You were called to lead.
STRENGTHSFORWARD helps you lead well
—and equip others to do the same.
A yearlong journey for Christian leaders: discover your God-given strengths, navigate the real challenges of ministry, and build a community where everyone’s gifts are engaged.
STRENGTHSFORWARD
is for you if . . .
You’re shouldering more responsibility than ever—and sensing it’s time to move from doing it all yourself to genuinely empowering others.
You want your team, staff, or congregation to know their gifts are seen, valued, and put to work—not just recruited for the next task.
You’re navigating real tensions—budget pressures, competing visions, difficult relationships—and could use wise companions for the road.
You sense the ministry has drifted from its deepest calling, and you’re ready to help recover a shared sense of purpose and story.
"To equip the saints for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ . . ."
Ephesians 4:11-13 NRSVUE
The driving vision for STRENGTHSFORWARD is leaders who equip others to do ministry together. Every module, every coaching session, every cohort conversation is shaped by this calling.
A Culture of Ministry for Today and Tomorrow
The heart of STRENGTHSFORWARD is a simple but transformative conviction: when leaders cultivate a ministry culture rooted in ancient practices and guided by strengths-based principles, their teams are better prepared for today's complex challenges—and more likely to sustain their mission into the future.
Culture changes through continuous practice, reflection, and community.
Discover Your Talents - and Others'
Every culture of ministry begins with awareness. Before leaders can draw out the gifts of those around them, they need to recognize and name their own. This step builds the foundation: a clear, grounded sense of what you bring, and a growing ability to see the same in others.
Navigate Ministry Challenges
Awareness alone isn't enough. This step moves from knowing your strengths to putting them to work — reading situations with greater clarity, responding with greater confidence, and beginning to see how the diverse gifts on your team can meet the real challenges your ministry faces.
Deepen Your Leadership Strengths
With a foundation of self-awareness and situational practice, leaders are ready to go further. This step develops more advanced leadership skills — the kind that come not just from knowing your strengths, but from integrating them into how you lead, communicate, and make decisions.
Empower Your Team
A leader who grows doesn't grow alone. As your own strengths deepen, you become better equipped to draw out the gifts of those around you — encouraging others, building a stronger team mindset, and shifting the culture of your ministry toward genuine collaboration.
Discern STRENGTHSForward Next Steps for Ministry
The journey doesn't end — it keeps unfolding. This step is about sustained practice and ongoing discernment: continuing to apply STRENGTHSForward principles in your context, reflecting on what's working, and finding your next step forward. Again and again.
What are leaders saying?
As we brought new staff in, my coach asked thoughtful questions that helped me to slow down and think carefully about the various kinds of skills we needed at the table and how to best draw on my strengths. My board especially appreciated the leadership retreat we did together. Gaining insight into their colleagues strengths was a boon to their sense of teamwork and confidence in their decision making process.
I had been frustrated in my ministry because I had been comparing myself to other deacons and felt that I was not measuring up. My coach challenged me to look for my growing edge. That edge is to take my top ten talents and become my own kind of deacon, and how to best express that in Word and Sacrament to the people that I encounter. Thank you.
Built for the Real Work of Ministry
September - August
STRENGTHSFORWARD is a yearlong cohort for Christian leaders. Over 12 months, you’ll move through self-paced modules, personalized CliftonStrengths coaching, and monthly gatherings with a cohort of peers—all grounded in the wisdom of ancient Christian practices and modern Strengths-based tools.
The journey hinges on a simple conviction: when leaders know their own strengths and can draw out the strengths of others, the whole Body of Christ is equipped for ministry. You won’t just grow as an individual. You’ll develop the practices, relationships, and vision to sustain collaborative ministry for the long haul.
Your Core Guides
Equipping and encouraging Christian leaders with spiritual and practical expertise:
Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coaches passionate about helping leaders thrive
Seasoned Ministry Practitioners who know firsthand the challenges of Christian leadership
Formators skilled in blending modern tools with ancient practices
STRENGTHSForward Lead
Sam is author of Enduring Ministry and Director of the Certificate in Spiritual Direction at Saint John’s School of Theology (Collegeville, MN). He is founder of Wood & Water Retreats. www.samuelrahberg.com.
CliftonStrengths Educator
Martha specializes in strengths education and team development. She co-authored Developing Strengths-Based Project Teams and holds an M.A. in Pastoral Ministry. www.talentstrength.net.
Preview the Journey
Sam Rahberg introduces STRENGTHSForward
STRENGTHSFORWARD Explained Replay
Watch a free introductory webinar to explore:
- ✅ What STRENGTHSFORWARD is all about
- ✅ How this program can revitalize your leadership
- ✅ Whether this journey is the right fit for you
- ✅ Next steps toward leading STRENGTHSFORWARD!
Invest in Your Leadership, Invest in Your Community
This is more than a professional development expense—it’s an investment in the health and fruitfulness of your whole community. When you grow as a leader, those you serve grow with you.
We know ministry budgets are real constraints. If you’re wondering whether this investment is possible for your context, we’d love to talk it through. Choose the option that works for you, and know that our team is here.
CliftonStrengths and Ancient Practices Modules
10x 1-1 Strengths-based Coaching Sessions
Monthly Group Coaching
Bi-Weekly Q&A Calls
Writing to Lead Guided Practice
CliftonStrengths and Ancient Practices Modules
10x 1-1 Strengths-based Coaching Sessions
Monthly Group Coaching
Bi-Weekly Q&A Calls
Writing to Lead Guided Practice
EARLY: $300 OFF before May 31 for 1 person
-or-
TEAM: $300 OFF for teams of 2 or more
CliftonStrengths and Ancient Practices Modules
10x 1-1 Strengths-based Coaching Sessions
Monthly Group Coaching
Bi-Weekly Q&A Calls
Writing to Lead Guided Practice
$500 OFF
with 12 months of Bonuses
STRENGTHSFORWARD Dividends - Every registration includes:
Ministry Boosters: participation in quarterly professional days
Tools & Templates: copyrights for use within your own ministry context
Bring a Colleague: invite a team member to join bi-weekly or monthly call
25% Off: save on custom retreats / consulting with a member of our team
Bonus Renewal: participate in any other Wood & Water Retreat under $100
Ready to lead STRENGTHSFORWARD?
APPLY
Complete a short application and our team will be in touch within two business days. We’ll find a time to talk through your questions, your context, and what this journey might look like for you.
LEARN MORE
Not quite ready? Watch the free introductory webinar—a 45-minute conversation with our team about what STRENGTHSForward is, who it’s for, and whether it’s the right fit for you right now.
TALK FIRST
Prefer a conversation before anything else? Schedule a no-obligation call. We’d love to hear where you are.
