Keith helps leaders build "Mission Ready" churches - structures that don't just survive change but thrive because of it.
Why Work With Me
If your church is stalled, sliding, or stuck, it is rarely due to a lack of commitment to Christ, passion for the Gospel, or a lack of vision. It is almost always a Stability Crisis. Most churches that are unsatisfied with their impact in the community are unaware the real issue is the lack of a stable system that can carry the weight of the mission.
Most church consultants would say the solution is better leadership, a renewed commitment to evangelism, a sleeker program schedule, a more modern worship style, a more effective means of communicating mission and vision, or the need to change the "DNA" of your church. In short, churches are told to "make the hard calls", "replant and rebrand", and "drop the dead weight" without the understanding that stability in the four domains is required before any change can be embraced or executed. Churches are told to make decisions in "crisis mode".
My approach is different because it is not crisis-oriented. It is clinical and is will focus on your unique situation and will not compare your situation to another church. My pledge to you:
-
No Plug and Play Change: I don't demand you "change" and embrace current trends. I help you identify organic pivots that fit your DNA. Stability will allow you to "clear the fog" and make the best decisions for you and your unique mission and vision.
-
No Added Burdens: I don't ask you to add to your schedule. I help you remove the systemic friction that makes your current schedule feel exhausting and give clarity to what, if anything, should change in your ministry programs.
-
No Shame or Comparison: I will not compare you to the "Mega-Church" down the road. That is an unfair and de-stabilizing approach. We audit your specific system's Authority, Clarity, Vitality, and Agility and then create a custom approach to stabilize your church.
My process works because it focuses on the "Pre-Requisites" of effective leadership. When the "smartest people in the room", the leaders of Fortune 100 companies, retain consultants, perhaps the church should also consider utilizing the skills and experience of proven leaders.
How Do You Work With Me
The movement from instability and uncertainty to stability and confidence follows a specific, proven path.
Because advisory work is relational and consequential, I believe in up-front transparency about how that path works.
To learn how advisory engagements are structured—and whether this work is a fit—click below.