Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 115
July 19, 2019
Why the Pendulum on Church Metrics May Be Swinging Too Far – Rainer on Leadership #555
Podcast Episode #555
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There is a pendulum swing in church leadership circles as it relates to the viewpoint of church metrics. Numbers and tracking numbers aren’t inherently bad, but they can be abused. Today, we discuss this swing and the negative sentiments often associated with it.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
If numbers are all you care about at your church, you may end up compromising on principles to get the numbers up.
What you measure in a church becomes important to the church.
Tracking metrics will move you to action in certain ways because you have a more accurate picture of reality thanks to the trends shown by the metrics.
Group participation and attendance is the most important discipleship-related metric to track.
The nine observations we discuss are:
Emphases on church metrics have been cyclical.
Understanding the phenomenon through the lens of mainline denominations.
Metrics engender accountability
Metrics move leaders to action
Key metric: worship attendance
Key metric: groups attendance
Key metric: total and general giving
Key metric: conversions
Trend today: responding to metrics too late
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Church Answers
Why Giving Goes Down When Attendance Goes Up – Rainer on Leadership #527
Rainer on Leadership is a member of the LifeWay Leadership Podcast Network
Episode Sponsors
The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.
Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.
Vanderbloemen has 12 Vanderbloemen Differences that allow them to serve their clients better than anyone else. One of those is Theology Matters. Vanderbloemen’s staff has more seminary and theological experience than any other search firm with 250+ collective years of church leadership experience.
To learn more about all 12 of Vanderbloemen’s Differences, visit VanderDifference.com.
Feedback
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Becoming a Welcoming Church.
July 18, 2019
Six Common Reasons Revitalization or a Replant Never Gets Started – Revitalize & Replant #102
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Revitalization and replanting require changes to be made. Not all church members like this change and will resist. Today, we cover six reasons why.
Episode Highlights:
The stigma of the need for church revitalization or replanting is going away.
The sameness of church can easily become an idol in a society that is ever-changing.
Nostalgia doesn’t really bring you lasting happiness. It just brings momentary relief.
Not every pastor is the right fit for every church.
The six reasons we discuss are:
Fear
Power groups
Mismatched leadership style
Failure to stay current
Seeking wrong solutions
Facility focus and woes
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
RevitalizeBundle.com
ChurchAnswers.com
ChurchReplanters.com
Replanter Assessment
Find more resources at the Revitalize & Replant page at ThomRainer.com
Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.
Submit Your Question:
Do you have a question about church revitalization or replanting for us to use on the podcast? Visit the podcast page to submit your question. If we use it on the show, you’ll get a copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church and Reclaiming Glory.
July 17, 2019
Introducing the Revitalizer Profile: Leading a Church from One of 12 Leadership Personalities
If I write with too much enthusiasm, please forgive me. But I am unabashedly excited about this tool.
It is called the Revitalizer Profile. It is the first step in the Revitalize Bundle, or it can be used as a standalone tool.
As we have coached pastors in revitalization for many years, the most successful path has been helping pastors discover their leadership strengths and learn to lead from those strengths. Too many pastors are told what they are doing wrong; with the Revitalizer Profile we work on celebrating how God has wired them positively.
It has been transformational!
Once pastors have taken this inventory, they are immediately provided their leadership personality. It helps them to know how to lead the church best. Here are the twelve different personalities, including the strength for each and a potential challenge.
Instructor – leads revitalization best through teaching, the source of greatest ministry fulfillment. An instructor may be challenged to balance priorities and time.
Thinker – loves to spend hours in study. Thinkers are best used for revitalization by devising and articulating biblical mandates to move forward. A thinker can be prone to neglect pastoral needs.
Detailer – makes certain nothing falls through the cracks, a great need and strength for revitalization. Detailers must be cautious lest they fail to see the big picture.
Visionary – has the God-given ability to see a future path for revitalization. Visionaries may struggle to be good listeners.
Strategist – can see a path forward for revitalization plus the steps to get there. Strategists, though, should be careful lest they see people as a means to an end.
Loyalist – leaders with a deep love for both the members and the institution, needed traits in a revitalization. A loyalist, however, may struggle to be a good listener.
Responder – has a heart and desire to meet needs quickly, a valuable trait in revitalization. But the Responder may neglect leading the church evangelistically toward growth.
Provider –very good at working one-on-one, particularly across generational lines. The Provider, however, may neglect preparation time for preaching and teaching.
Idealist – is able to provide hope and encouragement even in the stresses revitalization can bring. But the Idealist can get frustrated easily, especially when hopes and goals are not realized according to their own expectations.
Systematizer – highly adept in organizing and prioritizing for revitalization. But the Systematizer can be prone to neglect pastoral needs in their enthusiasm for the pursuit of processes.
Equipper – adept at training and motivating members, particularly in the area of evangelism in a revitalization. But the Equipper may have difficulty communicating how the congregation can balance both an outward focus and an internal spiritual growth emphasis.
Counselor – loves to be around and help people, a vital trait in the process of revitalization. The Counselor, however, can neglect key aspects of church leadership, particularly those that lead the church to growth and an outward focus.
This tool will be an incredible asset for pastors, for coaches, for consultants, for denominational and network leaders, and for pastor search committees.
Introducing the Revitalizer Profile.
Yep. I am a bit excited!
Find out your profile today:
July 16, 2019
Seven Reasons Why More Churches Are Calling on Interventionists – Rainer on Leadership #554
Podcast Episode #554
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Churches who want to become healthier often need outside eyes and a fresh perspective. Today, we discuss how consultants (interventionists) can help.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Interventions need to come earlier rather than later because it’s often too late if you wait.
Church consultants aren’t just for dying churches.
The number one reason churches bring in a consultant for advice is for facility issues.
Churches are no longer homogeneous and that makes it more difficult to plug and play programs.
The seven reasons we discuss are:
Sharper declines
Stigma is not as great
The issue of crossroads
The multisite phenomenon
Help in interim periods
Word of mouth success
The decline of many denominations
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Church Answers Consulting
Interim Pastor University
Church Consultation University
Rainer on Leadership is a member of the LifeWay Leadership Podcast Network
Episode Sponsors
Vanderbloemen has been serving churches for nine years, but did you know that Vanderbloemen also serves Christian schools, nonprofits, and Christian businesses? So if you’re listening, and you know a Christian school, nonprofit, or values-based business that is hiring, contact our friends at Vanderbloemen for your staffing needs.
For more information, visit Vanderbloemen.com.
The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.
Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.
Feedback
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Scrappy Church.
July 15, 2019
Seven Reasons Why We Need to Move Beyond the Church Size Debate
It is predictable.
Any time I write about anything dealing with church sizes, some of the discussion degenerates into a debate about the best size church. It happened last week when I wrote some positive words about smaller churches. It has happened in the past when I wrote some positive words about megachurches.
We need all churches. All sizes of churches. We need more churches. It’s not either/or. It’s both/and. Allow me to point out seven reasons why a debate on church size bears no good fruit.
Church health and church size are not synonymous. There are many healthy small churches. There are many healthy large and megachurches. And there are plenty of unhealthy churches of all sizes.
Conflict is not unique to a particular church size. Indeed some level of conflict is in every church. There are times where conflict is more visible in the smaller church because everyone knows everyone. But that does not mean conflict is not present, and sometimes intense, in larger churches.
Categorical statements are harmful to the body of Christ. “All pastors of large churches care about are the numbers.” “If a small church was doing was it was supposed to do, it wouldn’t be a small church.” Such categorical statements do no good. Indeed, they do harm. Why should we even participate in such conversations?
The body of Christ is diverse; that is good. In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul lauds the diversity of the individual members of the body of Christ. Similarly, there is diversity in the congregations working for His glory. Some of those churches are small. Some are mid-size. Some are large. Some are mega.
The death of churches is not a function of church size. Obviously, a church gets smaller on its way to death. But that does not mean the church size is the cause of the death. It simply means the church is getting smaller as it approaches zero.
Faithfulness and obedience are mandated of all church members. Leave the numerical results to God. He may lead a church to become very large; or He may lead a church to be a standard size church in the community. Neither size is inherently good or inherently bad.
It would be wonderful if churches worked together as much as some churches often criticize others. Our communities may be waiting to see if we churches can work together before the members of the community decide they even want us around.
God gives us small churches. God gives us mid-size churches. God gives us large and very large churches. They are all part of His plan. Let’s stop criticizing each other and start working together.
We may be surprised how God will then use us.
July 14, 2019
Pray for Cherry Creek Baptist Church
Location: Ecru, Mississippi
Pastor: Dustin Long
Weekly Worship: 11:00 AM, Central
Fast Facts: Cherry Creek Baptist was founded in 1843 and has planted five other local churches in northeast Mississippi over the years. Cherry Creek has a great outreach ministry to the Hispanic community in the area and is starting its Who’s Your One campaign next month. Cherry Creek is a loving church with a growing population around the church. Many of those around the church are not involved in any church and have moved to the area because of the opening of a Toyota assembly plant nearby. Pray that those new to the area will be reached with the gospel and will plug into a fellowship of Bible believers in the area.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/cherrycreek.baptistchurch.5
“Pray for . . .” is the Sunday blog series at ThomRainer.com. We encourage you to pray for these churches noted every Sunday. Please feel free to comment that you are praying as well.
If you would like to have your church featured in the “Pray for…” series, fill out this information form..
July 13, 2019
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: July 13, 2019
From Around the Web:
Should Pastors Pay Off Their Mortgage? — Art Rainer
Purchasing a home is a longterm strategy to free up future cash flow. For most, paying off their mortgage is a no-brainer. But not for ministers, as defined by the IRS. For ministers, there is an additional factor that must be considered called a “housing allowance.”
Secret Thoughts of a First-Time Church Visitor — Facts & Trends
Did you see me on Sunday? I walked into your church and looked around, wondering where to go. I saw lots of people eating donuts and drinking coffee, but no one greeted me. I stood there not knowing where to go or what to do until finally one of the pastors came up to me. He asked me to do the usual. By “the usual” I mean what every church has asked me to do when I visited them: Fill out a piece of paper with all of my information and hand me a “gift” from the church. Then I’m directed to the sanctuary where I can sit anywhere. All by myself.
Six Reasons Some People Miss Hymns — Chuck Lawless
Let me first, though, put all my “cards on the table” for this post. I like various styles of worship music, provided they’re done well. I don’t like any worship style that’s done poorly. I also prefer contemporary worship to more traditional worship. I enjoy praise choruses that echo with the Word of God, and I appreciate the freedom of worship I often find in more contemporary worship services. With that said, I miss singing hymns. I realize some hymns could use theological refining (and that we must do), but I still miss them. Here’s why:
Are Your Church Staff Meetings a Waste of Time? — David Prince
The team ownership of ideas comes from the no-holds-barred input offered in planning. With this approach, no idea is perceived as simply one person’s idea because it cannot even be considered the same idea after being thoroughly critiqued. Quality almost always comes slowly and painfully through deliberate course correction.
This Week at ThomRainer.com:
Why Smaller Churches Are Making a Comeback
Two-thirds of churches have an attendance under 125. The smaller church is the norm, not the exception. And though the news has not been that promising for smaller churches in recent years, I do see some very promising signs for the years ahead…READ MORE
Five Reasons for Failure When Leading Change
Not praying
Not assessing unintended consequences
Not communicating
Not dealing with people issues
Not modeling positive leadership
Six Common Mistakes Made by Preachers from the Pulpit
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Rainer-on-Leadership/Episode552.mp3
Seven Thoughts on Pastoral Attire in Worship Services
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Rainer-on-Leadership/Episode553.mp3
Revitalizing a Church from Your Leadership Strength
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Revitalize & Replant
http://media.blubrry.com/revitalizereplant/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Revitalize-and-Replant/RR-Episode101.mp3
July 12, 2019
Seven Thoughts on Pastoral Attire in Worship Services – Rainer on Leadership #553
Podcast Episode #553
SUBSCRIBE:
iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio • Spotify
Pastoral attire has changed dramatically over the past few decades. Today, we examine why that has happened and how to adapt to this change.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
When preaching in a new or unfamiliar place, be sure to ask about the expected attire.
Bow ties have replaced regular ties as the hot fashion for dress attire. But bow ties aren’t for everyone.
Sometimes, fighting the “expected pastoral dress code” isn’t worth the battle, and you put the greater good of the church above your personal preferences.
The church plant culture we have in the US doesn’t have the same expectations for pastoral attire as the established church culture does.
The seven things you need to understand regarding pastoral attire are:
Understand the demographic context
Understand the reasonableness of the church’s expectations
Understand the changes in fashion
Understand the community
Understand the principles of change leadership
Understand the issue of love over preference
Understand the members’ emotional attachments
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Church Answers
Revitalize2020.com
ChurchDesign.com
Rainer on Leadership is a member of the LifeWay Leadership Podcast Network
Episode Sponsors
The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.
Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.
Vanderbloemen has 12 Vanderbloemen Differences that allow them to serve their clients better than anyone else. One of those is Theology Matters. Vanderbloemen’s staff has more seminary and theological experience than any other search firm with 250+ collective years of church leadership experience.
To learn more about all 12 of Vanderbloemen’s Differences, visit VanderDifference.com.
Feedback
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Becoming a Welcoming Church.
July 11, 2019
Revitalizing a Church from Your Leadership Strength – Revitalize & Replant #101
SUBSCRIBE TODAY:
iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • Spotify
Leadership skills and knowing who you are as a leader are important as you lead a revitalization. Today we discuss the 12 types of leaders in a revitalization.
Episode Highlights:
Church revitalizers are often already in place in a church. Instead of being placed there, they have to determine how to lead while already in their current role.
There are a lot of successful church revitalizers who aren’t the “charismatic, dynamic leader” type but are just persistent and faithful to the task.
Four keys for pastors looking to revitalize: preach, pray, love, and stay.
Revitalization need a goal or you’ll never know if it’s successful.
The five points we discuss are:
Why we cannot assess most pastors to be qualified for church revitalization
The strong leader personality is assumed to be the best fit
Too many pastors try to change their personalities to lead revitalization
In the past, most churches would grow regardless of the leadership personality of the pastor
A quick look at 12 leadership personalities for revitalization
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
Revitalizer Profile
RevitalizeBundle.com – Use coupon code ROLBUNDLE19 to save 50%
ChurchAnswers.com
Find more resources at the Revitalize & Replant page at ThomRainer.com
Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.
Submit Your Question:
Do you have a question about church revitalization or replanting for us to use on the podcast? Visit the podcast page to submit your question. If we use it on the show, you’ll get a copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church and Reclaiming Glory.
July 10, 2019
Five Reasons for Failure When Leading Change
Five Reasons for Failure When Leading Change
Not praying
Not assessing unintended consequences
Not communicating
Not dealing with people issues
Not modeling positive leadership
Some highlights from today’s Rainer Report:
Prayer is the foundational point for leading change.
Be intentional about thinking through unintended consequences.
When leading change, you have to overcommunicate.
Not communicating effectively is a recipe for failure when leading change.
