Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 166
March 1, 2018
Five Foundational Steps for Replanting – Revitalize & Replant #030
Even when a church is dying, new life can come to it, but it takes work. These five foundational steps can help.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM KENT
I’m in contact with a church in a mountain town in North Carolina considering taking me on as their replant pastor, but I’m not convinced they actually know what that means. They are a small group of about 30 people (half of them are family members), in the desperation stage before their death. How do I explain to them what a replant is, make it clear what changes need to take place before I commit, and evaluate if they truly are open to replanting or if they only think they are? The church is a stereotypical 1950’s mid-century building, small entry, pews to the back of the sanctuary and memorial plaques on almost every pew and door. Help!
Episode Highlights:
Dying churches need to look to the past before they’ll be ready to look to the future.
Churches who won’t repent corporately are often led by pastors who won’t repent personally.
Just because a church’s doors are open doesn’t mean the church isn’t already dead.
Repentance is not something to avoid, it’s a refreshing fountain we should run to daily.
Go would not be calling so many people to replant churches if He wasn’t intending to replant those churches.
You will not see a church revitalize without prayer.
The five foundational steps we discuss are:
Remember
Repent
Discover
Pray
Understand
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.
February 28, 2018
Four Ways Leaders Should Keep an Outward Focus
Pray for opportunities
Pray to fight distractions and discouragement
Learn from other leaders
Put it on your calendar
Some highlights from today’s Rainer Report:
It’s easy for church leaders to get caught in the weeds and minutiae; then mission drift sets in.
The Great Commission is not natural—it’s supernatural.
If you don’t calendar times to be in the community sharing your faith, it might not happen.
February 27, 2018
Five of the Most Common Questions Pastors Ask – Rainer on Leadership #410
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio
There’s a continual dialogue between pastors and our team at ThomRainer.com and Church Answers. Because of this, we hear from pastors on an ongoing basis. Today we cover some of the questions we get the most.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
When considering leaving your current pastorate, always consider both the push and the pull.
There are more resources available to churches than ever before, but it’s also harder to decide which ones to use.
Peer opinions and expert opinions help the most when making decisions about a new resource.
You are not the only pastor facing a specific issue. Other pastors are often going through the same struggles.
The five questions we get the most are:
Should I leave or stay?
What is the best resource for _________?
What is the best polity for my church?
How do I handle a power group in my church?
How do I handle this staff situation?
Episode Sponsors
Our friends at Vanderbloemen Search Group help churches and ministries build great teams by finding their key staff, but did you know they have a ton of resources around team building? Their newest addition is The Culture Tool, a free comprehensive staff engagement survey to help you build, run, and keep a great team. It’s brand new and still in beta, so check out TheCultureTool.com to be on the cutting edge of this new tool that will help you improve your church staff culture.
Visit TheCultureTool.com to learn more.
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
Church Answers
The Grass Isn’t Always Greener – Rainer on Leadership #034
Critics and Bullies Archives
Six of the Most Common Reasons for Church Staff Conflict – Rainer on Leadership #409
February 26, 2018
Five Reasons Many Pastors Struggle with Depression
Many pastors really do struggle with depression.
Most church members have no idea their pastor was depressed. They don’t know until they are awakened to the reality of some of the dramatic consequences of the depression: broken marriages; sexual affairs; resignation from ministry; and even suicide.
If you are a pastor reading this post and you are struggling with depression, please get help. Too many of you pastors have been taught that depression is a sign of failure in ministry, that it is something that must be hidden from view. Those are lies, blatant lies. Please get help. Now.
But the primary purpose of this post is to explain the precipitating factors to depression. More clearly, these are the five primary causes pastors identified as the reasons behind their depression. Each of the causes is followed by a direct quote from pastors who shared with me their struggles.
Spiritual warfare. “I don’t mean this in a profane way, but there was a point in my ministry when all hell broke loose. I can’t explain the attacks any way other than spiritual warfare. The Enemy was intent on destroying my ministry, and I began to spiral downward emotionally.”
The surprising reality of pastoral leadership. “I wish someone had told me how tough it is to be a pastor. My single counsel was to preach the Word, and I understand the priority of preaching. But, after a year or so in my first pastorate at age 31, I saw the underbelly of local church life. I was just caught off guard. And it took me some time before I realized I was truly depressed.”
Sense of inadequacy. “My church is declining. While I don’t get hung up on numbers, my members started talking about the decline. And when we had to delete a position because we could no longer pay the person, I really begin to hit rock bottom. I felt like it was all my fault.”
Critics and bullies. “Pastoral leadership really can be a death by a thousand cuts. It’s not any one person or criticism; it’s the constant and steady stream of criticisms. It wears on you. My depression came on gradually, so by the time I was in deep depression, I did not see it coming.”
Loneliness. “It’s really hard to find a true friend when you are a pastor. And when you have no one to talk to about your struggles and questions, life can get lonely. That is why Church Answers has been a God-send to me. I get to ask questions and share my struggles in a safe place.”
The pastor in number five mentioned Church Answers, a dynamic community of church leaders. It’s a place where you can get your church questions answered 24/7. And, more importantly, it’s a place where you will never feel alone. I urge you to become a part of this community while it is open this week. It may be one of the best decisions you make in ministry.
Depression is real with pastors. It seems to be pervasive. May we who serve alongside them, staff and laity alike, take a few minutes a day to pray for our pastors.
It could very well be one of the most important ministries we have.
February 25, 2018
Pray for First Baptist Church of Gwinn
Location: Gwinn, Michigan
Pastor: Vacant
Weekly Worship: 10:00 AM, Eastern
Fast Facts: First Baptist Church of Gwinn was founded in the 1960s as a ministry to the airmen from the local United States Air Force base. In 1995, K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base closed and the church lost many valuable members due to relocation. The church has struggled in the past twenty years, but God is still at work in the church. Members are working on a program for families of addicts and planning a outreach for the homeless in the area. Please pray for these ministries and for the congregation to come together in reach its community for God’s glory.
Website: FirstBaptistGwinn.com
“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..
February 24, 2018
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: February 24, 2018
Three Ways Pastors Win Over Influential Critics — Sam Rainer
Some criticism is constructive. Even when it’s not constructive, you can almost always learn something. Other criticism is just a visceral reaction. A personal attack was not intended; someone just said something in the heat of the moment. Some criticism is malicious and sinful. Other times, people are using criticism in a self-serving way. If you don’t want to expend the energy to filter criticism appropriately, then you shouldn’t lead a church. But the point still stands—criticism hurts.
Archaeologists May Have Found the Prophet Isaiah’s Signature — Facts & Trends
A newly discovered small piece of clay may contain the signature of Isaiah, the biblical prophet. Biblical Archaeology Review announced the findings in its latest issue. Eilat Mazar, an archaeologist and author of the BAR piece, suggests the damaged half-inch clay oval may have contained Isaiah’s name and title.
8 Reminders for Believers in the Bible Belt — Chuck Lawless
As leaders, it is often easier to sound the alarm of retreat, instead of leading through tough situations. However, some of us are wired to simply plow through when leadership gets tough, not considering the people that are affected by our leadership. The reality is, leadership is hard at times, complex, and messy; but, some one has to lead.
This Week at ThomRainer.com:
Five Dangers of Church Designated Funds
Designated funds are not an intrinsic problem themselves. But they can become a dangerous precedent for several reasons. Here are five of them…READ MORE
How Do You Respond to a Member Who Thinks You Should Resign?
Don’t respond directly immediately
Remember most of the time they are in a distinct minority
Pray for the critic
Pray for discernment
Move on to the positive
How to Avoid Echo Chamber Leadership
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode408.mp3
Six of the Most Common Reasons for Church Staff Conflict
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode409.mp3
Differences in Large Church vs. Small Church Revitalization
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Revitalize & Replant
http://media.blubrry.com/revitalizereplant/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/RevitalizeReplant/RR-Episode029.mp3
February 23, 2018
Six of the Most Common Reasons for Church Staff Conflict – Rainer on Leadership #409
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio
Conflict is inevitable in the workplace. But there are things you can avoid that can help limit the conflict. Today, we cover six causes of conflict and how to overcome them.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Always ask ministry philosophy questions when interviewing with a church.
Low work ethic is a common cause of resentment from other staff.
Never hire a friend if you’re not willing to fire that friend.
When hiring, look for character, chemistry, and competency.
Extensive interview processes will help you better determine if a candidate is a good fit for the workplace.
The six common causes of staff conflict we cover are:
Lack of alignment
Resentment toward inherited staff
Resentment toward lack of work ethic
Hiring friends
Tribalism
Failure to connect personally
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.
Our friends at Vanderbloemen Search Group help churches and ministries build great teams by finding their key staff, but did you know they have a ton of resources around team building? Their newest addition is TheCultureTool.com , a free comprehensive staff engagement survey to help you build, run, and keep a great team. It’s brand new and still in beta, so check out TheCultureTool.com to be on the cutting edge of this new tool that will help you improve your church staff culture.
Visit TheCultureTool.com to learn more.
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 Who Moved My Pulpit?
Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast
ChurchAnswers.com
Facebook Masterclass – Thom Rainer on Facebook
February 22, 2018
Differences in Large Church vs. Small Church Revitalization – Revitalize & Replant #029
Large churches are obviously different than small churches, but what are those specific differences as it relates to church revitalization? Today, we cover that and more.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM CLIFF
I just took a pastorate at a larger church than I’ve ever pastored. I’ve led revitalization at a few smaller churches (mostly under 250) in the past and am now at a church in Central Florida running 450+. What differences in revitalization might I run into in a church this size as compared to my previous churches?
Episode Highlights:
It may seem obvious, but not all churches are alike.
Revitalization funding needs to be a local mission effort.
Because small, declining churches can more closely see the end of their church, desperation often sets in earlier than in large churches.
Bigger churches aren’t always healthier, sometimes they’re just bigger.
The nine differences in large and small church revitalizations are:
The resources issue: good and bad
The death spiral issue
The desperation factor
The mindset issue
The pride factor
The facility issue: good and bad
Smaller churches more likely to be open to acquisition
The percentage of churches in need of major revitalization is not statistically different at any size
The final consideration: “It depends”
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.
Differences in Large Church vs. Small Church Revitalization – Revitalize & Replant #29
Large churches are obviously different than small churches, but what are those specific differences as it relates to church revitalization? Today, we cover that and more.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM CLIFF
I just took a pastorate at a larger church than I’ve ever pastored. I’ve led revitalization at a few smaller churches (mostly under 250) in the past and am now at a church in Central Florida running 450+. What differences in revitalization might I run into in a church this size as compared to my previous churches?
Episode Highlights:
It may seem obvious, but not all churches are alike.
Revitalization funding needs to be a local mission effort.
Because small, declining churches can more closely see the end of their church, desperation often sets in earlier than in large churches.
Bigger churches aren’t always healthier, sometimes they’re just bigger.
The nine differences in large and small church revitalizations are:
The resources issue: good and bad
The death spiral issue
The desperation factor
The mindset issue
The pride factor
The facility issue: good and bad
Smaller churches more likely to be open to acquisition
The percentage of churches in need of major revitalization is not statistically different at any size
The final consideration: “It depends”
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.
February 21, 2018
Thank You, Billy Graham
Like many of you, I am deeply saddened to hear news of the death of Billy Graham today. He was a friend, a colleague, and mentor to me, and I will miss him dearly.
When reports of his declining health made headlines recently, I reflected on a trip I took with Nellie Jo to visit with Mr. Graham at his home in Montreat, North Carolina in the fall of 2009. Though it was not my first time to meet with the famed evangelist, this visit seemed especially poignant at the time. Perhaps the poignancy of the moment related to the visit in his home. I had never been to the mountaintop cabin that he and his family called home for so many years.
It was my first visit with Mr. Graham since his beloved Ruth had passed away two years prior. Her photos and keepsakes were visible throughout the home. This visit was certainly different for that reason. Still again, my time with Billy Graham was poignant because he was in his twilight years. He knew it. So did I. Sadly, this would be my last visit with him.
Lessons I Learned on My Visit
I also knew that when I meet with people like Mr. Graham, there is always an opportunity to learn from them. So in the visit I had with Mr. Graham, I wanted once again to glean from his life, his wisdom, and his experience. My quest was not disappointing. To the contrary, I came away realizing that I had been on the mountaintop in more ways than one.
Here are five simple but profound lessons I learned from that visit with Billy Graham.
A life pleasing to the Lord is a life of integrity. The name of Billy Graham inevitably reminds us of integrity. His was a life that did not compromise morally. It was a life that was above reproach financially. And his was a life of incredible honesty. Leadership at any level cannot begin to function well unless the leader has integrity.
Our first ministry is to our family. The home of Billy Graham was a home of love. It was the place where Billy and Ruth Graham raised children and welcomed grandchildren. At one point in my visit with Mr. Graham, he pointed to a portrait of his late wife Ruth. With tears in his eyes he said, “I can’t wait to see her in heaven.” Today, he has that joy. Thank you, sir, for reminding me again of the priority of family.
Listen to critics, but don’t dwell on them. In my position, I am subject to criticisms more often than I like. Indeed I am pretty thin-skinned, so it is an area in which I constantly struggle. So I asked Mr. Graham how, in a lifetime of international ministry and scrutiny, he dealt with the constant stream of criticisms. He smiled at me and simply said, “I ignored most of them.” While he never implied that he was blameless, he knew that dwelling on criticisms would distract and harm his ministry. So he simply moved on.
Humility is one of the greatest virtues of leaders. He counseled presidents and kings. He preached to millions. Volumes have been written about his life and ministry. Some have seen him to be the world’s most influential person of the second half of the twentieth century. Yet in each of the times I was with him, I witnessed one of the most humble men I’ve ever known. Billy Graham never thought too highly of himself. What an incredible example he was.
All that really matters is Jesus. Mr. Graham preached about Him for most of his life. The message of the gospel was the heart of his ministry. He understood the brevity of life. And he knew, when it is all said and done, our relationship with Jesus Christ is all that really matters.
These lessons are but a sampling of what he has undoubtedly contributed to the millions and millions of lives he has impacted through his ministry.
It Was All About Jesus
And as I reflect on his life and ministry, I know I will never come close to becoming the man he was. Still, I can learn. And you can learn too.
We can learn to love our family and others with a greater love. We can learn to have a greater humility, understanding that we are nothing without Christ. We can learn that the simple things in life are those that really matter. And we can learn that this life is not about us.
It’s all about Jesus.
That was the life of Billy Graham. It was all about Jesus. That is the type of life I desire to have.
Thank you, Mr. Graham.
Thank you for your time. Thank you for your ministry. Thank you for your integrity. Thank you for your humility.
Thank you for your life.
