Church Development Systems

About Us


Richard Southern


Robert Norton


Lon Haack

CDS, a nonprofit ministry since 1990, has assisted hundreds of churches by providing practical tools for growth and transformation.

Our books have been translated into Korean, Dutch, and Portuguese.

We have been featured in major U.S. newspapers and periodicals: San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury, Dallas Morning News, Wall Street Journal, The Oregonian, Daily Republic, Denver Post, San Francisco Sunday Examiner, Colorado Springs Gazette, American Demographics, and in a five part series in Asahi Shimbun, Japan’s second largest daily paper.

CDS is in Shopping for Faith, by Richard Cimino and Don Lattin (Jossey-Bass). German National Radio interviewed us. CDS appeared on The Osgood File in a segment titled “An Ad Man is Not a Bad Man” on CBS Radio, and featured in a prime-time interview segment, “Church Attendance,” on NBC’s KRON-TV in San Francisco.

Benefits of our systems based program:

Our systems based programs help you to:

Discover your unique spiritual DNA
Attract and welcome newcomers
Identify those you can serve with quality — your target audience
Nurture newcomers and others on their spiritual journey
Design effective communications
Expand volunteer participation
Create innovative ways to serve others
Empower committed leadership
Resolve conflicts through peace making
Develop a strategic MAP (Ministry Action Plan)

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