TESTIMONIALS
When I first sat down with Mark at Faith Oakville and learned about Always Forward Ministries, I was genuinely blown away. This isn’t just an organization that helps churches navigate leadership transitions - though it does that with excellence. At its core, Always Forward is about helping churches stay focused on their mission to reach the lost, even in the middle of significant change. That vision immediately set Mark apart.
As the pastor stepping into a transition alongside a long-tenured leader, I had the privilege of working with Mark firsthand. He guided both of us through the process with wisdom, intentionality, and care. Mark helped us navigate conversations we might not have known to initiate, anticipate challenges before they arose, and ultimately walk through the transition with unity and clarity. On a personal level, he also helped me discern how to best honor a pastor who had faithfully served for thirty-five years, which meant more than I can express.
Because of Mark’s leadership, I felt genuinely set up for success. Our church was able to honor the past while stepping confidently into a new season of mission and ministry without losing momentum. Transitions can often feel overwhelming, but with Mark, the process felt smooth and purposeful.
If you are facing a season of transition - especially pastoral succession - I cannot recommend Mark and Always Forward Ministries highly enough. They will help you navigate the complexities with clarity, care, and a relentless focus on what matters most: reaching people in your community.
Rev. Matt Peeples
Senior Pastor at Faith, Oakville - Missouri (incoming pastor)
I have been privileged to know and follow Pastor Mark’s ministry for decades, witnessing how he was used by the Lord to grow His kingdom wherever he was planted. In 2024, I attended a session Mark led about the need for a careful, prayerful, and intentional Lead Pastor succession plan. Turns out, the majority of Lead Pastor successions, especially following a long-tenured pastor, do not go well. This certainly caught my attention. I (and eventually Faith, Oakville) would decide to consult with Mark, leading to a pastoral baton pass in July of 2025, and my retirement celebration the following November after serving Faith since 1990.
During the process Mark visited with lay leaders, staff, and myself, to listen, pray, lay out the process and answer any questions brought up. Through the almost 2-year process, Mark was in constant contact with me, the potential new Lead Pastor, and lay leaders who were to carry out the plan. Personally, I was very grateful to have an advocate in Mark who understood the pastor’s needs as well as the challenges of moving on to a new chapter of life.
It was a wonderful blessing to work with Mark and to see Faith, Oakville continue to thrive under new pastor leadership today and into the future.
Retiring Pastor at Faith, Oakville - Missouri (outgoing pastor)
Rev. John Brunette
Rev. Kevin Austin
Mark brings a deep passion for helping churches navigate the complexities and wide range of emotions that come with a pastoral transition. Throughout every step of the journey, he is a steady, calming presence who continually points those involved back to God and encourages a posture of prayer.
He has a unique gift for asking thoughtful, insightful questions that help congregations understand where they are while discerning where God is leading them next. Rather than simply providing answers, Mark equips both the congregation and its leaders with the tools, wisdom, and perspective needed to move through the transition with clarity and confidence drawing from his own firsthand experience and extensive research.
Risen Savior has been deeply blessed by Mark’s ministry.
Lead Pastor at Risen Savior Lutheran Church - Chandler, AZ (incoming pastor)
Rev. Mark Zehnder has been an exceptional consultant for Risen Savior during our pastoral transition of me from Senior Pastor to part-time service and ultimately toward retirement. His guidance has been invaluable every step of the way.
Mark communicated clearly throughout the entire process and invested significant time with our staff and leadership. He listened well, asked insightful questions, and created an environment for open and honest dialogue-especially as we navigated decisions that carried both strategic and personal weight.
The report he provided was thorough, thoughtful, and highly actionable, giving us clear direction while allowing space for prayerful discernment. Just as importantly, Mark walked alongside us as we implemented the plan. His ongoing support to Pastor Kevin—my successor as Senior Pastor—and me helped turn vision into practical, confident steps.
One of Mark’s greatest strengths is his ability to ask the right questions, even addressing topics that can be difficult for a leader to raise. He does so with wisdom, objectivity, and pastoral sensitivity, helping bring clarity and unity.
Above all, Mark consistently emphasized that our first priority was to pray - pray, pray, pray. His heart is for congregations to be led by God, and that conviction shaped every part of this process. I am deeply grateful for Mark’s partnership and highly recommend him to any church seeking wise, experienced, and Christ-centered guidance through a leadership transition.
Retiring Pastor at Risen Savior Lutheran Church - Chandler, AZ (outgoing pastor)
Rev. Ron Burcham
Mark was truly a gift from God as he guided us through the process he has developed. One that God used powerfully not only to connect us with our new Lead Pastor as I prepare to retire, but also to help us navigate the transition with wisdom and clarity. Even as I write this, I find myself smiling, realizing I have no idea where we would be in this journey without him.
Mark deeply loves the people of God, has a genuine heart for pastors, and lives and breathes the mission of Christ. He came alongside us with humility, relying on prayer and inviting us to do the same. He brings great wisdom, experience, and insight, offering timely guidance at every step. He is patient and calm, faithfully walking with us throughout the entire process and beyond.
Along the way, Mark quickly became not only a trusted guide but also a dear friend to me and to many others, as together we were led by God’s Spirit to a wonderful conclusion. Thank you, Mark!
Rev. Brad Cusson
Retiring Pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church - Rocklin, CA (outgoing pastor)
When our Lead Pastor of 20 years retired, while our Executive Pastor role was also vacant, St. Matthew faced a critical moment. Mark Zehnder stepped in and brought immediate clarity, structure, and confidence to our transition.
He listened carefully to our staff and lay leaders, then developed a strategic plan that wisely prioritized calling a Lead Pastor first and discerning future staffing needs afterward. That decision proved invaluable.
For eleven months, I worked closely with Mark as Chair of the Call Committee. Through setbacks and false starts, he was steady, encouraging, and grounded in Scripture. He continually redirected us to God’s will rather than our anxieties.
Today, we believe we have called the man the Lord prepared for us. Mark’s guidance was instrumental in that outcome. I have already recommended him to other congregations. If your church is facing a leadership transition, Mark is not optional - he is essential.
Chair of Call Committee at St. Matthew Lutheran Church - Rocklin, CA (staff)
Chuck Anderson
Rev. Kent R. Hunter
Founder, Church Doctor Ministries
www.churchdoctor.org
I’m honored and pleased to endorse Mark Zehnder’s Always Forward Ministries. Mark and I have trained thousands of pastors on several continents. His ministry record as a pastor and leader is amazing! Mark has developed a ministry that is greatly needed: Guidance for pastoral leadership transitions. Mark is a skilled diagnostician, coupled with his pastoral heart, love for Jesus, and relational strengths. His wisdom, experience, and deep love for God and the Body of Christ is paralleled to his care for pastors, church staff, and Christians everywhere who want God’s best for their congregations.
Many pastoral transitions end up as a train wreck. Denominational leaders do their best to pair pastors to churches, but do not have the time to examine the uniqueness of each local Body of Christ, your local church. Pastoral leadership is always one of the most important decisions a church can make. Mark knows the biblical importance of spiritual Gifts and leadership development. His help for your church will be so valuable!
Mark Zehnder is an accomplished preacher and teacher. He is a down-to-Earth servant whose love for the church is obvious. Beyond his skills, Mark, above all, is a genuine person whose love and encouragement for others is obvious. For all these reasons, and many more, I unconditionally recommend Mark Zehnder to help your church move effectively forward through pastoral and other church staff transitions.
Mark Zehnder combines professional wisdom with a pastor’s heart, helping leaders look and lead more like Jesus.
At Hales Corners Lutheran, we began working with Mark as we prepared for pastoral succession planning. What we anticipated and what unfolded were two very different realities. Our succession happened in a different way and for different reasons than we first imagined. Through it all, Mark pivoted with us. He walked alongside us - not just as a consultant, but as a shepherding presence - providing support, encouragement, and a steady voice of hope in the midst of unexpected change.
Mark offered counsel and Godly wisdom to our lead staff, guided our Board of Directors with clarity, and lifted us with prayer-focused encouragement. His presence anchored us in Christ’s promises while we navigated uncertainty.
Out of that season, I personally asked Mark to consider becoming a coach as I stepped into the Executive Lead Pastor role. He agreed, and what followed was a deeply formative journey. Month after month, Mark provided a confidential listening ear, prayerful intercession, and thoughtful counsel. His greatest desire in all of it was clear: to help me, and all those he mentors, look and lead more like Jesus.
Mark brought not only a deep knowledge base and professional approach in all these interactions, but also the heart of a man who loves the Lord and invests in others with wisdom, discernment, encouragement, and prayer. HCL, and I personally, have been profoundly blessed by Mark’s presence and guidance.
Executive Lead Pastor at Hales Corners Lutheran Church - Hales Corners, WI (incoming pastor)
Rev. Leon Jameson
Rev. Greg Griffith
Lead Pastor at King of Kings - Omaha, NE (incoming pastor)
We are now in our sixth year since the leadership transition from Mark to me as Lead Pastor of King of Kings. From the very beginning, our shared goal was clear: keep the congregation moving forward, protect our DNA, and be each other’s biggest cheerleaders and advocates. Since then, King of Kings has grown from one campus to three.
Our people still carry a deep zeal for innovation and for reaching those outside the kingdom. And Mark and I are not just cheerleaders for one another - we’ve truly become part of each other’s families. Mark’s leadership, mentorship, and friendship have been invaluable. Our lines of communication remain wide open, and we’ve committed to an “honor code” of sharing important realities with one another before they go public. No surprises. Mutual respect and ongoing conversation have allowed us to maintain a deep and healthy relationship.
Looking back, I can honestly say that with the guidance of Always Forward Ministries and Mark’s personal mentorship, this has been one of the smoothest leadership transitions I’ve ever experienced.
Succeeding well in senior church leadership is one of the greatest legacies a transitioning pastor can give to a congregation, Christ's Beloved Bride but, unfortunately, too few do this well. Pastor Mark Zehnder is one of the rare exceptions. His example, friendship, wisdom and humility as he has transitioned his senior role at the known and respected King of Kings Church in Omaha Nebraska has inspired and encouraged me as I and 2 years in to a 3 year transition which is progressing well for the Body, the Eldership and the staff. Generous with sharing best practices coupled with willing transparency Mark has been a source of insight, encouragement and confirmation in our journey as a church. I look very much forward to ongoing interaction with him as I watch the example of a servant leader and a church honoring our King. When should a pastor begin thinking about succession? Their first day on the job. I pray if you're reading this that you will avail yourself and your church to the rich resource Mark can be in your journey.
Lead Pastor at Lifegate Church - Omaha, NE (outgoing pastor)
Rev. Les Beauchamp
.jpg)
Julie Eesley
I have been privileged to work closely with Mark for the past four years as the Executive Director at King of Kings Church and have had a front seat to his senior leadership baton pass. At this critical juncture in our church’s history, Mark led with discernment, humility, grace, and a positivity that brought both our staff and congregation closer together. His servant leadership created space for our new lead pastor to start strong and for the mission of our church to continue without missing a beat.
​
Mark’s heart for Jesus and His church is evident in all that he does and it is a delight for me to say that the guidance he shares with others has been lived out with great effectiveness here at King of Kings. I’m so pleased to endorse his Always Forward ministry and pray that the experience and talents he brings to the table will enrich your church as it moves into its next chapter.
Executive Director at King of Kings - Omaha, NE (staff)
When I first heard Mark speak about Always Forward Ministries and coaching for pastoral transition I realized that this is what my congregation needed as I prepared for retirement. I knew that Mark had the experience and expertise to coach us through this crucial lead pastor transition. What I didn’t fully realize was how Mark would build relationships and connection with the folks at Trinity and with me. Everything that Mark worked with in the transition process, from the first preparations and the visits and the zoom meetings and the final transition details, was done in personal and pastoral relationship. Not only did the process result in calling a great new lead pastor, but the church grew spiritually and in mission. And I received wonderful personal coaching in my retirement process.
We are a moderate sized church in the Northwest with strong mission. With Mark’s personal and pastoral care we are moving boldly forward through this transition into a greater intentional Great Commission and discipling movement. Thank you, Mark, and God bless you!
Lead Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church - Hillsboro, OR (outgoing pastor)
