Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 139
November 24, 2018
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: November 24, 2018
7 Keys to Growing Your Church’s Midweek Services — Jonathan Howe
Midweek gatherings can still be a vibrant part of the life of your church if done well and tailored to fit your context. Here are seven things you can do to keep your midweek services from being mid-weak:
How to Be Missional in the Marketplace This Holiday Season — Facts & Trends
This time of year often brings out a propensity for Christians to confuse the mission of saving people created in the image of God with the call to save holiday values that are propagated more by Hallmark than Scripture.
12 Recommended Books on Preaching — Chuck Lawless
We at Southeastern Seminary have an incredible preaching faculty, including Danny Akin, Jim Shaddix, Scott Pace, Dwayne Milioni, and Ronjour Locke. Actually, while I had good preaching professors as a student, I’m jealous of our students who get to learn from these men (especially our doctoral students who get significant interaction with them). I asked them to give me some books on preaching they would want preachers to read, and here are their recommendations in no order of preference:
Why Cool Church Doesn’t Work Anymore — Carey Nieuwhof
We’re quickly moving into a season where having a cool church is like having the best choir in town: it’s wonderful for the handful of people who still listen to choral music. Somethings changing. And hundreds of thousands of dollars in lights and great sound gear are probably not going to impact your community like they used to. So what’s changing? Plenty.
This Week at ThomRainer.com:
Four Key Attitudes That Are Killing Church Attendance
We shouldn’t take breaks from our church family any more than we should take breaks from our own family. We are to serve, to love, to encourage and, simply said, to be there…READ MORE
Revitalize and Replant: Is Relaunch a Third Way?
Let’s look at some issues we might consider if we look at relaunching as a distinct and viable third way to move churches toward greater health…READ MORE
Six Surprising Time Drainers of Church Leaders
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode486.mp3
Why Is the Music So Loud in My Worship Service?
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode487.mp3
Five Examples of Small Victories in Struggling Churches
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Revitalize & Replant
http://media.blubrry.com/revitalizereplant/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/RevitalizeReplant/RR-Episode068.mp3
November 23, 2018
Why Is the Music So Loud in My Worship Service? – Rainer on Leadership #487
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Mike Harland joins us to answer one of the biggest questions in church worship services today: why is it so loud?
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
The loudness of church music creates an engagement issue for those in the pew.
One easy fix to the loudness of church music is to vary the accompaniment from song to song or even in the songs.
Identify what technology really matters in your worship service and invest there.
If you want to improve your congregational singing, turn your lights up, turn your sound down, and pick songs people know.
The four questions about the loudness of church music that we explore are:
Why is it so loud?
Where do you start?
What is the ROI on tech?
Where do we invest?
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Church Answers
Worship Essentials
How Loud Should Our Church Music Be?
Revitalize Network
Episode Sponsors
The ministry landscape is changing, and the need for biblical training is more necessary than ever. It’s time to get your Master of Divinity degree. The M.Div —Midwestern Seminary’s flagship degree program — is the primary track for ministry preparation. At just 81 hours, the Midwestern M.Div offers a complete foundation for full-time ministry leaders, offering everything you need, and nothing you don’t. Join other students in vibrant Kansas City as you train in a unique collaborative environment focused on the local church or study online in your current ministry context. Midwestern Seminary is developing a discipleship culture devoted to the local church and committed to God’s unchanging Word. Why not start your training today?
Find out more at mbts.edu/mdiv.
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.
November 22, 2018
Five Examples of Small Victories in Struggling Churches – Revitalize & Replant #068
iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • Spotify
Churches often underestimate how small wins can create momentum—to the point where they don’t even recognize the victories. Today we discuss what small wins to look for, what to do, and how to celebrate them.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM MAURICE
I pastor a small, rural church. We are trying to revitalize, but it’s not easy. You’ve mentioned in previous episodes about the importance of celebrating even the small wins. What are some examples of those?
Episode Highlights:
Be creative and try to use your church facility to bless the community in every way possible.
Your church building is the best resource you have to minister to your community.
There are kids in every community. There are always ways you can minister to kids and their families.
If your community has holiday parades or festivals, figure out a way to be involved in some way.
The five small wins we cover are:
Using the facilities for the community
Transfer of leadership to those who actually live in the community
Older adults beginning a children’s ministry
Becoming involved in and contributing to community events
Becoming a friend to single parents
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
RevitalizeBundle.com
Make Your Bed
ChurchReplanters.com
ChurchAnswers.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.
November 21, 2018
Revitalize and Replant: Is Relaunch a Third Way?
As we seek to work with churches around the world, we use two words regularly to describe the efforts toward greater health: revitalize or replant. In simple terms, revitalize represents the church attempting to move toward greater health by making changes from within. Replant means an external entity, such as another church, essentially takes over the church and starts it anew.
Is relaunch a possible third way? I think so.
Some define relaunch as an extreme form of revitalization. The existing congregation may close the church for a few weeks and re-open it with a new commitment and, perhaps, a new identity. Others, like my friend Mark Clifton, see relaunch as an internal replant.
Because relaunch is often defined in terms of either revitalization or replanting, it gets little attention. It does not have its own identity and, therefore, does not get the focus of the other two emphases.
Let’s look at some issues we might consider if we look at relaunching as a distinct and viable third way to move churches toward greater health.
A relaunch may be more palatable for members who are not ready to give away their church to another church. Granted, relaunching has many challenges. It is basically shutting down the church for a period and re-opening it with a new purpose and identity. But it might be preferable to a replant led by another church.
A relaunch might be the option of the church before it is too sick to do anything other than close or replant. Most replants only have one other alternative: death and closure. Perhaps there will still be some healthy parts of the church at the stage of relaunch.
A relaunch is still an emotionally difficult decision for church members. Most churches at this point declined, among other reasons, because the members have been resistant to change. Why would they be receptive to the major change of a relaunch?
A relaunch has few guides to help churches. There are a growing number of us involved in church revitalization. There are some outstanding organizations like the North American Mission Board that understand the world of replanting very well. But there are few people and organizations that devote their resources and energies to relaunching.
A relaunch will likely require very specific commitments of the church members for it to have any chance of success. We will address some of those commitments in future posts and podcasts.
Revitalize. Replant.
Relaunch: Is it a real and viable third option for struggling churches?
I think so.
To be continued . . .
November 20, 2018
Six Surprising Time Drainers of Church Leaders – Rainer on Leadership #486
SUBSCRIBE:
iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio • Spotify
Like us all, pastors and church leaders only have a certain amount of time in their week. So it’s important to know what can lead to time drain during the week. Today, we discuss six such items.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Social media can be used for good but it can really eat up your time if you let it.
Being well rested helps you be more productive when you’re awake.
Weddings are one of the functions that pastors do which consume the most amount of time. All the related events really add up.
Having a good assistant you can empower will redeem copious amounts of time for a pastor.
The six time drainers we discuss are:
Drop by and casual conversations
Social media
Weariness
Long drives to hospitals and other visits
Weddings
Handling minutia
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Church Answers
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.
The ministry landscape is changing, and the need for biblical training is more necessary than ever. It’s time to get your Master of Divinity degree. The M.Div —Midwestern Seminary’s flagship degree program — is the primary track for ministry preparation. At just 81 hours, the Midwestern M.Div offers a complete foundation for full-time ministry leaders, offering everything you need, and nothing you don’t. Join other students in vibrant Kansas City as you train in a unique collaborative environment focused on the local church or study online in your current ministry context. Midwestern Seminary is developing a discipleship culture devoted to the local church and committed to God’s unchanging Word. Why not start your training today?
Find out more at mbts.edu/mdiv.
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.
November 19, 2018
Four Key Attitudes That Are Killing Church Attendance
There has been much written on declining attendance in churches. Specifically, many of us have addressed the issue of attendance frequency where even “active” church members attend less frequently.
Many pundits have rightly observed the impact of culture on the church, where church is, at best, just another activity. We have also addressed the issue of increasing choices. Many church members and attendees have so many opportunities to do other activities, and they can often afford them like never before. Still others note the increasing numbers of people working on Sunday, precluding them from attending worship services that day. Even more lament the reality that many children’s sports have been moved to Sundays.
These reasons are sound. But behind many of these reasons are attitudinal issues. These attitudinal issues are really the sources of the problem. And there are four attitudes in particular that have a devastating effect on church attendance.
The attitude that church membership is not biblical. One commenter on this blog challenged me: “Show me where church membership is in the Bible.” I asked her to check 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul said clearly, we are members of the body of Christ. He wrote that letter to a local church in a local community. You might argue that many churches have adapted cultural forms of church membership, where it looks more like a country club membership or a civic club membership. Probably so. But don’t take those biblical deviations to be an excuse not to practice biblical church membership.
The attitude that we are part of a church primarily to get our needs met. It is this attitude that causes much division in the church. We demand our own worship style, our preferred order of worship, and the building to be built, painted, and arranged just as we demand. But we are to be functioning members of the body of Christ for the greater good of the body. If you have any lingering doubts, read Philippians 2:1-4. Look at verse 3 in particular: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.” Take that verse to your next church business meeting.
The attitude that church leaders are not held to a higher standard. I hear it again and again from pastors and church staff. It’s frustrating that many church members have a lackadaisical attitude about church attendance. But it’s exponentially more frustrating when deacons, elders, and other church leaders do not set the example, when they attend infrequently and demonstrate low commitment. Take a few moments to read 1 Timothy 3:1-13 to see clearly that church leaders are indeed held to a higher standard.
The attitude that expectation of faithful church attendance is legalistic. For sure, we can turn any admonition into a legalistic trap. But God gave us the gathered body to encourage and love one another. Look at Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
We shouldn’t take breaks from our church family any more than we should take breaks from our own family. We are to serve, to love, to encourage and, simply said, to be there.
Declining church attendance has at its core unbiblical attitudes.
It’s time to stop pretending otherwise.
November 18, 2018
Pray for Carter’s Baptist Church
Location: Lakeland, Florida
Pastor: Larry Turner
Weekly Worship: 10:30 AM, Eastern
Fast Facts: Carter’s Baptist Church was started by a group of individuals that saw the need of a church in East Lakeland and West Auburndale Florida. The church just celebrated its 75th anniversary in the community. They run a food pantry that serves around 100 families monthly, many of whom are homeless. Please pray that they continue to raise up co-laborers to reach the communities around the church and for the children’s and youth ministries as they have a new youth pastor. Finally, please pray for the music ministry as to reach new people through their Christmas celebration.
Website: CartersBaptist.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..
November 17, 2018
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: November 17, 2018
6 Reasons Why Churches Should Teach About Money — Art Rainer
How often does your church teach about money? For some churches, the answer is rarely or never. The topic is avoided. Some churches contain the topic of money to a single sermon series, only to return to the topic 365 days later. If messages hitting on money are rare or totally absent at your church, let me give you a few reasons to consider placing them in your upcoming teaching calendar.
Is Your Home Centered on the Gospel or Your Kids? — Jamie Ivey
My husband and I see the dangers of having a child-centered home, and we are doing all that we can to make sure that our home is centered around the gospel of Jesus, rather than around our kids and their lives.
Pastors Repeatedly Face, But Feel Unprepared to Address Sexual Brokenness in the Church — Facts & Trends
Seven in 10 pastors (70 percent) are approached by church members or staff several times a year or more with concerns about sexual brokenness, according to a new report from The Brushfires Foundation.
12 Questions for Self-evaluation as a Church Leader — Chuck Lawless
I believe it’s always good to do self-evaluation as a leader. Whatever your leadership position is, I encourage you to use these statements as part of your devotional time today. Let the Holy Spirit speak into your life, and be honest about whether these statements reflect your life:
This Week at ThomRainer.com:
Seven Sentences That Make Pastors Cringe
Many pastors hear these sentences frequently, even though the church member may think his or her comment is both novel and helpful…READ MORE
Revisiting the Billy Graham Rule for Pastors
Understanding the dangers of being alone with opposite gender
Never travel together alone
Be very cautious when counseling the opposite gender
Build in a system of accountability
Better over-cautious than regretful
Seven Reasons the 10+ Year Pastorate Is Becoming More Common
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode484.mp3
Why Pastors’ Honeymoons are Getting Shorter
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode485.mp3
The Seven Most Common Reasons Revitalization Pastors Quit
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Revitalize & Replant
http://media.blubrry.com/revitalizereplant/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/RevitalizeReplant/RR-Episode067.mp3
November 16, 2018
Why Pastors’ Honeymoons are Getting Shorter – Rainer on Leadership #485
SUBSCRIBE:
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Honeymoons always end. There are somethings that can be done by a new pastor to extend them, but there are definitely some other things that can be done to cut them short. Today we discuss why many are being cut shorter these days.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
The expectation of a quick fix can be detrimental to a church’s health.
A lot of churches who die have money in the bank, but they are fearful to spend it on what needs to be done to avoid dying.
Don’t compare your pastor to another preacher you listen to on a podcast. Its not helpful to him nor for you.
At some point, every pastor’s honeymoon ends at a church.
The seven reasons we discuss are:
Understanding the pastor “life cycle”
Dealing with the culture of the quick fix
Believing the myth of the magic bullet
Dealing with the increased level of pastors’ frustrations
Managing financial fear and shortfalls
Realizing the reality of the inward focus
Understanding the comparison syndrome
Resources mentioned in today’s podcast
Scrappy Church
No Silver Bullets
Church Answers
Revitalize Network
Episode Sponsors
The ministry landscape is changing, and the need for biblical training is more necessary than ever. It’s time to get your Master of Divinity degree. The M.Div —Midwestern Seminary’s flagship degree program — is the primary track for ministry preparation. At just 81 hours, the Midwestern M.Div offers a complete foundation for full-time ministry leaders, offering everything you need, and nothing you don’t. Join other students in vibrant Kansas City as you train in a unique collaborative environment focused on the local church or study online in your current ministry context. Midwestern Seminary is developing a discipleship culture devoted to the local church and committed to God’s unchanging Word. Why not start your training today?
Find out more at mbts.edu/mdiv.
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.
November 15, 2018
The Seven Most Common Reasons Revitalization Pastors Quit – Revitalize & Replant #067
Pastors leave churches every week. It’s a sad reality, but in revitalization settings it often happens for one of these seven reasons.
Episode Highlights:
Pastors should expect there to be critics in the church.
Your family is your first line of ministry. If you’re not leading them well, you won’t be able to led the church well.
It’s important for a pastor to have friends out side the church to maintain proper perspective and understand that they face the same thing other pastors do.
When pastors take extended sabbaticals (longer than 4-6 weeks), they run the risk of losing touch with the church and the church moving on without them.
The seven reasons that we discuss are:
Unrealistic expectations
Critics
Family hurt
Loneliness
Weariness
Financial stress
Lack of self-worth
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
Revitalize Network
ChurchReplanters.com
ChurchAnswers.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 Scrappy Church and Reclaiming Glory.
