Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 154
June 29, 2018
Four Steps for Dealing with a #MeToo Moment in Your Church – Rainer on Leadership #445
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio
Josh Bryant, the Church Law Guru, joins us to discuss how your church can prepare for and respond to a #MeToo accusation.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
In the church, we’re are more aware of sexual abuse and assault issues than ever before.
Pastors need to lead church staffs through sexual harassment prevention training.
If you become aware of sexual abuse or assault as a pastor, your first response needs to be reporting it.
Every church should have a plan for how to respond to a sexual abuse, assault, or harassment claim.
The four step we discuss today are:
Write it down
Speak into it
Plan for it
Respond to it
About Josh Bryant
Josh Bryant is the Managing Attorney at Church General Counsel. He seeks to help churches bolster church growth and ministry needs with legal compliance and best risk management practices. He has a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville, Arkansas and previously served as Pastor of Adult Discipleship at First Baptist Church in Rogers Arkansas.
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.
Applications are now open for Vanderbloemen’s fall pastor coaching network at their Houston headquarters in September and November. There are two networks – one for Lead Pastors and one for Executive Pastors. Each group is limited to 16 people. It’s a roundtable, close-knit network where you will grow as a leader so that you can grow your team and ultimately grow your church.
If you’re interested in joining, visit vanderbloemen.com/coaching for more information.
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.
Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast
ERLC resources on sexual abuse and assault
ADF legal guide for churches
MinistrySafe.com
ChurchLaw.guru
churchgeneralcounsel.com/metoo
June 28, 2018
The Power of Celebrating in Church Revitalization – Revitalize & Replant #047
Celebrating the wins in a revitalization is important as you gain momentum moving forward. Today we discuss why it’s important and how to improve on this in your church.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM THOMAS
I’ve been at my current church for a little over four years. We’ve seen some small wins in revitalization over the past year or so. What should I do to keep the momentum going when the wins are small and not something everyone in the church sees?
Episode Highlights:
Celebration leads to action in the church.
Fewer and fewer churches are truly celebrating conversions by new believers.
The more you celebrate something in your church, the more likely people are to gravitate to doing that.
Celebrate a church’s past not as something to which we should return but as something that provides hope for the future.
Other local churches are your ministry partners, not your ministry competitors.
The seven ways you can celebrate are:
“What gets celebrated gets done”
Celebrate small victories
Celebrate community impact
Celebrate each conversion
Celebrate the history of the church as a path for the future
Celebrate improvements in the church’s facilities
Celebrate ministry partners
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
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.
June 27, 2018
Six Important Church Metrics We Often Ignore
Conversion trends
Ministry involvement trends
Small group attendance trends
Total giving trends
Budget giving trends
Weekly per capita giving
Some highlights from today’s Rainer Report:
The higher % of members you get involved in ministry, the smaller the backdoor of the church will get.
Small group attendance trends will likely tell you more about other areas of the church—giving, involvement, worship attendance, etc.
Total giving isn’t the only giving trend you need to be watching in your church.
Giving trends are often early indicators for other church health trends.
June 26, 2018
Six Ways the #MeToo Movement Has Affected Local Church Life – Rainer on Leadership #444
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio
Sexual abuse in the Church has become a major issue for pastors and church leaders. Today, we discuss why this is an important moment for the Church to get right in the way things are handled.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Because of so many sexual abuse coverups in the past, the Church has lost respect and trust of many.
Every church is vulnerable to a potential sexual abuse case. Don’t think it can’t happen in your church.
Churches should stand with victims of sexual abuse, not against them.
Churches have a responsibility to do everything within their power to prevent sexual abuse, harassment, and assault.
Six ways #MeToo has affected churches are:
Local church leaders are often the first line of communication on issues of abuse.
Leaders must not hesitate in responding with urgency.
The unchurched world trusts church leaders less.
Greater awareness is healthier for local churches.
Local church leaders need female input.
The issues will only grow, creating greater time and resource demands for churches.
Episode Sponsors
Applications are now open for Vanderbloemen’s fall pastor coaching network at their Houston headquarters in September and November. There are two networks – one for Lead Pastors and one for Executive Pastors. Each group is limited to 16 people. It’s a roundtable, close-knit network where you will grow as a leader so that you can grow your team and ultimately grow your church.
If you’re interested in joining, visit vanderbloemen.com/coaching for more information.
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 Becoming a Welcoming Church.
Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast
MinistrySafe.com
The Wrath of God Poured Out — The Humiliation of the Southern Baptist Convention
Jen Wilkin – Significance of the Role of Women Within Our Churches
June 25, 2018
How and Why I Could Fall
Over eight years ago I read Crash Course: The American Automobile Industry’s Road from Glory to Disaster by Paul Ingrassia. The book is a fascinating account of the rise and fall of the “Big Three” automakers: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Only Ford avoided the ultimate fall of bankruptcy.
I wrote a blog post on the book, much of which is repeated here. It is an amazing reminder of both the pressures and temptations of leadership
My initial desire was to learn from the lessons of the automobile industry, both the good and the bad. Though most of the book does focus on the enormous missteps of many in the automobile industry, it is fair to give credit where credit is due. For example, in 2006, Bill Ford, holding the multiple titles of Chairman, President, and CEO of Ford, understood that his leadership was not getting the job done. So he, in essence, fired himself as President and CEO and brought new leadership to Ford. That move likely was the decisive moment that led the company to avoid bankruptcy. “I have a lot of myself invested in this company,” Ford explained, “but not my ego.”
Unfortunately, Bill Ford’s actions were the exception and not the rule. Those in management of the Big Three and those in leadership of the union at times demonstrated such lack of leadership that we, in hindsight, wonder how leaders can head down such destructive paths.
The Essence of It All
James B. Stewart’s words on the front jacket of the book, tell the essence of the story well: “A fascinating look at how ego and hubris destroyed an industry . . .” Indeed, of all the leadership lessons learned, the most pervasive and persuasive in the book is that hubris is the downfall of leaders and, thus, their organizations.
I was thus intrigued to follow the lives and leadership paths of these leaders in the book. I quickly saw some clear patterns of leadership infected with hubris.
The Signs of Hubris
My list is not exhaustive, but I do believe it is telling. In each of the corporate leaders’ and union leaders’ lives, the following patterns began to emerge. In them you can see the signs of hubris for any leader.
Leaders with hubris see others as inferior. The rest of the world does not get it. Others are just not as smart. As a result, these leaders do not listen well because others really don’t have anything worthy to say. Leaders with hubris thus lack patience with others. They definitely cannot see their own faults.
Leaders with hubris are slow to see deteriorating conditions in the organizations they lead. The CEO of General Motors declared in a 2007 letter to shareholders: “Our entire team rose up to meet the collective challenges we face.” The letter was written as the two-year losses for GM totaled over $12 billion. Leaders with hubris cannot see conditions getting worse, because they cannot believe such conditions could take place under their leadership.
Leaders with hubris are quick-tempered. Some of the stories of the tempers of union leaders and the leaders of the Big Three are almost unbelievable. Their condescending and demeaning treatment of others reflects their own aggrandized view of themselves. If anyone disagreed with them or got in their way, the self-righteous anger of the leader exploded.
Leaders with hubris expect to be served. The CEOs of the Big Three didn’t get it. They showed up at congressional hearings for bailout money in private corporate jets. Union leaders’ threats of strikes against the car companies garnered the workers such out-of-the-norm benefits that the very existence of the companies they worked for were jeopardized. In both cases, everyone was looking out for themselves, seeking to be served rather than seeking to serve.
Leaders with hubris don’t know when to step down. No person is indispensable to an organization. No leader is indispensable to an organization. We often more quickly recognize our call to a place rather than our call away from a place. Leaders with hubris try to hang on too long.
Looking in the Mirror
As I read the book and as I wrote this post, my mind captured images of past and current leaders whom I thought fit the bill perfectly of leaders with hubris. Then the thought hit me. Leaders with hubris never think they are or will be leaders with hubris. It sure is easy to talk about others who are self-serving egotists. But it is incredibly difficult to accept that I can go down that very same path.
Most of us are familiar with Proverbs 16:18: “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall” (CSB). But the following verse is not cited as often: “Better to be a lowly spirit with the humble than to divide the plunder with the proud” (Proverbs 16:19).
I must look in the mirror more often and see my own sinfulness and propensity toward hubris. It’s easy to read a book about other leaders who became filled with self and led with hubris. But I must realize even more poignantly that except for the grace of God I too will go down that path.
June 24, 2018
Pray for Calvary Baptist Church
Location: Spotsylvania, Virginia
Pastor: Justin Spradlin
Weekly Worship: 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, Eastern
Fast Facts: Calvary Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist Church nestled right in the middle of Spotsylvania County. Pastor Spradlin has been there for nearly a year after returning as pastor to his home church. Calvary is a smaller rural church that has a heart to reach its community. Each Sunday after the morning service they have lunch in the fellowship hall and then gather together for an afternoon service. Please pray that the church would continue to reach and impact Spotsylvania County. Also, pray for Pastor Spradlin as he continues to introduce change and improvements to the church to better equip them as disciples.
Website: Clvry.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..
June 23, 2018
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: June 23, 2018
Three Must-Haves of Every Church Revitalization — Sam Rainer
Regardless of the amount of work required, whether it’s one ministry area or the entire congregation, there are three must-haves of every church revitalization. These three must-haves apply to churches of any size or denominational background. Most churches will require more work beyond these three items, but the vast majority of revitalizations will include them.
Your 5 Biggest Volunteer Recruiting Questions Answered — Facts & Trends
Encouraging the people of your church to step forward and serve can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be, according to LifeWay’s Todd Adkins, Daniel Im, and Eric Geiger, hosts of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast. Recently, Adkins, Im, and Geiger released five episodes specifically related to recruiting volunteers in churches, providing church leaders with practical advice and answering some of their top questions. Here are some of the highlights from their conversations.
Five “Short-Timers” Who May Not Stay Long at Your Church — Joel Rainey
Sometimes, no matter what you do, people are going to leave. In my experience, there are five types of individuals who are most likely to not stay very long. I’m afraid there is nothing in this article that will help you keep them. But perhaps, if you have advanced warning, their departure won’t hurt so much.
8 Reminders for Believers in the Bible Belt — Eric Geiger
The common leadership counsel to focus on your strengths is wise, with one important caveat. Your weaknesses must be addressed and brought to an acceptable norm or they will overshadow your strengths. Yes, focus on your strengths, but your weaknesses cannot be so overwhelming as to debilitate your leadership credibility. In his book, The Leadership Code, Dave Ulrich challenges leaders to be at least average in key disciplines of leadership or their weakness will crush them. Yet many leaders choose to ignore their weaknesses completely for the following two reasons:
This Week at ThomRainer.com:
Contemporary Trends in Church Names
Remember when denominational names were en vogue? Remember when you could figure out which denominational church came to the city first? Those days are gone…
Why Your Church Needs to Quadruple Its Outreach Efforts
Many churches are in distressing inertia, and need a shock to the system
We must reallocate our church’s resources
Cultural Christianity is dead
Outreach by invitation is on the rise (InviteYourOne.com)
There is still receptivity to the gospel
Eight Ways the Digital World Has Changed Local Church Ministry
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode442.mp3
Equipping Millennials in the Church
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode443.mp3
Revitalizing a Church When You Have a Power Player Against You
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Revitalize & Replant
http://media.blubrry.com/revitalizereplant/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/RevitalizeReplant/RR-Episode046.mp3
June 22, 2018
Equipping Millennials in the Church – Rainer on Leadership #443
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio
Chris Martin, the Millennial Evangelical, joins us to discuss Ministering to Millennials and how your church can better equip and engage Millennials.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Systematic theology and classical theological training are more popular with Millennials than previous generations.
We are seeing more theological interest in laity from Millennials than other generations.
The church is a family—it should act like one.
It’s hard to hate someone you’re praying for.
About Ministering to Millennials and Chris Martin
What if I told you that you could fill your church with Millennials in three easy steps? I’d be lying, that’s what. What if I recommended you simply add some mood lighting to your worship, order some organic, fair trade coffee for your baristas, wear lots of plaid on stage, and then you’d have Millennials lining up to worship Jesus? Nope. Still lying. But what if I told you that by considering cultural trends and proclaiming the gospel, your church may have more opportunities to reach and equip Millennials than you do now? Now we might be onto something.
Chris Martin is a content strategist at LifeWay Christian Resources, a co-founder of LifeWay Social, and leader of the youth at City Church in Murfreesboro, TN. He founded MillennialEvangelical.com in 2014 to help pastors better understand, reach, and equip Millennials.
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.
Applications are now open for Vanderbloemen’s fall pastor coaching network at their Houston headquarters in September and November. There are two networks – one for Lead Pastors and one for Executive Pastors. Each group is limited to 16 people. It’s a roundtable, close-knit network where you will grow as a leader so that you can grow your team and ultimately grow your church.
If you’re interested in joining, visit vanderbloemen.com/coaching for more information.
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.
Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast
MillennialEvangelical.com
Ministering to Millennials
June 21, 2018
Revitalizing a Church When You Have a Power Player Against You – Revitalize & Replant #046
Leading in a church revitalization can be difficult when one or a few people are working against you. Today, we discuss how to lead through this situation.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM CALEB
I have a church bully problem. One church member, whose name rhymes with Dodger, keeps making ends runs around decisions I make and is generally undoing things as I try to do them in our revitalization. I guess he’s not a bully as much as he is a foe making power moves on me and the staff.
Episode Highlights:
Church members often want change until it means they have to change, too.
It’s hard to be negative toward someone when you are praying for them.
Sometimes it’s easier to lead around people than over them.
When you have a power player in the church, it will inevitably lead to a negative situation in the church.
The seven tips when dealing with a power player are:
This situation is not uncommon, even if everyone said they were on board
Begin with prayer
Try to decide if the blockage is a workaround or clash of the titans
Enlist others to help
Focus on the positive where you can
Be aware of the energy vampires
Only as a last resort, ask the power player to go
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
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.
June 20, 2018
Why Your Church Needs to Quadruple Its Outreach Efforts
Many churches are in distressing inertia, and need a shock to the system
We must reallocate our church’s resources
Cultural Christianity is dead
Outreach by invitation is on the rise (InviteYourOne.com)
There is still receptivity to the gospel
Some highlights from today’s Rainer Report:
Too many churches are to the point where hardly anything they do is outwardly focused.
Most declining churches don’t lack resources, they lack obedience.
The death of cultural Christianity has separated the wheat from the chaff in our churches.
Churches who invite people to attend are churches who have guests who come. It really is that simple at times.
