Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 174
December 6, 2017
Four Considerations for Baby Boomer Pastors
I am one of you.
We are the generation born between 1946 and 1964. Until the Millennials came along, we were the largest generation in American history. Our influence is still great.
But most of us are surprised our older years arrived so quickly. We can remember when we didn’t trust anyone over the age of 30. Now we think 30-somethings are kids. Many of us have difficulty dealing with this phase of our life and ministry. Older age was for “those people.” It never was supposed to be about us.
And now we are here. Our ages range from 54 to 72. We are in our fourth quarter. How do we end well, especially if we are in vocational ministry? Allow me to make four suggestions.
Make your life one of mentoring. You have rich experiences. You have served as pastor of good churches and tough churches. You know the joys of ministry. You know the pains of ministry. You know what it is like to be ready to throw in the towel. Find a Millennial pastor. Grab a coffee with him. Go with no agenda other than to get to know him better and to pray for him. See what God will do with that relationship.
Don’t let your vocation be your identity. Your identity is child of the living God. Your identity is Christ. It is not your title or your position or your church. We Boomers often get so caught up in our work and ministry that it begins to define who we are. As a consequence, we have trouble letting go when it’s time to leave. That brings me to the next point.
Know when to leave. We Boomers won’t retire in the classic sense. We want to keep making a difference. But sometimes that means we hold on to a position too long. You are not indispensable. Trust God to find your successor. Trust God to help you with your finances. Trust God to find you a place where you can make a difference. But don’t hang on so long your church or organization declines and wonders if you will ever leave. It’s not about you. Make room for the next person. Make room for the next generation.
Consider a fourth quarter ministry in another place. Perhaps it’s time to move on and serve under a younger pastor in another church, even if it’s part time. Perhaps it’s time to be highly intentional about mentoring, coaching, or consulting with other churches and pastors. Perhaps it’s time for you to take a subservient role even though you have led as a pastor for years. Consider all the options God may put before you.
We are about to see a great exodus of Boomer pastors and church leaders through retirement and death. The data indicates we don’t have enough church leaders to fill these vacancies. Maybe we Boomers can be highly intentional about raising up this next generation of church leaders.
It’s time, fellow Boomers. It’s time for us to consider how to transition in this phase of our life and ministry. Don’t hold on to those things where God has told you to let go.
It might be a scary next step. But, like your original call to ministry, the God who gave you a path and opportunities will do the same in this new, and possibly, last phase of ministry.
It’s time to let go, whatever that may mean, and trust God.
He will provide.
December 5, 2017
How Being Nice Can Lead to Bad Decisions – Rainer on Leadership #386
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio
Decisions have to be made in the church. Unfortunately our desire to be nice and avoid hurting someone’s feelings can often lead to either a bad decision or simply not making one that’s needed.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Christian organizations should be better stewards of resources than any other organization.
Most people know when a change in personnel needs to be made in a local church.
Sometimes we are just too nice that we are unwilling to confront sin.
Things in the church will be so different 5-10 years from now. Many churches are not ready for this change.
“Being nice” is not always the best thing to do—especially when it leads to poor decisions.
Do you want a job or do you want to make a difference? Making a difference involves making hard choices.
Make the right decisions—not the most expedient ones.
The seven reasons being nice can lead to bad decisions are:
We don’t make a needed personnel decision.
We are unwilling to confront sin.
We won’t eliminate a weak program or ministry.
We are unwilling to make tough decisions on facilities.
We compromise the Word of God.
We let volunteers continue in positions where they should not.
We make bad financial choices.
Episode Sponsors
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. Their Fall Lead Pastor and Executive Pastor Coaching Networks are now open for registration, and our very own Dr. Rainer will be speaking at the Fall Lead Pastor Coaching Network.
So if you’re a Lead Pastor or an Executive Pastor looking for peer roundtable coaching, check it out at vanderbloemen.com/coaching. It’s limited to 16 folks, so apply today before it fills up.
Midwestern Seminary is interested in helping you get to the field faster. And they’re serious about training leaders for the church. That’s why they’ve created the all-new Accelerate Program. In Midwestern’s Accelerate Program, students earn both Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Divinity degree in just 5 years of intensive study. That’s a B.A. and an M.Div. at the same time. This innovative residential program combines rigorous academic training with practical ministry preparation, resulting in one of the most effective programs around, so that you can pursue your ministry calling as soon as possible.
Two degrees in five years – all in one program: Accelerate at Midwestern Seminary. Take the next step by visiting mbts.edu/accelerate.
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
Seven Ways Being Nice Hurts Your Church
Explore the Bible
The Gospel Project
Bible Studies for Life
SmallGroup.com
December 4, 2017
Five Reasons the Homogeneous Church Is Declining and Dying
When you are in your worship services next Sunday, look at the people around you.
Do they all look like you? Do they all come from the same economic backgrounds? Are they are about the same age?
If so, you are in a homogeneous church. As the old homogeneous unit principle implied, “We attract people who are like us.” That principle was a point of contention and debate for decades. Is it descriptive (a reality observed), or is it prescriptive (a strategy pursued)?
I contend that the healthy church in America will be neither. Indeed, I contend that the homogenous church is declining and dying.
Why? Here are five key reasons.
We live in a heterogeneous culture. I grew up in the racist world of the Deep South. We whites had our own churches, places of business, and country clubs. No one else was allowed. If you went to the doctor, there were separate waiting rooms for whites and African Americans (“Coloreds”). It was abysmal. It was sickening. I know. Racism is not gone. But I am grateful that my children and grandchildren don’t even know why a person of a different color should not be their friend or colleague. The culture has changed. But not all churches have changed. Those that haven’t will die.
Gen Z will not have a majority racial or ethnic group. Those born from 2001 to today are growing up in a generation that has no majority group. For the first time in American history, whites will be a minority with other minority groups. That is the real world. Our churches need to reflect that real world.
The Millennials tend to avoid homogeneous churches. This generation, born between 1980 and 2000, sees homogenous churches as aberrations. It does not reflect the reality of the world in which they live. They may visit a homogeneous church, but they likely will not return.
Cultural Christianity is dying. “Cultural Christians” is an oxymoron. We use that term to refer to unregenerate people who had some level of participation in a congregation because it was the culturally acceptable thing to do. It was good for business and politics. That world is almost gone. Cultural Christians could come to our segregated churches with no qualms, because they only attended to get business connections, to get votes, or just to be accepted as a member of good standing in the community. That world no longer exists.
Homogeneity is a form of segregation. It is not gospel-centric. This issue is the essence of the matter. When we begin to define our churches by skin color, socioeconomic class, or any other divider, we are going counter to the gospel.
Where should we begin to move our churches to reflect the centrality of the gospel? A first step is to know your community. Do the research to find out who is really in the community around your church. We offer an excellent resource that provides over 30 pages of demographic and psychographic data on your community. Whatever path you take, get to know who is really in your community. That information will let you know if there is a divide between those who attend your church and those who live around you.
Homogeneous churches are dying. They do not reflect the gospel. It is my prayer that our churches will soon reflect this reality when we gather before the Lamb of God:
After this I looked and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10, CSB)
December 3, 2017
Pray for The Orchard Christian Church
Location: Emmett, Idaho
Pastor: Ben McClary
Weekly Worship: 10:30 AM, Mountain
Fast Facts: The Orchard was planted in April of 2014 in a beautiful small town of about 6,000 people just outside of Boise. They meet in a local elementary school, but that hasn’t stopped them from helping plant Indian Creek Christian Church in Nampa, Idaho. The new church plant launch team for that church is planning to start monthly gatherings at the end of 2017 and weekly services in March of 2018. Please pray that for this new church plant as well as the facilities and finances for The Orchard. As with most small, new churches, finances are pretty tight and they are seeking a permanent facility for offices, mid-week classes, and group meetings.
Website: TheOrchard.cc
“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..
December 2, 2017
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: December 2, 2017
Five Key Steps to Reach and Retain Guests
What Churches That Have Healthy Small Groups Are Doing – Rainer on Leadership #384
10 Mistakes Churches Make at Christmastime
Revitalization After a Church Split – Revitalize & Replant #017
Five Ways to Connect Your Church to Your Community – Rainer on Leadership #385
4 Phrases for Preachers to Avoid — Daryl Crouch
Both written and oral words are opportunities for the Holy Spirit to communicate with power. Written words, however, are subject to the editor’s judgment before going public. The extemporaneous nature of preaching, on the other hand, while engaging, can also produce unhelpful words that distract from the message of God. Anyone who preaches feels the weight of this, and we have all replayed unforced errors in our mind on Sunday afternoon only to hold out hope for a forgiving, or at least a forgetful, congregation. So prayer, sound exegesis, and common sense help us to preach better sermons. Avoiding these four phrases falls into the latter category.
Five Key Sources for Sermon Illustrations and Why They are Important — Sam Rainer
Illustrations also help the listener to understand your points, especially the more abstract or theological ones. You know those technical manuals that “help” you put together cheap furniture? That’s your sermon without any illustrations. They may get the job done, but nobody will enjoy them. Where do I get my sermon illustrations? I have five key sources.
Help for the Beat-Up Pastor — Erik Raymond
I’ve seen it far too many times. Upon exchanging general pleasantries, there is a look and a sigh that says it all. This pastor is beaten up. He is hurting. Talking further reveals that he feels as stable emotionally as a Jenga tower engineered by a 5-year-old. Some guys geta beating from their elders, others from church members, and still others from the outside. They are reeling and wounded.
10 Things I’d Do Differently as a Pastor during the Christmas Season — Chuck Lawless
It’s December, and the Christmas season is upon us. As I look back on my years as a senior pastor, I think of things I would do differently during this season today if I were again a senior leader in a church. Here are some of those things:
Sunday School and Small Group: Friends Who Need No Reconciliation — Allen Duty
Many churches today—especially newer church plants in America—are rejecting Sunday school classes in favor of small groups. Others have rejected small groups in favor of more traditional Sunday school classes. What we should reject is the false dichotomy between Sunday school classes and small groups.
How to Improve Your Church Website’s ‘About Us’ Page — Elsa Dooling
The ‘About Us’ page on your website is often the ‘go to’ place visitors readily seek out to quickly learn about your organization. Does this page help visitors instantly know who you are as a church and what you believe? Can visitors find this information on your website in under 20 seconds? These are important questions to consider as you review your website’s viability and effectiveness.
December 1, 2017
Five Ways to Connect Your Church to Your Community – Rainer on Leadership #385
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio
Dean Inserra joins us today to explain how City Church Tallahassee has used community events and organization to connect church members to the community.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Don’t equip members just to have more Bible knowledge. Equip them to be missionaries in their hometown.
For far too long, the missionary label has just been for those who go overseas.
Christian maturity means following Jesus into the world.
“I’m not interested in an discipleship model that’s not going to equip people to clearly articulate the gospel.”
“People aren’t going to invite someone to their church when they secretly aren’t excited about going to themselves.”
The five ways we cover to connect to the community are:
Emphasize the importance of an outwardly focused DNA
Guests come on the arm of a friend
Don’t duplicate within
Raise up from within
View your church as a launching pad
About Dean Inserra
Dean Inserra is the Lead Pastor of City Church, a church he started in his hometown of Tallahassee, Florida in 2007. Dean has a passion to reach his hometown for Christ through the local church and to see healthy churches planted across the South and the nation. Dean is married to his wife Krissie and they have three children, Tommy, Ty, and Sally Ashlyn. He loves baseball, Starbucks, the New England Patriots, and the indoors.
Episode Sponsors
Midwestern Seminary is interested in helping you get to the field faster. And they’re serious about training leaders for the church. That’s why they’ve created the all-new Accelerate Program. In Midwestern’s Accelerate Program, students earn both Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Divinity degree in just 5 years of intensive study. That’s a B.A. and an M.Div. at the same time. This innovative residential program combines rigorous academic training with practical ministry preparation, resulting in one of the most effective programs around, so that you can pursue your ministry calling as soon as possible.
Two degrees in five years – all in one program: Accelerate at Midwestern Seminary. Take the next step by visiting mbts.edu/accelerate.
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped hundreds 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.
Find out more about Vanderbloemen Search Group by visiting 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 Who Moved My Pulpit?
Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast
City Church Tallahassee
November 30, 2017
Revitalization After a Church Split – Revitalize & Replant #017
Church splits are often nasty. Trying to pastor a church after a split is heard. Trying to revitalize one after a split is even harder. Today, we offer some tips for revitalization in the wake of a church split.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM J.B.
I’ve recently taken a pastorate at a church that went through a nasty split. The previous pastor left and started a church in the area. Things have stabilized somewhat and the church is seeing some signs of revitalization. What are my next steps to walk through the aftermath of the split?
Episode Highlights:
Church splits are far too common.
You cannot force others into repentance.
You don’t go through a church split without there being animosity.
A unified church has a positive witness.
Inwardly focused churches tend to fight, complain, have bad business meetings, are bitter, and decline.
One of the best ways to minister to someone who has been hurt is to get their focus on something else that is positive.
The six keys to revitalization after a split that we discuss are:
Prayer is foundational, including repentance
Deal with the anger and hurt
Be patient, perhaps waiting a season
Commit to pray for the other church
Move resources and emotions from inward to outward
Accept the reality of more departures
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
ChurchReplanters.com
ChurchAnswers.com
A Plea for Church Leaders to Say and Do Intentional Evangelism
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 29, 2017
10 Mistakes Churches Make at Christmastime
By Jonathan Howe
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. Some would even say it’s the most wonderful time of the year. While it still has its wonderment, Christmastime has a tendency to be stressful as well—especially in the church. Unfortunately stress can lead churches to plan poorly and make unnecessary mistakes. Here are ten such mistakes to avoid in your church this Christmas:
Missing the focus. This may seem basic, but please keep the birth of Christ as the focus in your church this year. Everywhere people turn at Christmas, they see Santa, presents, and all the other material trappings of the holiday. The church should be one place where people can be reminded of the true reason to celebrate—the coming of the Christ.
Decorations outpace invitations. We talk a lot about outward focus vs. inward focus on the blog and podcast. This is the Christmas version of that tension. While nothing is inherently wrong with decorations, when members are more focused on what the church looks like than whom they’re bringing with them, there’s a problem. Remind your people that it’s more important to focus on who’s in the pews than what’s on the walls.
Scrooge serves on the greeter team. Jim Collins’ popular “seat on the bus” paradigm fits well with volunteer teams. Make sure you not only have enough people volunteering for Christmas services (because you’ll likely have larger crowds), but also make sure you have the right people in the right places. No one wants to meet Scrooge as they walk into your church building.
Scheduling too many events. December is a whirlwind of a month. School and work Christmas parties, church parties, church events, local Christmas parades, travel, and much more make for a jam packed month. With everything your members have going on, it might be better to simplify the church’s Christmas schedule and host a few special events than to have several events for different age groups that stretch families and resources thin.
Not appreciating volunteers. I have been in several churches that hosted Christmas parties to show appreciation to volunteers. The easiest way to keep volunteers is to let them know they are appreciated, and Christmas makes that easy. A small token of appreciation goes a long way with those who keep your ministry going week to week.
Not equipping families. I appreciate churches that make available advent devotionals for families. This is a great way for families in your church to start (or continue) family devotional times. There are several free online resources available as well as books like The Expected One that offer parents a simple way to point kids to the coming Christ.
Ignoring community needs. Want to make an impact on your community? Meet the needs of those in the community at Christmas. There are countless ways this can be done. It simply takes asking different groups in the community what is needed.
Showcasing the church instead of Christ. Christmas productions can easily become more about the church hosting them than the Christ they should be displaying in them. We know several pastors who have scaled back on Christmas events and productions because the productions became the ends instead of the means. You need to know when enough is enough—and that’s not an easy call to make, but it’s a necessary one.
Failing to follow up. You’ll have guests at Christmas. If you don’t, well that’s another problem. What’s important is how you follow up with those new to your church. If you fail to follow up with guests, you’ll probably not see them next year—or ever again. Don’t miss out on prime opportunities to share the gospel with new attendees by failing to follow up with guests.
Using bad theology. Sentimentality often breeds bad theology. We see it at funerals all the time, and Christmas is no different. Christmas is the most sentimental of holidays and often leads to inadvertent theological aberrations. Be vigilant to guard your theology from the pop culture sentimentality often associated with Christmas.
Has your church make one of these mistakes? Have you corrected some of them that you’ve made in the past? What would you add?
Jonathan Howe serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives at LifeWay Christian Resources as well as the host and producer of Rainer on Leadership and SBC This Week. Jonathan writes weekly at ThomRainer.com on topics ranging from social media to websites and church communications. Connect with Jonathan on Twitter at @Jonathan_Howe.
November 28, 2017
What Churches That Have Healthy Small Groups Are Doing – Rainer on Leadership #384
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio
Groups are important to the vitality of a church. As we discuss today, groups are often the catalyst for healthy growth in a church. If you look at a healthy church, you’ll likely see a healthy groups system.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Groups is one of the most neglected areas on church leadership.
Someone who is in a small group is five times more likely still to be in a church after five years than someone who is not.
People who are in groups give significantly more than those not in groups.
Those who lead a specific ministry should also be passionate about that ministry.
A healthy church group system is a reproducing church group system.
I cannot overstate the importance of small groups in churches.
The six points we discuss are:
They understand the power of groups
Groups are a priority for the leadership
There is a clearly identified champion for groups
They make plans to multiply
They have curricular consistency
They include the priority of groups in their new member classes
Episode Sponsors
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. Their Fall Lead Pastor and Executive Pastor Coaching Networks are now open for registration, and our very own Dr. Rainer will be speaking at the Fall Lead Pastor Coaching Network.
So if you’re a Lead Pastor or an Executive Pastor looking for peer roundtable coaching, check it out at vanderbloemen.com/coaching. It’s limited to 16 folks, so apply today before it fills up.
Midwestern Seminary is interested in helping you get to the field faster. And they’re serious about training leaders for the church. That’s why they’ve created the all-new Accelerate Program. In Midwestern’s Accelerate Program, students earn both Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Divinity degree in just 5 years of intensive study. That’s a B.A. and an M.Div. at the same time. This innovative residential program combines rigorous academic training with practical ministry preparation, resulting in one of the most effective programs around, so that you can pursue your ministry calling as soon as possible.
Two degrees in five years – all in one program: Accelerate at Midwestern Seminary. Take the next step by visiting mbts.edu/accelerate.
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
Church Answers
SmallGroup.Com
November 27, 2017
Five Key Steps to Reach and Retain Guests
We are living in a world of post cultural Christianity. Our churches can no longer expect guests to show up just because we have the doors open. We have to be prayerful. We have to be intentional.
This post is, by its nature, very practical. But it can be a positive step in Great Commission obedience as you seek to expose people to the gospel and create more gospel conversations.
These, then, are five key steps to reach and retain guests. Most of these can be implemented in your church right away.
Create a culture of inviting. One of the primary reasons our churches do not have guests is straightforward: We are not inviting people to come. In my research for the book, The Unchurched Next Door, we found that nearly eight of ten unchurched persons would come to church if we invited them and accompanied them to the worship services. If we invite them, they will truly come. I will address this issue more fully next week.
Make certain you have a positive “guest flow.” Nelson Searcy, in his book Fusion, created this guide for the number of first-time guests each week in our worship services. If the number of first-time guests in your church is fewer than 5, you need to find out where the challenges reside.
3 first-time guests for every 100 in worship attendance: maintenance mode
5 first-time guests for every 100 in worship attendance: growth mode
7 first-time guests for every 100 in worship attendance: rapid growth mode
Be prepared for the guests when they arrive. The studies we have seen indicate we have between five and seven minutes to make a good first impression when the guests do arrive. Again, I will elaborate on this issue more in future posts.
Find a way to get contact information from guests. Ask guests to complete a guest card, but remember less is more. If we simply ask for an email and a name, we are likely to get higher responses. And if we say we will make a contribution to a local ministry (such as $5 for every card turned in), we will get even a higher response.
Contact guests within 24 hours. If you have their email address, send them a quick but personal email. If you have their mobile number, send them a text. These contacts can be brief, but they almost always increase the likelihood of a return visit. Your goal is not only to reach guests, but to retain them as well.
As you have requested of me, I am being more intentional about suggesting practical resources to accompany these blog posts. A good resource is “How to Retain Guests More Effectively.”
Reach guests. Keep guests. Have gospel conversations.
See what God will do.
