Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 126
March 31, 2019
Pray for Grace Bible Baptist Church
Location: Bath, New York
Pastor: Garrett Hall
Weekly Worship: 11:00 AM, Eastern
Fast Facts: Garrett Hall was named pastor officially on July 1, 2018, and since then, God has blessed the church with growth. Pray for the church as they seek continued revival of hearts and wisdom and means to complete necessary renovations of the church property. They have scheduled renovations of the church sanctuary for the end of June, so please pray for wisdom, finances, and energy to complete those tasks. The church aims to have a follow up to its community outreach, which we termed Operation Invitation (similar to Invite Your One). Please pray for souls to be saved, for hearts to be changed and God to be glorified.
Website: GraceBibleBaptistBath.org
“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..
March 30, 2019
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: March 30, 2019
From Around the Web:
4 Reasons Why Your Generosity Matters to Your Kids — Art Rainer
Everything you do communicates something to somebody. If you have kids, you know this to be especially true of parenting. Your kids catch what you say and what you do—and often say and do the same. Everything you do as a parent matters. Here’s what happens when kids get to see the generosity of their parents:
How One Pastor Shifted from Church Planting to Revitalization — Facts & Trends
The situation grew dire when Brad Patterson discovered the bad reputation his new church had developed in the community. The advice he’d received from mentors to, “preach, pray, and stay” rested heavily on him during his first year. Patterson decided to commit to the long haul, laboring in prayer and in the Word, and building up the body in revitalization to become a church-planting church. He recalls the next three years as some of the hardest of his life. Fifteen months in, Patterson discovered that a group of supposed friends sought to remove him from the pastorate.
Don’t Preach Microwaved Leftover Sermons — Jared Wilson
It is a common travail. The pastor has gotten to the end of his week without having had much time to focus on his sermon. He might have been thinking about his text, might have jotted a few things down, but the meat of his preparation and heat of his composition falls to the Saturday prior to preaching, perhaps even spilling into the wee hours of Sunday morning.
Twitter for Churches: 5 Tips — Vanderbloemen Search Group
A smartphone can be a powerful tool for connection and conversation at your church. One of the best apps for engagement and social connection is Twitter. If you haven’t been using Twitter, now is the time to consider creating a profile for yourself or for your church.
This Week at ThomRainer.com:
Seven Trends in the Way Churches Are Responding to Inactive Members
How are churches responding to the reality that many members on the church roll could not be found by the U. S. Census Bureau or the FBI? Here are seven trends…READ MORE
Nine Common Trends in Church Worship Services
Choirs are disappearing.
Dress is more casual.
Screens are pervasive.
Preaching is longer.
“Multi” is normative.
Attendees are more diverse.
Conflict is not increasing.
More worship attendees are attending larger churches.
Sunday evening services are disappearing.
Eight Church Fights That Are Fading
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Rainer-on-Leadership/Episode522.mp3
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Preachers
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Rainer-on-Leadership/Episode523.mp3
Where Do Revitalizing Pastors and Replanters Find Hope?
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Revitalize & Replant
http://media.blubrry.com/revitalizereplant/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Revitalize-and-Replant/RR-Episode086.mp3
March 29, 2019
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Preachers – Rainer on Leadership #523
Podcast Episode #523
SUBSCRIBE:
iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio • Spotify
There are often certain characteristics found in pastors who are effective preachers. Today, we discuss seven of those characteristics.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Effective preachers understand that prayer is integral to sermon preparation.
More and more pastors are doing sermon prep outside of the church office as to avoid distractions.
If you want to improve your preaching, get someone outside of your church to honestly evaluate your sermons.
Effective preachers listen to other preachers and use what they learn to improve their own sermons.
The seven habits we discuss are:
They give preaching a priority in their ministries.
They make their sermons a vital part of their prayer lives.
They have a routine in sermon preparation.
They constantly seek input about their messages.
They stay committed to a specific sermon length.
They put the majority of their efforts into one message a week.
They are constantly looking for ways to improve their communication skills.
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Pastoral Tenure & Expository Preaching with Alistair Begg – Rainer on Leadership #070
Rainer on Leadership is a member of the LifeWay Leadership Podcast Network
Episode Sponsors
Today’s episode is sponsored by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Midwestern offers more than 25 degrees at both undergraduate and masters level that are fully attainable online. From Business to Bible, Counseling to Christian education, prepare for your future at your own pace and in your own location.
Find out more at mbts.edu/online.
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped thousands of churches just like yours find their church staff and are uniquely geared to help you discern who God is calling to lead your church.
For more information, visit WeStaffTheChurch.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.
March 28, 2019
Where Do Revitalizing Pastors and Replanters Find Hope? – Revitalize & Replant #086
SUBSCRIBE TODAY:
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Hope can be fleeting for those in ministry—and even more so for those focused on revitalization. Today, we discuss six specific sources of hope for pastors.
Episode Highlights:
“Find your affirmation in ministry in what Jesus has accomplished for you and what He will continue to accomplish for you.”
“Pastors, if the only time you’re in the Word is for sermon prep, that’s a problem.”
“The Lord often uses relationships in our lives to encourage us.”
Learning brings hope when you go into things with your eyes open.
The six places we discuss are:
Acts 6:4.
In a peer community.
With a mentor.
By continuing to learn.
With an intercessory prayer team.
With a long-term perspective.
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
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.
March 27, 2019
9 Common Trends in Church Worship Services
Nine Common Trends in Church Worship Services
Choirs are disappearing.
Dress is more casual.
Screens are pervasive.
Preaching is longer.
“Multi” is normative.
Attendees are more diverse.
Conflict is not increasing.
More worship attendees are attending larger churches.
Sunday evening services are disappearing.
Some highlights from today’s Rainer Report:
It is becoming prevalent to see casual dress in church services.
Millennial preachers typically preach longer than generations before them.
“Multi” is becoming normative. Church growth is happening horizontally, not vertically.
Multi-ethnic worship services are not just becoming normal, they are almost expected in many large churches.
March 26, 2019
Eight Church Fights That Are Fading – Rainer on Leadership #522
Podcast Episode #522
SUBSCRIBE:
iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio • Spotify
Some church fights actually are fading. Today we discuss those and the reasons why they are fading.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Most church fights today involve music or other aspects of the worship service.
Nearly every time you open a new avenue for giving in the church, giving increases.
Fewer and fewer pastors are wearing ties to preach in on Sundays.
Fights over musical instruments in the worship service are more over what instruments are not being used than the ones that are.
The fading fights we discuss are:
Hymnals
Projector screens
Online giving
Formal vs. casual attire
Selected musical instruments
Offertory order in worship
Altar calls/invitation
Choir robes
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Send Network Hat
Pro-nounce Video Announcements
Rainer on Leadership is a member of the LifeWay Leadership Podcast Network
Episode Sponsors
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped thousands of churches just like yours find their church staff and are uniquely geared to help you discern who God is calling to lead your church.
For more information, visit WeStaffTheChurch.com.
Today’s episode is sponsored by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Be sure to check out Midwestern’s Doctorate of Ministry Degree. The D.Min. is an advanced degree preparing students for leadership in local churches and denominational service. It is also fully attainable in hybrid format which means you don’t have to move to pursue the degree.
Find out more at mbts.edu/dmin.
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.
March 25, 2019
Seven Trends in the Way Churches Are Responding to Inactive Members
Allow me a bit of clarity here. I am using the phrase, “inactive members,” to refer to those church members who have not shown up for any church service or event in several months. For now, I am not referring to those members who show up occasionally or sporadically.
What are the trends among the churches in North America? For certain, it’s a big issue. For example, the Southern Baptist Convention has over 15 million members, but only about 6 million show up for a weekly worship service. How are churches responding to the reality that many members on the church roll could not be found by the U. S. Census Bureau or the FBI? Here are seven trends:
The majority of churches do nothing. Many names on church membership rolls moved out of town years ago. Some have residency in graveyards. Some church members think moving someone off the membership rolls is tantamount to removing their salvation.
A small but growing minority of churches ask members to recommit to membership annually. With that commitment comes the expectation that the members will actually show up for worship services, among other expectations.
Few churches are actually intentional about connecting with inactive members. Those that are attempting to connect with inactive members report, for the most part, anemic responses. They thus become discouraged to pursue the task.
A number of churches have dropped “inactive member” as a category of membership. They rightly see the phrase, “inactive member,” as an oxymoron. They understand fully Paul’s teaching of the one word, “member,” in 1 Corinthians 12. A member is someone who is functioning for the greater good of the body.
A growing number of churches recognize legitimate reasons for not attending church worship services and minister to those members with intentionality. Those members would include people who are homebound, military personnel serving around the world, and those members whose vocations may cause them to relocate temporarily.
A steadily-growing trend is the utilization of a front-end membership class to set expectations about church membership. In a number of these classes, the prospective member hears clearly how he or she could be removed from the membership of the church.
There is a direct correlation to the number of inactive members in a church and the need for revitalization. We are no longer surprised when we work with churches in dire need of revitalization. More times than not, the church has a membership roll four or five times greater than its attendance. The church did not take membership seriously, so the members did not take the church seriously.
For certain, there are churches that have more in attendance than members. These churches tend to be younger or replanted churches. But, for the greater majority of churches in North America, the majority of those on membership rolls are missing in action.
March 24, 2019
Pray for Graceview Baptist Church
Location: Burleson, Texas
Pastor: Aaron Scarbrough
Weekly Worship: 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30 AM, Central
Fast Facts: Graceview was planted in 2011 and has been a growing church for eight years. The church began with a group of 80 people and now averages 450 in the three weekly services. Graceview is an intergenerational church and is striving to be a multicultural church in a community with a history of strong racism. God is answering their prayers in this area.
The church is committed to serving in its community and around the world by ministering to orphans and planting churches. God has given them the opportunity to plant three churches in the U.S. and to help plant eight churches internationally. Please be in prayer for their international trips and foster/adoption classes that they will be hosting this summer. Also, please pray as they raise money to purchase a campus and expand their worship facility.
Website: GraceviewBC.org
“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..
March 23, 2019
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: March 23, 2019
From Around the Web:
3 Mistakes Pastors Make During the Easter Season — Mark Dance
Each year I am tempted to allow Easter to sneak past me without taking time to really enjoy it. That probably sounds strange since it seems like everyone else enjoys Easter: parents, kids, church members—even the unchurched, to a degree. Even though Easter is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate our freedom from sin and death, for too many years I let three things rob me, and consequently others, of Easter joy.
Why Church Leaders Need Ministry Friends Outside Their Congregation — Facts & Trends
When I first began my ministry, I had no way of knowing about the stress that would come over the next several years. Let’s take stock of what a church leader’s life can look like:
7 Tips on Sermon Delivery — Chuck Lawless
Recently, I posted some general thoughts about sermon delivery based on almost four decades of preaching. Today, here are some practical tips that I’ve found helpful for me:
What Was It Like to Pastor at 17? — H.B. Charles, Jr.
There I am, preparing to speak. Someone introduces me who does not know me personally. So, he reads from my bio. Two things capture the congregation’s attention:
This Week at ThomRainer.com:
Why I Attend Church
In a culture that minimizes commitment and maximizes self-indulgence, I have learned the precious gift of church attendance or, more specifically, the church gathered…READ MORE
Seven Warnings about Memorials and Plaques in Your Church
Here are the negative issues we have heard associated with memorials and plaques in the church…READ MORE
Understanding the Differences between Open Groups and Closed Groups (and the Benefits of Both)
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Rainer-on-Leadership/Episode520.mp3
Four Thoughts on Ordination
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Rainer-on-Leadership/Episode521.mp3
Six Common Misperceptions about Revitalization
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Revitalize & Replant
http://media.blubrry.com/revitalizereplant/s3.amazonaws.com/rainerpodcast/Revitalize-and-Replant/RR-Episode085.mp3
March 22, 2019
Four Thoughts on Ordination – Rainer on Leadership #521
Podcast Episode #521
SUBSCRIBE:
iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio • Spotify
The practice of ordination has come under scrutiny recently, so we took the time in this episode to discuss its importance and the need to be thorough in the process of ordaining ministers.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Churches should be highly thoughtful when they consider ordaining a person to gospel ministry.
Background checks should be normative in the ordination process.
Social media background checks should be standard when hiring a pastor or ordaining someone for ministry.
Theological review should be foundational to the ordination process.
The four points we discuss are:
Autonomy is not an excuse for irresponsibility.
Background checks should become normative in the ordination process.
We should not assume the ordination of a pastor or staff member from another church is sufficient for our church.
Leaders should insist on vigorous examinations of candidates for ordination.
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
A Few Thoughts about Ordination in the Southern Baptist Convention
Rainer on Leadership is a member of the LifeWay Leadership Podcast Network
Episode Sponsors
Today’s episode is sponsored by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Midwestern offers more than 25 degrees at both undergraduate and masters level that are fully attainable online. From Business to Bible, Counseling to Christian education, prepare for your future at your own pace and in your own location.
Find out more at mbts.edu/online.
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped thousands of churches just like yours find their church staff and are uniquely geared to help you discern who God is calling to lead your church.
For more information, visit WeStaffTheChurch.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.
