Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 27

The Church That Could in a Town of 714 People

Bardwell Baptist Church is located in Bardwell, Kentucky, a town of 714 people. Twenty years ago in 2000, the population was 799. Bardwell is, for the most part, an unknown town in a rural area of Kentucky. 

But God knows where Bardwell is. 

Jason Burnett became the pastor in 2021. Worship attendance was around 100 when he arrived, down from a remarkable peak of 200 in the year 2000. 

The church has a number of members who are ready for God to do something in their church. Indeed, the church called Jason as its pastor with a keen awareness that they had to reach people with the gospel. 

A little over a month ago, the church began the 30-day journey through The Hope Initiative (www.HopeInitiative.com). 

You must hear what God has done in that church in that small town. Chuck Lawless conducted a brief ten-minute interview with Jason. 

Watch this video and be amazed. It is nothing short of a miracle. 

If God can do such a powerful work in this church in a non-growing, rural town, He can do that same work in your church. 

What an amazing God we serve.

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When a Friendship Falls Apart: Finding God’s Path for Healing, Forgiveness, and (Maybe) Help Letting Go

Even in the closest friendships, sometimes hurt happens. Misunderstanding. Distance. Disagreement. Even betrayal and deceit. Perhaps you have experienced this kind of anguish, this kind of brokenness, firsthand. The loss can be staggering, a blow not only to your happiness and way of life but also to your confidence and sense of identity. The pain may haunt you for years to come.

Friendships are precious to me—worth fighting for, praying about, and working through. But sometimes, in spite of my best (yet imperfect) efforts, I’ve had friendships falter and fail. In my experience, friendships fall apart in different ways, for many reasons:

Maybe you entered different seasons of life, and you no longer had much in common.

Maybe one big, awful misunderstanding took a catastrophic turn—un-take-back-able words, dramatic door slams—and almost overnight the friendship was severed.

Maybe hurt feelings and unhealthy patterns snuck in over time, small fissures in your trust that eventually widened into a chasm that feels uncrossable.

Or maybe nothing happened at all—and that’s the problem. You just . . . drifted. Stopped calling, stopped making time for each other. One day you looked up to find an ocean between you.

However brokenness entered your friendship, it’s a wound. A loss. And the loss of a friendship is often accompanied by a host of unwanted companions: insecurity, anger, isolation, bitterness, guilt, regret. The closer the friendship, the greater the pain. It’s a lonely loss, a private grief, like a divorce no one can see. No one’s going to send cards or flowers. Hallmark doesn’t make a Friendship Breakup sympathy card; churches don’t offer Friendship Loss Support Groups. It’s not something we can announce on social media, seeking support or prayers; in fact, chances are, the broken friendship was intertwined with a larger group of friends, so it’s tricky to talk about it anywhere, to anyone.

And when the relationship is between two faithful Christians, two people seeking to honor God in all they do, the pain is compounded, the fallout even more complicated. Godly friendships aren’t “supposed” to fracture, but sometimes they do. We offer our hearts in especially vulnerable ways in Christian relationships, sharing weaknesses and struggles, doubts and fears; our daily lives may be frequently interwoven through church fellowship connections. So when we can’t work things out with a Christian friend, we may experience an additional cascade of emotions: guilt, shame, doubt, isolation. To add to the convolution, we may even suffer division, misrepresentation, or misunderstanding in our mutual relationships with other believers.

Our compassionate Father knew our relationships would sometimes flounder, and in his grace, God went out of his way to include multiple examples in Scripture of believers whose friendships struggled, people like Hannah, Sarah, Rachel, David, Mary, Martha, and many others. You and I are not the first, last, or only ones to falter in friendship.

In Acts 15 we read about Paul and Barnabas, two leaders in the early church who disagreed so sharply that they ended a years-long ministry partnership. News of the split must have sent shock waves through the church. What heartache their story holds. Even Jesus, who loved perfectly, experienced broken friendships. On the night of his arrest, in his greatest moment of need, his friends fell asleep while Jesus wept alone; hours later, he was betrayed by one of his most intimate companions.

Knowing that even the most righteous of people can let one another down, God has provided encouragement and tools throughout Scripture to help us. In his pages we find counsel for handling complex dynamics with integrity and wisdom. Scripture can help us seek reconciliation and restoration when they are possible; and in relationships where those things cannot be found, the Bible guides us in seeking a sense of resolution, the resolution that comes from a clean conscience, healing, and the peace only God can give, the “peace . . . which passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7, RSV).

Let’s take our hurting hearts to the Friend who is never too busy, never insensitive, and never selfish; the Friend who hears our hearts’ cries, knows our deepest needs, and meets them perfectly—now that’s a friendship we can rely on.

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Behind the Decline: Unraveling the Forgotten Reasons of Fading Neighborhood Churches

No doubt you’ve heard the phrase, “There goes the neighborhood.” Historically, it has been associated with ethnic minorities moving into white neighborhoods. I don’t believe most people use the phrase today in such a way. However, during the civil rights movement and the following decades, many white neighborhood churches changed locations, often moving to the growing suburbs where fewer minorities lived.

For the congregations that stayed, the fracturing of the neighborhood also meant the fracturing of the church. Many neighborhood churches struggled to understand the changing demographics and failed to reach their new neighbors. Many congregations struggled to find their place in what they viewed as a fragmented world.

The mission of every church is to go into a fragmented world and share the good news of Jesus that heals the brokenness. Historically, many neighborhood churches believed their meaning and identity would shift with changing demographics. Such thinking was antithetical to the gospel. The white flight of churches was horrid, but it alone does not explain the decline of neighborhood churches. More was at play and is still affecting neighborhood churches.

A Me-First Mentality

Inward-focused churches always decline. Some more quickly than others. But spiritual navel-gazing always kills a church. People with a me-first mentality believe the church exists to meet their needs rather than a way for them to serve their community. When personal preferences are elevated above God’s mission, the church will turn inward, creating a culture of selfishness and entitlement.

The operating budget is often the first indication of inward movement, even before attendance begins to decline. When money that once was allocated for outreach evangelism shifts to ministries that serve the members, the church is moving inward. The me-first mentality can pertain to trivial matters such as the color of the paint or the carpet, or to more consequential issues such as ethnic minorities moving into the neighborhood. The result, however, is inevitably the same: An inward culture will always kill a neighborhood church.

Church Bubble Syndrome

When a church views its role as protecting members from the rough and tumble world of the surrounding community, walls will inevitably go up. Though these walls aren’t physical, they might as well be—letting certain people know they’re not welcome. And when you stop welcoming one kind of person, it becomes much easier to stop welcoming others, as well. Some neighborhood churches declined because they tried to exist for only part of the neighborhood. Ironically, most would probably say, “All are welcome!” I’ve even seen that phrase on church signs. But it doesn’t take long to figure out who is truly welcome and who is not. Church bubble syndrome limits the reach of the gospel into the surrounding community, and God will not honor churches that limit his mission.

No Expectation of Growth

No church can grow indefinitely. Even massive churches with exponential growth curves will eventually slow down. It’s a physical reality due to the size of their campuses. It’s also a statistical and sociological reality. But far too few neighborhood churches have a culture and expectation of growth. If you examine a neighborhood church in decline, you will often find a congregation with an entrenched mentality. They want the church to stay the way it is. Visitors are welcome so long as there aren’t too many at once. Growth is viewed as a risk, and new people become a threat to the ideal size of the church.

Unnoticed Demographic Mismatches

In a recent consultation with a neighborhood church, I asked the leaders what percentage of their community was ethnic minorities. Their responses varied from about 5 percent to 15 percent. When I showed them the actual statistics, they were shocked. About 45 percent of the community was African American or Hispanic.

Then I asked them which generation was the largest in their community. Every leader said Baby Boomers, though in fact the Boomers were fourth, behind the Gen Xers, Millennials, and Generation Z. They had a hard time believing me.

“Where do you go? With whom do you hang out?” I asked. They all admitted their worlds were quite small, even within the neighborhood. They hung out at the same places and with the same people. These church leaders had not noticed the demographic change in their community because they unintentionally avoided it. Though they were not opposed to reaching a new segment of people, their patterns of living and an inward-focused church culture kept them from seeing the reality right before them.

Lack of Vibrant Prayer

One of the first books on revitalizing neighborhood churches, Basic Communities: A Practical Guide for Renewing Neighborhood Churches by Thomas Maney, was written in 1984. It was way ahead of its time. Maney correctly identifies prayer as the key to neighborhood church renewal. He notes that prayer prompts a congregation to move from indifference to enthusiasm, from being bored to being engaged. Neighborhood churches in decline almost always lack vibrant prayer.

Poor Leadership Coupled with Apathy or Antagonism toward the Community

I don’t know of a neighborhood church that is reliant on the personality of a nationally known charismatic leader. Growth or decline in these churches is based on issues at the local level and not the global platform of their pastors. But every church requires leadership. The most influential leader is typically the lead or sole pastor—the one preaching during worship services.

When leaders respond poorly to the surrounding culture, the church will tend toward one of two responses: apathy or antagonism. Some pastors even encourage these responses through poor leadership. A church that doesn’t work to understand or listen to the community culture will inevitably stop caring for the neighborhood or will start hating the people of the neighborhood.

The community knows nothing about the apathetic church, while the antagonistic church is known for what they oppose. A healthy neighborhood church will be known for what they support, and will have leaders who respond graciously to changes in the local culture.

Unattractive Facilities

Some neighborhood churches seem to care very little for their campuses. They’ve gained a reputation as eyesores rather than a point of pride in the community. Too many neighborhood churches are not investing in their God-given addresses. A church campus should be the most well-kept spot in the neighborhood. Why would someone visit a church when the campus looks more like a run-down gas station than a place where the people worship Almighty God? If the members don’t care about their facility, how will they care for their neighbors?

Conversely, there are neighborhood churches that care more for their campus than they do for the surrounding community. They put up locks and chains and don’t allow any outside use of their facilities. A run-down campus is unattractive because it is an eyesore, but an inaccessible campus is unattractive because it tells the neighbors they’re not welcome.

Neighborhood churches have the potential to be both nimble and flexible. Typically, they have smaller campuses and less deferred maintenance. Whereas larger regional churches must consider a broader demographic of people from various locations, ministries at neighborhood churches can be tailored specifically to the people right around the church. In the era of waning denominational loyalty, neighborhood churches can capture people based on their local presence rather than denominational preference. Though many challenges remain for neighborhood churches, a vibrant sense of mission is just waiting to be renewed. Your location is a key asset, and the future is bright.

I believe in a neighborhood church comeback so much that I wrote a book about it. The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church just released! If you lead or attend a neighborhood church or want to know more about this potential movement, you can pick up a copy now.

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Four Reasons Why Church Giving Is Up While Attendance Is Down

The median attendance of a church in 2023 is 60, down from 65 in 2020. That’s the bad news. 

But giving is up. That is the good news. Giving in congregation jumped significantly, from a median of about $120,000 in 2020 to $170,000 in 2023. That is an increase of 42% over the past three years.

Thanks to the excellent ongoing research by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, we are able to see post-pandemic trends over a five-year period. 

In the midst of significant challenging news for churches, the level of giving remains remarkable. What is taking place? How is giving increasing while attendance continues to decline? As we work with churches across America, we see four compelling reasons. 

1. Online giving is the most significant reason for increased revenue in churches. The Hartford study found that the greater the usage of online giving, the higher the receipts will be in churches. It makes sense, particularly if the online giving is schedule giving, where the church member does not need reminders to give. When most churches were closed for a period during the pandemic, they were compelled to offer online giving. This issue may prove to be one of the longest-standing benefits of the pandemic for churches. 

2. Churches and church members have received significant government funding. Many churches received funding from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). Many individuals received both direct government funding and tax credits as well. Consequently, they were able to give more to their respective churches. Most of this funding is or will be ending soon. 

3. Postponed capital projects began after the pandemic. A number of congregations planned to build or renovate facilities, but the plans were delayed by the pandemic. As the churches restart these building projects, church members are giving to fund them. Most of these building funds are new sources of income for churches. 

4. The committed core of the church has increased its giving. We conduct hundreds of interviews in the process of church consultations. A common theme from the most committed church members is their desire to help their churches financially in these times of obvious need. Many of these members see fewer attendees every Sunday, so they are compelled to give more to fund the ministries of the churches. 

Giving is up. That is the good news. But attendance is down. That is the bad news. 

In upcoming articles, we will dig more deeply into the reasons why one-third of churches are growing and defying the negative trends of church decline. These congregations provide us with both guidance and hope. But one of the greatest challenges is that church members are becoming more resistant to change. For a season after churches regathered, church members were very open to change. Now that window of opportunity has closed. 

I will have more to say about these issues later.

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The Neighborhood Church Returns: Making the Comeback a Reality

Neighborhood churches tend to be small or midsize and well-established. For years, we have dismissed the potential for a significant move of God in these churches. I believe they are primed for a comeback. They are numerous, and they are located in the heart of places with lots of people.

I believe in this comeback so much that I wrote a book about it. The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church just released! If you lead or attend a neighborhood church or want to know more about this potential movement, you can pick up a copy now. I wish I could write that these churches will make a comeback, but it’s still an unrealized possibility. But what might it look like if such a comeback were to occur?

The Stigma Must Become the Advantage

Some have bemoaned the “on every street corner” nature of the established church. I understand. It seems there are churches everywhere that are doing nothing. But a shift is already underway. The megachurch movement is waning. The younger generations don’t prefer the giant sanctuaries on sprawling campuses that their Boomer parents enjoyed. The neighborhood church has a long way to go before we can talk about a movement, but the stigma of small and local is fading. Smaller churches embedded in neighborhoods have a certain appeal. If these churches step up and begin to reach into their surrounding communities, that stigma might shift to an advantage.

Church Fostering Must Become More Common

We understand the term fostering in connection with children being placed with a family. It differs from adoption in that it’s not intended to be permanent. Similarly, a new movement called fostering is emerging in the world of church revitalization, as healthy churches provide people and other resources for unhealthy churches over a specified time frame—usually six months to a year. In many cases, the fostering relationship involves sending in a preacher, improving the worship ministry, and restarting programming for children. The most successful fostering relationships also include outreach into the surrounding neighborhood.

Local Pastors Must Work Together for the Kingdom

In too many communities, pastors treat their church campuses like islands instead of as interconnected outposts in a kingdom network. Pastors need to get off their islands and befriend other pastors. When pastors in a community become friends, tenures become longer, and churches stop competing and start cooperating. The comeback of neighborhood churches will hit its stride when the pastors spend more energy working together than trying to compete.

Congregants Must Expect Growth and Invite Guests

Like Jupiter and Saturn compared to Mercury and Mars, larger churches have a greater gravitational pull than smaller churches. People who are new to a community or looking for a church are likely to visit the largest church in the area, even if they don’t anticipate joining. Larger churches will attract more guests. These churches expect to grow and anticipate having new people every Sunday.

Many, if not most, smaller neighborhood churches do not have a culture or expectation of growth. And when you don’t anticipate guests or invite people to church, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Many smaller churches remain small because the people there do not desire or expect growth. This entrenched mentality creates an unhealthy comfort with smallness and even ambivalence toward any new people who might upset the comfortable environment. When neighborhood churches make a comeback, it is often preceded by a cultural shift in the church—when the people start inviting others and expecting guests.

Community Revitalization Must Become Part of the Mission

Revitalizing the church should include revitalizing the community. The way to better church health is through outward movement, not inward focus. Imagine a movement of neighborhood churches, each revitalizing a one-mile radius around their campuses. It would change the nation!

Selfless Service Must Replace Selfish Preferences

In Mark 10:35-40, when James and John ask Jesus to give them the highest places of honor in the kingdom, he tells them they have no idea what they’re asking. Greatness in God’s kingdom comes through sacrifice and service. How did Jesus serve? He gave his life! Selfish preferences are the death of selfless service. When you place your personal desires above another person’s salvation, you are putting the mission of the church in great peril. Neighborhood churches will come back when the members elevate service above preference. A revitalized church will have more going and telling and less griping and yelling.

The Church Culture Bubble Must Pop

The insular church culture bubble will pop when your church pushes outward with the gospel. The church was never designed to be a shield protecting Christians from the world in a bubble of safety. The church is a vehicle engineered by God to take people into the darkest corners of the neighborhood. It’s called the Great Commission, not the Great Avoidance. Gospel obedience compels us to go to the outcasts, the lowly, and the neglected. If you’re not willing to sit down with a homeless addict and share the gospel because of how he or she looks and smells, then we don’t believe the same gospel. Jesus doesn’t call us to serve the most deserving, but he does call us to serve the most desperate.

The Campus Must Become a Neighborhood Hub

Church facilities are one of the most expensive, yet vital, tools church leaders use to shepherd God’s people. In a North American context, buildings are important to God’s mission of expanding his kingdom. Making the church building the locus of the community should be a priority for church leaders. From a practical standpoint, the church building should be the place where the local community congregates. Uninviting church buildings make it difficult for church members to invite their friends and family to worship with them.

It’s time for the neighborhood church to make a comeback. The stigma of small churches is fading. Fostering is becoming more common. Pastors should feel free to leave the islands of their campuses and make friends. The opportunity to revitalize neighborhoods is as big as ever. The neighborhood church movement is primed for a relaunch.

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A Simple Way for Leaders to Start the Day with God

Let me be honest with you. I’m busy. Too busy, in fact. I go to bed with things to do on my mind, and I wake up with even more things to do on my mind. Somedays it feels like I’m on the proverbial hamster wheel, wearing myself out while getting nowhere. 

In the midst of my busyness, though, I’ve learned a simple way to turn my attention away from the “stuff” and toward God each morning. My most directed prayer and Bible study time is usually later in the evening, so this method is especially helpful early in the day. It doesn’t take long, but it does make a difference for me.

First, I pray the “Model Prayer” as soon as I awaken. I realize that doing so can become robotic and ritualistic, but I also agree with Al Mohler that “The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer for disciples to pray.”¹ I first started praying only the verse about temptation so I might personally fight sin each day (“And don’t let us [me] yield to temptation, but rescue us [me] from the evil one” Matt 6:13, NLT), but I’ve more recently expanded to praying the whole prayer. My mind simply moves in a healthier direction in the morning when I immediately focus on God, thank Him for His provisions, and seek His will. This step also opens the door to my praying to the Lord throughout the rest of the day. 

Second, I read a daily “Verse of the Day” that shows up in my email inbox long before I awaken. I signed up for that email because I know my tendency is to dig into my inbox before I do anything else in the morning—and that’s not a good way to start the day. I still check my email, but I look first and foremost for that day’s verse. For example, here is today’s verse as I write this post:

“I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you” (Isa 46:4).

I don’t know what I will face today, but I’m reminded powerfully that God will be with me. And, because I will leave this verse in my inbox and read it each time I check my email today, I can work on memorizing it throughout the day without really trying. It’s just a good way for me to keep turning my heart back to the Lord. 

I’m still learning every day how to walk with God, but this process at least helps me get started well each day. I pray it might help you, too. 

¹R. Albert Mohler, The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down: The Lord’s Prayer as a Manifesto for Revolution (p. 20). HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Kindle Edition.

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Five New Challenges for the “Post-Post” Pandemic Church

We have written and presented numerous insights and information about the effects of the pandemic on churches. I even wrote a small book called The Post Quarantine Church. 

The essence of our information was straightforward: negative church trends were accelerated and exacerbated in the pandemic and for the several months after churches regathered in-person. In simple terms, declining churches typically experienced greater decline, and the relatively few growing churches experienced more modest declines. 

We are now entering a new era beyond the post-pandemic phase. We are in a “post post” pandemic era. It is significantly different than the months after churches regathered in-person. Most church leaders and members, however, have not adjusted to the rapid pace of changes accelerated by the pandemic and its aftermath. This reality can best be explained by five new challenges confronting churches today. 

1. We assume we’ve reached a new normal. The pace of change accelerated by the pandemic was so significant that we’ve hardly had time to catch our collective breath. But more cultural and technological change is on the way. We simply cannot assume that our approaches to ministry today are adequate for the tsunami of cultural change yet to come. The biblical mandates for our churches are unchangeable, but the methods we use must be prescient and wise. 

2. We continue to overly focus on the church as an organization at the expense of our mission. In many churches, we’ve had to make major financial, facility, and calendar adjustments in the post-pandemic era. In those churches, though, the focus on organizational issues has consumed our time. We often forget we have a mission to accomplish and a community to reach. 

3. We see modest evangelistic fruit as significant. One of the key indicators of our lack of missional focus is a small evangelistic harvest. Though we celebrate every person who becomes a follower of Christ, we can’t be content with anemic results. A church of 100 in attendance, for example, cannot be content with just five or six conversions a year. A church of 200 can’t be content with just ten to fifteen conversions a year. We have lowered the bar. We do not believe God can still reach many more through our churches. 

4. We don’t grasp the depth of the mental and emotional challenges of pastors. We have addressed this issue many times, and it is not going away. I grieve but, sadly, I am not surprised when I hear of another suicide by a pastor. In my forty years of ministry, I have never seen this depth of pain in so many pastors. 

5. We understand culture even less. I get it. The pace of change can best be described as a blur. Just a few years ago I would have never predicted our culture would be as unbiblical and, in many cases, anti-Christian as it is today. But this new culture is our mission field, and we must be ready to reach and minister to those in this culture. They still need Jesus. We still need to be bearers of the good news. 

The challenges can seem insurmountable. The pace of change can seem unbearable. But we serve a God who is with us always. We can indeed do all things through Christ who strengthens us. I have full confidence that God will give us and our churches everything we need to reach this new mission field that is our own community.

 

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The New Golden Handcuffs for Pastors (It’s Mortgage Rates)

The real estate market is encouraging some pastors to stay put. For now.

Rising interest rates produce a “golden handcuff” effect on the housing market. Golden handcuffs refer to a set of financial incentives that employers use to encourage certain employees to remain with a company. These incentives are typically tied to some conditions that make it financially unattractive for the employee to leave the company before a specified date.

Many pastors locked in low-interest rates on their homes. Rates around 3.0% are common. When rates go to 6.0% or 7.0%, the interest payment doubles, which creates an incentive to hold your current loan. Moving to another location becomes less of an option. The new golden handcuff is the spread between the locked interest rate and the higher rate.

This phenomenon is widespread across many professions. Potential sellers hang on to homes because they have a low mortgage rate. Potential buyers are facing lower and lower inventories, minimizing their options. Construction of new homes is not happening quickly enough to keep pace with the lower inventory. Therefore, home prices stay elevated while interest rates go up. Many people, pastors included, are simply staying where they are.

Zillow reports the “tipping point” of this golden handcuff effect is a 5.0% mortgage rate. It is unlikely mortgage rates drop to 5.0% any time soon. Additionally, eight in ten mortgage holders reported having a rate less than 5.0%, and almost a third reported a rate less than 3.0%. We are in this pattern for the foreseeable future.

High mortgage rates can present challenges for individuals, including pastors, looking to purchase homes. This might make it more difficult for churches to attract and hire pastors, especially if the prospective pastors are relocating and need to secure housing in a new area. What are some options if you are a pastor looking to make a transition or a church needing to onboard someone?

This phenomenon has a greater impact in Sun Belt metro areas. Pastors in these areas are less likely to leave. The move to Sun Belt areas is harder because home prices have risen higher along with higher interest rates. Churches in these areas will likely need to do more to attract potential candidates.Increase the housing allowance provided to pastors. This extra financial support can help offset higher mortgage costs and make it easier for pastors to afford housing. But please don’t go lower on their salary to increase this allowance!Parsonages are increasing in popularity. Some churches own a parsonage or a house for the pastor’s use. Offering a parsonage can be an attractive incentive for potential pastors, eliminating the immediate need for them to purchase a home in the area. Our church owns four houses, and several staff members have utilized them.Offer a mortgage interest subsidy. The church can offer to subsidize a portion of the interest on the pastor’s mortgage, making monthly payments more manageable.Consider renting options. The church can offer to help with rent for a couple of years until mortgage rates go down. This option is more attractive in areas where home prices are stable and do not rise dramatically.Include a hiring bonus and relocation assistance. While these bonuses are not typical in the church world, they are common in other professions. A hiring bonus could help with the down payment on a home in the area. Churches typically help with relocation assistance, but the amount may need to increase. Offering assistance with moving expenses can help mitigate the overall costs associated with relocating and potentially buying a new home.Some churches are offering forgivable loans to pastors. Check the legalities and tax implications of such a loan, but this arrangement could benefit both the pastor and the church, especially if the church can hire and keep the right pastor for the long term.Bi-vocational and co-vocational pastors can be trained from within the congregation. One of the best places to look for pastors and ministers is among the people of your church. The bi-vo and co-vo models will only increase in popularity in the coming years.

This unique real estate environment will not last forever. But the golden handcuff effect is real and will impact hiring in the near term. As we have reported before, most pastors are getting close to retirement age, which only compounds the problem as they enter a stage of life where they are less likely to move.

The key is to be proactive, flexible, and creative in offering support and incentives to prospective pastors. By addressing the housing challenge head-on, churches can make their positions more attractive even in high mortgage rate environments.

This topic was first introduced in Church Answers Central (thanks Kevin!). At Church Answers Central, we cover these kinds of topics and questions every day. Church Answers Central is the world’s largest online community for practical ministry support. Get 24/7 answers to your church questions. Join a vibrant community of nearly 2,000 church leaders in a safe environment. Connect with top church health experts like Thom Rainer, Chuck Lawless, Sam Rainer, and others like you. Become a member today!

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Do I Really Need to Be a Member of a Church?

This question and its ensuing discussion continues. Do I really need to be a member of a church?

We need to first separate the concept of church membership from other types of organizational membership. Church membership is not like civic club membership, even though many civic organizations do have altruistic purposes. Church membership is definitely not like country club membership, where you pay your dues and expect perks in return. Sadly, many church members do view their membership like joining a country club. 

When that attitude becomes our perspective, we then start insisting on getting things “my way.” My style of music. My order of worship. My length of sermon. My ministries. My programs. You get the picture. 

Membership in a New Testament church is metaphorically like being a member of a physical body. You are but one part of a greater whole, but your part is vital for the overall health of a church. Read again 1 Corinthians 12. Look specifically at verse 27: “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (ESV). 

Church membership, then, is a declaration that you are a part or a member of a greater whole. It is self-sacrificing and not preference-seeking. Here are five reasons why church membership is vital to the health of the church and those who decide to join a church. 

1. Church membership is a formal declaration of your commitment to a local body of believers. You are letting other members and church leaders know that you are committing to exercise your God-given gifts and roles within a local congregation. You are more than an attendee who comes and goes without commitment.

2. Church membership identifies you as a person who is under the care and pastoral ministry of the church. Ministry leaders cannot care for everyone who is in and out of the church. Their responsibility is to the clearly identified members of the church. Paul told the elders of the church at Ephesus in Acts 20:28: “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock – his church, purchased with his own blood – over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders” (NLT). The leaders cannot shepherd the flock unless they know who the flock is. 

3. Church membership is a commitment to come under the authority of the leadership of the church. A church member is not only under the shepherding ministry of the church, they are also under the authority of the leaders of the church. And though church discipline should be rare, the concept of church discipline by the leadership affirms and complements the concept of church membership. You cannot be disciplined from something unless you have committed to be a part of something. 

4. Church membership is an affirmation of the church’s beliefs and doctrine. It is not unusual for churches to have attendees who don’t fully affirm a church’s doctrine. Church membership, therefore, becomes a statement of affirmation that you identify with both the church and her members in what the church believes. One of the reasons many churches do not let non-members teach is that they have not committed to the church’s beliefs.

5. Church membership is a commitment to serve. When you become a part or member of a church, you are affirming the 1 Corinthians 12 metaphor that you will be a functioning member of the body. Read again verses 12-27 for a clear picture that the body of Christ, the church, is to be comprised of functioning or serving members. For sure, many people will attend our churches. But those whom God leads to become members are affirming that they have a functioning role in the church. 

Do I really need to be a member of a church? Absolutely. From Acts 2 to Revelation 3, the New Testament is about the local church in one way or another. The local church is God’s plan A for his ministry on earth, and He did not leave us with a plan B.

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Finishing Well: Navigating Leadership with the End in Mind

I had the privilege of hosting a podcast episode featuring the incredible Kay Warren, where we delved into life, leadership, and the art of finishing well after decades of leadership. One particular remark she shared has been playing on repeat in my mind ever since our talk. I asked her for some advice to pass on to young leaders about achieving a strong finish, and her response has stuck with me: “You have to know where you are headed. Finishing well is going to include 1,000 decisions in a day.”

In light of Kay’s wisdom, I’ve been reflecting on my own leadership journey and the need for an intentional pause from time to time to adjust, evaluate, and redirect my heart toward finishing well.

Know Where You’re Going

Back when I took my first steps into ministry, my heart was set on a straightforward and innocent dream: I longed to talk to people about Jesus and witness the incredible ways God would bring about His glory. That same hope and desire has stood the test of time throughout my two decades in ministry. However, the true essence of this journey lies in the moments that bridge the gaps between the incredible highs and the challenging lows. These are the everyday struggles and wounds that shape any leader’s path. Things like who we serve, where we are, or even our job description might change, but unless we stay focused on our direction, it’s easy to lose our way.

Kay wisely shared with me that she and Rick, from the beginning of their marriage in order to finish well, needed to choose what they would be marked by: integrity, humility, and generosity. 

Choose Character in the Mundane

Our personal growth isn’t solely forged through grand ministerial achievements or notable successes. Instead, it’s the culmination of the seemingly modest, everyday moments that truly mold us. Within these unassuming instances, a profound connection forms as God aligns our innermost desires, passions, and aspirations with His own. Whether it is the discipline of showing up on time to the office or a meeting, the grace exhibited when someone cuts in front of us in the grocery store line, or even our simple faith to give generously during a financially challenging month, it is in these unremarkable choices that our vulnerabilities and need for both faith and grace are laid bare.

Cultivate Your Inner Life More Than Your Abilities

Navigating leadership in these times often resembles operating as a trauma response team rather than conjuring up fresh initiatives and ideas. From grappling with limited volunteer sign-ups to managing staff dynamics and addressing critical feedback of members, the demands placed on you revolve around execution, strategy, and intensified effort. The lure to prioritize productivity and honing leadership abilities is strong, but it’s all too easy for your personal well-being and spiritual practices to be pushed to the background, invariably leading to an unhealthy outcome.

Just as important as it is to schedule meetings and training, it is equally as important to prioritize rest, time of connection, and silence and solitude.

Ultimately, your leadership journey is an intricate tapestry woven with your ministry goals, choices, and character. May you find inspiration in Kay’s wisdom to lead with intentionality, resilience, and a heart directed towards a strong and meaningful finish.

Listen to my conversation with Kay Warren here and check out other episodes of Season 2.

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