Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 274
March 25, 2015
One Key Reason Most Churches Do Not Exceed 350 in Average Attendance
Nine out of ten.
That’s a lot.
Nine out of ten churches in America have an average worship attendance of less than 350. And that percentage has not changed significantly for many years. Yet the unchurched pool of persons is increasing in most communities. There are people yet to be reached.
But most churches will never exceed 350 in attendance. Why?
A Few Caveats
Allow me to preface my analysis. First, big is not necessarily better. A church with more people in attendance is not necessarily more faithful than a smaller church. Second, some churches are in very sparsely populated areas. There may not be 350 people in a five-mile radius (though every community still has people who need to be reached).
My third caveat is key. I believe leadership is indeed a biblical and theological issue. It’s really a matter of healthy stewardship. I offer this third caveat because I will be addressing the issue of leadership in this post.
Attendance Levels of Churches in America
We are a nation and continent of smaller churches. And though we have far more small churches than large churches, there is a big migration of people from smaller to larger churches. In other words, many of the smaller churches are getting smaller, and many of the larger churches are getting larger.
Here is a simple depiction of the number of churches at three different levels:
50% of all churches in America average less than 100 in worship attendance.
40% of all churches in America average between 100 and 350 in attendance.
10% of all churches in America average more than 350 in attendance.
Keep in mind that the upper 10% tend to include more of the growing churches, while the lower 90% tend to include more of the declining churches.
One of the Key Reasons
There is no single reason to explain the apparent ceiling of 350 in attendance of most churches. I do believe, however, that there is a major reason for this barrier. Such is the thesis of this post:
One of the key reasons most churches do not move beyond 350 in average worship attendance is they do not have sufficient leadership and structures in place.
Many smart people have provided analyses of what is commonly known as the 200 barrier. I believe that the 200 barrier is highly elastic. In other words, the barrier is really somewhere between 150 and 350, depending on a number of circumstances. Again, I believe that the key reason stated above is among the greatest inhibitors of growth.
Increasing Organizational Complexity
Moses was an unintended victim of organizational complexity. He was trying the Lone Ranger approach to the leadership of Israel. The nation would implode and he would lose his leadership authority if he kept doing what he was doing.
His father-in-law, Jethro, saw the flaws of his leadership and said:
“What you’re doing is not good . . . You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone” (Exodus 18:17-18, HCSB).
So, following Jethro’s advice and wisdom, Moses became a different kind of leader with a different kind of organization.
Here are the five major levels of organizational complexity in churches according to average worship attendance:
Under 100: Family and friends
100 to 250: Basic
251 to 350: Challenging
351 to 750: Complex
Above 750: Highly complex
Most churches cannot or are not willing to make the types of changes that are necessary in complex organizations. In future resources, I will share what many leaders and churches are doing to move beyond the 100, 250, and 350 ceilings. In the meantime, let me hear from you.
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March 24, 2015
What to Do When a Pastor or Staff Member Leaves – Rainer on Leadership #109
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We constantly receive questions from listeners of the podcast and readers of the blog and use those questions to frame the content here at ThomRainer.com. Today we use a question from a listener to jump into a discussion about what to do when a staff member leaves.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
The nature of ministry is relationship-driven.
The most expensive hire you’ll ever make is the wrong one.
Don’t assume that you can communicate too much.
If you were starting from scratch, would you need the same staff at your church?
In most of our churches across North America, our processes are ineffective.
Circumventing the pastor’s buy-in when hiring a staff member is often a recipe for disaster.
Our nine suggestions for churches looking to hire a new pastor or staff member are:
Understand that a natural time of grief is needed
Over-communicate the process and timeline
Evaluate if the needs for that position have changed
Explain carefully the process to look for a replacement
Don’t rush into hiring
Consider new methods of search
Get buy-in from key leaders (formal and informal)
Regardless of the process, the pastor must have buy-in
Background checks have changed and are mandatory
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
Nine Technological Trends Every Church Should Consider
The post What to Do When a Pastor or Staff Member Leaves – Rainer on Leadership #109 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.
March 23, 2015
Nine Traits of Mean Churches
“My church is a mean church!”
I received two emails this week from church members who made that very statement. The members are from two different churches in two different states. One of the churches belongs to a denomination; the other is non-denominational. In both cases the church members made the decision to drop out of local church life altogether.
Yes, I tried to reason with the two members. I told them that no church is perfect. If they had any doubt, I wrote, look at the two letters the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. I failed in convincing them to stay in their churches. I pray they will become active in other churches later.
I love local churches. But I have to admit, I am hearing more from long-term members who are quitting church life completely. One member wrote me, “The non-Christians I associate with are much nicer people than the members of my church.”
Ouch. That really hurt.
So, after receiving the second email, I began to assimilate all the information I could find where church members had written me about their “mean” churches. They may not have used the word “mean” specifically, but the intent was the same. I then collected common characteristic of these churches, and I found nine that were common. I call these the “nine traits of mean churches.”
Too many decisions are made in the cloak of darkness. Only a select few members really know what’s going on. The attitude of those elitists is that the typical member doesn’t really need to know.
The pastor and/or staff are treated poorly. Decisions are made about them without a fair process. Complaints are often numerous and veiled. Many of these churches are known for firing pastors and/or staff with little apparent cause.
Power groups tenaciously hold on to their power. The power group may be a formal group such as a committee, elders, or deacons. But the group can also be informal—no official role but great informal authority. Power groups avoid and detest accountability, which leads to the next point.
There is lack of clear accountability for major decisions and/or expenditures. The church has no clear system in place to make certain that a few outlier members cannot accumulate great power and authority.
Leaders of the power groups have an acrimonious spirit. Though they may make first impressions of kindness and gentleness, the mean streak emerges if you try to cross them.
A number of the members see those outside of the church as “them” or “those people.” Thus the church is at odds with many in the community instead of embracing them with the love of Christ.
Many members have an inward focus; they view the church as a place to get their own preferences and wants fulfilled. They are the opposite of the description of church members in 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul describes them as functioning members for the greater good of the body of Christ.
Many people in the community view these churches negatively. Those on the outside often refer to these churches as “fighting and firing churches.” The community members detect no love for them from these churches.
Most of the members are silent when power plays and bad decisions take place. They don’t want to stand up to the power group. They are afraid to ask questions. Their silence allows the power abuses to continue.
Are mean churches really increasing in number? My anecdotal information would indicate they are.
What can we do to become a more unified body? How can churches demonstrate more positive impressions to the community? What can we do to hold on to good members who are giving up on local churches altogether? What is your input on these issues? Let me hear from you.
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March 22, 2015
Pray for Heritage Baptist Church
Location: Winchester, Kentucky
Pastor: Tim Christopher
Weekly Worship: 10:45 AM, Eastern.
Fast Facts: Heritage Baptist Church is nearly 10 years old and is a traditional congregation of about 100 members. The senior adult laden congregation struggles to reach younger families, but is very active in the community. Last summer the church raised a garden and gave away nearly 3,000 lbs of vegetables to the community needs center. The congregation also does oil changes for single women. Please pray for God to open more doors to reach the lost and unchurched in Winchester. Also pray for their garden to flourish this year and for workers in the garden. Finally, pray for Heritage Baptist to reach young people and young families in the Winchester community.
“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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March 21, 2015
Notable Voices: March 21, 2015
10 Dumb Things Pastors Say Early in a Building Program — Gary Nicholson
I know I’ve heard some—if not all—of these, and I’ve probably said a few of them as well. A building program is a major event in the life of a church, and there are so many mistakes that can be made along the way. Avoiding these statements will help both you and the church.
Preachers, Keep A Close Watch On Your Life and Illustrations — Jared Wilson
Illustrations can often help a sermon. But when used poorly, they can quickly distract from the sermon and leave your hearers confused or disinterested. Jared provides a few helpful suggestions to help you use illustrations in the sermon more effectively.
3 Good Reasons to Leave Your Church — Chris Martin
Last week, I linked to Chris’ post on bad reasons to leave your church. This week, it seems appropriate to link to his follow up post on good reasons to leave.
A Discipleship Band Aid for the Church — Robby Gallaty
I’m encouraged to see the renewed emphasis on discipleship that has happened in recent years, and Robby has been one of the driving forces in this renewal through his book series on discipleship. In this article, Robby shares how discipleship should be intentional, size-specific, transparent, accountable, and reproducible.
6 Advantages of Consecutive Expository Preaching — Derek Thomas
Expository preaching isn’t the only method around, but it is one of the most used methods among preachers. Derek shares six advantages of this methodology.
10 Reasons to Consider Church Revitalization—Even Over Church Planting — Ron Edmondson
While we need both, revitalization has its advantages at times—as does planting. However, before you run off and start a new church or a new site at a multisite church, consider these reasons for revitalization.
The post Notable Voices: March 21, 2015 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.
March 20, 2015
Obstacles to Evangelism in the Local Church – Rainer on Leadership #108
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I recently conducted an informal Twitter poll and asked what keeps Christians from evangelizing. The results were overwhelming and led to a blog post that generated quite a discussion. Today, we go deeper into that post and the comments that came from it.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
For those in ministry, you have to be intentional about having relationships with non-Christians.
Evangelism is an intentional effort.
Inviting people to church should not be the totality of our personal evangelism strategy.
Evangelism is not solely the role of pastors and church staff. It is the role of all Christians.
The problem of unregenerate membership is significant in our churches.
It is a sin to be good when God has called us to be great.
The main reasons Christians do not evangelize are:
Christians have no sense of urgency to reach lost people.
Many Christians and church members do not befriend and spend time with lost persons.
Many Christians and church members are lazy and apathetic.
We are more known for what we are against than what we are for.
Our churches have an ineffective evangelistic strategy of “you come” rather than “we go.”
Many church members think that evangelism is the role of the pastor and paid staff.
Church membership today is more about getting my needs met rather than reaching the lost.
Church members are in a retreat mode as culture becomes more worldly and unbiblical.
Many church members don’t really believe that Christ is the only way of salvation.
Our churches are no longer houses of prayer equipped to reach the lost.
Churches have lost their focus on making disciples who will thus be equipped and motivated to reach the lost.
Christians do not want to share the truth of the gospel for fear they will offend others. Political correctness is too commonplace even among Christians.
Most churches have unregenerate members who have not received Christ themselves.
Our churches have too many activities; they are too busy to do the things that really matter.
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
Evangelism in the Early Church
Four Thoughts from Non-Christians about Christians
Multiply
The post Obstacles to Evangelism in the Local Church – Rainer on Leadership #108 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.
March 19, 2015
Church Reflections from a 22-Year-Old
By Chuck Lawless
This past weekend, I had the chance to hang out with a 22-year-old for three days. George has been raised in a Christian home. He is a believer. He wants to follow the Lord. He is creative and introspective. His mind races in multiple directions at once, and yet he somehow listens and thinks deeply at the same time. He is not a ministry student; in fact, he’s not yet certain where he’ll land when he finishes college.
God has blessed me to pour into George’s life—but I’m the one who is learning. On the spur of the moment, I asked George what ten things he would like in a church if he could design it. Within minutes, he gave me his response—so quickly, in fact, that I suspect he’s thought about these topics before. Compare George’s responses to the young adults you know.
Sound doctrine that is not watered down – George knows he needs the truth, and he wants the truth. He’s young, but he has so many other options for investing his time that he’s not interested in a church that sugarcoats the gospel.
Genuine opportunities to get involved – Doing insignificant assignments does not grab George’s attention. While he may not yet fully understand the importance of proving his faithfulness while doing the “little things” first, I get his point. Young adults want to make a real difference.
A community for “hanging out” – George recognizes his need to have a community of believers to push him, challenge him – and simply spend time with him. He realizes the importance of Bible study groups, but he sees a need for friends beyond that task. Sometimes believers need friends who gather off the church campus.
A strong commitment to evangelism, particularly locally – He has served on the international mission field – and he’s committed to that responsibility – but George doesn’t want his church to miss the needs in their immediate area. He wants to be sharing the gospel locally, connecting with and influencing the community for God.
Services that are “unrehearsed, naturally flowing, and Spirit-led” – George is a musician, and he knows that preparation and order matter. He simply wants what so many other young adults want: authenticity that validates the message and structure that follows the Lord’s leading.
Hospitality that welcomes complete strangers – The world George has grown up in is much different than my world. The nations live among us. Increasing percentages of non-believers live around us. George would welcome a church that warmly welcomes others – a church that does not cocoon itself around each other.
Bold preaching – This point relates to #1 above. George, like many other young adults I’ve met, wants preaching that “gets in his face” when necessary. He understands his own need to be called to repentance, and he is willing to risk being offended to hear the truth.
A strong worship leader – George’s family is musically inclined, so his background may influence his thoughts here. He wants an effective worship leader who leads the congregation to focus on God – but who also understands that music is not the only component of worship. The worship leader should be strong, yet team-focused.
Variety in worship – Frankly, George admits he is bored easily. Variety (in set up, speakers, worship bands, etc.) would be important to him, if for no other reason than the fact that changes catch his attention. On the other hand, his perspective would also offer opportunities for more believers to be genuinely involved (#2).
Humility and flexibility in facility – Where the church meets would matter little to George; what matters is that the church truly be the church. His ideal church could meet under a tree as long as they truly know God.
George’s responses remind me that I need to have more conversations like this one.
Tell us what you’ve heard from young adults. Better yet, direct some young adults to this site to give their input. Help us all learn.
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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March 18, 2015
Nine Common Tensions Pastors Face
Every day, pastors and other church staff make intentional decisions about what is important in their lives and ministries. Often, the decisions they must make are between competing demands. These decision points are tensions in the lives of pastors and church staff. The directions they choose shape their ministries.
Family time versus church time. Pastoral ministry is a 24/7 vocation. There is rarely real down time. Families often suffer because pastors and staff don’t know how to say “no” to the expectations of the church.
Office time versus time in the community. Church members often expect pastors and staff to be in the office and available for their needs. But pastors also need to be out of the office connecting with people in the community.
Being a people pleaser versus being a good steward. Well-intending church members often begin sentences with, “Pastor, we need to . . .” Those sentences are expectations members have on pastors and staff. The temptation for many of these leaders is to say “yes” to most of the requests. But saying “yes” to everything means you will do nothing well.
Visiting for crisis needs versus visiting for commonplace needs. I recently talked to a pastor who was berated by a church member because he didn’t visit her when she had a simple outpatient procedure. And if I told you the procedure, you would understand that it would have been awkward for him to be there anyway.
Counseling versus referral. Most pastors and church staff are not trained in counseling. But many church members want their pastor to provide counseling in a multiplicity of areas. It is often best to refer the church member to someone better equipped to handle the situation, but not all church members receive that direction well.
Spending time with church members versus spending time with non-Christians. Both are necessary, but pastors and staff have limited time and they must choose how to balance ministry to Christians with incarnational presence with non-Christians.
Local church ministry versus other ministries. Many pastors and staff are urged to be involved in denominational work, interchurch ministries, parachurch ministries, and mission endeavors. All may be worthy. All demand choices.
Being prophetic versus being positive. On the one extreme is the pastor who is always proclaiming what is wrong with the world and culture. On the other extreme is the pastor who only wants to offer encouragement and hope and not address sin for what it is. The difficulty is finding the right balance.
Long-term perspective versus short-term perspective. The types of decisions pastors and church staff must make are shaped by their own perspectives of their tenure at the church. It is not unusual for pastors to have uncertainty about their future at the church when they must make a decision that could have long-term implications.
These tensions are not between a good choice and a bad choice. They are between two good choices where one will be sacrificed for the other. It is easy to say that the pastor must seek balance; it is much more difficult to find that balance.
What other tensions would you add? How do you or your church leadership make such decisions? Let me hear from you.
photo credit: Safe on the shore via photopin (license)
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March 17, 2015
Nine Technological Trends Every Church Should Consider – Rainer on Leadership #107
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For too long, many churches have not only been technologically deficient, but technologically averse. But many churches are now catching up through several different methods. On today’s episode, we cover nine specific areas of technology that every church should consider using.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
There are people who will never attend some churches because the church websites are bad or lacking basic information.
Every church should be on social media to some degree.
Your church will miss a lot of stewardship opportunities if it does not have online giving available.
Customized curriculum is just another way the digital revolution is taking place in our churches.
Customized curriculum used to be cost prohibitive, but SmallGroup.com has made it accessible to all churches.
The technological world is a mission field for churches, and we need to be there.
The nine technological trends every church should consider are:
An effective, well-designed church website
Involvement in social media
Using the internet to find staff
Communication to church members through email and mass texting
Virtual staffing
Online giving
Customized curriculum
Training leaders
Video announcements
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
eaHELP
Seven Reasons Pastors May Need a Virtual Assistant
SmallGroup.com
Ministry Grid
The post Nine Technological Trends Every Church Should Consider – Rainer on Leadership #107 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.
March 16, 2015
Seven Distinguishing Habits of Highly Effective Pastors
Determining the effectiveness of a pastor is a highly subjective exercise. While certain metrics may prove helpful, they do not tell the whole story. In that context, I reviewed my 40 years of serving churches in a variety of capacities and noted several very effective pastors I knew well. My list was lengthy: nearly 30 pastors total.
Since I knew each of these pastors so well, I began to write down traits that distinguished them from most other pastors. I wanted to know what made them tick; I wanted to know how and why they were so effective.
There are many characteristics most pastors have: prayerful; committed to the Word; dedicated to their families; high character; and others. My interest in this exercise, however, was to find the traits that set them apart from most others. When I finished this assignment, I found seven distinguishing characteristic or habits.
They have genuine enthusiasm. I am not referring to the vocal cheerleader type. These pastors may be quiet, but their passion and enthusiasm for their churches, their families, and their ministries are evident in all they say and do. It is not a contrived enthusiasm; it is real and contagious.
They are great listeners. When you are around these pastors, they genuinely want to focus on you. They seem to have little desire to talk about themselves; they would rather hear your stories. They can make you feel very important because they genuinely care and genuinely listen.
Their identity is not their vocation. They don’t have to climb a perceived ladder of success because their greatest reward comes from serving Christ in whatever manner He directs them. You don’t have to worry about these pastors manipulating the network or the system for their own advancement. Their identities are in Christ, not their vocations.
They are intentional about personal witnessing. These pastors don’t see the Great Commission as an abstract concept or something that others are supposed to do. They love to share the gospel personally with others. They are also highly intentional about personal witnessing.
They have unconditional love of their critics. So many leaders, pastors included, have limited effectiveness because critics constantly hound them. They are drained emotionally and sometimes walk in fear of the critics. These effective pastors, however, include in their prayer lives intercession for their critics. They learn to love them because they are asking God to help them to have that love.
They have a gentle spirit. We often forget that gentleness is part of the fruit of the Spirit. In this hypercritical social media world, aggression and negativity have become normative, even in our churches. These pastors, to the contrary, have a calm and gentleness that can only come from the Holy Spirit.
They persevere. Ministry is not easy. Local church ministry can be especially difficult. There are too many wounded warriors in our churches. Unfortunately, most of their wounds have come from friendly fire (though I’m not sure the word “friendly” fits well in this metaphor). Highly effective pastors hang in there. Sure, they get hurt. Sure, they get discouraged. But they ultimately keep on doing ministry in God’s power. Though it’s cliché, they look for strength to keep on ministering one day at a time.
At the risk of redundancy, let me remind you that these seven traits are not necessarily the same as the biblical qualifications of a pastor. They are, according to my subjective research, those traits that set them apart from most other pastors. They are thus the seven distinguishing habits of highly effective pastors.
Let me hear from you on this topic.
photo credit: 7 via photopin (license)
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