Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 204
February 19, 2017
Pray for Mount Calvary Lutheran Church
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Pastor: Rev. Dr. Daniel P. Czaplewski
Weekly Worship: 9:00 AM, Central
Fast Facts: For more than 90 years Mount Calvary Lutheran Church has been bringing Christ’s hope to the heart of the City of Milwaukee. Mount Calvary Lutheran Church’s school ministry serves almost 200 students in Pre-K 4 to 8th grade. Their youth ministry is growing by leaps and bounds since they added an outreach minister/director of youth. The church is also involved in its community through the Milwaukee Police Faith-Based Initiative, Common Ground, and their local hospital.
Please pray as they continue to support the People of the Book Lutheran Outreach in Milwaukee which serves immigrants at their site. This ongoing ministry has been more difficult for them recently due to political developments. Also pray for wisdom as they lay the groundwork for a non-profit corporation to work with youth in the community so that they may share the gospel with them as they help them find jobs.
Website: MtCalvary-MKE.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..
February 18, 2017
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: February 18, 2017
The Resuscitated Church
How to Respond When You’re Forced Out of a Church – Rainer on Leadership #302
Ten Ways Pastors Can Be Bad Bosses
Five Reasons to Recommend Books to Your Church Members
Four Essentials for Ministering to Men — Rainer on Leadership #303
4 Essentials of Running Your Church Website Well — Matt Heerema
I have been working on church websites for about sixteen years. I have worked with hundreds of organizations, some of them through many iterations of their sites, and I’ve noticed a thing or four that are common among effective sites.
9 Important Characteristics to Look for in a Stewardship Pastor — Art Rainer
God designed us, not to be hoarders, but conduits through which His generosity flows. A major focus of most stewardship ministries is money. And rightfully so. Jesus spoke frequently about money because of its ability to reveal the heart. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). So whether a someone in the church has much or little, they need to understand the biblical principles of stewardship as it relates to their money. It is the role of the stewardship pastor to oversee these ministries. So if you are a church considering hiring a stewardship pastor, what characteristics should you look for? Here are a few thoughts:
4 Theories of How a Leader Becomes Controlling — Ron Edmondson
I don’t know that I can answer for every controlling leader, but I have some theories. I know things which trigger controlling tendencies in my leadership – and, I think if we are honest, all of us leaders can control at times.
Eight Ways to Preach the Resurrection — David Murray
As Easter Sunday rolls around each year, preachers everywhere wonder, “How can I preach a fresh sermon on the resurrection?” “How can I preach something that doesn’t sound just like last year, and the year before, and the year before….?” This crisis is often caused by focusing too narrowly on the facts of the resurrection narratives in the Gospels. If all we do is narrate the historical facts of the resurrection, then, yes, we’re going to sound as if we’re on “loop.” However, there are a number of ways to “freshen up” our resurrection sermons so that they’re not just the “same old, same old.” In fact, I’d go further and suggest that we have a duty to ensure that such a glorious truth does not become mundane through our inability to think more imaginatively and creatively.
Stop Making Yourself the Hero of Bible Stories — Aaron Earls
We want to read the stories of the Bible and see ourselves as the heroes of the faith, the brave ones standing up in the face of persecution. But more often than not, we are the cowardly ones caving to temptation.
8 Ways to Read (a Lot) More Books This Yea — Neil Pasricha
Our world today is designed for shallow skimming rather than deep diving, so it took me some time to identify the specific changes that skyrocketed my reading rate. None of them had to do with how fast I read. I’m actually a pretty slow reader. Here’s my advice for fitting more reading into your own life, based on the behaviors that I changed:
February 17, 2017
Four Essentials for Ministering to Men — Rainer on Leadership #303
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Men’s ministry is lacking in many churches, so today we cover the four essentials churches should consider when launching or sustaining a men’s ministry. This episode is based on a blog post by Eric Geiger and walks you through these four essentials with practical application focused on ministering to men.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Every man needs godly men connecting him to the church.
I cannot imagine going through life without having a purpose or mission.
Every man wants to be a part of something that is bigger than himself.
With new ministries, find a champion and resource them toward a specific mission.
One of the greatest needs in the church is to understand the big picture of Scripture.
Churches truly can have dynamic ministries to men by men. Many don’t.
The four essentials we cover for ministering to men are:
Connected: Every man needs other godly men (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Discipled: Every man needs to grow (Colossians 1:28-29).
Challenged: Every man needs a holy mission (2 Corinthians 5:18).
Transformed: Every man has a master (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
Episode Sponsors
Are you getting prepared for the changing ministry landscape? Get your Master of Divinity degree at Midwestern Seminary. The M.Div—Midwestern’s flagship degree program—is their 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 new culture of discipleship devoted to the local church and committed to taking God’s unchanging Word into a rapidly changing world. Join the movement today.
Find out more at mbts.edu/mdiv.
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped 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
What the Bible Is All About
Unfolded by Eric Geiger
Simple Church
LifeWay Men
February 16, 2017
Five Reasons to Recommend Books to Your Church Members
By Jonathan Howe
I’ve been privileged to work for a voracious reader and also be pastored by one. These men have modeled godly leadership for me, but have done something else, too—they’ve taught me to love learning.
We say it often on the podcast—“A lifelong leader is a lifelong learner.” And while formal education (like you would find at a seminary like Midwestern) and ongoing ministry training (like we provide at Church Answers) are useful, personal development through the discipline of reading is also of great benefit.
As a pastor or church leader, you obviously play an important role in the spiritual development of fellow church members. But you can also develop members personally through the simple act of recommending books to them on a regular basis. Here are 5 reasons why:
When church members expect you to recommend books, you read more. This benefit is double-sided. Since you know you’ll be asked for book recommendations as a trusted church leader, you have to stay ahead of the congregation. This encourages you to continue your learning as a means of passing on that knowledge to congregants.
Book recommendations can prepare the congregation for the future. When you know you’ll be preaching through a certain book of the Bible, you can prepare your congregation better by recommending they read books related to the direction of your sermons. The same applies for sermons by topic or even times of year. Imagine recommending your church read a book on the atonement as Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday approach or an Advent devotional during the Christmas season. Aligning the congregation to focus their reading on a certain topic can be extremely beneficial to the spiritual health of a church.
Family discipleship can be modeled intentionally. When kids see their parents reading for spiritual edification and growth, they will want to copy that. Discipleship in the home should be caught and taught. Parents who read will often have children who read. If children see their parents reading to grow spiritually, they will want to do the same.
Your church will develop better leaders. When you are modeling personal growth through continual reading, you will have leaders who are better developed than if you were not modeling it. By recommending books, you can form well-rounded disciples in your church. Theology books, leadership books, discipleship books, and personal development books can all be used to raise up leaders within the local church.
Future leaders and ministers will be easier to identify. When you start challenging congregants to read and study, there will be some who rise to the top. You’ll likely be able to identify God’s call on their life for vocational ministry—better yet, so will they.
Do you recommend books to your congregation? If so, which ones and why?
Jonathan Howe serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives at LifeWay Christian Resources, 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.
February 15, 2017
Ten Ways Pastors Can Be Bad Bosses
I’ve been working with pastors and those they serve for over three decades.
That means two things: I have a lot of experience and I am old.
In the course of three decades, I have seen some pastors thrive and some pastors fail. And I have seen two common reasons for pastors failing. They lack leadership skills and they lack relational skills.
Most pastors have no formal training in either. Yet they are expected to lead and relate the first day they begin serving a church. Indeed, many pastors are expected to be bosses of full-time or part-time personnel even though they may have never led anyone.
So what is the difference between a good pastor boss and a bad pastor boss? We will address the good pastor bosses later. For now, I will share with you our conversations with those who served under bad pastor bosses. Here are the top ten complaints we heard:
Micromanagement. “I can’t do anything without the pastor getting involved and showing me a better way, or even taking over. He drives me crazy!”
Avoiding conflict. “We have tons of unresolved conflict in our church because our pastor won’t address the issues. He tries to please everyone, and so he pleases no one.”
Avoiding making decisions. “Our church seems like we are stuck in molasses because the pastor just can’t make a decision. He seems to live in fear of making the wrong move.”
Stealing credit. “My pastor can’t stand for anyone else to have a good idea. It has to be his own. So if we have a good idea, he ridicules it. But a few months later he ‘discovers’ the same idea and takes full credit for it.”
Shifting blame. “If you listened to our pastor, you would think he is blameless. If something does go wrong, he is quick to blame someone else for the problem. Two words I’ve never heard from him are ‘I’m sorry.’”
Hoarding information. “I don’t get it. He keeps all information close to his vest. He seems to think it gives him some kind of authority or control. We on staff really don’t know what’s going on.”
Failing to listen. “We’ve learned not to express any opinions to the pastor. We know he is only thinking about his next sentence instead of listening to us.”
Setting a poor example. “Our church doesn’t reach anyone for Christ. And guess who never mentions evangelism, much less does evangelism? Our pastor.”
Having a poor work ethic. “He probably works about four hours a day, but he gets furious when he thinks we aren’t doing our job. Total slackard!”
Not developing staff. “He doesn’t train us, work with us, develop us, or point us to good resources. In fact, he rarely spends any time with us. I can’t call him a leader because he’s not leading us.”
In my next article, I will address the ten traits of good pastor bosses. And they aren’t necessarily the opposites of the bad boss characteristics.
Pastors must be good leaders. Pastors must be good bosses.
February 14, 2017
How to Respond When You’re Forced Out of a Church – Rainer on Leadership #302
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play
Unfortunately, pastors and staff members are forced out of churches every week. It’s a pain that many in the ministry have felt at least once and maybe more. Today, we discuss how to respond when it happens to you.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
For the sake of your family, you can’t have a victim mentality when you’re forced out of a church.
If you’re forced out of a church, take care of your family. Don’t take it out on your family.
There’s no perfect church because they’re full of imperfect people.
You can’t give up on churches just because one had toxic leadership.
When you’re hurt deeply, one way to help the recovery is to remember how God has blessed you.
Self pity can be toxic—just like bitterness.
Silence from your friends when you’re being forced out of a church is often what hurts most.
Don’t ever stay on the sidelines when someone is going through the same pain that you’ve been through.
The seven responses we discuss are:
Take care of your family.
Pray with specificity.
Find a healthy church.
Move carefully before taking another ministry position.
Count your blessings.
Become an advocate for other victims.
Don’t give up.
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
LeadingChange.Church
Who Moved My Pulpit?
February 13, 2017
The Resuscitated Church
She was on her deathbed.
Every breath was laborious. Every breath was more difficult.
Those who surrounded her knew the end was imminent. It was only matter of time—a very brief time.
But the impossible became the possible. The dying lady survived. In fact, she not only survived, her outlook is very promising today.
Hers is a true story of resuscitation: from the brink of death to survival to improved health to a healthy life.
What about churches? Can a church experience a similar miraculous recovery? Admittedly, I have only seen a few churches with the same story of resuscitation. But I have seen a sufficient enough number to make some concise observations. These observations are among the most encouraging events I have ever witnessed.
How did these few churches go from near death to vibrant life? Here are their stories.
A prolonged period of prayer. The members knew that only a miracle of God could save their church. So they decided to set aside a period of prayer, usually a few weeks or a couple of months. Members would gather after the worship service. Some would gather in homes. They would admit their total dependence on God. And they would place everything about their churches at His mercy and in His will.
A covenant to forsake self. When a church dies, there is the predictable prologue of self-centered, self-serving membership. Church members argue about the style of music, the length of the sermon, the types of ministries and programs, and even the type of furniture in the church. Membership becomes about me, myself, and I. In the resuscitated church, the members covenant to put self last. They agree they will not demand their way, but seek to put others first. Some of the churches even create a written covenant.
A willingness to kill sacred cows. This process is often an extension of the previous commitment. As the members covenant to forsake self, they commit to doing away with programs, ministries, events, rooms, furniture, or anything that has become a sacred cow. They often don’t see those sacred cows until their eyes have been opened in the prolonged period of prayer.
A commitment to see through the eyes of the outsider. As the members continue to forsake self, they begin to ask how the church is viewed from the perspective of the outsider. They may actually engage a person to visit their church and share their experience. It is amazing to see how this process transforms facilities, worship, greeters’ ministry, and children’s ministries, to name a few.
An agreement to connect and invite. Members commit to be intentional about developing relationships with people outside the church. They set prayer goals of how many people they will invite to church each month. The church begins moving from an inward focus to an outward focus.
A decision to move beyond the negative naysayers. This core of members realizes that not everyone will be on board. There will always be those who view church as a spiritual country club with perks and privileges. Indeed, in most of these resuscitated churches, there was stiff resistance, adamant opposition, and financial threats. But the members were loving but firm. No longer would their church be controlled by the naysayers, critics, and bullies. They would stand together and stand with others who were attacked and maligned.
Is church resuscitation common? No.
Is church resuscitation possible? Yes.
In God’s power, yes.
Are you willing to be a part of the resuscitation of your church?
February 12, 2017
Pray for Rock Hill Baptist Church
Location: Stafford, Virginia
Pastor: Dr. Mike Mueller
Weekly Worship: 11:00 AM, Eastern
Fast Facts: Rock Hill Baptist Church was established 205 years ago in 1812. While congregation numbers have ranged from the 20’s to more than 100 over the years, they are a very mission-oriented little church with a great family feel. Please pray for their upcoming First Responder Community Outreach on May 20-21. They will be hosting a concert, 5K run, and various other events to show the community that Jesus loves them and so does RHBC. Finally, pray that they would identify more Deacons willing to be servants. Please pray for their focus and obedience.
Website: RockHillBaptistChurch.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..
February 11, 2017
Notable Voices and the Week in Review: February 11, 2017
When the Pastor Has an Affair
What to Include in a Visitor Welcome Packet and Other Listener Questions – Rainer on Leadership #300
Five Principles to Help Pastors and Staff Know When to Compromise
Four Steps to Make Your Church Communications More Efficient
How to Respond When a Staff Member Has an Affair – Rainer on Leadership #301
What Happened When a Black and White Church Merged in Florida — Julie Zauzmer
In 2015, the church that Latham boasted of was two congregations, not one. There was the booming black church in the heart of the inner city, led by a charismatic preacher in the staunch tradition of black Baptists. And there was the quiet white church, nestled in the suburbs half an hour to the south, holding onto a tightknit community of Southern Baptist believers. And then the black church and the white church merged. The resulting congregation at Shiloh — black and white, urban and suburban — appears to be the only intentional joint church of its kind in the United States.
7 Things Christians Should Give Up to Reach Unchurched People — Carey Nieuwhof
So many church leaders (staff and volunteer) struggle to lead beyond the preferences of the church members. And as soon as they try, they get inundated with complaints and angry emails. Too many Christians feel like it’s their right to have a church that caters exactly to their tastes and whims, and millions are paying the price for that (including unchurched people). When your preferences keep unchurched people from the promise of Christ, it’s time to change your preferences. Here are 7 things Christians should give up to reach unchurched people.
How to Maximize Your Minister’s Housing Allowance — Art Rainer
You don’t want to miss the opportunity to take full advantage of this ministerial tax benefit. To do so may cause you to pay significantly more in taxes than you should. So what are some of the ways you can maximize this benefit. Here are a few tips:
12 Trends That Shaped U.S. Religion Since the ’70s — Philip Jenkins
So many impressions are subjective, but a few obvious broad themes do emerge. Together, they constitute a remarkable revolution in the most basic assumptions of life – of family and intimate relationships, of work and residence, of thinking and speaking, of getting and spending. Often, these changes have been so significant as to constitute a revolution – change so vast that it is almost impossible for later generations even to imagine what the preceding “normality” actually was like. Let me focus here on American religion. In no particular order, here are 12 such changes:
The 5 Styles of Preachers—Which Are You? — Brandon Hilgemann
Preaching, as Philips Brookes famously said, is “truth mediated through personality.” This is why five preachers could all preach the same truth from the same text, and each sermon is different. The message is the same, but the personality is not. God’s Word always takes priority over your style. But understanding your preaching style will help you see how your God-given personality influences the way you communicate His Word. And when you know your style, you can leverage your strengths, and avoid potential pitfalls.
7 Dangers of Leading in Isolation — Ron Edmondson
Leading in isolation is displayed in numerous ways to the detriment of the church or organization. Here are seven dangers of leading in isolation.
February 10, 2017
How to Respond When a Staff Member Has an Affair – Rainer on Leadership #301
SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play
This is an episode we hope churches won’t need to consult, but unfortunately many of them will. Extramarital affairs by pastors and staff are a reality and when it happens, churches need to be prepared.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
Churches don’t prepare for this because churches don’t think they will need to be prepared for this.
There’s this misunderstanding of grace sometimes where people think it means that anything goes.
After a staff member affair, one of the most important parts of a severance package is often counseling.
Churches should consider having outside help to guide them through the aftermath of a staff member affair.
The goal after any affair should be reconciliation of the marriages.
After a staff member affair, the congregation often goes through the five stages of grief.
It’s nearly impossible to pray sincerely for someone and at the same time remain bitter toward them.
The six responses we cover are:
Terminate with compassion.
Don’t forget the staff member’s family.
Be forthright with the congregation.
Provide resources for reconciliation.
Don’t forget the pain of the congregation.
Begin a ministry of prayer for this situation.
Episode Sponsors
Are you getting prepared for the changing ministry landscape? Get your Master of Divinity degree at Midwestern Seminary. The M.Div—Midwestern’s flagship degree program—is their 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 new culture of discipleship devoted to the local church and committed to taking God’s unchanging Word into a rapidly changing world. Join the movement today.
Find out more at mbts.edu/mdiv.
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped 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
Next by William Vanderbloemen
When the Pastor Has an Affair
