Case Study

Beech Haven Church

Athens, GA
Vision Clarity Process
Beech Haven Church
Services: Vision Clarity
How Clarity Re-centered a Church, and Its Pastor, in Athens, Georgia.
When Senior Pastor, Dr. Rob Tims, arrived at Beech Haven Church in Athens, Georgia, he stepped into a congregation that was healthy, historic, and highly respected. A mid-sized church in a bustling college town, Beech Haven had faithfully weathered decades of ministry and change. But as Rob began his role as senior pastor, he quickly realized something was missing: clarity.
The Challenge
When Dr. Rob Tims stepped into the senior pastor role, he quickly recognized the weight of expectation. The church wasn’t in crisis, it was healthy and beloved. But it lacked a clear, unifying vision for the future.
Rob didn’t want to impose his own vision. He wanted to discover the church’s vision—with them. And that made all the difference. He had seen what happened when a leader attempted to cast vision alone: polite agreement, but no real momentum. This time, he wanted to invite the church into a process of discovery. Not just for buy-in, but for transformation.
Rob Tims 250x250
“From the very first Sunday I preached in view of a call. People asked, ‘What’s your vision for the church?’ It wasn’t hostile. It was respectful. But it revealed something deeper. They were expecting a leader to show up with a vision—top-down, fully formed, ready to execute.”
Dr. Rob Tims
Senior Pastor of Beech Haven Church
The Process
Discovering Clarity Together
Partnering with Auxano, Beech Haven began a Clarity First journey anchored in shared listening, strategic frameworks, and intentional alignment.

Instead of top-down vision casting, Rob stepped into a new posture: co-discerning alongside his congregation. Through guided conversations, sermon series, and collaborative sessions, the church surfaced a new mission, values, and outcomes.
"I didn’t want to be the expert in the process. I wanted to be the pastor—learning alongside our people, listening to God with them. Auxano made that possible.”
Dr. Rob Tims
Senior Pastor of Beech Haven Church
The Breakthrough
From Unwavering Hope to Rooted and Reaching
Their new identity emerged through a powerful clarity campaign called Unwavering Hope.

Over the course of several months:

- A new missional rally cry was born out of their culture and city: Cultivating the unwavering hope of Jesus in every generation
- Life Groups aligned around outcomes-driven disciple-making
- Their disciple-moving strategy reshaped ministry planning at every level
- And a Vision Plan offered an exciting picture of God's better future: Rooted and Reaching to Send, Serve and Share Gospel conversations

Perhaps the most visible result? An unmissable wall map in the church lobby, filling up weekly with red pins—each one representing a real gospel conversation taking place across the Athens/Clarke County region.
“It’s one of the most beautiful movements I’ve seen in ministry. That’s what our mission looks like in real life.”
Dr. Rob Tims
Senior Pastor of Beech Haven Church
The Result
Clarity that Liberates
In the first three weeks of the gospel conversation initiative, over 150 pins were placed on the wall by people of all ages. Ministries began to realign. Leaders made more intentional decisions. New Life Groups launched. And the weight of direction no longer rested solely on Rob.
“Clarity is liberating. I wake up every day knowing what God has called us to do. I’m not guessing. I’m not carrying it all on my shoulders. Our people know it. Our team knows it. We’re moving together.”
Dr. Rob Tims
Senior Pastor of Beech Haven Church
Why It Matters
You Don’t Have to Lead Vision Alone
Ready for a Similar Breakthrough?
If you’re carrying the weight of vision alone or your team isn’t fully aligned, Beech Haven’s story is a powerful reminder: you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.
Auxano’s Clarity First process can help you:
Let’s discover what clarity could look like for your church

Download The Beech Haven Case Study ->