Arbor Research Group

05/23/2025

Yesterday, Terry (arms folded) and Ebonie (speaking) got to present a webinar from a focus group project she led with Eric (to the extreme left). The Arbor team knows Ebonie is a dynamic communicator and gifted focus group leader. When she lights up about a topic or gets on a soapbox, we all know to lean in and listen... because "it's going to be good."

05/23/2025

We are so blessed to have an all-star team that can come on location and serve Christian organizations. When we gather around the table for evening conversations after a day of research, we enjoy each person's wisdom in the moment. And when the Rev. Dr. Michael Greene gets to "preachin'" about something (like in this scene), we get a front-row seat to rare insights that propel our projects forward.

04/11/2025

🌱 Growth starts with understanding. At Arbor Research Group, we help mission-driven organizations and ministries clearly see their strengths, pinpoint areas for growth, and unlock their potential through careful, customized research. Because your mission deserves clarity and confidence.

Ready for fresh insights? We're here to support you.

03/29/2025

We missed Dr. Tyler Greenway, but it was good to have most of the Arbor team together for two days as we got to know the leaders and staff at Wheeler Mission.

Wheeler is an impressive and significant ministry in Indianapolis, and it was our honor to listen to its staff tell stories of how God is working through them to transform the lives of those they serve.

01/17/2025

Ebonie Davis just started her fourth online focus group tonight for a project Arbor is doing for Urbana 25. What a great group of young adults from all over the United States!!

We specialize in online focus groups, and Ebonie is one of the best at drawing out good insights, themes, and meaning from those who participate in her focus groups.

10/11/2024

It's challenging to be a minister/pastor in situations where Christians spend 90 minutes in community with other believers, give Scripture 10 minutes of their focus each day during the week, but let their minds be shaped on how to think about the world by watching TV news for hours and hours.

Representing God's kingdom work in the world is more challenging against the media onslaught we must endure. The "world" is winning and dividing, and easily so.

You can see the "eyes" of Fear in what is presented via media organizations (out for profit) and political parties (out for power) and how it drowns out the Hope in Jesus that the Church is to represent.

I've been rereading the work I did with Arbor Research Group and Christianity Today's ChurchSalary on THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 on the American Church. I recognized that here we are again in 2024 with many of the persistent challenges (via political agendas that are external to the discipling work of the Church.

Discover the 9 common experiences that every pastor, lay leaders, and church in American navigated during the COVID-19 impact.

10/11/2024

Ok, I'm heading on a research adventure and I need your help. I'll be at this one for a while, but I'd like to have a strong start today with my Facebook friends. PLEASE note my guidelines below before responding.

I am looking for "Leaderisms." These have the following characteristics:

1. Single sentences (usually) that a leader - other than you - has used more than once.
2. You've heard it in person.
3. The sentence (or phrase) helps the organization set direction, frame a situation, explain an obstacle, or inspire fresh work.
4. It has a rallying quality to it.
5. It reflects the leader's wisdom due to its originality and usefulness.

Over the years, I have encountered leaders with some of the most remarkable phrases or sayings I've heard that summarize a situation I a remarkable way, with such clarity and quality. But these are rarely known outside their work circles.

I want to start collecting these for a future writing project.

So, it's "show and tell" time and a chance to honor someone we've worked for or alongside. Please keep an eye out for these over the next 60 days. I'm collecting them until the end of the year.

You can DM me your responses if that is helpful.

FORMAT: Please provide me with the phrase, how it's been used, and who said it (along with the organization/company they lead).

Thank you!

Terry

09/29/2024

A few years ago, we conducted a multi-method national research project on risk management and universities. Brotherhood Mutual (Brotherhood Mutual) commissioned the project to explore the needs and threats faced by higher education institutions.

We are heartbroken by the reports from North Carolina and Montreat College. The disruption is significant, but we are thankful all are safe (based on reports we've read).

So many regions of the USA have been devastated by Hurricane Helene. The road forward will be challenging, and the lives of hundreds of thousands of people will be sharply changed for the next few years.

There are good people in leadership there, and the school has a rich heritage and mission. We hope the wonderful Montreat community can coalesce around the campus, the faculty, and the mission and invest in the college's future. That's our prayer.

02/18/2024

We've been teaming up with Remodel Health for the last year or so, the fast-growing company that has helped so many organizations, ministries, and universities navigate the complex health insurance puzzle. Kelsey Musick from Remodel dropped by our blog to share how important data gathering can totally up leaders' decision-making game.

Yet, most employees would share that their organization/leader doesn't do this enough... or at all. It's something we've learned because, every quarter, Arbor is out there helping organizations and leaders do just that.

Check out Kelsey's blog for some eye-opening tips and consider what step you could take next month to start.

Effective decision-making is also the cornerstone of a company’s success. This blog covers the four ways you can enhance your decision-making skills and how they can guide you toward well-informed choices.

01/13/2024

It will soon be the hiring season for churches as they look to fill associate staff roles. These 5 essentials from Chemistry Staffing will help shape the process and champion due diligence.

Discover the essential elements of effective church hiring with Terry Linhart's insights from Chemistry Staffing's co-founder Matt Steen. Learn how theology, cultural competency, personality fit, skills, and team chemistry can help you build your ministry dream team.

01/05/2024

I just realized today that it's been 20 years now since I walked across the Purdue stage to receive my Ph.D.

I miss those days of vibrant learning and writing and I am a very proud Boiler. The Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University program is amazing and I'm grateful to the professors who poured into my life, taught me how to do research that matters, and allowed me to pursue my research interests that led to future writing endeavors and rich relationships.