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A Caution for Believers in 2015

By Chuck Lawless

The new year brings hope and opportunity. Many of us have made New Year’s resolutions we are firmly committed (at least for now . . .) to keep throughout the year. Every new year, though, also brings renewed temptations and fresh opportunities for failure. Consequently, this post is a caution based on the story of Noah’s drunkenness after the receding of the floodwaters (Gen. 9:20-27).

In this story, Noah became drunk with wine and lay naked in his tent. His son Ham saw his father naked and told his two brothers. While we can’t be certain of Ham’s sin in this situation, he dishonored his father by seeing his nakedness and then reporting his father’s state to his brothers. Both father and son had sinned, and the repercussions were serious and long lasting through a curse on Ham’s son, Canaan.

My intent here is not to debate the use of alcohol or to discuss the curse on Canaan. Instead, my goal is help us consider the consequences of one act of sin. Think about these conclusions from this story.

Nobody—even the most righteous person today—is immune from sin tomorrow. Several times in the story of Noah, the scriptures speak of his obedience to God. He was “a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries” (Gen. 6:9, HCSB). Four times, the text says Noah did whatever the Lord commanded him (Gen. 6:22; 7:5, 9, 16). All of his faithfulness, though, did not keep him from getting drunk. Our temptations may be different, but this truth remains the same. Faithfulness today is no guarantee of our victory tomorrow.
A powerful movement of God does not always keep us from sin. Think about it – God showed favor to Noah by personally communicating with him, warning him about the flood, giving him direction about the ark, and then safeguarding him and his family through the deluge. In fact, Noah’s first recorded act when his family left the ark was to build an altar to the God who had provided divine guidance and protection. Still, that history of the undeniable work of God did not keep Noah from making momentary choices that brought shame on himself. Regardless of what miracles God has worked in our past, we too can still fall today.
Even a single act of sin can mar the record of years of faithfulness. Again, Noah found favor in the Lord’s sight and modeled faithfulness for his generation (Gen. 6:8-9, 7:1). So faithful was he that the book of Hebrews includes him among the models of faith (Heb. 11:7). The same Bible, though, does not shy away from Noah’s failure in Genesis 9. The account is brief, but the blemish is glaring – and the inspired Word of God does not allow us to ignore Noah’s sin even today. The danger of making a choice today that will mar the rest of our lives is ever before us.
Seldom does our sin affect only us. In Noah’s case, the sin of a parent opened the door for the sin of a son; even a single failure became a stumbling block to somebody else. I have seen seemingly single acts of sin lead to ungodly anger, bitterness, and retaliation from others. Sometimes, the single act includes another person, who then also falls into the enemy’s trap. Too many of us can tell stories of those whose single acts of sin have left ongoing scars in others – and the risk of that story becoming ours in 2015 is a real one.

So, brother or sister in Christ, here is my caution: even a single wrong choice this year can carry heavy consequences. Join with me in praying that none of us would make decisions this year that will mar the rest of our lives. Let’s follow God—and lead His people, if that is our calling—from our knees.

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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Eight Things You Need to Know about Pastor Search Committees

Not all churches use pastor search committees to call a pastor. Some congregations belong to a denomination that uses an appointment process. Other churches depend on elders to find the next pastor. But a large number of churches today still use the pastor search committee process to find their next pastor.

Even though this process is in use in as many as 200,000 congregations in the U.S., there still seems to be a mystery about its work and decision-making processes. To be certain, pastor search committees are not identical from congregation to congregation. Those differences explain some of the mystery and confusion. There are often great inconsistencies from one committee to another.

Perhaps the primary reason for the apparent mystery of search committees is their own evolution. Not too long ago, their task was to cull through a pile of paper resumes; find three or four prospective pastors to hear preach in the respective pastors own church; and then present the finalist to the church.

Much is changing in the pastor search committee process. Some of it is due to the availability of information in the digital age. The waning of denominational influence also is a key reason this process has changed.

While I could write pages on the history, current reality, and future of pastor search committees, I narrowed the major points to just a few highlights. Here are eight key things you need to know:

The process of finding a pastor is taking much longer. There are two key reasons for this development. First, the process itself is no longer as simple as I noted above in the third paragraph. Second, the challenge of shorter pastoral tenure leads committees to be more diligent to secure a longer-term pastor.
More search committees work through formal and informal recommendations and referrals. A church is more likely to find a pastor through both formal and informal recommendations than unsolicited resumes.
Search committees are utilizing the services of outside experts more often. They seek help from both denominational services and independent search organizations. Those organizations are typically well worth the expense to help a search committee find good candidates. That is their area of ministry expertise.
Four out of five search committees receive no training. My number is based on informal surveys rather than scientific polling, but it is nevertheless indicative. Many search committees start their processes with no experience and no training.
The multi-site movement will cause a decrease in the number of search committees. Church acquisitions are common today. Churches that are acquired are not likely to have their own autonomous search committee to find a pastor. Leadership in the mother church will choose their pastors.
The first place most pastor search committees will evaluate a prospective pastor is podcasts. Instead of visiting and possibly disrupting the pastor’s current church, the committee is more likely to listen to sermons on the church’s website.
The second place most pastor search committees will evaluate a prospective pastor is the church’s website. For many search committee members, the website is a reflection of the pastor and the pastor’s leadership.
The third place most pastor search committees will evaluate a prospective pastor is social media. Before a prospective pastor is ever contacted, many search committees will research thoroughly that pastor’s blog and other social media. There are a number of outside firms that offer this service at a reasonable price. Some pastors and other church staff are not getting a second look because of their negative presence on social media.

I wrote this article in response to many of you asking questions about pastor search committees. Feel free to interact with these eight issues, or to ask questions about areas that need more discussion.

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The Seven Key Improvements You Should Make to Your Church Facilities – Rainer on Leadership #089

Podcast Episode #089

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First impressions are important for churches. And on today’s episode, we cover seven main areas in which your church can make improvements to improve the first impression you make to new guests.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

Guests will go to your website before coming to your church facility. Make sure location and service times are prominent.
Churches are notorious for clutter—they become a Goodwill store that doesn’t sell anything.
Visitors who come to a church for the first time don’t know where to go. They need signage.
Using a mystery guest once or twice a year can help you identify issues guests to your church may have.
Church facility issues can easily turn off guests.

The seven key improvements your church can make are:

Church web site.
Clean up clutter.
Landscaping.
Directional signage.
Restrooms: clean with signage.
Fresh paint.
Parking lot signage.

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

Next: Pastoral Succession That Works
Seven (Plus One) Deadly Sins of a Church Website
Five Reasons Your Church Might Consider Using eBay to Increase Giving

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Seven Ways Pastors and Church Staff Find Jobs

This post may cause some of you to feel uneasy. I have to admit I’ve had some of those same feelings writing it. I prefer to think of pastoral ministry as a calling more than a job. And I sometimes cringe when I write about seemingly secular solutions to Christian work.

Nevertheless, over the life of this blog the past several years, I have received countless inquiries from men and women seeking positions in churches. Many are frustrated because they feel like their applications or resumes go into a digital black hole. They never even hear from many of the churches.

So I asked a number of pastors and church staff about the processes they experienced in getting a new position in a church. To be transparent, I need to explain that a church pursued some of them without any initiative on their part. The vast majority, however, took specific actions that ultimately led to their being called or hired.

My questions were conducted informally, but I still think the responses are telling. Here are the top seven responses in order of frequency.

They used an informal network of persons to recommend them for the position. That network included friends in ministry, denominational workers, and church members at the specific church that had the opening.
They made certain their resumes stood out. They accomplished this feat in three ways. First, they asked knowledgeable persons to help them shape the resumes, and to proofread them carefully. Second, they looked at other persons’ resumes to see what everyone else was doing, so they could do something unique. Third, they made certain the resume addressed very specifically the position they sought.
They sought an influential person to recommend them. Because the person recommending the candidate was influential to the decision makers, the candidate was more likely to be given more serious consideration.
They made certain that their reputations were good in the world of social media. One pastor shared with me that he has not been able to find another church because of his negative reputation on his blog and other social media. More and more churches are doing a social media search on a candidate before ever contacting him or her.
They actively monitored sites that provide job postings. Denominational groups offer some of the sites. Others are independent, and include ministry search firms.
They asked for help from their denomination or seminary. These entities are not as active in ministry placement as previous years; but they still can be very helpful to a candidate.
They were persistent. One candidate told me she had her application in over 20 churches before she ever heard from anyone. She persisted by submitting a resume to a different church for a position almost once a week. That determination finally resulted in a great position in a church.

Some of the pastors and staff I contacted were appointed to their positions by a denominational authority, so their process differed from the seven items I note above. Let me hear your responses to these seven approaches. If you feel comfortable, share with us how you got your current position.

photo credit: photologue_np via photopin cc

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Pray for Oak Hall Baptist

Location: Sandston, Virginia

Pastor: Matthew Fretwell

Weekly Worship: 10:30 AM, Eastern.

Fast Facts: Oak Hall Baptist is a 112-year old comeback church. Almost three years ago the church was about to shut the doors with only 20 active members, but prayerfully hired a new pastor. In this short period of time, the church has seen exponential growth and is partnering with a global comprehensive church planting organization to help plant churches in North America. The church serves free meals each month, makes clothing and necessities for the less fortunate, and partners with other local organizations to feed and clothe the community. Oak Hall is a church planting church and needs prayer for the wisdom and discernment in mentoring, ordaining, and supporting church planters and in locating the right locations. Soon a new location will be chosen, with God’s wisdom. Please pray for Kingdom growth, the gospel to impact upon the new community, and for the leadership to have wisdom during and in the process. Please pray for unity, love, and fellowship within and without the church body, as well as the spiritual warfare that accompanies these.

Website: OakHallBC.org

“Pray for . . .” is the Sunday blog series at ThomRainer.com. We encourage you to pray for these churches noted every Sunday. Please feel free to comment that you are praying as well.

If you would like to have your church featured in the “Pray for…” series, fill out this information form..

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Notable Voices: January 10, 2015

12 Principles for Change in the Established Church — Sam Rainer

My podcast yesterday about the established church and Millennials generated a great deal of interest from pastors looking to change things in established churches. Sam shares 12 principles that will help.

 

4 Things Your Church Website Must Do — Jesse Wisnewski

Church websites are the new front door for churches. Does your church’s website accomplish these four things?

 

Divine revelation or Tony Romo? Most Churchgoers Won’t Skip for Football — Sporting News

LifeWay Research released some findings this week about whether or not football fans would skip church to root for their team. Sporting News weighed in on the data ahead of this weekend’s NFL playoff games.

 

2015: The Year of the Podcast — Jonathan Howe

We have seen tremendous growth with Rainer on Leadership over the past two years. Jonathan shares some of the secrets behind that and why podcasting will be big in 2015.

 

Why Are 50% of Church Staff Teams Unhealthy? — Ryan Stigile

Healthy churches are led by healthy church staffs. Ryan explains why so many church staffs are unhealthy and how yours can grow healthier.

 

7 Great Pastors’ Retreats or Getaways Around the United States — Michael Krauszer

These aren’t necessarily specific location but ideas of where pastors can go when they need to get away.

 

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Millennial Pastors and Established Churches – Rainer on Leadership #088

Podcast Episode #088

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Millennial pastors and prospective pastors are often hesitant to take pastorates at established churches. There are some legitimate concerns and good reasons for this hesitancy—which we cover in this episode. However, established churches can offer a great opportunity for ministry to many pastors. Millennials should not be so quick to write off working with or pastoring at established churches. And in this episode, we tell you why.

Some highlights from this today’s episode include:

Established churches are often perceived by Millennials to not be missionally focused.
It’s natural for any organization, especially churches, to turn toward an inward focus.
Denominational loyalty is fading, but denominational ties are still important.
Many established churches are not community-centric.
I’m thankful for the rising interest in church planting. But it shouldn’t be done to the neglect of pastoring established churches.
Simply put, we cannot abandon established churches.
Pastors, don’t go into a church, make a lot of changes, then leave. Stay to see the fruit of the changes.

Five Reasons Why Millennials Do Not Want to Be Pastors or Staff in Established Churches

Millennials perceive established churches to have values that are entrenched in non-missional traditions. 
They perceive that much time in established churches is wasted catering to members’ personal preferences. 
Many established churches are denominationally loyal; but many Millennials see denominations as antiquated organizations. 
Millennials don’t see established churches as community-centric. 
Millennials see church planting as a far superior alternative. 

Episode Sponsor

This podcast was brought to you by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program. If you want more out of your ministry, want to study with a world-class faculty and need to stay where you currently serve, the DMin at Southeastern is the answer for you. Visit SEBTS.EDU/DMIN for more information.

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
Millennials

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10 Distractions Regarding Worship Music

By Chuck Lawless

A few weeks ago, I posted findings on common worship distractions. Since that time, some readers have questioned me more specifically about our findings regarding the musical component of worship. So, the goal in this post is to respond to that request.

Let me be honest about my qualifications up front, though: I am not a musician or singer; I am a church consultant only reporting what our teams have found in more than 15 years of consulting. It is not my intent to be judgmental or offensive. I have utmost respect for those who lead us in worship. With those caveats in mind, here are ten distractions we’ve encountered in the music element of worship.

Incomprehensible choir or praise team words – I start with this distraction (a repeat from the previous post) simply because we face this issue so often. The sound system may be poor, the singers may not enunciate well, or the music may drown out the lyrics – but in any case, we miss the message while straining to understand the words.
Unsmiling faces leading worship – Some solemn hymns may not necessitate smiles, but something is lacking in singing about the joy of the Lord when the singer’s facial expression suggests something different. We have seen entire praise teams show little expression as they lead worship.
Poor musicians or singers – I hesitate to include this distraction because I realize the level of talent varies by congregation. Nor do I want to suggest that only the most talented musicians or singers should be permitted to lead worship. I’m simply stating what we’ve experienced: sometimes the musical component of worship lacks quality.
Unprepared singers – Here, level of talent is not the issue; lack of preparation instead appears to be the problem. Sometimes it seems – right or wrong – as if no one practiced this component of the worship service. In fact, we’ve occasionally heard it stated publicly: “Please pray for me before I sing today because I really didn’t have time to get ready for singing.”
“Preachy” music directors – Some folks leading worship do a great job of succinctly and effectively speaking between songs. Others, though, seem to use interludes to preach a sermon in preparation for the sermon still to come. Too much talking may actually disrupt the worship more than facilitate it.
Songs disconnected from the sermon topic – It seems strange, for example, when the sermon series is about family but none of the song selections moves in that direction. On the other hand, worship is often facilitated – and the teachings of that service’s content are easier to recall – when the musical selections and the sermon content focus in a single direction.
Difficult songs to sing – Again, I am not a singer, but I do know when I’m struggling to sing a particular song. Some of our more gifted consulting team members are singers, and they at times question song selections on the “singability” of the song. What works for the gifted singer doesn’t always work for the typical person in the pew.
Weak use of media for lyrics – This distraction is a corollary to the previous one. Lyrics on the screen are most often helpful. If, though, the phrase and sentence breaks on the screen don’t match the breaks in the singing, the worshipper may still struggle with knowing how to sing the song. Lyrics on the screen do not generally help worship participants learn the melody.
Poorly done blended style – Anecdotally, we are seeing more churches move to a blended style of worship rather than offer multiple distinct styles of worship. That approach is not bad, but it becomes problematic when the worship leaders are strong in one style but weak in the other. Often, that difference is noticeable.
Introducing new songs without teaching them – Numerous good songwriters are producing strong worship music today. Introducing new songs to a church, however, requires intentionality that often seems lacking. Many of us welcome a worship leader’s taking the time to help us actually learn the song as a congregation.

What other distractions regarding worship music have you seen?

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.

Photo Credit

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Nine Observations about Announcements in Worship Services

To have or not to have announcements in the worship services? That is the question many church leaders ask today. And indeed there are several tendencies or trends related to announcements, and they are often related to the size of the church.

I asked a number of church leaders of congregations of varying sizes about their practices in this area. They pretty much confirmed what I am seeing as well. Here are my nine observations:

More church leaders do not think announcements should be a part of the worship services. Their churches are more likely to have announcements projected on a screen prior to the worship service, or not to have them at all in the worship center.
Large churches (700 and up in average worship attendance) are highly unlikely to have announcements as a part of the worship service. As noted above, they may have the announcements projected on a screen prior to the worship service.
Smaller churches (under 200 in average worship attendance) are very likely to include announcements as a traditional part of the worship service. Excluding them would likely cause some level of conflict in the church.
Video or projected announcements have grown commensurate with the growth of projected lyrics during the worship music. Because the technology and equipment is available for the music, more churches also use it for announcements.
With greater frequency, pastors limit making announcements unless they are a major or visional issue. This trend is growing in all churches except smaller congregations.
More congregations limit announcements before or during the worship services to those issues that affect most or all of the congregants. For example, it is becoming less likely for announcements to be made about a committee meeting that involves only six people.
Many pastors are still asked to make announcements right before worship services begin. Often they are handed a slip of paper or told adamantly that something must be announced. I will address this issue in a later blog post.
Pastors also receive pressure from different groups and individuals to make certain their announcements are made. Most every church member has his or her own idea about priorities in the church. One pastor recently told me that a church member got mad at him because he did not announce that the member’s daughter was named salutatorian of her senior high school class.
Most church leaders believe that the retention rate of announcements by members is low. If retention is indeed low, it would indicate that most times of announcements are done due to pressure or tradition or both.

What is your church’s approach to announcements in the worship services? How effective do you think they are? What is your reaction to these nine observations?

photo credit: Leo Reynolds via photopin cc

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Finding Time in Ministry When You Have None – Rainer on Leadership #087

Podcast Episode #087

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I’m excited to announce the expansion of Rainer on Leadership from weekly to twice a week. Over the past 20 months, we’ve seen a tremendous response to the podcast with more than 300,000 downloads so far. When I’m out speaking, I am routinely asked to cover specific practical ministry topics more on the podcast. So these Tuesday episodes will do just that. In this week’s episode and the Tuesday episodes in the future, Jonathan and I will discuss some of the nuts and bolts of ministry as we concentrate on practical issues that relate to the church.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

It’s difficult for ministers to say no to church members even when their request might be outlandish.
There are too many ministers who do not want to hand off ministry.
The first two things that pastors and staff neglect when they get busy is personal prayer & devotion and exercise.
Pastor, does your calendar have adequate time for prayer, sermon prep, and your family?
Please God and your family first. If you’re not pleasing them first, your priorities are out of order.
Ministers who don’t have enough time are often ministers who don’t plan their days.

The seven ways you can find more time in ministry are:

Learn to say no.


Learn to delegate


Exercise.


Calendar in batches of time.


Calendar margin.


Learning that you can’t please everyone.


Go on a television and Internet diet


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

Seven Myths about a Pastor’s Workweek
Next: Pastoral Succession That Works

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