Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 116
July 9, 2019
Six Common Mistakes Made by Preachers from the Pulpit (That Might Get Them in Trouble) – Rainer on Leadership #552
Podcast Episode #552
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Preachers sometimes say some strange things from the pulpit. Today, we discuss some of the things that get said that can cause problems for a preacher.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
One of the most common mistakes preachers often make is attributing a quote to someone who didn’t actually say it.
If you’re going to use stats in a sermon, research and cite the original source.
When using a church member as a sermon illustration, always get their permission first.
Number one rule for guest preachers: honor your time slot. Don’t go over.
The six mistakes we discuss are:
Quoting something someone did not say.
Saying “statistics show”
Using someone else’s illustration as your own
Using a point in a sermon to fight verbally with a church member
Mispronouncing words in the Bible
Not honoring a church host’s request when you are a guest preacher
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Church Answers
Revitalize2020.com
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 8, 2019
Why Smaller Churches Are Making a Comeback
Smaller churches are poised to make a comeback.
I’m serious. I see too many signs and indicators to believe otherwise.
For certain, I know the bad news. The median size of a church has declined from around 100 to 70 in worship attendance in a decade. That means one-half of all American congregations have fewer than 70 in worship attendance.
And I am aware that more people are attending larger churches today than they were 20, 15, 10, and 5 years ago. To be clear, I am aware that around 8,000 churches close every year.
Yes, I know those facts. But I feel the winds of change. Before we look at those change factors, let’s look at the size of churches in America. I cannot be absolutely certain about these numbers, but there are a lot of good bodies of research by some good organizations (National Congregations Study, Faith Communities Today 2015, 2014 Religious Landscape Study 2014 by Pew Research, and others).
Smaller Standard
0 to 49 worship attendance
40% of churches in America
Larger Standard
50 to 124 worship attendance
27% of churches in America
Mid
125 to 249 worship attendance
18% of churches in America
Large
250 to 499 worship attendance
8% of churches in America
Very Large
500 to 999 worship attendance
4% of churches in America
Mid Mega
1,000 to 1,999 in worship attendance
2% of churches in America
Mega
2,000+ in worship attendance
Less than ½ of 1%
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. Why do I make such an apparently contrarian statement? Here are five reasons:
There is a revitalization of revitalization. The increased emphasis on church revitalization portends well for all churches, particularly smaller churches.
More pastors are content in Christ at smaller churches. They don’t see their present assignment and call as a stepping stone to something bigger. They love their churches and the communities they serve.
The church replanting movement will help many struggling smaller churches. Instead of closing, these churches will be given new life with the leadership and resources of another church.
There is a renewed commitment to neighborhood churches. Those churches were once the witness and ministry of Christ in a very specific area. There is a renewal of that emphasis.
Smaller church pastors no longer need to feel isolated. There are new networks and informal groups connecting these pastors. Indeed, we are honored that over 1,600 church leaders connect with us at Church Answers.
I am encouraged. Pastors, leaders, and members of standard churches should be encouraged as well. I can’t wait to see what God will continue to do in these churches.
July 7, 2019
Pray for Nelson Street Missionary Baptist Church
Location: Lenoir City, Tennessee
Pastor: Bill Freeman
Weekly Worship: 11:00 AM, Eastern
Fast Facts: Starting in a old house as a church plant of First Baptist Lenoir City, Nelson Street Missionary Baptist Church has served as a light in its community. The church has an aging membership and facility and is praying for laborers and support to revitalize their people and facility. Please pray that God would send revival in the hearts of those at Nelson Street and spread it throughout their community.
“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 6, 2019
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: July 6, 2019
From Around the Web:
Three Things to Be Careful About Saying at the Start of Your Service — Jared Wilson
Obviously context matters, and there’s no need to be dogmatic about how we informally (or even formally) begin a worship service, but here are some common introductory cliches I think worth weighing in terms of their helpfulness to the congregation’s worship.
How Many Protestant Churchgoers Actually Read the Bible Regularly? — Facts & Trends
Christians say the Bible is God’s Word, but even among Protestant churchgoers only a third spend time reading it every day. The 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found those who regularly attend Protestant churches are inconsistent in their reading and thinking about Scripture.
Your Church Is Not a Restaurant — Trevin Wax
In a consumer-oriented society, the default orientation for church attenders is to see their local congregation as a dispenser of religious goods and services. I say “default” not because it’s inevitable that everyone who goes to church perceives their congregation this way, but because without serious and sustained effort to have a more biblical approach people will naturally gravitate toward a view of the church that is influenced by a consumerist imagination.
Eight Faulty Assumptions of Non-Growing Churches — Chuck Lawless
Most churches are not growing. Not every non-growing church gives evidence of the following faulty assumptions; nevertheless, many do, and these assumptions help us to understand why the church isn’t growing. See if your church lives by (even unintentionally) any of these assumptions:
This Week at ThomRainer.com:
The Painful Reality of Church Shoppers
For those in church leadership, this pattern of members deciding to leave is far too common and almost always painful. Here are a few observations from both the Church Answers’ community and me…READ MORE
When Should Pastors Interrupt Vacations? Five Considerations
There are some emergencies that require pastors to interrupt a vacation. But too many pastors interrupt their vacations for almost any need in the church…READ MORE
When Should Pastors Interrupt Vacations? Five Considerations
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Rainer-on-Leadership/Episode550.mp3
10 Responses from Fired Pastors
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Rainer-on-Leadership/Episode551.mp3
The Simple Power of Focusing on One Thing in a Revitalization
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Revitalize & Replant
http://media.blubrry.com/revitalizereplant/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Revitalize-and-Replant/RR-Episode100.mp3
July 5, 2019
10 Responses from Fired Pastors – Rainer on Leadership #551
Podcast Episode #551
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Almost every pastor has had to deal with being fired—often for little to no reason. Today, we discuss a recent post on the topic and explain it further.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Too many pastors are fired without being told why.
Often, pastors who are forced out for little to no reason look back on the situation and wish they had fought it a bit more.
Sometimes the way a pastor is treated can affect their spouse and kids and turn them away from the church.
The corporate world is often more gracious with severance than the church world.
The 10 responses that we discuss are:
“I didn’t see it coming.”
“No one gave me a reason for my firing.”
“No one asked for my perspective.”
“A power group pushed me out.”
“A staff member (or members) pushed me out.”
“My family is devastated.”
“The severance was small.”
“I can never return to pastoral ministry.”
“I should have never followed a long-term pastor.”
“Secular employers are kinder and show more grace.”
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Church Answers
CoolSolutionsGroup.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 3, 2019
The Simple Power of Focusing on One Thing in a Revitalization – Revitalize & Replant #100
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There is a great power in focusing on one thing when working to revitalize a church. Today, we cover six reasons why.
Episode Highlights:
Church revitalization doesn’t have to be as complicated as some make it. Just start with one thing.
Trying to do too much too quickly can kill a revitalization effort.
Ministry complexity will drain the leadership of a church.
When you are forced to choose one ministry to focus on in a church, you typically choose the best and most effective ministry.
The six reasons we discuss are:
You have to begin somewhere
Complexity leads to confusion and complacency
Helps the heart and attitude of the leader
The power of low-hanging fruit
Makes you focus on what really matters
Helps you to say no
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
RevitalizeBundle.com
InviteYourOne.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.
When Should Pastors Interrupt Vacations? Five Considerations
Because many schools are out most of the summer, pastors, like many families, choose to take their vacations this time of year. But many pastors are keenly aware of the risk of being called home for an emergency during their vacations. It is more common than most church members realize.
So, what should pastors do if the interruption takes place? Without giving specific details, let me share with you five considerations for pastors confronted with this reality.
Interrupted vacations should be the exception. One pastor shared with us his vacation had been interrupted seven of the eight past attempts to get away. I bluntly told him he was deeming too many things to be an emergency. I also told him he was sacrificing his family to please other church members. That brings me to the second point.
Your family remembers these interruptions. We have heard from grown pastors’ kids who still remember the pain of interrupted vacations. They still remember the angst every time the phone rang on vacation. Their perception is often that they really didn’t matter as much as other church members.
Pastors need a back-up plan in place. Even in small churches, you need someone to visit the hospitals and respond to emergencies. Funerals can typically be covered by a pastor of another church. Indeed, some pastors have reciprocal agreements much like physicians who need back-up plans for vacations.
Churches should consider reimbursements and re-schedules when pastors are called home from vacation. One pastor shared that it cost him over $1,000 in travel costs to get him and his family home for a church emergency when three members died in an auto accident. But the personnel committee of the church refused to reimburse him for his travel costs, and they did not allow him to reschedule those vacation days. That’s just wrong.
Some members will simply not understand. “There is no easy way to tell a grieving widow you can’t come home from vacation,” one pastor shared with me. “I understand. She just lost her husband. But it was one of 17 deaths in our church that year. I had to find a way to take my family on vacation.”
There are some emergencies that require pastors to interrupt a vacation. One pastor was on vacation when a shooting occurred in his church. That is a clear and obvious reason to return home. But too many pastors interrupt their vacations for almost any need in the church.
It is a tough decision. Unfortunately, the pastors’ family is often the one asked to make the sacrifice.
How would you respond or set guidelines for these interruptions?
July 2, 2019
Six Reactions to the Increase of Declining Church Stats – Rainer on Leadership #550
Podcast Episode #550
SUBSCRIBE:
iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio • Spotify
The pace of decline for many churches is accelerating. The stats are quite alarming. Today, we cover a recent post on the topic.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Corporate prayer in many churches is often more perfunctory than fervent.
If your church is anchored to traditions of the past, it won’t move forward into the future.
Church fights are signs of inward focus. Churches with an outward focus often fight less.
Churches are becoming more open to outside consultants because they’re realizing that they need outside eyes to help them minister in the future.
The six reactions we discuss are:
We need fervent prayer more than ever in our churches.
Our church leaders and members must let go of the idols of the past and traditions that hold us back.
If we are not focused and intentional on evangelism and sharing the gospel, we are little more than a religious social club.
We must stop fighting each other and understand who the real enemy is.
Church leaders should humbly seek interventions of coaching and consultation to see how God might lead us in fresh and exciting directions.
I have seen too many churches breakout in God’s power to maintain a defeatist attitude. The One who resurrects the dead can bring any church back to life again.
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Church Answers
Revitalize Bundle – Use coupon code ROLBUNDLE19
Church Answers Consulting
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 1, 2019
The Painful Reality of Church Shoppers
The pastor announced to his peers, “It’s National Church Shopping Month!”
I love the community at our coaching and consulting site on Church Answers. Over 1,600 church leaders interact in significant numbers every hour of the waking day. They ask questions. They seek examples and stories of God’s work in churches. And, on occasion, they vent. I love the fact they feel the freedom to express themselves in a safe place.
Recently, one pastor lamented how many members start shopping for other churches in the summer months. His peers immediately joined the conversation with a number of similar concerns and observations.
For those in church leadership, this pattern of members deciding to leave is far too common and almost always painful. Here are a few observations from both the Church Answers’ community and me.
You are not alone. In fact, I’ve never known a church leader who has been in a church three years or more and not faced this reality.
It is not always bad. Sometimes members are simply not aligned with the ministry of the church they are leaving. It could be a doctrinal issue. It could be a philosophical issue. It is not always bad to release members to a church that better fits their convictions.
It is an opportunity to learn and to be pastoral. I rarely hear from a pastor or other church leader who really enjoys interviewing or talking to departing members. But those who do share that the experience is typically one where they learn something they can do to improve themselves or to lead their church to improve.
Some church shoppers have a me-centric view of church. They see church as a place to get perks and benefits. They have no concept of the giving and sacrificial nature of church membership noted in 1 Corinthians 12. They have a consumer mentality and, unless and until they change, they will not be satisfied.
Some church shoppers have been hurt and/or been in conflict in the church. First, awareness of this pain provides church leadership an opportunity to be pastoral. Second, it is not always bad for these members to get a fresh start elsewhere. Sadly, it is common to see at least one party leave a church after a divorce.
The issue for some church shoppers is to find a place where their children will want to go. This issue had all types of implications. I may pursue it in detail in a later post.
You will never please everyone. The late Steve Jobs is probably not the best source to quote on a blog about church life, but I still love his words, “If you want to make everybody happy, don’t be a leader, sell ice cream.”
Take the pain of church shoppers to review your expectations of membership. How do you assimilate new members in the church? Do you clearly communicate what is expected of them? Why do exiting members have a consumer mentality?
Accept that many church shoppers will migrate in pack to the latest “hot church.” Many church shoppers will go to the church that has the most buzz at the moment. The buzz never lasts, and the members move in pack again to the next hot church.
Pray. In importance, put this issue at the top. Seek God’s wisdom and strength to deal with these painful issues. Seek Him to understand how to deal with departing members. Don’t worry about pleasing everyone as long as you are striving to please Him.
Is it National Church Shopping Month in your church? Let me hear from you about this reality all church leaders face.
June 30, 2019
Pray for Christ United Baptist Church
Location: Hickory, North Carolina
Pastor: David Stikeleather
Weekly Worship: 10:00 AMa, Eastern
Fast Facts: Christ United Baptist Church is located in in the Longview community of Hickory, NC. The church will soon celebrate its 32nd anniversary and is in the beginning stages of revitalization. Please pray for wisdom and guidance as they seek to reach their community for Jesus. Also, pray for their “Love Our Community Day” coming up on August 17. They will be working with five sister churches in the area to reach their community and share the gospel.
Website: Facebook.com/LongviewNC
“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..
