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10 Mistakes Pastors Make when Interviewing – Rainer on Leadership #155

Podcast Episode #155

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On today’s episode, we discuss the process of interviewing from the pastor’s perspective, but we also discuss topics related to those searching for a pastor. We also discuss an all-too-common faux pas pastors make when interviewing as well as a mistake I made when I took my third pastorate.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

Search committees often don’t give a full representation of the church to a new pastor.
If there are certain theological stances you will be preaching on, convey that during the search process.
Pastors, don’t hide your belief system in order to get a job.
Most of the time, search committees do not ask appropriate doctrinal questions of potential pastors.
A church’s website will tell you a lot about the church—both good and bad.
I recommend all new pastors do a demographic and psychographic study of the area around the church.
A lot of interviewing is common sense, but when in the interview process, common sense often falls aside.

The 10 mistakes pastors make when interviewing with a new church are:

Exaggerating their previous successes
Believing everything the committee says
Being intentionally unclear about their beliefs
Not asking the right questions
Majoring on the minors
Failing to discuss compensation later on or discussing too early
Not contextualizing their ministry ideas and terminology to the church
Use of the phrase “In my current church” or “In my previous church”
Failing to ask others about the church
Not doing your homework on the church

Episode Sponsors

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is a dynamic community of learners who are serious about ministry preparation biblical studies theological reflection and cultural engagement. Their faculty are gifted men and women who minister as much through research and writing as through local church involvement but their primary ministry is teaching and caring for students. Find out more about TEDS at Divinity.TIU.edu.

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 I Will.

Resources

PerceptGroup.com

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Seven Internal Barriers to Growth in a Church

There is rarely a simple explanation for the decline of a church. It is often a complex mix of cultural, theological, attitudinal, and internal issues. In this article, I address the latter issue.

Internal barriers refer to those obstacles that are inherent in the organization and the facilities of the church. They are also called structural barriers. Stated simply, these barriers are self-imposed or self-inflicted.

Some of these barriers are long-standing and difficult to remove. Others, such as a redesigned website, can be accomplished with little pain. Let’s look at the six most common internal barriers in churches.

Facility Barriers. We have addressed these barriers several times on this site and on the Rainer on Leadership podcast. The two most common are poor signage and inadequate parking. The former is often more easily addressed than the latter. Other common facility barriers include dirty and cluttered facilities, inadequate worship space, inadequate children’s space, and poor sound and lighting in the worship space.
Governance Barriers. These barriers include restrictive bylaws and policies, a model of church government that is not working as intended, and frequent acrimonious business meetings. I am familiar with a church that had a policy where the executive pastor was on every committee, but the pastor was not. The particular problem was the personnel committee, where the executive pastor abused his authority to prevent the pastor from leading staff or having an influence on any personnel matters. That situation did not end well.
Staffing Barriers. Churches often staff the way they’ve always done it. But times change and needs change. Staffing alignment and job descriptions of the 1990s may be inadequate today. Sometimes the job descriptions can be fine, but the wrong people are in those positions. Jim Collins, in his classic book Good to Great, uses the metaphor of getting the right people on the bus, and getting the right people in the right seat on the bus. If a church leader is not in a position that matches his or her gifts, abilities, and passions, the church has a structural growth barrier.
Cultural Barriers. These barriers refer largely to attitudes and practices of the leadership and membership as perceived by guests. They could include a general unfriendly spirit in the church, acrimonious business meetings, perceived lengthy services, and worship times that are not convenient for guests.
Church Calendar. Many churches are notorious for being activity-driven. One activity is stacked upon another. The church is so busy doing good things that it neglects the best things. Typically, the most often neglected ministries in busy churches are evangelism and ministry beyond the walls of the church. Most busy churches are not Great Commission churches.
Worship Times. Why does your church have the specific worship times it offers? For many churches, it is the way we’ve always done it. Many church leaders have not asked what are the most conducive times to reach the community. Frankly, the traditional 11:00 am worship time as a single offering makes little sense today. I will admit, however, it’s still a good time for the farmers who need to milk the cows and feed the animals before they come to church.
Website Barriers. One of the simplest internal or structural changes a church can make to reach more people is to update the website. The website is the front door for guests. It is their first stop before visiting the church. It makes no sense to have a lousy website when it is so effective when done well. And churches should follow the cardinal rule of websites: the church’s physical location and times of service should be clear and evident on the home page.

Some of the reasons a church may not be growing could be self-inflicted barriers. These are seven of the most common barriers. What do you think of them? Let me hear from you.

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Pray for Connect Church

Location: Arden, North Carolina

Pastor: Keith Thielke

Weekly Worship: Saturday nights, 5:00 PM, Eastern

Fast Facts: Connect Church is a newly established Church in the Asheville, NC area whose vision is to “transform families and the community with the gospel.” There are more than 19,000 people within a 3 mile radius who are unchurched or are far from God. Pray that Connect Church will be given opportunities to establish relationships so the gospel can be shared with these people. Please pray for encouragement for Connect Church as they fight intense spiritual battles. Pray for additional families to join their launch team to spread the gospel through outreach efforts. Please pray for a family they are ministering to whose mother has stage 4 cancer; pray for her husband and 5-year old for true peace in the midst of this enormous challenge. Finally, pray for boldness for Connect Church as they are given opportunities to share the gospel.

Website: CChurchNC.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..

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Notable Voices: August 29, 2015

Two Key Filters for Evaluating Senior Leaders You Don’t Know — Sam Rainer

As we enter the presidential season, these two tips from Sam are helpful reminders for how we should evaluate leaders most of us will never meet, let alone know.

 

Longevity and Millennials in the Workplace — Eric Geiger

Millennials see the workplace differently than any previous generation. Eric’s recounting of a recent interaction when hiring a Millennial here at LifeWay is a perfect example.

 

Which Jesus Are You Preaching? — Daniel Darling

Dan shares three common mistakes made by pastors in their sermons. Before you proclaim God’s Word tomorrow, ask yourself which Jesus are you preaching.

 

How Long Will It Take for My Church to Really, Actually Change? — Carey Nieuwhof

There is a lot in this post from Carey, and I like the point he makes at the onset: Don’t overestimate what you can accomplish in one year. Don’t underestimate what you can do in five.

 

4 Kinds of Pastors — Nicholas Batzig

Pastor, into which category do you fall?

 

Five Ways to Deepen Your Preaching — Gavin Ortlund

Gavin shares five lessons he is learning as he preaches more and more.

 

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War Room and the Power of Prayer featuring Stephen and Alex Kendrick – Rainer on Leadership #154

Podcast Episode #154

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On today’s episode, we welcome Stephen and Alex Kendrick to the podcast. Their new movie, War Room, opens today in theatres nationwide. I encourage you and your family or small group to see the movie this weekend, because it will absolutely rekindle a hunger for prayer in your life.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

“Our culture has put man on the throne and we are in a mess because of that.”
“War Room is unapologetically bold. It is a call to prayer.”
“War Room is a visual parable on the power and importance of prayer.”
“Prayer should not be about praying comfortable or convenient prayers.”
“Every one of our movies has been one answered prayer after another.”

Episode Sponsor

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 I Will.

Resources

WarRoomMovieResources.com
WarRoomTheMovie.com

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9 Reasons We Must Connect our Churches with Cities

By Chuck Lawless

Even if you have no interest in urban settings and ministries, I plead with you to continue to read this post. We are called to get the gospel to all peoples of the world (Matt. 28:18-20), and we will not do that if we shy away from the world’s cities. Please read on, and pray about how your church might tackle a city – then encourage others to read this post as well.

The smallest church can reach out to a city. To be honest, it’s simple – find a ministry in a city, and partner with them. Whether your church is itself urban or rural, with 10 members or 10,000, you can do something in the city. The needs are so great that opportunities are there for everybody.
People are in the cities. This reason is basic, but not insignificant. The world has been more urban than rural for at least seven years now. The ten most populated cities in the U.S. have 25 million people in the actual city boundaries, with 95 million people in the ten largest metropolitan areas. The church needs to be where people are.
Evangelicals aren’t always in our cities. Though this picture is rightly changing, evangelicals have not been strong in cities. We have emphasized evangelism but have been cautious about engaging some of the most obvious mission fields in the world. Gospel-witness voids still remain.
The nations are in the cities. Years ago, I was privileged to minister in a Vietnamese village in Moscow, Russia. I’ve been with Hispanics in South Asia and Europeans in Southeast Asia. If the Lord would allow me, I would live in the middle of New York City – an urban setting where more than 800 languages are spoken. If we want to reach the world’s people groups, the city is the place to go.
World influencers are in the city. Think about the potential of influencing the world if we reach leaders in New York, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, or Mumbai. The worlds of the arts, literature, politics, sports, media, etc. are there – what would happen if the gospel influences them?
The needy are in the city. Poverty in the city offers significant opportunity for the church to minister. The combined stresses of poverty and urban life often threaten families, foster division, and invite crime. The church has the answer to all of these issues – if the church is there.
Job opportunities are often there. That’s not to say that everyone will find a job, but the sheer size of cities often provides employment opportunities. Here’s the reason this point matters: believers can move to cities to be a light in the darkness, trusting that finding a job will not be an impossibility.
Reaching the city requires partnerships. No single church can reach millions of people, even with multi-site approaches. City reaching requires us to push beyond our differences to work together. That unity is what Jesus prayed for in John 17, and it wouldn’t hurt us to work together for the Great Commission task.
The job is too big for us. Who can reach 22 million+ in greater New York or the 37 million+ in Tokyo? Who would even know where to start? God does, and He requires us to seek Him and His wisdom. If the city drives us to our knees, that’s a good place to be.

What other reasons would you add?

Be sure to check out Dr. Lawless’ daily blog posts at www.chucklawless.com. Chuck Lawless currently serves as Professor of Evangelism and Missions and Dean of Graduate Studies at Southeastern Seminary. You can connect with Dr. Lawless on both Twitter and Facebook.

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Ashley Madison, Adultery, and the Church

It was just yesterday that I began to hear the stories. As the list of names on the Ashley Madison list began to unfold, pastors and other church leaders received word that some of their own members were on the list. Some of the names included elders, deacons, pastors, church staff, and laypersons in the church.

The pastors with whom I spoke weren’t on the list, but they had church members who were. These pastors were struggling with how they were going to respond to the families impacted, other church leaders, and the congregation as a whole.

Adultery is not new in the Christian world. The Bible itself is filled with accounts of believers who committed such sexual sin. No church has been immune from this issue. But this time it seemed to be more problematic. Those who committed adultery had their names on the Internet for the world to see.

Though we are only at the early stages of names being revealed, it is not too early to suggest some ways church leaders and members can deal with the Ashley Madison scandal if it comes to your church.

We must lead. We can’t act like this event never took place. We can’t wish it away. Now is the time for church leaders truly to lead. This occasion is one where our leadership will likely be tested. We must seek God and His wisdom and strength to be the type of leaders for such a time as this.
We must exhibit grace. To be grace-filled does not mean we minimize the sins of adultery, lying, and betrayal. But it is incredibly sad and tragic when Christians on the list have more to fear and less hope than non-believers on the list. I fear that some Christians will retreat into a mode of legalism and judgment when grace should be pervasive.
We must remember the goal is to restore sinners. Truly repentant believers on this list should not only receive grace, they should be given the opportunity to be restored to the church. The ultimate goal of church discipline is restoration to the body.
We must respond pastorally and with great compassion. We are already hearing stories of families torn apart, of children terrified about what is happening to their dad, and of the tragedy of suicide. Church leaders cannot respond in their own power. God, however, can provide them all they need to respond in such a time of tragedy and hurt.
We must understand the extensive nature of this issue. It is highly public involving countless Christians. While immediate families are the most directly impacted, entire congregations will likely go through stages of grief as they hear the news.
We must understand that this issue will have a long-term effect. It will take months, even years, for healing to take place fully. Pastors and other church leaders must be prepared to deal with this matter for the long haul. Such leadership will require exceptional endurance and God-given stamina to minister to many people for a long time.

I am no less a sinner than anyone on the Ashley Madison list. It is only by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ that I have been forgiven and given new hope and life. May we remember the Christ-given grace given to us as we deal with the sins and tragedy of adultery and betrayal that will continue to become even more evident in the days ahead. And may we be bearers of hope and love to the families reeling from these discoveries.

You church leaders who are dealing with this tragedy have my prayers. You families impacted by this tragedy have my prayers. And you who are on the list have my prayers as well. Now is the time for the body of Christ to be one of grace, healing, and restoration.

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What Do Pastors Need to Know About Business? – Rainer on Leadership #153

Podcast Episode #153

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On today’s episode, we discuss what pastors need to know about business and answer a few questions from the listeners of Rainer on Leadership. As always, you can ask your questions on the podcast page. If we use your question, you’ll receive a copy of the new book, I Will.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

Most churches have as much as half of their membership who are not very active.
Casual dress means service and giving will be casual about as much as high church attire means they will be higher.
Pastors need to know basic business principles when leading a church.
Most pastors and staff members do exhibit a grateful heart.
Every church needs some type of succession plan regardless of the age or tenure of the pastor.

The questions we cover on the podcast are:

JEREMY – I’m holding my first pastorate in a church that needs revitalized. With that said, I have this lady on the mission board, who only comes to church when the mission committee meets (she is the secretary and writes the checks). Then when she does come, she does not join us in the sanctuary. Instead, she sits in the fireside room. This lady is also a long time member. How should I address this both with the leadership and her?

COLEMAN – Your recent podcast, about church attire was so timely because we are at a dynamic new church, that has a casual dress code. My wife likes me in a suit and I also want to set an example for my young sons who are impressionable. We are from the midwest, but live in California now, so casual is acceptable. But if the attire is casual, what else is? Tithing, Service, Values? Old church was too old, and out of touch. New church too hip, casual approach. Whats a young family to do?

PAUL – You mentioned in your post on 10 things you wish you knew before becoming a pastor that you wish you’d known how important a business acumen would be in pastoral ministry. I am training to become a pastor, and like yourself, I love God and His Word, but my knowledge of business is pretty weak. I would like to know more about this; what, specifically, would you suggest new pastors know in this area?

SCOTT – Why don’t churches come together cooperatively? This could be an outreach event, a service ministry project, youth groups….anything. It seems that we stay to ourselves, or our denominations. If we are ALL the body of Christ, what’s stopping us from doing this?

TERESA – Should pastors express gratitude to their congregants for kindnesses shown to them and their families, including gifts and services?

PHIL – What are the signs of a church’s need for an intentional lead pastor succession plan?

Episode Sponsor

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 I Will.

Resources

The Minister’s Salary
Next: Pastoral Succession That Works
Kyle Idleman Podcast
William Vanderbloemen Podcast

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Do Churches Practice Age Discrimination in Hiring Pastors and Staff?

It’s a simple question with profound implications. Do churches seek to hire pastors and/or staff who fall within a tightly defined age range?

Please understand that this article is about general trends. There are certainly many exceptions to each point I make. But these are the major issues I see related to age discrimination in hiring.

Age discrimination is common in many churches. Though my information is anecdotal, it spans over 20 years and thousands of churches. Age discrimination in hiring pastors and church staff is pervasive.
Churches do not discriminate maliciously. You will rarely hear church members and leaders talk about their refusal to consider candidates of certain ages. It is more the intentional way they seek candidates. For example, a church may determine their ideal candidate to be in his or her 40s. That obviously minimizes the chances they will hire persons in their 30s or 50s.
Many churches determine candidate profiles by surveying church members. A common question on these surveys is to state a preferred age range for the candidate. The surveys then are tabulated with predictable responses. That issue leads into my next point.
Those excluded from consideration are on both ends of the age spectrum: the younger and the older. Churches are often determined to find someone who has plenty of experience and, at the same time, is not too old. Sometimes that’s a tough combination to find.
Many members use the “+15” mental calculation to determine if a candidate is too old. The church member often has an idealistic expectation, not always grounded in reality, that the candidate will be at the church for 15 years. They therefore add 15 years to the candidates’ current age to determine the suitability of them for the church. Such is the reason many persons 55 years and older have great difficulty finding a position.
Churches are missing some great opportunities narrowing their focus to a certain age. It is cliché, but age is as much mental as it is physical. While the age of a candidate can certainly be one factor for consideration, I would hope it’s not always the eliminating factor.

I am seeing many churches experiencing difficulty finding pastors and other staff that meet their criteria. The solution could be in looking at candidates who just might be younger or older than they originally anticipated. Don’t be surprised if you find some outstanding candidates either younger or older than you expected.

Age is important. But it should not be everything.

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Pray for Wilkesboro Baptist Church

Location: Wilkesboro, North Carolina

Pastor: Chris Hefner

Weekly Worship: 8:50 & 11:00 AM, Eastern

Fast Facts: Wilkesboro Baptist Church welcomes a new pastor today as Dr. Chris Hefner begins his time of leading this faith family. Please pray for the Hefner family as they transition to Wilkesboro and for the church as they welcome their new pastor. Also be in prayer for their upcoming annual meeting and new member reception as well as for growth opportunities for the church. WBC is located in a traditional downtown setting where parking and space are at a premium. Pray for their leadership and congregation in this time of transition and for them to continue reaching the Wilkesboro community.

Website: WilkesboroBaptist.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..

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