Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 28

6 Unique Characteristics of the Best Christian Leaders I’ve Known

I’ve had the privilege of learning from Christian leaders—clergy and laity alike—for almost 50 years. As a seminary professor who teaches courses in leadership, I pay attention when I see leaders who seem uniquely gifted. I offer this list of characteristics today (1) to push myself to evaluate my own life and (2) to challenge you to evaluate your own life as well.

They see the big picture, but they’re also at least aware of the details. Yes, they focus on the vision—but they also recognize that the people they lead live at the detail level. As opportunity allows, they learn names, listen to stories, and give time for their followers. Indeed, I call these folks “leader-shepherds” because they’ve learned how to do both: lead without neglecting shepherding.They see their role as not only casting vision, but also raising up and equipping the next generation of leaders. It’s amazing to see leaders who have significant platforms that could easily allow them to build their own kingdoms, but who instead choose to challenge others to do greater things than they’ve ever done. The best Christian leaders I know think as much about what will remain after they’re gone as they do about what they might accomplish today.They work hard on communication. Listen to these leaders, and you’d likely assume that communication comes naturally to them. “They surely have always been good speakers,” you might think. And, to be fair, many are gifted in this work, but even they strive to improve in communication because they know the importance of leadership clarity and conviction. Communication status quo is never sufficient for them, even if the status quo for them is stronger than most leaders.They balance family and calling well. It’s easy for any of us to get out of balance here. Sometimes we sacrifice family on the altar of calling—a grievous mistake—but I’ve also seen leaders use “family” as an excuse to be lazy in calling (in fact, some of these families would be surprised to hear the leader speak of his priority of family because it’s not apparent to them). The best Christian leaders I know, though, are role models in their calling and heroes in their family at the same time. That’s part of what makes them so unique.They are committed to an area of leadership that most followers will not readily see: their personal time with the Lord. I’ve known some leaders who are good at leading, but they’re operating out of their own power more than out of God’s power. The best leaders I know, however, recognize the significance of their being with God before they lead. Drill down into their lives (as I often have because I want to learn from them), and you’ll find consistency, quality, and deep relationship in their spiritual disciplines.They genuinely love what they do. It might be hard to believe (and I’ve even second-guessed myself as I write these words), but I don’t ever recall hearing one of these leaders complain about the work to which God had called them. I’m sure they’ve had rough days through the years, but I’ve never seen them wear their burdens so externally that you wonder if they even like their work. Here is one place where they deeply challenge me when I get frustrated in ministry.

Well . . . I have work to do. How about you?

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10 Insights for Retiring Pastors

With the aging of the Boomer generation, pastors are retiring every day. I hear from a pastor almost every week who has recently retired or is considering retirement. Over the past few years, our conversations have become somewhat predictable and consistent. 

The questions these pastors have typically revolve around three issues: how do I prepare my church for my retirement?; what are some major financial issues regarding retirement?; and what do I do after I retire? 

Here are ten insights that touch on those three questions. 

When you retire from your church, stay away for a season. The season may be permanent if you move out of town or begin a series of interim pastorates. At the very least, let your successor get established without your presence for several months to a year.  Most pastors who retire do not want to leave vocational ministry. They might be ready to take a break from the weekly demands and expectations of local church pastoring, but they still want to serve in vocational ministry. Interim pastorates are the most common retirement ministries. Many churches want someone who can help them with church revitalization (see Church Answers’ Church Revitalization Certification).  If you are eligible for Social Security, get sound advice on when you should begin taking the payments. The standard eligible age ranges from 62 to 70, but each year can make a big difference with different implications.   If you are eligible for Medicare, you need even more sound advice. I have a finance degree and have been in the business world for several years, but I still needed help. Sometimes I think the government made it as complex as it could be. I ended up paying a Medicare coach to guide me through the maze. The modest cost was worth every cent. When you near your retirement age, you will get reams of mail letting you know that their plan is the best Medicare supplement plan. Get an independent person to guide you.  You will need to prepare for a different life. The life can be flexible, joyous, and exciting. But it is different. Everyone responds differently to the life of retirement, but almost everyone is surprised how different this new phase of life is.  The moment you announce to your church that you plan to retire, your relationship to the congregation has changed. You are no longer the pastor; you are the departing pastor. Such is the reason I advise pastors to be careful about making announcements too soon.  Don’t be surprised if the church really does not want your input on finding your successor. And don’t take their posture as a personal rejection. It is human nature for people to move on once they know this significant change is on the horizon.  Plan your retirement and your exit from the church with your spouse. This decision dramatically affects the person to whom you are married. Don’t just plan “my future.” Plan “our future.” Get outside financial help and planning. You need to know what your income level will be. If you have a 401(k) or a 403(b), you need to know such intricacies as RMD (required minimum distribution) and estate implications for the deferred income. And there is more, so much more. At the very least, get a one-time review of your total financial picture. Rejoice in this new phase of life and ministry. God is not done with you yet. It can be a fun and exciting time of life. It should be a fun and exciting time of life.

You have served well to get to this point in your life. Move forward in the confidence of God’s power, strength, and wisdom that the best days of your life and ministry are still ahead of you.

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Why Discipleship Matters

Throughout my teens, twenties, and thirties, I always had several Bibles close at hand—yet I rarely remember picking any of them up unless I was walking out the door to go to church. Even though I always sensed there was something special about the Bible, it wasn’t until God allowed me to reach the end of my self-sufficiency that I began personally looking for help and hope in the Word of God.

Then a friend recommended I check out Kay Arthur’s Precept classes. So when Kay was teaching book by book through the Prophets, I began attending her Bible studies and seminars. It was then that I finally learned to study, understand, and apply God’s Word. Once I was better equipped to actually comprehend what I was reading in Scripture, it completely changed my life and my relationship with the Lord. I finally understood what believers meant when they talked about having a close and personal relationship with God through his Word.

Today, I work with many women and men who’ve had similar experiences: people who had at least one Bible at their disposal, but because nobody proactively discipled them, it took a crisis or significant life experience to motivate them to start seeking comfort in God’s Word.

God makes it clear throughout Scripture that his words have authority and power—and that we as believers are to teach Scripture to others so they will be fully equipped for life (Isaiah 55:11; Ephesians 4:11-14). Too often, though, we don’t do enough to support discipleship or promote Bible engagement. While many of us have personal testimonies of how the Bible has profoundly impacted our lives, there are billions of men, women, and children—both in our country and around the world—who have never tapped into the life-changing power of God’s Word.

So as we think about the importance of Bible engagement and discipleship, a natural question arises: why is it that so many own numerous Bibles, yet so few actually read them?

While there are various reasons people neglect Bible engagement, one excuse I encounter often is that people don’t believe they will understand God’s Word even if they read it.

Having worked for many years with women, men, and youth who are struggling, I regularly come across people who are intimidated by the Word of God, just like I used to be. So many of us don’t believe we can comprehend Scripture, so why pick the Bible up?

In my forties, I finally silenced this self-defeating voice, intentionally opened my Bible, and personally experienced its life-changing power. My soul was invigorated, and I longed for so many others to have this transformative experience. Others who, like me, were missing out because they thought they couldn’t do it. My ears and heart were opened. I realized that God has called all of us as believers to use our professions, talents, resources, and influence to champion biblical literacy. So what was he calling me to do? How could I help others?

Over the past nine years, through a ministry I birthed called Courage For Life, I have had the privilege of championing several important projects to create resources that help make God’s Word less intimidating. We finished the first fully female-voiced New Living Translation audio Bible in both English and Spanish. And we’ve now created a pathway for Bible engagement through the Courage For Life Study Bible for Women and the Courage For Life Study Bible for Men.

Each Courage For Life Study Bible offers a discipleship pathway to transformation that can help us discern God’s truth in a world filled with conflicting voices. These Bibles have 1,464 Bible studies—that’s a study on every page of Bible text. The four-part study equips readers to apply Scripture so that we can all lead courageous, purpose-filled lives. Throughout these Bibles, we also encounter 82 encouraging profiles of courageous believers—82 women in the women’s study Bible, and 82 men in the men’s study Bible.

My greatest prayer is not only that individuals will be inspired to use these Bibles for personal study and growth, but also that they will listen to what God is asking of them. I pray they will use the Courage For Life Study Bibles in small groups, Bible studies, ministry groups, and many other places to break down walls of intimidation and encourage others to find their courage in the amazing power of God’s Word.

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How to Recover from a Toxic Church and Bounce Back Even Better

When the church causes hurt, it pollutes God’s calling and creates a toxicity that works against the gospel.

The goal is to minimize church hurt and maximize church unity. Here is reality. Something will happen in almost every church because ministry includes people. In some cases, the pastor is the cause of the hurt. In other cases, the people of the church hurt the pastor. Pastors can be responsible for church hurt, but this article focuses on how pastors should respond when experiencing a toxic church culture.

Pastors can experience various forms of church hurt, some more painful than others.

“I’m not being fed, so I’m leaving.”“People are saying. . .”“I love you, but. . .”“I noticed you bought a vehicle. How can you afford that?”“You should listen and learn from my favorite YouTube preacher.”“I support you, but I don’t want to talk to my friends about their negative attitudes.”“Why do your kids act that way?”“Why is your spouse not more involved?”

Now, there is a difference between hurt and toxicity. The former is personal. The latter is cultural. You may experience toxicity but not be personally hurt. You may be personally hurt but not in a toxic culture. Or you may feel the compounding effects of both. 

Not toxic or hurtful: A healthy church acts as God designed.Toxic, but not hurtful: The culture is poisonous, but the people are not after you personally.Not toxic, but hurtful: In these cases, an individual or small group is attacking you unbeknownst to the rest of the congregation. This situation is usually short-term, as even a small group will eventually affect the church’s culture.Toxic and hurtful: The culture is hurtful, and at least some people are after you personally.

Though there is much overlap between toxic church culture and personal hurt, making this distinction is critical for pastors. The pathway to reconciliation is clearer when a toxic culture is not present because the process involves a small group of people (perhaps just two) rather than the entire congregation. What are some warning signs of a toxic church culture?

Exclusion: When outsiders are intentionally pushed out. Contempt: When willful disobedience is used to show disrespect.Hypocrisy: When key leaders act in a way that contradicts what they teach.Betrayal: When people use your trust for their own personal gain.Gossip: When people consistently share sensitive information about you and others without permission.Neglect: When obvious problems are left unattended for long periods of time.Duplicity: When people intend harm by misrepresenting the truth.Conflict: When disagreements go unresolved, and no one seeks reconciliation.

The first step is determining whether God desires you to stay in the toxic church culture. Someone will need to shepherd the people out of their toxicity. Perhaps it is you. Maybe it is someone else. Whether you stay or go, you will need to bounce back. Part of shepherding is working your way out of a low place for the sake of serving others.

Where am I going? I recommend pastors stay in a church until they have another job in the queue. Though some churches may be so toxic an immediate exit is warranted, in most cases, staying until you have another position is best for the pastor, family, and church body. If you choose to stay, don’t compromise your ability to solve the problem by adding to the toxicity with careless rants and unwise responses.

On whom am I relying? You should recognize your feelings but rely on God’s supernatural strength. Wallowing in your feelings will prevent you from following the Holy Spirit. Before making major decisions, pray for a season and listen carefully to God.

What is my motive? Leaving because you are personally hurt is different than leaving because of a culture of toxicity. You must first discern what is driving your decisions. If you do not work out your motives, others (even your friends) will not understand your predicament. Internal clarity should precede external communication.

Am I overreacting? Pastors can be overly sensitive. If you have the gift of empathy, then you might also become emotionally overcharged. Additionally, personal loneliness and discouragement can compound the effects of a toxic culture. Are you hurt because someone targeted you? Or are you hurt because of situational difficulties?

Am I making healing a priority? You may be hurting, but do not hurt yourself any further. Take time away. Refresh and decompress. A few days of rest can resolve a lot of stress. Also, prioritize healing, but don’t use recovery as an excuse to become apathetic.

Am I asking for help? Seek the help you need and do not walk alone. No one should navigate a difficult season solo. Make phone calls to your mentor, counselor, and close friends. Be grateful for those who respond positively. When I went through a tough church situation, a handful of people stood with me. Without them, I would not be ministering today. One of them has become a best friend. Our friendship started when he reached out to me, offering help.

You can bounce back. Indeed, you must bounce back for the sake of God’s kingdom. Shepherding a congregation is never easy. Sometimes the valley includes a season of toxicity. You may even get hurt. But the gospel heals. And the gospel is worth the effort to get better.

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Uber Evangelism: Three Lessons

I am close to finishing my second 30-day round of The Hope Initiative. It is a simple process of praying, studying Scripture, and going in one form or another. It is simple obedience to the Great Commission. 

May I share with you three lessons I have learned about myself in each of these 30-day periods? The lessons have been basic but profound for me. 

Lesson 1: I have a long way to go in being consistently obedient in sharing the gospel.  

I often hear from people who get the impression that I share the gospel with daily and consistent zeal. Sadly, it’s not true. I might write about it and talk about it, but I have a long way to go. There are many days when I do not share the gospel at all. The Hope Initiative has been the discipline I need, but I still have much room to grow. 

In His power, I must do better. 

Lesson 2: Prayer and evangelism are a potent combination.  

Yeah. I get it. This second lesson might elicit a “duh” response from you. That would be fair. 

In the Great Commission passages of Scripture, we are reminded, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, NLT). Again, we are reminded in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” It is so clear. Evangelism without God’s power through prayer is powerless. 

I have been amazed in each of these 30-day periods how the doors to evangelism have opened widely. It’s basic. God is answering my prayers. 

Lesson 3: Sometimes evangelism can take place in an Uber ride.

I use the rideshare Uber frequently in my travels. Before the driver picks me up, the app tells me how long we will have in the car together. Most of the time I have little time to waste. Can I really introduce myself, establish a relationship, and tell the driver about Jesus in 17 minutes? 

The answer is “yes,” because I watch it happen again and again.

It is amazing to see how God opens the door each time I open the Uber door. 

Today, there is a trend back to lifestyle and relationship evangelism. Actually that is a trend among those who do evangelism. Most Christians do not share their faith at all. So, I rejoice about those who are intentional about getting to know non-Christians and earning a right to be heard. I have a few such relationships right now. 

But there can be a danger in waiting too long to share the gospel explicitly. We can be so busy developing the relationship personally that we delay telling the unbeliever about Jesus explicitly.

This popular quote is often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” But there is no evidence that he actually said it or wrote it. To the contrary, his writings and teachings emphasize the vital role of verbal proclamation in sharing the gospel. 

Develop relationships. Get to know unbelievers. Show Christ in your life and lifestyle. But don’t forget that the gospel message has words. Tell them about Jesus.

Then you will be ready on an airplane or in an Uber car. 

Such is the reason Acts 4:20 is one of my favorite verses: “We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard” (NLT). 

Keep living for Christ. Keep showing Christ in your actions. 

But also never, never stop talking about Him.

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The Megachurch Movement Is Fading. What’s Next?

Once a church reaches two thousand in weekly attendance, its sheer size becomes a self-generating attraction. Massive facilities, a sprawling campus, and numerous attendees give these large congregations more prominence than other churches. Megachurches receive more media attention than smaller churches. Their physical campuses can dominate their surrounding community. Megachurch pastors tend to have charisma, and their churches can offer a wide variety of programs appealing to a broad base of people.

One can understand why a smaller church would feel threatened by the megachurch down the road. But this threat is more perception than reality.

The New Reality for Megachurches

The megachurch movement is beginning to wane. The number of megachurches increased exponentially in the 1980s and 1990s, but long about 2010 this exponential growth stalled. The megachurch movement reached an inflection point with about 1,600 megachurches in the United States. Over the next ten years, up to the pandemic of 2020, the number of megachurches dropped to about 1,200. New worship spaces were also significantly smaller—about 20 percent on average—during the same timeframe. The pandemic then caused many megachurches to drop below 2,000 in average weekly attendance. In 2022, Christianity Today reported that Willow Creek Community Church cut millions out of their personnel budget and laid off 30 percent of their staff due to a 57 percent decline in attendance. The church responded by saying that most megachurches are operating at 50 percent of their pre-Covid levels. If this anecdotal evidence holds true, the number of megachurches in the United States will be half of what it was before the pandemic.

Though it is difficult to estimate precisely how many megachurches remain in the United States, it’s safe to assume the large growth curves of the 1980s and 1990s are a thing of the past. The movement was essentially a product of the Baby Boomer generation. These churches grew large as the Baby Boomers came of age. The Boomers are now aging out, and the megachurches are fading along with them. Will megachurches disappear? I believe there will always be healthy megachurches across the nation. Still, the phenomenon of megachurch growth is no longer in ascendancy, and some other model must now take the lead.

In the not-so-distant past, growing churches often relocated away from their neighborhoods and built large campuses at major intersections. The thought was that the drive would be worth the distance. This strategy seemed to work when these large churches were master planning their sprawling campuses in the 1970s through the early 2000s. They were championed and celebrated. Many large churches grew at tremendous rates, and many of them did, and continue to do, an incredible amount of good for the Kingdom of God. But starting around the turn of the twenty-first century, the growth of many of the largest churches shifted to multisite campuses and multiple venues. The massive, single-site church was no longer the focus of their planning.

The stigma of small is fading. People want to connect locally and within their neighborhoods. Churches with worship space for 200 to 600 are now ideal. Filling the giant rooms of megachurches is getting harder and harder. Neighborhood churches have a large-scale opportunity in front of them. Your neighbors, however, will not flock to your church just because you are smaller. If megachurches in your area are declining, it doesn’t mean your church will benefit from their losses. Frankly, we should never place our hopes on the decline of another church. Because few churches are doing the work of evangelism, those that start are likely to experience fruit. God is saving people and will continue to save people. He will use the churches that are obedient, whatever their size.

The Growing Potential for Neighborhood Churches

Neighborhood churches are in every city and small town across the United States. Though it’s difficult to get an exact count, they are perhaps the largest single category of churches. Neighborhood churches are numerous, and it’s time to leverage those numbers into a movement of revitalization and renewed health.

But here’s the problem. The typical neighborhood church isn’t prepared for an influx of new people. They aren’t primed for growth. Though they are in their neighborhoods geographically, they are not fully present culturally or missiologically. Most American churches are small—with fewer than one hundred people. Most American churches have been in existence for decades. Though there are far more small and midsize churches than megachurches, the trend toward larger churches has been in place for many years. The largest one percent of Protestant churches, for example, comprise approximately fifteen percent of all the people, money, and staff. Small neighborhood churches are used to being small and do not often think about growth beyond their current size.

As the megachurch movement has begun to wane, it presents an opportunity for smaller and midsize established churches. The problem is that people won’t flock back into neighborhood churches from larger churches simply because it’s a shorter drive from home. Most churches—of all sizes—are smaller than they were a few years ago, due to the pandemic. The revitalization of neighborhood churches is not a foregone conclusion. It will take a lot of work, but I believe it can happen. Many neighborhood churches are right around the corner but off the radar. Your neighborhood church can regain the attention of the neighbors. The potential for this movement is enormous. I believe you can be a part of it.

This article is adapted from an excerpt in The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church: Discover How Your Church Is Primed to Reach Your Neighbors, published by Tyndale.

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A Word of Gratitude to Pastors who Share Life with Us

I’m writing today to pastors. We at Church Answers want you to know how grateful we are for you, how honored we are to serve you, and how committed we are to providing tools and resources for you. Your day-to-day, week-to-week faithfulness really is an encouragement to us. 

More particularly, though, I’m thinking about the role you play in the lives of your church members. I’ve thought about that role many times since I first pastored in 1981, and I’m continually amazed at one thing: the access you have to the lives of your members and the consequent opportunity you have to equip them through that access. Nobody else, in fact, has the kind of access to people like you do. 

Think about it. As a pastor, you sometimes have the privilege of being with members when babies are born into their families. You may be in the waiting room, or you may arrive soon after the baby is born—but many families will welcome your presence and your prayers as new life begins. They want to celebrate with you. 

On the other extreme, you are even more often invited into lives at times of death. You may well have been by the bedside of those dying, or you surely have been there to comfort families in their times of grief. You may not always have answers to their questions, and you cannot erase their pain—but your presence is itself comforting.

Moreover, you have the opportunity to journey with people you shepherd through every major spiritual experience they have between birth and death. You might counsel them through their decision to follow Christ. Perhaps you’re the one blessed to baptize them (or at least to be part of the experience if someone else does the baptism). They may turn to you if they sense some kind of calling to ministry. They might reach out to you when they’re wrestling with their faith. You are, after all, their under-shepherd. 

Indeed, you are a needed part of their support system in times of crisis. Life is hard, and all of us need someone to walk with us at times. So many things come to mind when I think of crises I’ve shared with church members, like unexpected death, marital separation, natural disaster, wayward children, job loss, miscarriage and stillborn birth, broken dating relationships, emotional stress, faith crises, financial messes, health scares, and a myriad of other issues. In the midst of the heartaches and confusion of life, you are one voice who directs hurting people to the Rock. 

Then, you might well be their go-to person whenever they face life decisions or celebrate life milestones. Having served as a pastor or interim pastor for many years, I can quickly list some of the times when folks have sought my input—things like college choices, career changes, engagement and marriage decisions, home purchases, and retirement options. Put on top of these things the celebrations I’ve been blessed to join—birthdays, graduations, significant anniversaries, sports championships, weddings, vocational recognitions, retirement parties, etc.—and I’m hard pressed to come up with anyone else who might share life with others like a pastor does. Ours is indeed a unique access.

To be a pastor is both an incredible privilege and a weighty responsibility. You influence more lives, and at a much more comprehensive level, than you may know. Thank you for all you do!

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The Two Greatest Gifts You Can Give Your Pastor

I am glad October has been designated as Pastor Appreciation Month. While we should appreciate our pastors year-round, it is good to have this reminder to say and do a few kind things for those who serve and lead our churches faithfully. 

My two pastors happen to be my sons, so I obviously have a vested interest in reminding church members to express appreciation to their pastors. But I have been a supporter of pastors long before Sam and Jess became pastors themselves. 

Though I don’t want to presume upon your own ideas for gifts for pastors, I do want to share two gifts that will make a significant and positive difference in your pastor’s ministry and life. 

Gift #1: Pray for Your Pastor  

This suggestion should be no surprise. There is power in prayer. Pastors need prayer. God answers prayers. 

May I suggest you take it a step further? Create a system where you are reminded to pray for your pastor daily. I use the Echo Prayer app for my daily prayer time. It is a simple reminder of how to pray and for whom to pray. Both of my pastors’ names are in my app.

Once you have established a process where you will pray for your pastors, please let them know. A simple email or handwritten note will suffice. You cannot imagine how encouraged your pastors will be to know that church members are praying for them daily. 

Gift #2: Enlist Others to Pray for Your Pastor  

In the last church where I served as a pastor, Frances Mason recruited over 100 church members to pray for me daily. I was blown away when she told me! 

Frankly, I cannot remember any greater encouragement coming from a church member. It was a demonstration of her love and respect for her pastor. I can say unequivocally that those prayers made a huge difference in my life and ministry. 

Are you in some type of group in your church: small group, Sunday school class, community group, home group, life group, etc.? Ask your group to pray for your pastor. Give them a plan or mechanism for doing so. Remember to pray for your pastor in your group whenever you meet. 

A Tool You Can Use

I recently authored a book that provides a guide for 30 days of praying for your pastor. It is my own prayer that the book, When the People Pray, will be used in thousands of churches to begin a prayer movement for pastors. 

I know that many of you readers are pastors. I am humbly asking you pastors to take it upon yourselves to get the church praying for you. I know it is difficult to ask for something when you are constantly doing for others. Frances Mason recruited over 100 church members to pray for me after I admitted in the pulpit how desperately I needed prayer. It was a humbling and vulnerable experience. But, again, it made all the difference in the world. 

Here is the book: When the People Pray.

Please, church members, pray for your pastor. 

Get others to pray for your pastor. 

It’s the two greatest gifts a pastor will receive.

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Launching a Transformative Bible Study for Women: A Step-by-Step Guide

The fall season brings with it not only colorful foliage and cozy cardigan weather but also the exciting opportunity for women to delve deeply into the Word of God. It’s a season of kick-starting various Bible studies, whether within church settings, homes, or workplace break rooms. If you’re considering leading your first women’s Bible study, you might be feeling a mixture of apprehension and eagerness. Rest assured, you’re not alone. This article aims to provide valuable insights and practical tips to help you initiate or rejuvenate a women’s Bible study group that will foster vibrant, life-changing discipleship experiences for women of all ages.

Step 1: Begin with Prayer.

Starting a women’s Bible study is an endeavor that calls for divine guidance and trust. As leaders, our primary offering to others is Jesus, and it’s essential to be receptive to God’s direction as we shepherd hearts and minds toward Christ. Begin by praying for wisdom and direction, asking God to anchor your identity in Him rather than what you accomplish. Seek His guidance and pray for the women who will choose to be a part of the study and pray that wisdom, humility, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit will infuse your time together with His purpose.

Step 2: Choose Your Study Material.

Selecting the right study material is crucial. You have various options to consider: books, Bible studies, live teaching, or video-based courses. The possibilities are limitless, but the most important factors are delving into Scripture and trusting God with the outcomes. If you’re just starting out, consider beginning with a video study to provide structure and guidance. As you gain experience and confidence, you can transition to live teaching and collaborative study.

Explore available Church Equip studies for women as valuable resources.

Step 3: Determine When and Where to Meet.

The timing and location of your meetings will vary depending on your group’s composition and goals. If your study is part of your Church’s weekly activities, coordinate with your pastor or church administrator to align schedules and secure a meeting place. If you’re meeting during lunch breaks at work, choose a convenient spot and establish a consistent meeting time. Recognize that accommodating everyone’s schedules may be challenging, so start with a committed few and if you invite others to join in, remain open to flexibility as you adapt to the needs and availability of your group.

Step 4: Establish Meeting Guidelines.

Creating a safe and intentional environment for learning and sharing is vital. Every Bible study I lead, I spend part of the first meeting going over guidelines so that everyone knows the goal and expectations of our time together. I usually print out a card that they can tuck in their bible or workbook with the following:

Small Group Distinctives: 

Give Jesus, not advice.Listen attentively.Refrain from trying to fix others’ problems.Maintain confidentiality within the group.Respect each person’s comfort level regarding sharing.Keep an eye on the time. 

This helps to communicate to everyone that there is a mutual respect and expectation for everyone participating.

Step 5: Be Intentional with Follow-up.

Building meaningful connections within your group extends beyond your meeting time. Send thoughtful texts or messages to individuals after they share personal struggles or weaknesses. This simple act demonstrates that your study is not just about acquiring knowledge but also about transformation and genuine care. Consistency and commitment are challenging but essential. Gradually, these reminders reinforce the idea that your presence matters, and you are dedicated to walking alongside one another. As you get to know the women in your group, discover the unique gifts and talents and explore opportunities to connect them with church or small groups to help them grow in their discipleship journey. 

Embarking on the journey to lead a women’s Bible study is both exciting and rewarding. Remember that God has called you to gather, walk alongside, and point women to Jesus. As you take this step of obedience, you are contributing to the growth of the Kingdom of God and the transformation of lives. With prayer, careful planning, and a heart eager to serve, you are more than capable of launching a Bible study that will inspire and impact the lives of women in your community. You can do this!

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Why Every Single Word in the Bible Matters for You Today

All of Scripture is for every part of our lives.

Every single word in the Bible is powerful, purposeful, and prescient. Understanding the Bible as a whole is worth your whole effort. Every word in the Bible matters because every minute of your day matters. In Luke’s gospel, we learn that God counts the hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). God is always involved in every area of your life. Since He always knows every hair on your head, God must actively count each one.

The lesson is simple: God is always active, caring, and present in your life. The way He wants you to interact with Him is through the Bible.

The Bible is God’s story. And the first step in understanding the Bible as a whole is realizing the biblical story is not about you but rather for you. The first words in Genesis are, “In the beginning God,” not, “In the beginning you.” God is the protagonist of the Bible, not you.

God creates. God speaks. God saves. He is not just part of creation or a power in creation but the Sovereign over all creation. The story of the Bible is about God, but this story exists because God wants to redeem us. Paul wrote that God gave us the Bible for our “hope and encouragement” (Romans 15:4). The Bible is God’s roadmap to hope.

The Bible reveals God’s plan for redeeming his people. The story has ups and downs, unexpected plot twists, failures and successes. It’s not G-rated, and all the characters are flawed, with one exception—Jesus.

In the same way Jesus is alive, so too the Bible is alive. Grasping the power of the written word is one thing, but believing the written word is alive is entirely different. The Bible is God’s own words with the purpose of drawing people to Himself.

Because the Bible is from God, it is personal communication from Him. That means we can trust that it is true because it is God’s own words—authoritative, inspired, infallible, and sufficient.

The Bible Is Authoritative

You are not the authority over the Bible. Rather, the Bible is the authority over you. Do not read the Bible like you go through junk mail envelopes, looking for a deal and then tossing the rest aside without even opening them. Do not read the Bible like you read the newspaper’s opinion section, looking for an angle that supports a viewpoint you already have. Read the Bible like a love letter where you devour every word and feel each phrase. The Bible contains the greatest words of love ever written. Indeed, the Bible’s words define love. You don’t just search the Scripture. You must let the Scriptures search you.

The Bible Is Inspired and Infallible

When you read the Bible, you are hearing directly from God. The Bible is inspired by God, which means it is a direct word from Him. As such, the Bible is infallible, which means it will not lead you astray. You can trust the Bible. All truth is derived from God, which means the Bible is the gold standard of truth. It will not deceive us or prove unreliable. Indeed, God’s Word is wholly reliable—always and everywhere.

The Bible Is Sufficient

God’s Word is all you need to live in a way that honors Him. Nothing else is necessary to understand the good news of Jesus. No other books are required to know God and follow the Holy Spirit. What we have in the Bible is perfect, trustworthy, right, clear, pure, and true. No other written words can claim this sufficiency. The Bible alone is sufficient. You can trust the whole of Scripture, so now I hope you read the whole of Scripture.

If you don’t have it near you, then go get your favorite copy of the Bible. Prayerfully ask God to give you a passion for reading it. Don’t wait. Open your Bible now and read, even if for a few minutes. The words contained in your Bible are eternally more important than any other words ever written. 

Take a deeper dive into this subject with Sam’s book, Understanding the Bible as a Whole. Do you want more training? Church Answers University (CAU) is affordable, accessible, and attainable. The certification is self-paced, so you can learn in a way best suited for your life and goals. And the books are included with tuition!

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