Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 196
May 10, 2017
Eight Major Changes in Churches the Past Ten Years
Change or die.
Such has been the reality of too many congregations the past ten years as the rate of church closures has accelerated. Many have died; others are on life support.
But what are some of the major changes that have taken place in congregations that are doing relatively well? What are some of the ways these congregations have adapted to new realities? Here is a hint: None of the changes in healthy churches have compromised doctrine, diminished the centrality of preaching, or abandoned sharing the gospel.
So what changes have occurred in healthy churches in the last decade? Here are eight of them:
Today: Smaller worship gatherings.
Ten years ago: Larger worship gatherings.
There are several factors impacting this change, among them more multi-site churches, more non-traditional worship times, and a desire among the Millennials to be a part of a smaller gathering rather than a larger gathering.
Today: Smaller church facilities
Ten years ago: Larger church facilities
There are three major issues at work here. First, church leaders are more hesitant to spend funds on largely unused facilities. Second, churches are building with less space for adult small groups or Sunday school, and are choosing to have those groups meet off-site or on non-worship days. Third, the smaller worship gathering noted above means smaller worship centers.
Today: First priority staff person hired: children’s minister
Ten years ago: First priority staff person hired: worship leader
This shift is largely influenced by the large Millennial generation and their children. Millennials are looking for a church that is safe, sanitary, educational, and fun for their children.
Today: Ministry degree optional for church staff members
Ten years ago: Ministry degree strongly preferred for church staff
Churches today are more likely to call someone on staff from within their congregations. That person may not have a Bible college or seminary degree.
Today: Emphasis on congregational singing
Ten years ago: Emphasis on performance singing
Healthy churches are seeing an awakening of congregational singing today. Ten years ago, contemporary churches emphasized the performance of the praise team and band, while traditional churches emphasized the performance of the choir and soloists.
Today: Community focus
Ten years ago: Community myopia
Too many churches the past two decades all but abandoned their communities and are paying the price for their shorts-sightedness today. Healthy churches realize that the community is their place of ministry, their “Jerusalem” of Acts 1:8.
Today: Vital importance of groups
Ten years ago: Marginal importance of groups
Healthy churches today make groups (community groups, home groups, Sunday school, life groups, etc.) a high priority. Ten years ago, many church leaders did not see how groups could enhance the health of the church in discipleship, evangelism, prayer, ministry, and fellowship.
Today: Church leaders are continuous learners
Ten years ago: Church leaders were “degree and done”
For several decades, church leaders essentially ended their education process with a college or seminary degree. In today’s ever-changing world, leaders of healthy churches have intentionally established a discipline of continuous learning.
These eight major shifts took place in a relatively brief period.
More are on the way.
Are you ready?
May 9, 2017
Six Reasons Millennials Should Consider Pastoring Established Churches – Rainer on Leadership #326
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play
Millennials are being called to established churches, so today we cover six reasons they should answer those calls. Thanks to Sam Rainer for the outline for today’s podcast.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Established churches are more likely to be more generationally diverse than church plants.
A sense of history of the church is invaluable to a new pastor.
Sometimes an established church’s history can be damaging to its reputation.
If you’re being considered to pastor a church, ask other pastors in the area about the church before you make your decision.
There are a lot more opportunities to serve in an established church than in new churches.
Established churches need good pastors too.
I wish Millennials were more enthusiastic about leading in established churches.
The six reasons we discuss are:
Diversity includes multiple generations.
The older generations will teach you things your own generation may not.
Established churches tend to be more stable.
Younger people need a sense of history.
Established churches are more rooted in the community.
There are a lot more of them.
Episode Sponsors
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.
Midwestern Seminary, one of the fastest growing seminaries in North America, exists to train leaders For The Church. The local church is God’s “Plan A” for the proclamation of the gospel, and there is no Plan B. And this is Midwestern’s vision and heartbeat—equipping pastors and other ministry leaders who are called to expand God’s mission in the world through the local church. At Midwestern Seminary: they train leaders ‘For The Church.’
Visit them online at MBTS.edu and start your ministry training today.
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
SamRainer.com
Est. Podcast
Volunteer Apocalypse
May 8, 2017
Eight Reasons Churches Became Too Busy
Most churches keep their members so busy they don’t have time to do ministry.
Indeed, I spoke to a lay elder of a church recently who told me he simply did not have time to get to know his neighbors because he was so busy in his church.
Something is not right with this picture.
In an earlier post, I talked about how our churches can become more intentional about doing real ministry instead of busy work. But in this article, I address how churches became so busy. Perhaps understanding the origins of dysfunctional busyness will help churches avoid this problem in the future.
Activities became synonymous with ministry. I am familiar with a missions support group in a church. It includes over 30 people, representing over 20 percent of the weekly worship attendance. The group is very active with fellowships, meetings, and speaker events. But the missions support group has never supported missions, nor have they ever been involved in missions. But they sure are busy.
Programs and ministries are added regularly, but few or none are ever deleted. This reality is glaringly obvious at a church in the Southeast with an average attendance of 60. The church has 15 committees and nearly 30 different programs and ministries throughout the year. They almost have one ministry or program for every member. They add some activity every year, but they never delete the dead or useless activities.
Programs and ministries become sacred cows. They were once the pet project of a particular member or a group of members, alive or deceased. The thought of eliminating the non-functional ministry started by Sister Harriett or Brother Frank 35 years ago is deemed blasphemous.
The alignment question is not asked on the front end. Even a good ministry may not be the best use of time for a church. In one church, the membership voted to initiate a ministry because one person had become a believer through the ministry in another church over a two-year period. But the church members never considered if there might be other ministries that could be more effective and better aligned with the direction of the church.
Silo behavior among the different ministries of the church. A worship ministry in the church began a new ministry that required extensive volunteer help. But the leaders never considered they were hurting other ministries in the church. Members don’t have unlimited time; they have to make choices.
Lack of an evaluation process. Most churches have an annual budgetary process. That is an ideal time to ask tough questions about existing ministries and programs. Very few church leaders take that opportunity.
Ministry becomes facility-centered. In other words, if it’s not happening in the church facilities, it’s not “real” ministry. As a consequence, we keep our members too busy to do ministry outside the walls of the church.
Lack of courageous leadership. It takes courage for a leader to look at the busyness of a church and say “no” or “enough.” Some leaders would rather not rock the boat and, as a consequence, lead a church toward mediocrity and malaise.
We are wasting too much time, energy, and money in our churches. Often we are doing more things and becoming less effective. It’s time for busy churches to become simple churches.
May 7, 2017
Pray for Stonebridge Baptist Church
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Pastor: Dr. Kevin Prather
Weekly Worship: 11:00 AM, Central
Fast Facts: Stonebridge Baptist Church has only been around since the mid-2000s and is located in a rapidly growing area in South Texas. Estimates predict that more than 132,000 people into the area near the church over the next three years. The church has grown in recent years and is preparing to launch a second service and Bible study time in Fall 2017. Please be in prayer as they prepare for this transition. Stonebridge has been given remarkable access to area public schools and as a result is hiring a missionary to the public schools in their area. The church has before her some great opportunities and a strategic location. Please pray for their pastor, the hiring of the local missionary, and everything related to moving to the second service as well as their upcoming area VBS in early June.
Website: StonebridgeSA.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.
May 6, 2017
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: May 6, 2017
Ten Reasons It Is More Difficult to Be a Pastor Today
What to Do When You Build too Big – Rainer on Leadership #324
Nine Very Hopeful Signs for American Churches
Three Questions to Ask of Your Church Communications
When to Pull the Plug on a Ministry and Other Listener Questions – Rainer on Leadership #325
Is There Really a Difference in Tithes and Offerings? — Chris Brown
It’s often printed in the bulletin, or the pastor talks about it as the ushers pass the collection plates. “Tithes and offerings” is often treated as one type of giving. But is there a difference between tithes and offerings? Yep! And as the giver of those tithes and offerings, you should know how to tell them apart.
How Pastors Can Discern Their True Friends — Sam Rainer
Among the biggest surprises is how hard it can be to discern true friends. Don’t get me wrong; most people in the church are friendly. Most people treat pastors with respect. But it can be hard to find friends among those you’re charged to shepherd. Sharing personal concerns, venting frustration, or confessing sin can be hazardous for pastors if done with the wrong person. Pastors often have friends outside the church, but here are some ways I’ve discerned my true friends in the church.
6 Reasons You Should Say “Yes” When Asked to Lead in Your Church — Eric Geiger
As summer approaches, ministry leaders in many churches will spend time recruiting and training new leaders to serve in their church’s kids ministry, the youth ministry, and to lead groups and classes for adults. If you are approached and asked, here are six reasons you should say yes:
Four Reasons to Consider Calling a Pastor in His 50s — Todd Gaddis
The average pastor in America is fifty-four years old, which is ten years older than what it was just 25 years ago. Yet, many pastors find themselves sitting by silent phones once they turn 50. This means an unknown number of average-aged preachers await phone calls that never come, while search committees look to fill pulpits with younger pastors. Should this change? I think it should. As a pastor now in my 50s, I’ve considered at least four reasons churches should call as pastors men in their 50s.
10 Practical Ways to Read the Bible More — Chuck Lawless
Do you struggle with reading the Bible? One reason we wrestle with this spiritual discipline is that we think we must be reading extensively every day or reading not at all; we don’t give ourselves much room for growth in this task. If you want to read more, try one of these simple ideas to get started.
You’ve Been Fired from the Pastorate, What Now? — Ron Edmondson
I’ll never forget receiving a text from a young pastor. A few deacons had asked him to “consider” resigning or they would bring a vote before the church. In my opinion they didn’t have the guts to actually fire him. They know they probably didn’t have enough votes at the church level. But, he loves the church, and didn’t want to cause division, so he did what he felt was the right thing and stepped away gracefully. Of course, there are always issues on both sides, but church can be brutal on a pastor at times. What do you do when the church fires you? Or, when the proverbial rug is pulled out from under you?
May 5, 2017
When to Pull the Plug on a Ministry and Other Listener Questions – Rainer on Leadership #325
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play
Listener feedback has been great recently, so we take some time to answer your questions on this week’s episode. We cover everything from hiring to boring churches to problems with former staff.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
If a ministry event is high on resources and involvement but low on results, it may be time to pull the plug on it.
You hire in the church based on Christian commitment and a sense of call.
Pastors should be careful when taking on the title of pastor emeritus.
The title “pastor emeritus” can be very confusing for church members and those in the community.
Pastors who follow those who left due to moral failure have to build more trust with the congregation.
Sometimes enthusiasm in one area of ministry will spill over into other areas that are completely unrelated.
The listener questions we ask are:
Les asks:
How do you determine when an event/outreach just isn’t going to develop as you had hoped vs. giving it one more year or one more try?
Cameron asks:
How is hiring in the church changing? How is it, or how should it be different from the secular world?
Jim asks:
How do I deal with a pastor emeritus who thinks the church should be more like it was when he was pastor? He still refers to himself in the community as pastor emeritus even though he hasn’t been on staff for more than a decade.
James asks:
9 months ago the founding and senior pastor of 27 years stepped down after admitting a 4 year affair with a woman in the church. Half of the church left. Everyone is wounded. But thankfully we have very strong and committed leaders. What 3 or 4 things / actions / behaviors would you recommend to a new pastor walking into that situation? Within the first few months? Year? 2-3 years?
Matt asks:
What do I do if our church is boring? We’ve been attending for about a year now and nothing has changed a lot not much growth maybe a couple families. The preaching is expository style but it’s more of a verbal commentary with not much application. Not many kids, not enough to have bible studies because the ages are so wide, no greeters you will walk into an empty sanctuary. they have a high view of Gods word and that’s what keeps us continuing. It’s causing some division in the household because one wants to go and the rest of the family wants to visit other churches.
Quentin asks:
Hello, I’m a pastor and this is my fourth year there. The ministries where on fire my first 2 years. Now there is a dramatically drop in our choir and youth ministry. It’s like the leaders settle for the bare minimum, and that trickles down to the rest of the members. I’ve tried to encourage them, offered corrective measures, and attempted to help them. However, no avail. Service on Sundays are starting to really reflect this issue. Can you help?
Episode Sponsors
The Timothy Track, from Midwestern Seminary, offers select residential M.Div. students placement in internship positions in a local church in the area. Now you can complement your studies with in-the-field ministry experience. In addition, all Timothy Track students will receive up to 12 credit hours for the internship and a 50% tuition scholarship for the first year.
Find out more at mbts.edu/TimothyTrack.
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
Invite Your One
Church Answers
The Ideal Team Player
BELAY
May 4, 2017
Three Questions to Ask of Your Church Communications
By Jonathan Howe
In a recent internal meeting at LifeWay, Vice President Eric Geiger shared the SKS process for evaluating people, systems, or companies. The process itself is rather simple, yet extremely effective. SKS stands for the three questions:
What should we stop doing?
What should we keep doing?
What should we start doing?
When used in performance evaluations, it’s helpful in identifying pivot points for employees. When used in systems, companies, or churches, it allows you to find areas where you’ve lost focus or drifted from your mission.
Churches could use this feedback process in a variety of ways. Since my posts here at ThomRainer.com focus on church communications, let’s look at how it applies in that specific arena.
What should we stop doing with our communications? Use this question to identify areas that are time wasters or resource hogs. Are there processes that could be automated using technology? Are you using outdated modes of marketing or publicity without any results? If you have social media profiles or websites that are not updated or defunct, then eliminate them.
What should we keep doing with our communications? Use this question to identify what is core to your church communications. This question helps you learn what works and allows you to find your sweet spot for marketing or publicity as well as informing your members. If you have a certain event that does well and people were well informed and enthusiastic about it, identify what led to that and implement the same process with other events.
What should we start doing with our communications? Use this question to identify areas where you are coming up short. Online media platforms come and go all the time. Are there some platforms your church is missing? You don’t have to be everywhere online, but are there some core websites and online audiences that you’ve failed to engage?
These may seem like simple questions, but the results can be profound.
One final word of caution—before acting on your answers, you should consider the possible unintended consequences any change may bring. And as you implement the change, consider following the leading change roadmap from Who Moved My Pulpit?
Do you regularly evaluate your processes? Do you ever evaluate your online presence?
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.
May 3, 2017
Nine Very Hopeful Signs for American Churches
I remain an obnoxious optimist about the future of American congregations.
No, I don’t have my head in the sand. I know many congregations are struggling. And I fully expect we will continue to have a net loss of churches for the next several years.
But I do see the very real possibility that this negative trend will bottom out and begin to move upward. Why am I hopeful? Allow me to offer nine reasons for my optimism.
A new wave of corporate prayer. More church leaders are emphasizing prayer. The perfunctory prayer meeting is being replaced with new forms of passionate and concerted prayer.
A rekindling of evangelism. It seems like many churches just forgot evangelism for a season. As silly as it sounds, we Christians stopped telling people about Jesus. There is a new wave of real enthusiasm for sharing the gospel.
A balance between theological and practical. Practical ministry without a solid theological foundation is like a body without a skeleton. Theology without application is like a skeleton without a body. More church leaders are realizing that theology and application are not either/or choices. They are both/and mandates.
The waning of worship wars. I am hopeful that a new emphasis on congregational singing is taking the focus away from battles over ill-defined worship styles. We have wasted far too much time and resources insisting on our preferences rather than engaging in true worship.
A heightened emphasis on church revitalization. Church planting is still paramount. But we cannot neglect over 300,000 churches in America needing to be revitalized. It is heartening to see this emphasis take hold.
A surge of re-birthed churches. The trend in the past for many congregations was decline and die. Today many of these dying churches are making selfless decisions to give their properties to healthy churches. These re-birthed churches will continue to grow in number.
A renewal of meaningful membership. My book, I Am a Church Member, has sold nearly 1.5 million copies. Yes, I know that is a self-promotional comment. But it is also a reality that more and more churches are taking the issue of church membership seriously.
A concerted focus on impacting the community. It is heartening to see churches actually make a difference in the communities where they are located. For a season, I wondered if the “Jerusalems” of Acts 1:8 would be forgotten in America.
Balanced views of numbers. In recent history, two camps evolved over the view of numerical reporting in congregations. One camp saw numbers as an end and gave undue focus there. The other camp eschewed any emphasis on numerical counts. Today more congregations use numbers as a means toward greater accountability, but not as an end to be accomplished.
I could cite several more hopeful signs for American congregations beyond these nine. We may soon hit a bottom in the number of churches and weekly attendance. From there we may see an incredible renewal of congregations across our nation.
In a very etymological sense, revival may be just around the corner.
May 2, 2017
What to Do When You Build too Big – Rainer on Leadership #324
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play
Construction debt can be debilitating for churches, but there can be a way out. Today we discuss the unintended consequences of building too big and how to overcome them.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
If you build too big of a church facility, these things may happen.
Don’t let unneeded building debt replace needed ministry funding.
Unwieldy debt can get a church off message. They start thinking about surviving instead of thriving.
It’s likely that less than 1% of churches have done a facility usage study in the past five years.
There’s a perception that if you build a new church facility, people will come. That is simply not the case.
People are more attracted to a church because of relationships and ministry, not facilities.
Dealing with “the good ole days” is one of the most challenging thing any leader will face.
The eight consequences of building too big are:
Debt becomes shackles.
Morale is hit hard.
Leaders spend too much time with a new narrative.
Utility costs are too high and burdensome.
They built it, but they didn’t come.
The church becomes dangerously nostalgic.
There are fewer financial resources for ministry.
The church has difficulty finding good successor pastors.
Episode Sponsors
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.
Midwestern Seminary, one of the fastest growing seminaries in North America, exists to train leaders For The Church. The local church is God’s “Plan A” for the proclamation of the gospel, and there is no Plan B. And this is Midwestern’s vision and heartbeat—equipping pastors and other ministry leaders who are called to expand God’s mission in the world through the local church. At Midwestern Seminary: they train leaders ‘For The Church.’
Visit them online at MBTS.edu and start your ministry training today.
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
The Importance of Church Facility Stewardship featuring Tim Cool – Rainer on Leadership #317
CoolSolutionsGroup.com
Envelope3.com
The Money Challenge
When Not to Build
Church Answers
May 1, 2017
Ten Reasons It Is More Difficult to Be a Pastor Today
I can’t tell pastors today how difficult it was when I was a pastor.
To the contrary, I have to be honest and tell them it is more difficult now.
All three of my sons went into vocational ministry after serving in the business world. One of them is in seminary administration and two of them are pastors. I never pushed them in that direction. I knew they could not make it unless they were certain God called them.
Yes, it is indeed more difficult to be a pastor today than earlier years. At least ten major issues led to these challenges.
The advent of social media. As a consequence, private criticisms have become public forums. The fish bowl life of a pastor’s family is now 24/7.
Podcast pastors. When I was a pastor, there were only a few well-known television pastors as points of comparison to my inferiority. Today, church members have hundreds, if not thousands, of pastors on podcast they compare to their own pastors.
Diminished respect for pastors. When I was a pastor, most people held my vocation in high esteem, even those not in church. Such is not the case today.
Generational conflict in the church. While there has always been some generational conflict in the church, it is more pervasive and intense today.
Leadership expectations. Pastors are expected today to have more leadership and business skills. We constantly hear from pastors, “They didn’t teach me that at seminary.”
Demise of the program-driven church. In past years, church solutions were simpler. Churches were more homogeneous, and programmatic solutions could be used in almost any context. Today churches are more complex and contexts are more varied.
Rise of the “nones.” There is a significant increase in the numbers of people who have no religious affiliation. The demise of cultural Christianity means it is more difficult to lead churches to growth.
Cultural change. The pace of change is breathtaking, and much more challenging today. It is exceedingly more difficult today for pastors to stay abreast with the changes around them.
More frustrated church members. Largely because of the cultural change noted above, church members are more frustrated and confused. They often take out their frustrations on pastors and other church leaders.
Bad matches with churches. In earlier years, there was considerable homogeneity from church to church, particularly within denominations and affiliated church groups. Today churches are much more diverse. A pastor who led well in one context may fare poorly in another unless there is a concerted effort to find the right match for a church and pastor.
These ten reasons are not statements of doom and gloom; they are simply statements of reality. Serving as pastor in a church today has more challenges than it did years ago.
But challenges in ministry are common throughout the history from the first church to today. Such is the reason no pastors can lead well without the power, strength, and leadership of the One who called them.
