Auxano: to cause to grow.
Auxano was birthed out of a deep passion for the local church.
In 2001, Will Mancini, working as spiritual formation pastor, was hired by one of America’s leading church marketing firms to design a vision clarity process. Within 18 months the response to this process was dramatic: Will reports, “I was continually stunned by the clarity-strategy vacuum that my assessments uncovered. Most churches, including those with a high leadership quotient, get stuck somewhere or somehow- but are not thinking through the central issue of vision and how to articulate it.” Within three years, churches of all denominations and sizes, from coast to coast, were realizing the fruits of this unique approach to vision.
Two realities pushed Will over the edge to found Auxano and to leave his pastoral work and executive-level marketing background. The first reality was the scope of the need: “I realized that every church and especially the effective churches could really benefit from a “strategic outsider.” In fact, the benefits are so profound, I think it is a critical staffing paradigm for every church to embrace.”
The second reality was equally important. As Will observes, “I then discovered, that most consulting approaches subtly undermine vision in the name of vision, especially in the capital campaign world. These two realties stirred such a holy discontent in my soul, I had to do something.” So in February of 2004, the Auxano movement was launched with the mission of “navigating church leaders through growth challenges with vision clarity.”
Three guiding values have fueled Auxano’s team-based approach. The first is “egoless clarity.” Will shares, “The driving idea behind the movement relates to how we serve. With traditional approaches the consultant walks in with all of the answers. With Auxano’s approach we want to walk in with the right questions and the ability to listen better than anyone else.
The second value is “carnivorous learning.” “I felt strongly that our team needed to relate to any leader, from any background, in any ministry situation. God is calling us to be learning brokers for tremendous diversity of kingdom ventures. After all, we steward tools and approaches that are just as effective for the 150-year old, First Presbyterian Church of Houston as they are for an innovative multi-campus strategy for Discovery Church in Orland
Our third value is “contagious passion” for the bride of Christ. “We are a bunch of pastors and ministry professionals that believe entirely in what the local church can and must be as the center of God’s redemptive movement in the world. We want the teams we work with to literally feel our enthusiasm for what God is uniquely doing through them.
Since its inception, Auxano has experienced an immediate influx of word-of-mouth business, having worked for notable leaders in the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Independent church world for both traditional and emergent leaders. The Auxano team has grown considerably to respond. “Fortunately, where God guides, he provides, “ reports Will. “I am grateful for the key players that have helped develop a strong staff core. I am especially grateful to Aubrey Malphurs who, as a vision guru, has significantly championed our cause.”
Auxano is headquartered in Houston, Texas with a regional office in Orlando, Florida.
