Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 293

Notable Voices: September 18, 2014

When Your Church Is Not Revitalizing – Scott Slayton

Revitalization is needed in so many churches across the country. When it needs to occur but isn’t, that can be quite frustrating—both to the pastor and the congregation. Also regarding church revitalization, I’ll be announcing an exciting new resource in a few days that I believe has the potential to radically help churches in need of revitalization. Be on the lookout for more info next week.

 

College Students and Church Membership – Dave Russell

This is a very thought provoking article for Millennials and churches to consider. Dave explains why college students need to consider the seriousness of church membership even while away from home at their “college church.”

 

5 Ways to Make Criticism Sting Less – Carey Nieuwhof

These are five very helpful reminders from Carey on how to accept and learn from criticism.

 

The Proven Ideal Length Of Every Tweet, Facebook Post, And Headline Online – Fast Company

There is so much information in this article related to the ideal social media post length—even though the article doesn’t follow its own advice.

 

The Blessings and Curses of Being an Introverted Pastor – Eric McKiddie

I’m continually amazed at the number of introverts, like me, in the pastorate. One would think that such a public position would attract almost exclusively extroverts. The blessings and curses Eric shares ring true to the introverted pastors that I know.

 

How 727 Megachurches Spend Their Money – Christianity Today

Bigger churches typically mean bigger budgets. So how do those churches spend that money? CT explains.

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What Happens When Boomer Pastors Retire?

In an earlier article this year, I focused on the implications of Boomer retirements on congregations across America. The article took a high level look at how churches will be impacted with a large number of members in retirement.

As a reminder, on January 1, 2011, the first Boomer turned 65. In fact, on that day, 10,000 of them turned 65. And that pace of aging will continue until 2030, when every Boomer is 65 or older.

The implications for churches are staggering. This generation is not of the mindset of previous aging generations. According to a Pew Research study, the typical Boomer does not believe old age begins until age 72. And the typical Boomer feels nine years younger than his or her chronological age.

About Those Boomer Pastors

The implications for church leadership are even more challenging when we realize how many Boomer pastors specifically will be retiring. This generation was, until recently, the largest generation in America’s history. Millennials now represent the largest generation.

Keep in mind that the ages of these pastors today range from 50 to 68. The Boomers have more pastors represented in their generation than any other. There are many pastors reaching retirement age every month. And I’m not sure our churches are ready for this transition.

Five Implications

There are many implications about aging and retiring pastors. As I see it, there are five immediate issues that need to be addressed.

There will be more pastoral vacancies than qualified candidates. This issue is a demographic reality. There are not enough Gen X and Millennial candidates for pastoral ministry to replace the Boomers. Each of those subsequent generations has a much smaller Christian population base.
Few churches are giving any thought to pastoral succession. I commend those congregations that are being proactive about this issue. William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird have written an excellent book on this topic, Next: Pastoral Succession That Works.
There will be an abundance of qualified pastors for interim and bi-vocational positions. These Boomer pastors will not be idle. They will be seeking other ministry opportunities, particularly positions with part-time pay to supplement their incomes.
Some Boomer pastors will stay at their current positions into their late 60s and 70s. Unfortunately, a number of these pastors are not financially able to retire. There will be many older pastors in some of our congregations.
Some Boomer pastors will lead their churches to merge. I have written about the trend in church mergers recently. Some Boomer pastors will view their pending retirements as an opportune time to move their churches to merge with other churches. This reality is already taking place in a number of churches, many of which are struggling.

Optimism and Caution

I don’t view these trends with any sense of despair. Indeed, I remain an obnoxious optimist about our churches. My caution and concern is for congregations to be prepared to respond to the challenges. I see little evidence that most churches are addressing these issues.

Are you a Boomer pastor? What are your perspectives on these issues? How do the rest of you see these events unfolding?

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10 Ways to Reignite Your Love for the Church

By Chuck Lawless

Having been in ministry for over 30 years, I understand. The church is sometimes not easy to love. People claim to be Christian but act like the devil. We say the words, “I love the church” while knowing our heart isn’t there. When you’ve had enough bad days in ministry, love for the church seems to disappear completely.

Still, though, we’re called to love one another (John 15:12). Here are some ways to begin reigniting that love:

Read 1 Corinthians. In 1 Cor. 1:4 Paul wrote, “I always thank my God for you” (HCSB). In the last verse of that book, he wrote, “My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.” In between these sections, however, the apostle essentially said, “You’re an absolute mess.” Paul thanked God for and deeply loved one of the messiest churches in the New Testament. That’s a good model for us to follow.
Read the Gospel of Mark to see the portrayal of Jesus’ disciples. They were untrained and uneducated men who often did not listen, seldom fully understood, and sometimes failed miserably. Meanwhile, they debated who was the greatest and fought over the best seats in the kingdom. Still Jesus loved them – and we must love our church folks who are often quite like them.
Check your heart. Sin still haunts us, even as church leaders. Sometimes we hold bitterness as an idol. Be honest: we’re not always lovable ourselves.  Nevertheless, even those who know us best still love us. We owe to the church the patient love that others give us.
Count your supporters. Just a few opposing folks in a church can make it difficult to love the whole church. My experience is, however, that leaders often overestimate the opposition and give too much attention to a few people. Count your supporters instead of the opposition, and you might be reminded of lovable people in the church.
Take a vacation. Sometimes our lack of love for others is really just fatigue. The little things get magnified when we’re tired. Frustration sets in. Love gets strained. Take a break to recover and replenish, and you might find yourself more open to loving your congregation.
Take some folks on a mission trip. Get away from the day-to-day grind of church work while also taking the gospel to the nations. Something unique often happens among a team of believers on the mission field. Get them to focus on those who need to hear the good news instead of on themselves, and you will likely see them as more lovable.
Hang out with a few members who want to grow.  Loving the church is not possible without loving a few. Rather than trying to immediately love the whole Body again, focus on a few. Find some believers who are open, and invest in them. It’s amazing how just a few healthy relationships can change your perspective about the whole church.
Get a vision about something in the church.  Ask God to help you concentrate on one area of the church’s ministry that most motivates you. Just as focusing on a few believers can be helpful, finding that one area can begin to reignite your love for the church. An outward focus just does that: it takes your eyes off self, and renewed love often follows.
Seek reconciliation with that person. Whether we recognize it or note, one sour relationship can color the way we feel about an entire congregation. Maybe it’s time to say something like, “I’m sorry,” “please forgive me,” or “I fear you have something against me, and I want to fix it.”
Keep doing ministry. When your love for your church is strained, withdrawal is not the answer. Nor is laziness or disobedience. Real love demands that we continue to serve the church even when we don’t feel like it. Be faithful in doing loving ministry for your church, and you might find your heart catching fire for them again.

The church that has worn you out is still God’s church. Perhaps undiscipled and often stunted in their growth, they still need our love. Ask Him who loves them enough to have died for them to reignite your love for them.

What else might you suggest for 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 Things Pastors Do When Their Churches Are in a Slump

The meaning of “slump” is more evident in sports. When a baseball player, for example, is in a slump, we surmise that he is not hitting as well as he was earlier in the season.

For churches, however, there is no clear definition. Indeed, some leaders wonder if it is even right to say that a church can get in a slump. Still, some pastors say they church is in a slump if they are not connecting as well with members as they once were. Others declare a slump if attendance or offering numbers are down. Still others have a more subjective sense of a slump that defies a clean or clear explanation.

But many pastors will tell you about times when their churches were in a slump. Some will admit that the slump is present tense. So I asked a number of pastors how they react when this reality hits them. What do they do to lead their churches out of this perceived slump?

The pastors shared with me eight consistent responses. I list them in the order of frequency that I have heard them.

They sought the advice of a leader outside their specific church. Sometimes that person was the pastor of another church. On other occasions it was a denominational leader or a church consultant.
They refocused on the vision of the church. A number of pastors indicated that the church had “lost its way.” So they spent time reminding the congregation of the vision of the church. Of course, this approach presumes the church has a clearly articulated vision (I’ll cover that in my Wednesday blogpost).
They led the church to more outwardly focused ministries. Some church slumps were the result of the congregation becoming too inwardly focused. One pastor led his church to “adopt” an elementary school in the area. The members became motivated and enthused as they did whatever the principal and other leaders of the school told them the school needed.
They sought a trusted confidant to evaluate their leadership. This reaction is similar to number one. In this case, however, the problem was specifically perceived to be the leadership of the pastor.
They spent more time in prayer. I suspect this and the next response were actually more frequent. Many pastors sought the face of God more intensely and more frequently for guidance out of the slump.
They became more consistent in their time reading the Bible. Many pastors get into the trap of reading the Bible only to prepare sermons or lessons. I know. I’ve been there as a pastor. But pastors need the consistent nourishment of the Word of God beyond the time they spend studying it for sermons or lessons.
They became more intentional about connecting with their members. One pastor made a commitment to hand write one letter a day to a church member, write two emails a day to a member, and make one phone call a day to a member. The purpose of each piece of communication was brief encouragement and gratitude. It took him less than 30 minutes to do all of them, and he was consistent in it four days a week. In one year’s time, he connected with 800 members.
They set aside time on the calendar during the week to dream. Pastors are on call 24/7. Life can become hectic and frustrating. One pastor sets aside two hours a month to go to a private room to dream about the future of the church. The time is a fixture on his calendar. Sometimes he prays. Sometimes he reads about God’s work at other churches. And sometimes he writes ideas and thoughts. The process invigorates him, and he can thus lead the church with greater enthusiasm and clarity himself.

These responses to a slump could really apply to any Christian leader. In this case, I listened to pastors.

So . . . can you sense when your church is in a slump? What is it like? How do you respond?

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Pray for Creekside Community Church

Location: Oyster Creek, Texas

Pastor: Jason Myers

Weekly Worship: 10:30 AM Central Time

Fast Facts: Creekside Community Church is a church plant started in January, 2014 using an existing building from a church which disbanded two years ago. The former church had a negative reputation in the community, but the new church is making positive inroads into the culture and community. Their most urgent need at the moment is children’s workers, as they are far understaffed in that regard. Creekside hosts monthly Family Movie Nights the 3rd Friday night of each month, and will be joining with the other church in the community for a Fall Festival as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas outreaches. Please pray for their upcoming Fall Festival and that potential leaders would step up to be trained to carry on the ministry.

Website: MyCreeksideChurch.com

“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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Update on the Ministers’ Housing Allowance

Will the housing allowance for ministers still be available in the near future?

Though we can never predict a court ruling with certainty, there are indicators that the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago will dismiss the case that is attempting to eliminate housing allowances completely. Simply stated, there seems to be a good probability that ministers will be able to continue to take the benefits of the housing allowance.

Here are some key points to remember for background information:

The ruling at district court last year made housing allowances unconstitutional. Last year, U. S. District Judge Barbara Crabb of the Western District of Wisconsin ruled unconstitutional a provision in the U. S. tax code that allows ministers to declare some or all of their ministerial income as a housing allowance. That allowance is not subject to federal income tax.
The housing allowance law was passed by Congress in 1954. Subject to certain guidelines, ministers are able to declare a portion of their ministry income as a housing allowance that is not subject to federal income tax.
There is no doubt that ministers have benefited from this law. Many churches have as well, particularly smaller churches. The smaller churches are able to pay a minister a salary that has greater take home pay than a non-ministry counterpart. They are thus able to afford to pay pastors that they could not have afforded otherwise.
This ruling was not a complete surprise. Judge Crabb does not have a friendly track record on ruling on issues dealing with religious matters.
Judge Crabb stayed the ruling until the appeals process is exhausted. That means there was no immediate impact on ministers’ housing allowances.
I advise ministers to be very conservative as they deal with this issue in the future. If at all possible, do not be dependent on the tax benefits gained from having a housing allowance. Look carefully at the tax benefits you gain with the housing allowance. Be prepared to know what to do if the benefit goes away.
The amount a minister can take as a housing allowance has clear guidelines. Make certain you stay within those guidelines and do not abuse the tax privilege.
Watch for insights and updates from the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and GuideStone. Both organizations have top-flight leaders who are staying on top of these matters.

One of the primary reasons for my optimism that housing allowances will remain intact was the type of questions the appellate court judges asked on September 9. Particularly, the judges focused on issues of “standing.” They seemed to question if the allowance challenger, the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRP), has any legal right to seek the elimination of the housing allowance. The FFRP, in essence, is challenging someone else’s tax treatment.

As I indicated in an earlier post, I remain fairly optimistic that the housing allowance will remain intact. Certainly the questions of the judges on the first day of appeals affirm my optimism.

Still, I take nothing for granted in the legal system until a ruling is final. I will continue to keep you updated at this blog.

Please let me hear from you on this issue. Your insights are always helpful and timely.

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Six Symptoms of a Dysfunctional Church – Rainer on Leadership #071

Podcast Episode #071

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This week cover symptoms often found in dysfunctional churches. As I state in the preface to the podcast, the list is not meant to be critical but eye-opening. There is hope for our churches, and that hope is found in Christ.

Some highlights from the episode:

If there are severe theological errors in a church, it may no longer be a true church.
Force-terminated pastors are too common.
The average tenure of a pastor is about 3.5 years.
There is a misperception that unchurched people are not receptive to invites to church. That is simply not true.
Churches that are “family-owned and operated” are often among the ones that close each year.
If you ever look for a perfect church, you will not find it.

The six symptoms of a dysfunctional church that we cover are:

Severe theological errors are pervasive in the church.
The church is known as a “pastor-eater.”
The congregation experiences severe conflict.
Hardly anyone in the community knows the church exists.
The church is declining while the community is growing.
The church is “family owned and family operated.” 

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by the HCSB Bible. Taking into account the significant advancements in scholarship, translation theory, and contemporary English usage, the HCSB will satisfy both those new to the faith and seasoned scholars. Visit HCSB.org 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

Autopsy of a Deceased Church
Five Stages of a Pastor’s Ministry
Seven Ways to Lead “Unleadable” People in a Church
Breakout Churches

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Notable Voices: September 11, 2014

How to Protect Your Church from Lawsuits – Art Rainer

Hardly a week goes by without a news story breaking about a church or pastor being sued . While some suits that are filed are frivolous in their nature, many actually are legitimate. Art provides four helpful tips for churches to follow that will greatly reduce their risk of litigation.

 

How To Criticize A Preacher – David Murray

As with lawsuits mentioned in the previous article, there are times when legitimate criticism can be levied toward pastors. David provides a helpful rubric to determine whether your criticism of the pastor is both necessary and valid.

 

He Must Increase; Our Churches Must Decrease – Jared Wilson

I have written a lot about revitalization here at the blog. But as Jared points out in this article, if churches are growing for their own glory or to be the cool church in town, it’s the wrong kind of growth. When (or if) our churches grow, it should be because of the white-hot passion for God and His glory that emanates from them.

 

7 Lessons for Leading a Growing Church – Derwin Gray

Derwin shares seven reminders for your personal and spiritual life when leading a growing church.

 

A Question of When, Not If, to Start Your Media Ministry – JR Lovins

LifeWay has started a new church tech blog at LifeWay.com/churchtech. In this article, JR Lovins explains when you should start a media ministry and why it matters.

 

How Pastors Get Hired Today – Joel Hathaway

Trends in pastoral hiring are constantly evolving, but one constant still remains: relationships are key. Joel shows that even with the job boards, and headhunters, relationships are still the key for pastors who might be looking for that next season of ministry.

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Five Ways to Use the Offertory to Enhance Financial Stewardship

I have been visiting and consulting with churches and church leaders for over 25 years. Do you know what that means? Mostly, it means that I’m old. But it also means I have seen a lot of what takes place in congregations in a variety of settings.

Because of the number of times I have been in different churches, I can come pretty close to determining how healthy the financial stewardship of a congregation is just by listening and watching the time of offertory in a worship service. In most churches, that time has little meaning. Some people come to the front with offering plates, and someone prays. About half the time the prayer includes a request to “bless the gift and the giver.” It’s mostly tradition and ritual.

But in churches with very healthy giving relative to their demographics, something different takes place in the offertory. It is meaningful. It is engaging. And it makes a difference. Here are five ways I have seen it done well in a number of churches.

The offertory time is led by a key leader. Many times that person is the pastor. On other occasions it is a staff member or layperson who speaks well and who is well respected in the congregation.
There is clear communication that the offertory time is a time of worship. It is not a parentheses in or postscript to the worship service. It is a vital part of the worship service. The leader always communicates that reality each service.
The offertory is tied to the vision or mission of the church. Of course, that presumes the vision or mission is well known by the members. And it is often repeated for newer members or guests, or it is communicated to reinforce what the members already know. The leader speaks clearly to demonstrate how the financial gifts carry out the vision.
There is a practical example given of how the financial gifts are used in the church. There may only be one such example or, perhaps, a few examples. The congregants hear every week how God is specifically using these gifts in the ministries of the church.
The leader is not reticent to emphasize the importance of each member’s gifts. It is thus readily apparent to the congregants that financial stewardship is part of the process of growing as a disciple. It is not just what the church does with the money; the act of giving is an act of obedience of the believer.

My pastor, Mike Glenn of Brentwood Baptist Church, leads the offertory time as well as anyone I know. Here is a brief video clip of the offertory time during a worship service at Brentwood.

How does your church carry out the weekly offertory? What can you share to help our churches be more effective during this time of worship?

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Why Everybody Needs a Mentor and How to Find One

By Chuck Lawless

A few years ago, I wrote a study called Mentor: How Along the Way Discipleship Can Change Your Life. That study was directed to college students because I believe every young person needs a mentor. Now, at age 53, I’m convinced EVERY person needs a mentor.  Here’s why:

It’s biblical. We can name them. Moses and Joshua. Jethro and Moses. Naomi and Ruth. Elijah and Elisha. Jesus and His disciples. Paul and Timothy. Paul Himself told us that elders must teach the next generation (Titus 2).
We’re created to be in relationship with others. When God declared it was not good for Adam to be alone (Gen. 2:18), He was not indicating that every person must be married. Instead, He was showing us that none of us is created to be a loner. He expects us to walk together with others.
None of us knows everything. I don’t know anyone who would say he knows all things, but I do know people who live that way – distanced from others, standing alone, and completely unteachable. We are not so smart that we have nothing to learn from another.
All of us have blind spots. By definition, a “blind spot” is something we don’t see.  So, if you say you don’t have blind spots, you just admitted you do. We need someone else to help us see ourselves fully.
Experience is a great teacher. We know that truth because we’ve been there. We know better now because of mistakes we made in the past. In a good mentoring relationship, we learn from somebody else’s experiences as well.
Life will sting sometime. It happens to all of us. The proverbial floor drops out beneath us. Our plans get redirected or shattered. Life hurts – and we need someone to help us carry the burden when it does.
People are God’s gift to us. Dr. Bill Lane, the mentor of Christian musician Michael Card, put it this way: “When God gives a gift, He wraps it in a person.” We miss this gift when no one walks beside us to guide and encourage us.

So, how do we find this mentor? Here are some steps to take.

Forget about how old, trained, or smart you are. You will need somebody to pour into your life until you die.
Pray for a mentor. God alone creates “divine intersections” when one life crisscrosses another in such a way that both lives are strengthened. Ask Him to show you those intersections in your life.
Look around. Watch for believers whose lives you trust. Look for those whose walk with God you want to emulate. Pray about asking one of those persons to mentor you.
Realize that most people have never been a mentor. Any person you ask is likely to not understand what mentoring involves. Your very request may catch him/her off guard. Don’t be surprised – and don’t let this truth stop you. Start a conversation.
Ask . . . and keep asking until you find a mentor. The issue is really quite simple: if you want a mentor, you’ll likely need to ask somebody. Take a risk, and do it. Tell somebody you’ve watched his life, and you want to learn from him. If he says “no,” ask somebody else. Don’t stop looking and asking until you find somebody.  It’s the devil that wants you to give up.
Be grateful for whatever a mentor might offer. You may want to meet with a mentor once a week, but he has time only once per month. Your preference may be for your mentor to focus on theological training, but he feels unqualified to concentrate there. Even if your mentor cannot give you all you want, be thankful for what you get. One hour with the right mentor is worth weeks of waiting to meet.
Invest in somebody else yourself. Even while you seek a mentor, you have something you can teach somebody else. You might find that God will direct you to a mentor after you begin giving yourself away.

Here’s an idea. If you are seeking a mentor, send this post to someone who might invest in you – and then ask. Tell us how we might pray for you as you trust the Lord for His divine intersections.

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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