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Notable Voices: October 9, 2014

What Should a Guest Preacher Expect? — Art Rainer

A few weeks back, Art wrote about what to pay guest preachers. This week, he tackles guest preaching from the side of the preacher. What should he expect of a church? Art provides four helpful tips.

 

7 Disappointing Reasons People Leave the Church — Ron Edmondson

I’ve written about the main reason people leave the church here on the blog. Ron’s list covers that and other reasons pastors are often disappointed to see people leave a church.

 

10 Burdens About the Southern Baptist Convention — Ronnie Floyd

SBC President Ronnie Floyd shares the first half of 10 burdens he has for the convention.

 

10 Characteristics I Look for in an Aspiring Pastor — Brian Croft

Pastors and other church leaders should always be searching for young leaders to raise up for pastoral ministry. These 10 characteristics can be quite helpful when identifying potential ministers.

 

Why Micromanaging is Ungodly — Barnabas Piper

Micromanagement is often detrimental to the growth of a church or business. It shows a lack or trust and a lack of humility by the leader. Barnabas touches on these issues and more in this article.

 

Pastors Shouldn’t Have Trade Secrets — Erik Raymond

In business, there is a time and place for trade secrets and competition. In local church ministry, we should be about building one another up and cooperating for Kingdom advancement. Erik is right; pastors shouldn’t have trade secrets.

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Nine Trends in Pastor and Church Staff Compensation

Some of the current trends in pastor and church staff compensation are surprising to me, while others are about what I expected.

I relied on several current compensation studies to assemble these nine trends. I depended most on The 2014-2015 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff by Richard R. Hammar for multiple denominational and non-denominational churches. For my denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, I found the compensation study by GuideStone and LifeWay to be very helpful. There were also six other sources I used to add a few more data points to these trends.

For this article, I will discuss fulltime compensated pastors and church staff only. I do have data for part-time compensated staff as well; I will address those church workers in a later post.

Here, then, are nine major trends I saw in the data:

Church income is the biggest factor in the level of compensation at all positions. There is no surprise here. The greater the income of the church, the greater the likelihood that the pastor or church staff receive higher compensation.
The second biggest factor in compensation is worship attendance. Of course, these first two factors are related. The greater the attendance, the higher the likelihood of higher church income.
Longevity at a particular church is also a factor in compensation at all positions. Though this factor is not as significant as the first two, it is still a noticeable trend.
Women earn less than men at all church positions. The discrepancy is big. Women make only 80% as much as men in the same role in similar churches.
The positions of executive pastor or administrative pastor are now clearly the second highest paid position. While senior pastors are still the highest paid, the executive pastor or administrative pastor is a close second in many churches.
Education is still a factor in compensation for all church positions. While education is not nearly the most significant factor, it still plays a role. Those without a college degree make less than those with a college degree. And those with masters and doctoral degrees have even higher compensation.
The setting of the church impacts compensation of all church positions. The highest compensated are in suburbs of a large city followed closely by churches in large cities. Trailing those two, usually significantly, are positions in churches in small towns and rural areas.
Geographical region was more indicative for the compensation of senior pastors than other church staff. Senior pastors in New England, the Southeast, and the Southwest were the most highly compensated. I was surprised to see the data for New England senior pastors at the top of the list.
Denominational affiliation impacted all church positions. The level of compensation was clearly higher for some denominations compared to others. Going from highest to lowest, here is the relative level of compensation by denomination: Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, independent/non-denominational, and Assemblies of God. Of course this list is not nearly exhaustive.

What questions might you want me to pursue regarding compensation? What can you add to this discussion?

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10 Strategies for Recruiting Church Workers

By Chuck Lawless

I hear it all the time: “Dr. Lawless, we just don’t have enough laborers in our church. Those who are serving are overworked, and too many people do nothing.” Perhaps these ideas will help you if your church faces this issue.

Prioritize a strategy to pray for leaders. Jesus taught us to pray for laborers to enter the harvest fields (Matt. 9:37-38) – most assuredly praying for those compelled to go to the world, but hardly limited to those workers. Enlist a team to pray continually prior to recruiting, while recruiting, and even after recruiting seems to have met your current needs. Your church will have more laborers if you intentionally and strategically pray for more.
Teach 1 Corinthians 12 – and unpack the text thoroughly. Drill down into the fundamental truths of this chapter. No believer should be able to read this text and remain unwilling to serve through the church.

God gives spiritual gifts to all of His people.
He puts the church together according to His plan.
Every believer has a role, including the seemingly weaker ones. Nobody is placed in the Body to sit.
A congregation is so interdependent that we rejoice and suffer with one another.
In our diversity as a church, we are miraculously united.


Do a ruthless evaluation of your current methodology. Do the same people serve in multiple positions? Do new members know how to get involved? What percentage of members are not involved? Are members serving in the wrong places? Are ineffective leaders permitted to remain in their position? Does the current process reflect a 1 Corinthians 12 understanding of member responsibility? Be honest – if the current process is not working, something must change.
Use “disciple” rather than “volunteer” language. Sure, church members are volunteers in the sense that they do not get paid for their service. We are not called to be volunteers in God’s kingdom, though; we are expected be obedient disciples of Jesus. We sign up to die when we follow Christ. That’s much different than being a volunteer.
Assume people rather than positions are the starting point. Many churches start the recruitment process by seeking to fill current positions rather than considering the people God has brought them. This approach, in my opinion, de-emphasizes 1 Corinthians 12, neglects the possibility that God may intend new ministries to begin, and often results in “warm bodies” in the wrong positions.
Require a membership class, and explain involvement expectations there. Many church members remain uninvolved because (a) they have not understood they must be involved; (b) they assume they’re not needed because others are serving; (c) they don’t know how to get involved. Address all of these concerns before a new member has a chance to develop a habit of complacency.
Use a process like Rick Warren’s SHAPE or Wayne Cordeiro’s DESIGN to help members consider where they might serve. Tools like these move beyond spiritual gift inventories to help church members evaluate their life experiences, desires, skills, passions, and spiritual growth. This holistic approach helps members better understand all God has done to prepare them to serve.
Recruit face-to-face. Bulletin notices, pulpit announcements, and email requests are helpful recruiting tools, but they are not enough. Recruit the way Jesus did: face-to-face, eyeball-to-eyeball, voice-to-voice. Use the most passionate, properly placed leaders to recruit others. Ministry leaders who believe in their work + members who understand their SHAPE or DESIGN equal a winning recruitment strategy.
Provide training for workers – and let the church know you do. Too many church members have agreed to serve, but have then been left to fend for themselves. Even the most willing servants grow weary when they remain ill equipped and unsupported. Train them – and make the training publicly known so potential workers know they won’t be alone if they serve. Indeed, invite potential workers to attend the training.
Honor obedience. Disciples of Jesus serve willingly, but “Well done, good and faithful servant” goes a long way in encouraging workers. Send personal notes. Make a phone call simply to ask, “How’s the ministry going?” Recognize workers publicly. Sponsor a banquet to say “thank you.” Appreciated workers can be great recruiters for the next crop of workers.

What strategies would you add to this list?

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 Ways for Pastors to Affair-Proof Their Marriages

In my post this past Saturday, I looked at different ways the Enemy attacks the family of a pastor. Among those ways was pastors who have affairs.

Too many families of pastors are torn apart because of these affairs. And too many churches are left reeling with the consequences in their own congregations.

What can a pastor do to affair-proof his marriage? I’ve had the opportunity to talk with a number of pastors whose marriages seem to be healthy. They are certainly long lived; the most recently married of the pastors to whom I spoke has been married 31 years. The longest marriage in my sample group was 41 years.

From them, I learned some important lessons. Here are their eight ways for pastors to affair-proof their marriages.

Put your family as the highest priority of your ministry. Don’t create a dichotomy between family and church. View your family as the church members with the highest priority for your ministry.
Pray with your wife. You pray with and for church members every day. Make certain you take time to pray with your spouse daily.
Pray for your wife. It’s not easy being a pastor’s spouse. Expectations can be high, and the glass house syndrome can be real. Pray for her daily.
Date your wife. Make every effort to have a date once a week. There will always be ministry to be done and members who expect your time. Make certain you make time for your wife on a regular basis.
Don’t have unreasonable expectations of your wife at church. She probably has a fulltime ministry taking care of the family while you are taking care of the church. Let her do what she desires to do in the church, and expect nothing more.
Discern and discuss how much your wife wants to hear about church matters. Some wives like to hear as much as possible. Others like to be shielded from some of the ugly side of the church. Find out where your wife is, and try to communicate with her with that need in mind.
Defend your wife. Unfortunately, many pastors’ wives are the recipients of hurtful criticisms. Defend your wife. Never let her think you are putting other church members before her.
Converse with your wife. You may have had a long, tough day. But you still must take time for your wife. Take time to talk with her every day. Make a regular phone call to her. And in your conversations, do more listening than talking.

I am blessed with a great marriage and a fantastic wife. I do not take either my marriage or her for granted. It is a gift to be cherished and protected.

Pastors, many times you get too busy for your wives. You are treading on thin ice. Every pastor I know who has had an affair never expected it to happen to him.

Love your wives. Cherish your wives. And do everything you can to affair proof your marriage.

Let me hear from you.

photo credit: ginnerobot via photopin cc

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Pray for Shady Oaks Baptist Church

Location: Hurst, Texas

Pastor: Brad Martin

Weekly Worship: 10:50 AM Central

Fast Facts: Shady Oaks is a 56 year-old church with a multi-generational body of believers that truly has a heart for family. Their preschool, children’s, and student ministries are growing and are a great place where they partner with parents to make disciples. Please pray for their upcoming Trunk or Treat event, their Orphan Sunday emphasis with special guest Rick Morton, and their current series through Philippians. Also pray for the church to continue to grow in unity and become more passionate about being a church that partners with families to makes disciples.

Website: ShadyOaks.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, download this information form and return it to the address on the form.

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Seven Ways the Pastor’s Family Comes Under Attack

If I were to devise a scheme to destroy churches, I would find ways to attack the pastor. And as I found ways to attack the pastor, I would see his family as the area of greatest vulnerability.

Attack the church by attacking the pastor. Attack the pastor by attacking his family.

Perhaps the “attack” metaphor makes you feel uncomfortable. The Bible, however, clearly uses the imagery of battle to describe the challenges and issues we face due to the presence of Satan and his evil hoards: “For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens” (Ephesians 6:12, HCSB).

Families are under attack. Pastors’ families, in particular, are under attack. Here are seven ways I see this battle unfolding.

Some churches have unreasonable expectations of the family members of pastors. Children and spouses often feel the unrelenting pressure to live up to the expectations of some church members. It can create resentment toward the church, and resentment toward their husband and father.
Too many pastors put church members before their family members. Always remember, the church members who should have the highest priority of ministry from the pastor are the family members of the pastor. Some pastors get too busy ministering to others to the neglect of their own families.
Some church members are critics of the pastor’s spouse. I spoke to a pastor not too long ago who resigned from his church because his wife was so hurt by criticisms from church members.
Some church members are critics of the pastor’s children. I have heard from too many “PKs” who don’t return to church when they are adults because of the verbal abuse they received as children.
Pastors’ children can rebel. The reason may be related to the criticisms or expectations noted above. A pastor who has to deal with rebellious children has a major ministry distraction.
Too many pastors get too involved with church members of the opposite gender. Sometimes it leads to emotional affairs. Many times it leads to physical affairs. It often begins in extended counseling sessions. In my post next Monday, I will talk to pastors about “affair proofing” their marriages.
Low pay can put stress on the pastor’s family. I actually heard what I previously thought was a cliché. A church member really said that the church keeps their pastor’s pay low to keep him humble. I wonder if that church member would like the same exercise in humility.

The Enemy is seeking to destroy our churches. And he is attacking what he perceives to be the greatest opportunity for destruction: the pastor’s family.

Pastors: please heed the warnings implicit in this article.

Church members: please do everything you can to protect your pastor’s family. Above all, pray for that family every day.

Let me hear from you, pastors, staff, and church members. What do you think of these seven points of vulnerability? What can we do to help the pastor’s family?

photo credit: lorenkerns via photopin cc

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15 Church Facility Issues – Rainer on Leadership #074

Podcast Episode #074

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This week’s episode is more lighthearted in tone, but still serious in subject matter. We tackle a post by Dr. Chuck Lawless on church facility issues. In doing so, we cover everything from upright pianos to dirty diapers.

Some highlights from the episode:

Paper signage can communicate you don’t care about the professionalism of your church.
You wouldn’t put children’s furniture in adult classes, so why would you put adult furniture in children’s classes?
If parents don’t feel their kids are safe at a church, they likely will not return.
Facility issues communicate our level of concern about the quality of God’s house.
Don’t assume facility issues have no bearing on the perception of your church.
Consider hiring a mystery guest to evaluate your church from an outside perspective.

The 15 church facility issues we cover are:

No obvious main entrance.
An unmarked (or unattended) welcome center.
Paper signage.
Old information on screens or bulletin boards.
Unsecured children’s area.
Windowless doors in the children’s area.
“Big people” furniture in children’s rooms.
Clutter.
Open outlets in preschool rooms.
Dirty carpet.
Odors.
Unstocked bathrooms.
Poor lighting.
Few garbage cans.
Faded paint.

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by RevitalizedChurches.com. Bringing together videos, books, and other resources from today’s top pastors, leaders, and authors, RevitalizedChurches.com is the premier online destination for Church Revitalization. Visit RevitalizedChurches.com today for your free download of 114 Things You Need to Know About Church Revitalization by Thom Rainer.

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

Five Reasons Your Church Might Consider Using eBay to Increase Giving

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Notable Voices: October 2, 2014

12 Principles for Change in the Established Church — Sam Rainer

One of the most challenging things to do when pastoring in an established church is to change things. Whether the changes are small or revolutionary, they are often met with disproportionate resistance if executed poorly. Sam shares 12 ways to minimize the resistance and make change work in established churches.

 

Top 10 Sermon Introduction Mistakes — Eric McKiddie

I’ve made these mistakes over the years. And if you have preached long enough, you probably have too.

 

You are not a Rock Star: 4 Guidelines for Worship Leaders — Clint Archer

Regardless of the age of the congregation, they want authenticity from the worship leader—not a concert.

 

Lessons from Netflix: Church Leaders Who Can See the Future Can Seize the Future — Carey Nieuwhof

Netflix has completely changed the way people consume movies and television shows. How does this radical shift in consumer viewing habits apply to the church? Carey explains.

 

Social Media and the Sensation of Missing Out — Joey Cochran

I am an avid consumer and user of social media. But as connected as we may be to others through social media, Joey reminds us that we shouldn’t let it consume us as we consume it.

 

Domestic Violence and a Pastor’s Response — Donna Gibbs

With the recent woes of the NFL and Ray Rice, domestic violence is in the news. Donna shares how a pastor can respond to cases in the church.

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Fourteen Symptoms of Toxic Church Leaders

Most church leaders are godly and healthy. A toxic church leader, one that is figuratively poisonous to the organization, is rare. But it is that church leader who brings great harm to churches and other Christian organizations. And it is that leader that hurts the entire cause of Christ when word travels about such toxicity.

In my Monday post, I noted the traits of long-term, healthy pastors. I now travel to the opposite extreme and provide symptoms of the worst kind of church leaders, toxic church leaders.

They rarely demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. Paul notes those specific attributes in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. You won’t see them much in toxic leaders.
They seek a minimalist structure of accountability. Indeed, if they could get away with it, they would operate in a totally autocratic fashion, with heavy, top down leadership.
They expect behavior of others they don’t expect of themselves. “Do as I say, not as I do.”
They see almost everyone else as inferior to themselves. You will hear them criticizing other leaders while building themselves up.
They show favoritism. It is clear that they have a favored few while they marginalize the rest.
They have frequent anger outbursts. This behavior takes place when they don’t get their way.
They say one thing to some people, but different things to others. This is a soft way of saying they lie.
They seek to dismiss or marginalize people before they attempt to develop them. People are means to their ends; they see them as projects, not God’s people who need mentoring and developing.
They are manipulative. Their most common tactic is using partial truths to get their way.
They lack transparency. Autocratic leaders are rarely transparent. If they get caught abusing their power, they may have to forfeit it.
They do not allow for pushback or disagreement. When someone does disagree, he or she becomes the victim of the leader’s anger and marginalization.
They surround themselves with sycophants. Their inner circle thus often includes close friends and family members, as well as a host of “yes people.”
They communicate poorly. In essence, any clarity of communication would reveal their autocratic behavior, so they keep their communications unintelligible and obtuse.
They are self-absorbed. In fact, they would unlikely see themselves in any of these symptoms.

Yes, toxic leaders are the distinct minority of Christian leaders. But they can do harm to the cause of Christ disproportionate to their numbers. And they can get away with their behavior for years because they often have a charismatic and charming personality. Charming like a snake.

Do you know of any toxic church leaders? Do these symptoms seem familiar?

photo credit: Daniel Y. Go via photopin cc

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10 Ways to Make Your Small Group More Evangelistic

By Chuck Lawless

Small groups are critical to a healthy church. There we experience teaching, fellowship, prayer, and pastoral care. In that context, life on life occurs.

Small groups can also be central to a church’s evangelism efforts. Most small groups turn inwardly at some point, though, and lose their evangelistic fervor. Listed here are some steps to avoid this inward turn.

Evaluate the numbers at least twice a year. I realize people are much more than numbers, but numbers help us evaluate a small group’s direction. At least biannually, evaluate at least these numbers: how many non-believers are participating in the group? How many new believers attend? What percentage of members shares their faith regularly?
Expect small group facilitators to be faithful evangelists. Facilitators have other roles, of course, like teaching the Word and guiding discussion. To have a facilitator who does not faithfully evangelize, though, is almost to guarantee that the group will not be evangelistic. Frankly, I would require potential facilitators to give evidence of an evangelistic DNA before giving them the position.
Hold members accountable for sharing their faith. This step may not be popular, but it’s important if you believe evangelism matters. At least monthly – if not weekly – ask members to report the number of non-believers for whom they’re praying, the number of relationships with non-believers they are developing, and the number of times they have shared the gospel message. If the group is uncomfortable with the approach, start with only a few members.
Plan for different group members to share their testimony once a month. Group members are not likely to share their story with non-believers if they have never done so among believers. Let your small group be a safe place for evangelism practice.
Pray for non-believers at each group gathering. Don’t let a meeting pass without focusing the group’s attention on non-believers. Some small groups always leave an open chair to remind the group visually that others remain to be reached; if your group does that, be sure to pray by name for persons who should be in that chair.
Assume nothing about the group’s Bible knowledge. Guide the group in locating texts within the Scriptures. Explain theological terms and church jargon. Show how a text fits within the overall story of the gospel. If the group believes their non-believing friends will not be intimidated when attending, they’ll more likely invite them to hear the gospel.
Include one evangelism training series annually. Regularly include training like “How to Share Your Testimony,” “How to Pray for Non-believers,” “How to Initiate a Gospel Conversation,” or “How to Evangelize Family Members” in your group curriculum. Newer believers will need the equipping, and longer-term group members will need the reminder. Guide your groups to expect and look forward to evangelism training.
Plan quarterly events that emphasize outreach. Outreach by itself is not necessarily evangelism, but groups usually must turn outward first before doing evangelism. Do prayer surveys in the community. Carry out servant evangelism projects. Plan group events (e.g., baseball game, hiking trip, movie night), with the goal of each member bringing a nonbelieving friend.
Celebrate conversions. Throw a Luke 15 party when someone involved in your small group becomes a follower of Jesus. Give gifts to help the new believer get started in his Christian walk. Invite his own non-believing family and friends to join the party – and encourage the new believer to share his story. If we learn to rejoice when God works a saving miracle, we’ll do more evangelism.
Have a discipleship strategy in place for new believers. Young believers are usually on fire for Christ, and they have recent connections with non-believers who need to hear the gospel story. Thus, they can be great evangelists – if their passion for Christ continues. Discipleship is one means by which we help them keep their fire burning. Strongly evangelistic small groups have their “discipleship nursery” ready to feed baby Christians God places under their care.

What other strategies would you add to this list?

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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