Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 270

Eight Practical Steps to Preserving Church Unity – Rainer on Leadership #121

Podcast Episode #121

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Church unity, frankly, is lacking in too many of our churches today. Church splits, fights, and bickering are far too common. So today on the podcast, we look at eight simple steps that can help preserve church unity. These aren’t an overnight fix, but they can set your church on a trajectory to promoting unity in the fellowship.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

One of the major concerns in the church today is church unity.
Corporate worship gatherings in the church should be focused on prayer and the ministry of the Word.
A denomination will not be unified as long as the churches within it are not unified themselves.
Where two or more Baptists are gathered, there are three or more opinions.
Most disagreements in the church happen over the way things are done, not why they are done.
When you start comparing your church to others, you tear down the unity in your church.
The more you focus on prayer and Scripture, the more you’ll bring the church together in unity.
The more the Body of Christ comes together in selflessness, the more unified a church will become.

The eight steps to church unity we cover in this podcast are:

Make prayer and Scripture the focus of corporate gatherings
​Preach and teach about church unity
​Put others before yourself
Talk to people, not about people
Be a part of the change you want to see
Stand up for the leadership of the church
Be willing to not get your way if it means advancing the mission
Don’t compare your church to the one down the street or across town

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 Autopsy of a Deceased Church.

Resources

I Am a Church Member
12 Reasons Churches Don’t Practice Church Discipline

The post Eight Practical Steps to Preserving Church Unity – Rainer on Leadership #121 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.

Nine Stupid Things I Did as a Pastor

If you want to read the tale of a pastor who really did some dumb things, keep reading.

I served as pastor of four churches. It was only by the grace of God and the graciousness of the congregations that I was called and allowed to stay at those churches. I absolutely love the members of those four congregations, and I will forever be grateful to them and for them.

Frankly, I’m not sure I would give myself a passing grade as a pastor. I messed up quite a bit. I would do several things differently today. And as a point of full disclosure, my list of nine is not close to being exhaustive.

I neglected my prayer life and time in the Word too often. It sounds absolutely insane as I write it, but I got too busy for God. As a consequence, I operated out of my own insufficient power too many times.
I neglected my family too often. Paul wrote these words to Pastor Timothy: “If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?” (1 Timothy 3:5, HCSB). Ouch. So many times I communicated through my actions to my family that they were not as important as other church members.
I let the crisis of the moment overwhelm me. In doing so I did not trust in God to see me through the situation. And I did not have a longer-term perspective to understand that difficulties are only for a season.
I perceived most of my critics as my adversaries. Some of my critics actually had constructive input. Others were going through their own struggles, and I was a convenient target. I took criticisms personally instead of responding pastorally.
I competed with other churches. Shame on me. Too often I wanted my church to have a greater attendance than other churches in the area. I should have been praying for and working with those other church leaders more.
I neglected praying with my staff. My prayer time with my church staff was haphazard at best. The one thing we needed to do the most, we were doing the least. I was a terrible leader on that front.
I often worried about what others thought about me. My sole concern should have been how Christ-like I was. Too often I sought the approval of others rather than the blessings of God.
I often yielded to unreasonable requests and demands. Instead of spending my time doing those things that really mattered, I gave in too often to the “squeaky wheel.” I sacrificed the great in order to do the good.
I gave up too often. Due to frustration, exhaustion or, more often, lack of faith, I gave up on challenges too quickly. I am convinced I missed out on many victories when they were just around the corner.

Those are but a few of the stupid things I did as a pastor. Most of you can breathe a sigh of relief that I never served as your pastor.

So why I am writing these self-critical comments at this stage of my life? I pray that some of you may see something in your own lives and leadership that you can correct before it’s too late. God is able. God is willing.

I look forward to your comments.

photo credit: Denial via photopin

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Pray for Bay City Wesleyan Church

Location: Bay City, Michigan

Pastor: Mark Haines

Weekly Worship: 10:45 AM, Eastern.

Fast Facts: Bay City Wesleyan was organized in 1925. With a vision to make disciples who love God and others, pray, give, and depend on Jesus, Bay City is aiming to reach the 50,000 “nones” in their county. They are currently working on designing a disciple making process for adults and are beginning to implement a pilot process with their youth ministry called Awaken. Pray that their hearts will be open to the Spirit’s leading, and that they will bear fruit that lasts.

Website: BayCityWesleyan.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..

The post Pray for Bay City Wesleyan Church appeared first on ThomRainer.com.

Notable Voices: May 2, 2015

Are You Ready to Turn the World Upside Down? — Sam Rainer

Sam explores the importance of optimism and patience and how they apply to leadership in the local church.

 

Don’t Sacrifice Your Ministry for Your Family — Craig Thompson

Too many pastors and church staff have sacrificed their families for their ministry. But sometimes the pendulum swings the other way, and the separation of family and ministry becomes so distinct that both suffer.

 

12 Ways Millennials Can Serve the Local Church — Chris Martin

I’ve written a great deal on how churches can reach and serve Millennials. But Millennials, like all church members, should have a place to serve in the local church. Chris offers 12 starting points for Millennials looking to get involved.

 

5 Reasons Churches Stop Growing — Carey Nieuwhof

Carey led a breakout this week at the Orange Conference and shared his notes on why churches stop growing.

 

How to Get Your Pastor’s Buy-In on Social Media — Darrel Girardier

If your pastor isn’t involved in social media, or even familiar with it, you may find resistance to the church being involved in social media. In this post, Darrel shares a simple strategy for how to show the benefits of social media for your church.

 

What to Do When You Lose Your Pastor — Sarah Robins

When a church loses a pastor, it can feel as if there is no direction or future for the church—especially if it is unexpected or a negative departure. So what next? Sarah gives four simple suggestions.

 

The post Notable Voices: May 2, 2015 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.

How to Become a Highly Effective Pastor – Rainer on Leadership #120

Podcast Episode #120

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio

Effective pastors are grounded in the ministry of the Word and in prayer. And in today’s podcast we build on that foundation with seven principles of highly effective pastors.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

Pastors who are really effective will have tough days but will have an unending passion for God’s work.
The identity of a pastor should not be in being a pastor. It should be in Christ.
Effective evangelistic churches have effective evangelistic pastors.
If you are in a position of leadership, you will be criticized.
It is hard to love a critic when you are not praying for the critic.
Pastors need to be in the Bible daily to hear from God personally, not just for sermon prep.
Longevity doesn’t always result in effectiveness, but short term pastorates often lack effectiveness.

The seven characteristics of highly effective pastors which we cover on the podcast are:

They have genuine enthusiasm.
They are great listeners.
Their identity is not their vocation.
They are intentional about personal witnessing.
They have unconditional love of their critics.
They have a gentle spirit.
They persevere.

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 Autopsy of a Deceased Church.

Resources

Pastoral Longevity, featuring Mike Glenn
Why Pastors Often Leave Their Church in the Third Year
The Lifecycle of Pastors

The post How to Become a Highly Effective Pastor – Rainer on Leadership #120 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.

Help Us Serve You Better and Win One of 20 Free Copies of My Upcoming Book

I am so honored that you take time to read my blog posts or listen to my podcasts. I never take for granted that you take your valuable time to read or listen to me.

We always want to hear from you to find out how we can serve you better. Please take time to complete the survey to let us know. We will draw 20 random entries to receive a signed copy of my upcoming book, I Will, as a thank you for taking time to complete the survey.

Thank you again. You are incredible members of this community.

Thom S. Rainer

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The post Help Us Serve You Better and Win One of 20 Free Copies of My Upcoming Book appeared first on ThomRainer.com.

Twelve Reasons I Love My Pastor

I love pastors and others who serve churches vocationally. But I must admit, I don’t verbalize or write about that love very often. Shame on me. Allow me to take a few moments to articulate some of the reasons I love my pastor.

I love my pastor because he studies and preaches the Word faithfully. He is consistent every week.
I love my pastor because he is a man of prayer. He knows he cannot lead and shepherd our church in his own power. He is totally dependent on God.
I love my pastor because he is always on call. His workweeks are long. He knows his vacations and days off will often be interrupted by crises and deaths, but he doesn’t complain. He views it as a part of his call.
I love my pastor because he is there to celebrate my victories and to comfort me in my difficulties. His life is a roller coaster of emotional events, but he remains constant and strong for our church.
I love my pastor because he leads our church with a vision. And he constantly seeks to make certain it is God’s vision and not his own.
I love my pastor because he endures criticism from church members. And though the critics hurt him, he perseveres and loves them anyway.
I love my pastor because he is authentic. He does not act spiritually superior or condescending. The pastor I see in the pulpit is consistent with the pastor I see in other settings.
I love my pastor because he bears the burdens of leading many people without complaints or self-pity. He hears of so many challenges and problems in others’ lives, but that does not deter him from listening and praying for us.
I love my pastor because he is sacrificial. He seeks to put us church members before himself. He is a selfless man and a grateful man.
I love my pastor because he loves to share the gospel and the power of the resurrection. He is truly passionate about seeing those without Christ become followers of the Savior.
I love my pastor because he disciples and mentors many. He understands that his role is not to do all the work of ministry, but to equip others to do the work of ministry.
I love my pastor because he loves our congregation with a Christ-like love. Though he can get frustrated and discouraged, his love for us does not wane. Indeed we get a glimpse of the love of Christ through the love of our pastor.

I could name so many other reasons I love my pastor, but I will let these be sufficient for now. I would love to hear from you about why you love your pastor. Feel free to give the name of your pastor and the name of your church.

By the way, my pastor’s name is Mike Glenn. He serves the congregation of Brentwood Baptist Church. I am really looking forward to your responses.

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10 Keys to Developing a Healthy Church Staff – Rainer on Leadership #119

Podcast Episode #119

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio

Staff unity is a critical component of church unity. A healthy staff usually serves a healthy church. So today on the podcast, we discuss 10 keys to building a healthy staff.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

There are a number of church staffs who, for some reason, do not pray together.
When there is an issue with a church staff member, talk TO them not ABOUT them.
The healthiest mentoring takes place informally.
Comparing individual ministries in a church to one another can be demoralizing to a minister and fracturing to the church.
Just as one member of the Body is as important as the next, so one ministry of the church is as important as the next.

The 10 keys we cover in this podcast are:

Pray as a staff
Brag to the congregation about the staff​​
​Don’t complain to church members about other staff
Meet one-on-one at least a few times a year​
View the staff as a team instead of as individuals
Get together outside of work hours
Don’t compare ministry growth
Be willing to pitch in when needed—don’t make other staff ask for help
Don’t treat one ministry as more important than others
Realize each ministry is component of the entire ministry of the church​

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 Autopsy of a Deceased Church.

Resources

I Am a Church Member

The post 10 Keys to Developing a Healthy Church Staff – Rainer on Leadership #119 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.

Seven Reasons Some Church Members Don’t Want Their Churches to Grow

It is highly unusual to hear church members say that they don’t desire their churches to be obedient to the Great Commission. Indeed, it is common for the members of a pastor search committee to tell a prospective pastor that they are looking for a leader who will guide the church toward growth.

And most church members do desire to see their churches grow . . . until the growth affects them. It is at that point they can become disillusioned and critical.

So what is it about growth that impacts some members negatively? Let me suggest seven reasons.

Loss of familiarity. When a church is growing, it becomes a different church over time. The difference is not necessarily good or bad, but it’s not the same as it was in earlier years. Some church members grieve when they see their churches change. They miss “the good old days.”
Loss of memories. I recently heard a poignant story from a lady whose church was demolishing the old worship center to build a new one to accommodate growth. She and her husband were married in the old worship center. She understandably grieved at the loss of that physical reminder of their wedding.
Loss of comfort. Growth can mean that the closest parking spots are no longer available. Growth can mean that the traffic flow in the parking lot is more difficult. Church members can feel that their creature comforts are compromised by growth.
Loss of power. New people in a church can mean that power bases are diluted. The growth can result in new influencers in the church. Some of the longer-tenured influencers may not like that.
Loss of perceived intimacy. It’s a common response: “I used to know everyone in this church. I just don’t feel as close to members as I once did.” Indeed, growth can mean that all the members may not know each other as they did when the church was smaller.
Loss of worship style. New members and attendees might have different worship style preferences. They often influence church leaders to make changes. Existing members may resent these changes. They might also start worship wars.
Loss of worship time. Growth in the church may necessitate adding worship services or changing times of worship services. Some members may be frustrated that they have lost “their” worship time.

Obedience to the Great Commission often results in growth in the church. But growth in the church is not always received well by some members. Some of these members have an attitude that the church is there to serve them and to cater to their needs. Healthy church members understand they are to be giving and sacrificial members of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12). They will rejoice when more members join the fellowship, and when more people become believers in Christ.

Have you experienced the phenomenon of anti-growth members in your church? How did it manifest itself? I look forward to hearing from you.

The post Seven Reasons Some Church Members Don’t Want Their Churches to Grow appeared first on ThomRainer.com.

Pray for Foundation Church

Location: Long Beach, California

Pastor: Steve Shockley

Weekly Worship: 10:00 AM, Pacific

Fast Facts: Foundation Church is a brand new church plant in Long Beach, CA, and launched on Easter Sunday. Services are held outdoors at the amphitheater in a public Park in Long Beach. Please pray for volunteers that are still needed to help with services and pray for the hearts of the lost that may attend each week that they will be receptive to hearing the gospel. Finally, pray that Foundation Church will raise up disciples that will glorify God.

Website: FoundationLB.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..

The post Pray for Foundation Church appeared first on ThomRainer.com.