Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 219

Discerning Your Call to Ministry, Featuring Dr. Jason Allen – Rainer on Leadership

Podcast Episode #262

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I’m often asked for advice on discerning a call to ministry. Dr. Jason Allen joins us to flesh out this call and discuss his new book on the topic.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

“Every Christian everywhere is called to minister.”
“The first sign of a call to ministry is an intense, all-absorbing desire for the work.”
“God has very clear expectations for how the minister should live.”
“Ministry is not a one-time threshold to cross; it’s an ongoing accountability to God’s Word and God’s people.”
“The testimony of the church in many ways hinges on the testimony of those who lead it.”
“The church is responsible for the leaders they call.”
“Churches are cosigning on the lives of students they send to seminary.”
“If the gospel is not the center of ones passion in ministry, one won’t last too long in ministry.”

About Dr. Jason Allen:

Dr. Jason K. Allen serves as president of Midwestern Seminary. He has served as pastor and interim pastor of churches in Alabama and Kentucky over the past fifteen years. He currently serves the church more broadly through writing and preaching ministries, including his own website (jasonkallen.com) and podcast (Preaching and Preachers). He and his wife, Karen, have five children: Anne-Marie, Caroline, William, Alden, and Elizabeth.

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

Discerning Your Call to Ministry
Midwestern Seminary
JasonKAllen.com

Seven Tips to Address Mental Health Issues in the Church

By Sarah Rainer

One in five people in your church will suffer from mental illness in their lifetime.

You will have few people who have not been directly or indirectly impacted by mental health issues. With so many individuals impacted, church leaders need basic knowledge to handle these issues effectively.

Church leaders do not need to be experts in psychological functioning, but they do need some basic knowledge in order to offer support to individuals struggling in the church. Here are seven basic pointers that every church leader should consider when dealing with mental health issues:

Do Not Judge. Judgement, and even well-intended religious statements (“You just need to pray more.”), will further isolate those with mental illness and potentially exacerbate their struggles. Try meeting these individuals with compassion and a listening ear. Church leaders do not need all the answers in order to be supportive. “More listening, less talking” is a good motto.
Read and Research. Although most church leaders are not in a position to treat mental illness, they do need to have basic knowledge of mental health disorders and diseases. Why? Many struggling individuals may first seek help among their church leaders. It is important to recognize when church members’ struggles are related to mental health issues so that church leadership can help them find adequate support and treatment. Reading books and magazines can improve one’s knowledge base regarding mental health issues. I suggest Dibs in Search of Self by Virginia Axeline, Blame it on the Brain by Ed Welch, and A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer. Websites, like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org), also provide great information regarding mental health.
Refer Out. Church leaders are not typically trained to treat mental illness; it is simply not their job. When church members demonstrate mental health issues, leaders should offer compassion and support, but also provide them with proper referrals for treatment. Generate a referral list and utilize when needed.
Stop the Stigma. Stigma regarding mental illness still exists in both our country and our churches. As church leaders, there are simple ways to help reduce that stigma, including:


Avoid offensive language (i.e. words and phrases involving psycho, crazy, they are nuts, etc.).
Discuss mental health issues from the pulpit and in leadership meetings.
Use the church bulletin to feature mental health topics and supportive resources.
Acknowledge that mental health issues are complex in nature and involve biological, psychological, developmental, societal, spiritual, and familial components.


Recognize Complexity. Although I believe all diseases and disorders are a result of humanity’s fall, I do not believe all diseases and disorders are direct results from one’s own sinful nature. To categorize mental illness as simply a spiritual issue is to ignore the beautiful complexity of which were are designed. There may be some instances in which mental illness is a direct result of one’s spiritual life. We should, however, not assume everyone fits into this category. Mental health issues are typically a combination of psychological, biological, developmental, societal, spiritual, and familial issues. Infant depression, schizophrenia, and Autism Spectrum Disorders are great examples of complex mental health issues.
Understand the Impact on Family and Friends. Not all victims of mental illness are individuals with a diagnosable condition. Family and friends of individuals with mental illness often struggle with helping their loved one. Be careful what you say, offer support, and pray for them too.
Care for Personal Mental Health. Last, but certainly not least, church leaders should take care of their own mental health. Leading a church can be a stressful position, and stress alone can lead to physical and mental deterioration. Church leaders should have adequate support, take time to relax, and reach out for support if they are struggling. Remember, it is okay to say “no” to requests for additional work. If church leaders are suffering, so will their ministries.

A basic knowledge and awareness of mental health issues is essential in churches today. How have you handled mental health cases in your church and ministry in the past? How can you improve in the future?

Dr. Sarah Rainer is a clinical psychologist specializing in children, adolescents, and families. She practices in the Raleigh, NC, area. She’s the wife of Art Rainer and they have three boys, Nathaniel, Joshua, and James.

Five Categorical Lies about Pastors

I’ve had enough.

I’ve heard the lies too many times. It’s time for them to end.

The lies are about pastors and staff. They are false statements that seem to have some traction. They are diminishing the respect of pastors. And, for the most part, they are undeserved.

Sure, I know there are some bad apples in the bunch. Those bad examples make the news, the gossip groups, the blogs, and social media. But those bad examples are the exception. They are not the norm.

It is ridiculous to assume an entire family line is bad because one or a few of the family members brought shame to themselves.

It is absurd to state that an entire race or ethnic group is bad because of a few bad exceptions.

And it is totally wrong to make categorically false statements about pastors because you know a few negative examples.

Please stop the lies. Here are five of the most common:

Lie #1: “Pastors are in it for the money.” Are you kidding? Have you truly seen the financial struggles of most pastors? Have you ever seen a pastor purchase a car, only to be castigated by a church member who decides the pastor is making too much? Most pastors could make a lot more money in another profession with a lot less stress.

Lie #2: “Pastors work a few hours a week.” Yes, there are some church members who really believe a pastor works about ten hours a week. I challenge those members to look at the lives of pastors. Look at how pastors are on 24/7 call. See the pastor called back from vacation to do a funeral. Wake up with the pastor who was at the hospital all night with a family whose child was in an auto accident. See how long it takes to prepare a good sermon. Look at the total expectations of pastors by church members.

Lie #3: “Megachurch pastors don’t care about the members.” Pastors of large churches and megachurches (over 2,000 in average worship attendance) are getting the brunt of these criticisms. The assumption is that large is bad and unloving. Here is the reality. A church of over 150 in attendance is a large church compared to most of the 350,000 churches in America. And even the pastor of a church of 150 cannot give ongoing personal attention to every member. Most large church and megachurch pastors do really love their flock.

Lie #4: “Pastors have adopted the CEO mentality.” I’m not sure most of the critics even know what they mean by this barb. I guess it something like autocratic leadership (which is a bad CEO model itself). No, most pastors are servant leaders. Don’t assume they are dictators just because they demonstrate a modicum of leadership.

Lie #5: “Pastors only care about ‘nickels and noses.’” I want my pastor to know how many people are present. I want my pastor to know the stewardship realities of my church. But that does not mean my pastor cares about numbers more than people. Critics often set concern about people in opposition to numerical awareness. They are not mutually exclusive. And most pastors love the Lord, their families, and their church members before they ever think about the statistics of the week.

No pastor is perfect. And there are a few pastors who do indeed bring shame to the calling. Almost everyone knows such an example. But the great majority of pastors are dedicated, hard working, and servant-minded.

It’s time to stop the lies.

Worship Leading Relationship between the Pastor and Music Leader – Rainer on Leadership #261

Podcast Episode #261

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The relationship between the music leader and a pastor is one of the most important relationships in the church. In this episode Mike Harland explains why.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

“What happens on Sunday morning isn’t two things (music and preaching)—it’s one thing (worship).”
“Worship is not a performance ministry. It’s a discipleship ministry.”
“There needs to be a cadence of communication between the music leader and the pastor.”
“A church can sense the health of the relationship between the pastor and music leader.”
“If you’re looking for a worship leader, you better know the pastor’s heart and what to look for.”
“The relationship between pastor and music leader is much like that of a marriage.”
The relationship between pastor and music leader is one of the most important personal relationships in the church.


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

Worship Life with Mike Harland

Six Reasons Why Your Church Members May Not Be Friendly to Guests

It’s one of the biggest lies in churches.

Of the thousands of on-site and virtual consultations I have done, it is the most common sentence I hear from church members:

“We are the friendliest church in town!”

With rare exceptions, it’s just not true.

We surveyed guests who visited the church and found a dramatically different perception. Their most common comment is:

“The people at that church aren’t very friendly.”

So how do so many church members have such a disconnect with reality? I see six common reasons:

The holy huddle syndrome. Church members naturally gravitate to people they know when they go to a worship service. They already have relational connections. The members thus perceive they are friendly because they are friendly to each other. Unfortunately, guests are not included.
The stand-and-greet satisfier. Many churches have a time set aside in the worship service for people to greet one another. I have written before about the dreaded stand-and-greet time. For most church members, those three to four minutes of shaking hands and speaking to someone constitute friendliness. To guests, it often seems contrived and inconsistent with what they see beyond the “official” welcome time.
The I-don’t-live-here reality. Church members know the facilities of their churches. They know where to park. They don’t need good signage. They know where to sit. Guests are, well, guests. They often come to the worship services frustrated because of poor signage. One guest tried to open three doors before she found the right one. And she was a single mom with three kids in tow. For many guests, they form a quick opinion that the church is for insiders only.
The insider language mystery. Often those who preach or make announcements speak in words and acronyms that only the members understand. It seems to be an insider code without any consideration to those who are making their first visit. The guest feels like he or she is on the outside looking in.
The unhappy kid/unhappy parent problem. Regardless of the adults’ experience at church, if their children do not have a good experience, it will be clearly reflected in the parents’ attitudes. Some churches go out of their way to make the children safe, secure, and happy. That’s good. Some don’t. That’s bad.
The 6 + 1 dilemma. Most Christians are not prayerfully and intentionally trying to reach non-Christians through word and deed. How can we expect those members who don’t have a friendly attitude toward the outsider six days a week to change it dramatically for one day a week? The truly friendly people I see in churches are showing love, concern, compassion, and friendliness toward others the other six days of the week.

Guest friendliness is important. Indeed, it can make an eternal difference in the guests’ lives. But guest friendliness is not natural in most churches. And, unfortunately, most church members do not even realize they aren’t friendly to guests.

It’s a problem. The first step is realizing how unfriendly your church may really seem to guests.

Let me hear from you.

 

Pray for Woodmont Baptist Church

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Pastor: Vacant

Weekly Worship: 10:30 AM, Central

Fast Facts: Located in the Nashville area, Woodmont Baptist is celebrating her 75th Anniversary this September. Though presently without a senior pastor, the church as only had 3 pastors in its 75 year history. Please pray for their pastor search as well as their upcoming community service effort through Habitat for Humanity—the church is participating in a house build this October. Finally, pray for their anniversary celebration next weekend.

Website: WoodmontBaptist.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..

Notable Voices: September 17, 2016

5 Lies Pastors are Tempted to Tell—And How to Resist Them — Karl Vaters

Even honest pastors can slip into these traps.

 

What To Do (and What Not To Do) When Your Pastor Resigns — Jared Wilson

This is a good reminder from Jared for any church whose pastor leaves.

 

5 Mistakes Young Leaders Can Make When Leading Those of Older Generations — Art Rainer

For pastors and other staff headed into leadership positions early in their career, relationships can be easily harmed if these mistakes are made.

 

5 Costs of Church Complexity — Eric Geiger

If your church is a complex one, it can be costing you more than you realize.

 

The Danger of Building a Church on Spectacle — Sam Rainer

It’s often said “What you win them with is you win them to.” Sam offers three cautions for churches built on spectacle.

 

6 Things Church Members Need to Know About Pastor Burnout — Marty Duren

I hear from church members nearly every week whose pastors are struggling with burnout. This is a helpful post on the topic from Marty.

 

Nine Virtual Realities for Churches – Rainer on Leadership #260

Podcast Episode #260

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play

Virtual outsourcing can be a real advantage for churches when used appropriately. We cover nine areas that can save churches time and money in this episode.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

Sometimes it’s better to have someone on the outside do things for you that aren’t core to the ministry of the church.
Too many leaders hold onto everything, and they start doing things they do not need to be doing.
An outside search firm doesn’t replace your search committee. It makes the committee more efficient & effective.
It’s important to have a web developer who understands the unique online needs of churches.
When outsourcing tasks in the church, make you you partner with church-centric groups.
Imagine doing your church announcements and people actually paying attention.
When done correctly, outsourcing can lead to better quality, better stewardship, and a more professional end product.

The nine areas of virtual outsourcing that we discuss are:

Virtual assistants – eaHELP
Virtual pastor and staff search process – Vanderbloemen Search Group
Virtual bookkeeping – MAG Bookkeeping
Virtual mobile app developers – Twenty:28
Virtual graphic designers – 99 Designs
Virtual web design and development – Mere Church
Virtual webmaster – Render
Virtual writers – Ellipsis
Virtual Announcements – Pro Video Announcements


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

Eight Trends Where Churches Are Moving Virtual

Four Reasons to Welcome Smartphone Use in the Worship Service

By Jonathan Howe

Smartphones have become ubiquitous in our culture. There’s no denying the influence of the smartphone on the rise of social media, changes in commercial marketing, and even the church.

Rarely a week goes by without me receiving an email, message, or tweet from a pastor or church leader asking about church apps, social media strategies, or mobile website functionality. “Don’t leave home without it” applies more to our smartphones than it ever did to American Express. And it applies when people are headed into their weekly worship service as well.

Before I get to the specifics of the post, allow me a couple of caveats. I’m not saying people should be piddling away on their smartphones in the worship service. If you can’t have your phone out and refrain from playing games or catching up on email during a worship service, then keep it put away. The same would go for tablets. But as you will see below, these four reasons all involve using your smartphone to share or enhance what’s going on in the worship service.

Using a Bible app. This may be the most basic use of a smartphone while in a worship service. While many still prefer a hard copy of God’s Word (myself included), a digital app version is quite convenient.
Taking notes. Many, if not all, of the leading Bible apps allow for note taking. This is helpful if you like to keep digital records of your sermon notes. Evernote, the native Notes app, Pages, or even Word can all be used to catalog sermon notes as well. For some, digital sermon notes are actually preferred to handwritten ones simply because they can be searched and indexed so much easier.
Tweeting quotes. This is the main way I use my smartphone while in a worship service. This is similar to taking notes, but you share the quote instead of keeping it to yourself. One piece of advice on this particular smartphone use: ensure that you use an app like Buffer or Hootsuite that doesn’t automatically pull up your social media feed. You’re less likely to be distracted by what’s in your Twitter feed if all you see is an input box. I only use Buffer for sending out sermon quotes for this particular reason.
Online or text giving. As online giving and text giving become more prevalent, smartphone usage for them will only increase. If you’re promoting online giving or text giving during the offertory, it only makes sense that people would use their smartphones to participate in worship through giving.

Two final reminders: Pastor, when you see someone on his/her phone during worship, it’s not always a bad thing. Worshipper, if you’re on your phone during a worship service, make sure what you are doing is related to what’s going on in the service.

Do you use your smartphone during the worship service? If so, do you use it for anything else?

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.

Five Reasons Why Churches Are Dying and Declining Faster Today

“In the past, I’ve been able to lead churches to growth. I can’t do it anymore. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

A pastor shared those sentences with me just three days ago.

He was frustrated. He was confused. He was exhausted.

And he is not alone.

With some exceptions, it is indeed more difficult to lead churches to growth. Such is a reality that is about 15 years in the making. The obvious question is “Why?” Allow me to articulate five of those reasons.

Cultural Christianity is declining rapidly. It is really a misnomer to call it “cultural Christianity,” since it’s not true faith in Christ. In the past, many people felt it was culturally, economically, or politically advantageous to be a part of a congregation, even if they weren’t true believers in Christ. These attending non-believers padded our numbers. Or to say it another way, the pool of willing attenders has diminished greatly.
The exit of the Builder generation. The Builder generation has kept many churches alive, even if the congregations are on life support. This generation, born before 1946, is fiercely loyal to institutions, including local churches. They stuck with congregations in good and bad times. But, in 2015, there were only 28 million Builders left. Another 13,000 Builders die every week. The loyal generation is few in number and will soon be no more.
Migration from rural areas and small towns to the cities. In 1790, only 5% of Americans lived in cities. By the 1960s, the percentage of Americans in cities skyrocketed to 65%. Today over 80% of Americans are city dwellers. Rural and small-town churches held on tenaciously to their members for over two centuries. But the population base for those tenacious churches has dwindled dramatically.
Faster church transfers. Those who are transferring from one church to another are concentrating in fewer churches. Simply stated, a few churches are getting bigger at the expense of smaller churches. While that phenomenon has been in play for quite a while, it is now accelerating. The old barrier that held people in specific churches – family connections, denominational loyalty, and loyalty to a specific congregation – are no longer barriers today. People move with great freedom from church to church.
Slow response to change as change accelerates all around us. Many churches are incredibly slow to change. For most of our American history, the pace of cultural and technological change was sufficiently paced for churches to lag only five to ten years. Now churches are lagging 20 and 30 years as the pace of change increases dramatically. To many attendees and members, the church thus seems increasingly irrelevant. To be clear, I am speaking about issues of style, methodology, and awareness, not changing doctrine or biblical truths. A church guest I recently interviewed said it clearly: “I stuck with my parents’ church as long as I could. But when we had a big blow up over projection screens in the worship center, I had enough. I wanted to go to a church where matters of minutia were not issues to fight over.”

If you think it is more difficult to lead a church to growth, you are right. If you have noticed the decline in your church is greater, you are probably right as well. And if you are to the point of realization that your church may die in the next few years, it may come sooner than that.

In a future post, I will address how smaller churches can deal with these challenges. Warning: the solutions are simple but not easy.