What does a flourishing Christian workplace really look like in action? In this episode, three experienced Best Christian Workplaces consultants—Tara VanderSande, Doug Waldo, and Cary Humphries—share behind-the-scenes stories and insights from some of the remarkable organizations named to the 2024 list of Certified Best Christian Workplaces.
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In this episode:
Overview of Selected Organizations
• Tara highlighted four organizations that were Certified Best Christian Workplaces in 2024. (05:43)
• All four demonstrate long-term commitment to measuring and improving workplace culture through the BCW Employee Engagement Survey. (05:59)
• A shared theme: Longevity and consistency in engaging staff and acting on feedback over several years. (06:05)
Harvest Church (Billings, Montana)
• Experienced a major leadership transition, raising concerns about potential disruption to culture. (06:51)
• Maintained cultural health due to:
• Strong foundation in Inspirational Leadership. (07:12)
• High trust between staff and leaders. (07:17)
• Consistent values and operational excellence. (7:20)
• Achieved flourishing status (scores over 4.25/5.0). (07:36)
• Senior Pastor Adam Barton embraced visionary leadership, inspired by a spiritual reflection on the church’s name (“Harvest”). (08:00)
• Vision cast internally ignited staff engagement and score improvements, especially in Inspirational Leadership. (08:26)
First Orlando (Orlando, Florida)
• Ongoing BCW partner since 2018; flourishing since 2022. (10:23)
• Emphasizes collaborative leadership: (10:45)
• Senior team includes Pastor David Uth and Executive Pastor Danny de Armas. (10:55)
• Leverages team strengths and stakeholder feedback. (11:06)
• Culture prioritizes quality over metrics: (11:26)
• Uses open-ended challenges rather than numeric goals to inspire staff. (11:40)
• Staff now seek more development opportunities: (12:13)
• Reflects a trend where flourishing workplaces create a hunger for growth. (12:38)
• First Orlando already offers strong leadership development, but staff desire clearer career paths and ongoing growth. (12:55)
Calvary Christian Schools (South Florida)
• Original campus has been a BCW partner since 2015 with consistently healthy scores. (14:36)
• Expanded to three additional campuses, initially unhealthy. (14:42)
• Through leadership by Dr. Jason Rachels, all four schools now score in the flourishing range. (14:58)
• Focus on both education and discipleship as central to cultural transformation. (15:10)
• Notable development of faculty, administrators, and coordinators through spiritual and professional growth. (15:38)
The Salvation Army (Overall)
Tara began working with the Salvation Army in 2015, initially through leadership development efforts. (16:17)
Her role expanded to consulting specifically for the Salvation Army’s Kroc Centers. (16:24)
The Salvation Army is structured into four territories, each containing Kroc Centers—community-focused facilities that blend church ministry with programs like fitness, childcare, youth activities, and the arts. (16:31)
Each Kroc Center includes a church within its facility, creating a unique blend of spiritual and community engagement. (16:49)
Tara helps these centers build flourishing workplace cultures through Best Christian Workplaces’ Survey and consulting. (16:58)
Omaha Kroc Center (Central Territory)
Began Surveying with Best Christian Workplaces in 2019, narrowly missing certification their first year. (17:07)
Demonstrated tenacity and commitment to culture improvement, achieving Certified status in the next three Surveys. (17:17)
Tara supported them through detailed action planning after each Survey:
Leadership transparently communicated results to staff. (17:42)
Tara worked directly with department directors on interpreting team reports. (17:46)
Action planning focused on envisioning tangible improvements in areas like interdepartmental teamwork and trust between staff and leadership. (17:50)
Staff now display a noticeably positive disposition and commitment to cultural health. (18:16)
The leaders, Captains Alex and Carolina Yanez, approach their roles as pastors to both church and community staff, including roles like lifeguards, fitness instructors, and cleaning crews. (18:28)
This discipleship mindset has deeply influenced the workplace culture. (18:53)
A custom Survey question revealed that over 90% of staff say their spiritual growth is important to them, despite varying points on the faith journey. (19:03)
The Kroc Center’s environment contributes to spiritual growth and engagement for both believers and those exploring faith. (19:15)
The Covenant School (Dallas, TX)
Mission-Driven Culture
Deep alignment between employee engagement and the school’s mission: “to glorify God by equipping students…” (21:43)
Core values guide strategic decisions, including emphasis on faith, classical tradition, and lifelong learning. (21:57)
Outstanding Talent
Strong performance in recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers and administrators. (22:42)
Flourishing in the FLOURISH Model’s “Outstanding Talent” factor, even amidst post-COVID staffing challenges. (22:56)
Uplifting Growth
Exceptionally high scores in employee development and learning. (23:23)
Staff experience personal and professional growth; leaders invest in nurturing lifelong learners. (23:42)
Healthy Communication & Continuous Improvement
Employees encouraged to pursue innovation and improvement (94th percentile in this area). (24:00)
Growth mindset and innovation are deeply embedded into school culture. (24:14)
Organizational Health
Consistent year-over-year growth tracked via annual surveys and action plans. (25:02)
High engagement indicators: strong intent to stay, likelihood to recommend as a workplace, and deep passion for the mission. (24:20)
Flourishing outcomes seen across every team—no weak links. (24:52)
Logos Preparatory Academy (Sugar Land, TX)
Culture of Flourishing as Expectation
Flourishing isn’t just a goal—it’s a foundational expectation, seen as a way to serve Christ. (26:04)
Strategic plan named the “Flourish-in-Faith Strategic Plan.” (26:20)
Outstanding Talent
Commitment to hiring highly engaged Christian educators with heart, expertise, and teaching gift. (26:46)
Top national engagement score among Christian schools (4.56 overall).
Leadership & Retention
Strong retention of talented staff—people want to stay in a flourishing workplace. (27:228)
98th percentile in management confidence and competence. (27:48)
Fantastic Teams
100th percentile for teamwork within departments. (28:12)
97th percentile for teamwork across departments—no silos present. (28:27)
Employee Voice & Decision-Making
Leaders practice humility, courage, and discipline in decision-making. (28:27)
Employees consistently asked, “Does this align with our mission?”—from hiring to strategic planning. (28:32)
Recognition & Culture-Building
94th percentile in rewards and recognition. (29:58)
Use of “ICNU” (I See In You) statements to affirm and recognize employees and students. (30:13)
Culture of intentional encouragement, demonstrating that people are valued. (30:29)
Life Christian Academy (LCA) – Louisiana
Leader: Stefanee Tolbert, author of Shatter the Box, a book reimagining Christian education. (31:17)
Survey Results: Scored 4.55 on the Employee Engagement Survey (97th percentile). (31.35)
Growth & Vision:
Currently expanding with a new campus. (31:47)
Mission: “Providing academic excellence while developing Christ-like character.” (32:04)
Stefanee consistently and clearly communicates this mission internally and externally. (32:16)
Clarity is directly linked to high performance in the FLOURISH Model, particularly “Sustainable Strategy.” (32:32)
Strategic Strength:
Scored in the 100th percentile on the survey question about goal consensus. (32:47)
Uncommon clarity and relentless focus on mission are key differentiators. (33:02)
Spiritual Leadership:
Leadership recognizes their calling is from God, but also acknowledges their human limitations. (33:21)
Emphasize humility and dependence on Christ to carry out their mission effectively. (33:48)
History with BCW: Long-term partnership, with a recent three-year journey of consistent improvement toward flourishing. (33:57)
Mission: “Nurturing growth in students through relationships, excellence, and service to the glory of God.” (34:18)
Visible Culture:
The phrase Soli Deo Gloria is prominently displayed on campus. (34:30)
Their mission and values are evident both physically and in Survey results. (34:40)
Survey Strengths:
Uplifting Growth: High performance in progress conversations and staff investment. (34:50)
Fantastic Teamwork: Strong collaboration and commitment to excellence. (35:02)
Sustainable Strategy: Crystal-clear organizational goals. (35:08)
Encourages innovation while maintaining humility. (35:15)
Employee Engagement:
76% of staff are fully engaged—“all in” on the mission. (35:30)
Leadership:
Key leaders include Steve Bult, Kori Hockett, and Steve Karlson. (35:37)
Kori Hockett emphasized the importance of measuring culture:
“It is leadership malpractice to fail to measure the cultural health of the organization.” (36:12)
General Insights from Doug Waldo
Financial Impact of Engagement:
A one basis-point increase in engagement (e.g., from 4.0 to 4.01) is equivalent to one additional engaged employee. (37:12)
That one employee adds $19,800 in value annually (via reduced absences, increased productivity, retention, etc.). (37:40)
Power of Metrics:
Having measurable data helps leaders make targeted improvements. (38:37)
The Employee Engagement Survey provides clear direction for action.
Quote from Tammy McIlvoy (closing reflection)
Spiritual and Emotional Leadership:
“As leaders, we embrace the responsibility to breathe in chaos, absorb negativity, and breathe out peace… The greatest danger to our mission is becoming complacent and failing to nurture that flourishing culture year after year.” (39:19)
Doug notes this mindset is reflected in organizations scoring in the upper 90th percentile for leadership trust. (39:48)
Miracle Life Family Church (Zambia)
Led by Walker and Haley Schurz. (41:09)
Nine-year journey with BCW from unhealthy to solidly healthy culture. (41:17)
Consistently uses survey data for improvement. (41:34)
Strong board, faithful team, and great HR leadership. (41:45)
Demonstrated courage and commitment, even through personal hardship. (41:39)
Returned to BCW surveys 5–6 years ago after a break. (42:01)
Progressed from nearly healthy to consistently flourishing. (42:12)
Senior Pastor Todd Carter and staff champion a strong culture. (42:18)
Tiffany Blaske is noted as a key internal champion. (42:30)
The Mentoring Alliance (Tyler, TX)
Moved from unhealthy to flourishing; now sustaining. (43:05)
Led by Kevin East, who modeled culture leadership even during a personal health crisis. (43:19)
Known for influencing others—up to 10 ministry partners have been referred through Kevin. (44:09)
Strong team deeply committed to healthy workplace culture. (43:11)
Northwestern College (Orange City, IA)
President Greg Christy brought BCW survey to the college. (44:47)
Consistently surveys annually, even when it would have been easier to pause. (45:09)
Uses additional consulting: retreats, discovery groups, and team snapshot debriefs. (45:33)
Top five drivers of engagement are closely aligned—a sign of strategic focus. (46:16)
LeTourneau University (Longview, TX)
President Steve Mason continued using the survey from his time as provost.
Maintains consistent surveying and strategic use of BCW consulting.
Like Northwestern, has strong alignment among top engagement drivers.
Surveyed every year since 2003—23 years of consistent measurement. (47:53)
Creative ministry serving people in apartment communities nationwide. (47:24)
High engagement culture; values include “intentionally playful.” (48:19)
Executive leaders Pete Kelly and KC Jones are deeply committed to improvement. (48:08)
Known for attention to both strengths and areas needing growth. (48:30)
Led by Garret. (49:35)
Consistently surveys and maintains a healthy culture. (49:22)
Strong commitment to data-informed leadership and staff care.
Eagle Lake Camps (Colorado, part of The Navigators)
Leadership includes Jenny, and formerly Mark Heffentrager. (49:37)
Consistently strong culture; known for attentiveness to staff and guests. (49:50)
Now part of broader business ministries within The Navigators. (49:46)
ACR Supply Company (Raleigh-Durham, NC)
HVAC supply company led by Troy Meacham. (50:01)
Highly culture-focused—every employee trained in Crucial Conversations. (50:20)
Deep leadership commitment to people and community. (50:39)
Consistently healthy since joining BCW.
Family-services organization with a consistently outstanding culture. (50:58)
Leadership includes Ryan, Kelley, and Alisa. (51:16)
Frequently seen at conferences; team is known for care and excellence. (51:06)
Deep commitment to their people and mission. (51:12)
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