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Millennials and Worship Style – Rainer on Leadership #065

Podcast Episode #065

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With around 12 million Millennials in our churches today, their presence is making a dramatic impact on worship services. As we discuss on the podcast this week, this impact is not necessarily manifested in a desire for a certain style of music, but a desired authenticity in the worship service. In that regard, “style” of worship is not their primary focus. Instead they seek worship services and music that have three major elements.

They desire the music to have rich content. They desire to sing those songs that reflect deep biblical and theological truths. It is no accident that the hymnody of Keith and Kristyn Getty has taken the Millennials by storm. Their music reflects those deep and rich theological truths.
The Millennials desire authenticity in a worship service. They can sense when congregants and worship leaders are going through the motions. And they will reject such perfunctory attitudes altogether.
This large generation does want a quality worship service. But that quality is a reflection of the authenticity noted above, and adequate preparation of the worship leaders both spiritually and in time of preparation. In that sense, quality worship services are possible for churches of all sizes.

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by B&H Publishing group and the book The Millennials. The Millennials is based on 1200 interviews with its namesakes that aim to better understand them personally, professionally, and spiritually. Chapters report intriguing how-and-why findings on family matters, their desire for diversity, Millennials and the new workplace, their attitude toward money, the media, the environment, and perhaps most tellingly, religion.

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

The Millennials
I Am a Church Member
Keith & Kristyn Getty

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Friday Is for Freebies: Ready to Launch

This week’s giveaway features a new parenting study from best-selling author and pastor J.D. Greear and his wife Veronica.

Ready to Launch Bible Study & Kit includes a small-group experience for seven sessions, exercises for parents between group meetings, applicable Scripture, a group discussion guide, and seven video sessions.

Christian parents are not seeking mere behavior modification in their children but the growth of truly godly passions. “Training a child up in the way he should go” must be done intentionally, with the mind and heart of God. Based on Psalm 127, this study plumbs the wisdom of the Bible about the goals of parenting, the stages of discipline, the role of the church, and strategies to shape the heart toward the gospel.

Also included is an HCSB Study Bible, a comprehensive, easy to read, and easy to use Bible, with features and formats specifically designed to enhance your Bible study experience. You can also go to MyStudyBible.com and dive right in for a complete digital experience.

This Bible has a retail price of $79.99 and features 15,000 study notes, 290 Hebrew and Greek word studies, 66 highly detailed book introductions, 62 maps, 27 topical articles, 20 charts, and 18 illustrations, all focusing on the most important topics and questions in Bible study.

Enter this week’s Friday Is for Freebies giveaway

To enter this week’s giveaway, fill out the form below. Entries will be closed at midnight Saturday night. We will contact the winner via email on Monday morning. Entrants may receive occasional promotional emails from ThomRainer.com.
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First Name*




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After submitting your entry, you will be directed back to the ThomRainer.com homepage. By entering, you acknowledge and accept the terms of the promotion.

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Notable Voices: July 31, 2014

21 Ways to Keep a Church from Growing – Ron Edmondson

As Ron correctly states in the post, there’s nothing wrong with being a small church. However, sometimes churches could—and should—grow, but we get in the way. Ron gives 21 examples.

 

The IRS & the Pulpit: What Your Church Needs to Know – Pastors Today

Taxes and churches are complicated and controversial. And as the political landscape of our country continues to evolve, I expect that only to increase.

 

Two Questions that May Greatly Improve Your Church’s Ministry – Kevin DeYoung

Kevin’s two questions are at the heart of every church—how can the pastor better communicate God’s word and how can the congregation better respond to it?

 

3 Questions to Ask Before You Copy Another Church – Ryan Stigile

Every church is different. Still, some pastors and leaders try to copy everything that goes on in another church. Ryan shares why this is often a bad idea.

 

You Might Want to Fact-Check Your Pastor’s Sermon – Bob Smietana

As a researcher, I can say that Bob is 100% correct in his assessment. Pastors should be more careful with the stats they quote and the stories they share.

 

Prioritizing Church Attendance – Matt Manry

About a year ago, I wrote on the main reason for the decline in church attendance. It was, and still is, a frequency issue. As Matt points out, that frequency issue is a heart issue and a gospel issue.

 

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Three Views on How Long a Sermon Should Be

What is the trend? Are church members and church leaders saying sermons should be longer or shorter? The answer is “yes.”

If my answer is confusing, I understand. But the reality is there are two major trends taking place related to sermon length. I have been following these trends through anecdotal information and social media polls for three years. There are growing numbers of respondents who believe sermons should be longer. There are also growing numbers of respondents who believe sermons should be shorter. And there aren’t many people in the middle of those two divergent views.

By the way, there is a smaller, but consistent, number that feel the pastor should preach “as long or short as God leads” with no constraints at all. That view is the third of the three perspectives.

I am reticent to put my numbers in statistical percentages since my social media polls of the past three years are not scientific. Since numbers, however, can provide greater clarity, I list them here with the caveat that the accuracy is definitely not precise.

41%: Sermons should be shorter, in the 20 to 30 minute range. These respondents see a cultural barrier related to short attention spans. Any sermon over 30 minutes, they say, does not connect with the typical mind of today, especially in Western culture. We, therefore, must keep the message shorter and pack more information into a relatively brief time period.
37%: Sermons should be longer, in the 35 to 55 minute range. A solid exposition of Scripture, this perspective argues, cannot be done in just a few minutes. The sermon is the central part of the worship service, and the time allocated should be significant. We do a disservice to the Word of God when we move toward shorter sermons.
9%: There should be no time constraints on the pastor’s sermons. The pastor should have a sermon length that is only subject to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Anything else lacks sensitivity to God’s work and involvement.

Obviously, if you add the numbers, another 13% had a variety of responses that fit none of the categories. By way, some of the responses in my most recent social media poll and in previous polls advocated sermon lengths from 8 minutes to 75 minutes. We church members definitely are not in full agreement on these issues.

What do you think of the two trends moving in opposite directions? One group is advocating longer sermons; the other group embraces the shorter sermon. Let me hear your thoughts on this issue.

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Five Keys to Recharging This Summer

By Mark Dance

I recently read (and demonstrated) that a cell phone will recharge twice as fast when you put it in airplane mode. This summer I have decided to experiment with this concept on myself, since I am tired and in need of a personal recharge. To be clear, I am not tired of ministry; simply tired from it. This is a common sentiment from many pastors and leaders who have served enthusiastically… for the Lord (Col 3:23).

I genuinely love ministry, but I just came out of the busiest spring of my life. The church I pastor in Arkansas completed a historic relocation on Easter while simultaneously launching a ministry center on our old campus with several partner churches. Both projects were indescribably fulfilling, but nonetheless draining. Oh yeah—the very next Sunday after our move, an F-4 tornado waltzed through our county killing sixteen and wiping out 500 homes.

Whew…

Ministry sprints are common and often predictably seasonal. With a busy spring behind me and a packed fall calendar ahead, summer has been a great time to change the pace and recharge between sprints. Here are a few ways I personally recharge in the summer.

1. Finish a Project That Has Been Mocking You

Start it, finish it, and then run screaming through your yard like you just scored a World Cup goal. Practice dominion on your yard, attic, garage, or closet. Replace that fixture or toilet before fall creeps up and steals away your margin.

2. Enjoy a Book That Feeds You Personally

I have a tendency to read several books at a time without finishing any of them. My summer read is Be Real by my pastor-friend Rick Bezet of New Life Arkansas. My fictional summer reads are by Ted Dekker and Brandilyn Collins.

3. Go Outside and Play

Because of a respite in the normal heat and humidity of July, I am typing this on my back porch right now, then going on a jog with a friend. My wife and I often enjoy walking or running together outside if it is not too muggy. Next Sunday afternoon we are swimming with friends in their new pool. We are never too old to be told to “go outside and play.”

4. Take a Vacation

57% of US workers leave unused vacation on the table each year. That is about 175 million days each year collectively. Americans are now treating vacations as a luxury rather than a benefit. I believe that vacations not only benefit us personally, but also those we live and work with during the rest of the year.

You may think it is too late in the summer to plan a vacation. Or perhaps you are tempted to throw together a last minute Labor Day guilt trip. My advice is to take the trip, but leave the guilt at home by simply asking your family what they want to do and making it happen.

5.  Unplug and Recharge

About two thirds (67 percent) of vacationing Americans remain tethered to the office, while 93 percent of the French claim to “constantly, regularly, or sometimes” check work emails and voicemails while on holiday. Ninety-four percent of Indians and 91 percent of Mexicans do the same. Only 43 percent of Germans and 46 percent of the British remain tightly connected to work while on break.

I personally recharge much quicker when I unplug from ministry completely. I cannot completely go into “vacation mode” unless I first turn on the “airplane mode” by turning my tools off completely. Of course, your tools may also be your toys (books, music, games), so at least turn off your email and alerts. Some go further by going dark on all social media and cell phone. I personally turn my phone off and ask my staff to call my wife’s phone for emergencies only.

Sound radical? It is. It takes both humility and faith: humility to concede that you are not all that important; faith to believe that Jesus and His Bride can take care of things while you are gone. Try it and see how much faster your soul recharges.

I actually just returned from an eight-day vacation in Mexico. The things I didn’t pack with me? My phone, tablet, laptop, church members, or guilt.

What suggestions do you have for unplugging and recharging in the summer?

Mark Dance has been the Senior Pastor of Second Baptist Church in Conway, Arkansas since 2001. In 2014, Second Baptist completed a relocation as well as repurposing its downtown campus into an evangelical ministry center. A native Texan, Mark pastored churches in Texas and in Tennessee before moving to Arkansas. COnnect with Mark online at MarkDance.net.

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23 Questions about Revitalizing Churches Plus One Burning Question

I can never communicate adequately my deep appreciation for the readers of this blog and the listeners of my podcast. Frankly, I’m amazed and humbled that any of you would take the time to read or hear from me. Thank you. I mean it. Thank you very much.

Over the past few months, I have been asking you questions. Some of the questions are requested in survey form; others are responses to a blog post. Why do I ask you questions? It’s simple. I’m not smart enough to know how I can best help you. I need to hear from you to know what to research, what to write, and what resources to provide.

In this post, I want you to see some of the more common issues and questions you have about church revitalization. Your questions have directed me in my research and writings, and they will continue to do so. Though there were several hundred questions you submitted, here are the 23 most common questions about revitalizing churches.

Where do I begin if my church needs revitalization?
Is there any hope for my church?
What are the most common obstacles to revitalization?
How long does it take for a church to begin to turn around?
How do you help move a congregation to be more open to change?
How do church facilities hurt or help church revitalization?
How do you raise the level of commitment of church members?
How do you increase the level of funding in the church?
What do you do when conflict arises?
What are the most common criticisms I can expect?
How do you deal with staff as you seek to lead a church to turn around?
If I’ve been at my church a while, is it possible to become a leader toward revitalization?
What are some good case studies in revitalization?
How do you get multiple generations to work together to turn around a church?
How do you start a good welcome or greeter’s ministry?
How do you deal with power groups in the church?
My church is stuck, but I don’t know why it is. What can I do?
Why should I even bother staying at this church?
What are some unique challenges for the smaller church?
How do I find the time to prepare sermons and lead in revitalization?
How do I start a new members’ class?
What does effective evangelism look like in a healthy church?
How do I start an effective process of discipleship in the church?

Those are a few of the most common questions I am receiving.

I know. I promised to give you one burning question. But that question must come from you.

What is the most burning question you have about church revitalization or about turning around a church? Is it on the list above? Is it something else?

Please take two minutes and respond to this survey. You will help me help you and thousands of others.

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Pray for Central Terrace United Methodist Church

Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Pastor: Dave DeMarco

Weekly Worship: 11:00 AM Eastern Time

Fast Facts: Central Terrace United Methodist Church was founded in 1901 and moved to their current location in 1923. This historic church is in need of revitalization at present. Please pray for the revitalization efforts at Central Terrace. Also pray for their upcoming VBS (August 4-6) as well as their ongoing clothes closet ministry at the church.

Website: CentralTerrace.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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11 Differences between a College Football Fan and a Church Member

Warning: The article below is a bit of sarcastic humor. I am speaking in hyperbole to make a point. The football fan noted represents a very rabid football fan. The church member represents some, but certainly not all, church members.

Disclosure: I tend to be a rabid college football fan. I see my allegiance as an area of devotion that needs significant adjustments downwardly. So I don’t necessarily practice what I preach. For example, even as I type these words, I am reminded that the kickoff for my team’s first game of the season is exactly five weeks from today.

Caution: While I do write these comparisons with some humor and a lot of hyperbole, you might get just a bit uncomfortable reading them. That may indicate there is some truth in each of them.

A college football fan loves to win. The typical church member never wins someone to Christ.
A college football fan gets excited if a game goes into overtime. A church member gets mad if the pastor preaches one minute past the allocated time.
A college football fan is loyal to his or her team no matter what. A church member stops attending if things are not going well.
A college football fan is easily recognized by his or her sportswear, bumper stickers, and team flags. Many church members cannot even be recognized as Christians by people with whom they associate.
A college football fan pays huge dollars for tickets, travel, and refreshments for games. A church member may or may not give to his or her church.
A college football fan reads about his or her football team every day. A church member rarely reads the Bible once in the course of a week.
A college football fan attends the game no matter how bad the weather is. A church member stays home if there is a 20 percent chance of rain.
A college football fan invites others to watch the game every week. A church member rarely invites someone to church.
A college football fan is known for his or her passion for the football team. A church member is rarely known for his or her passion for the gospel.
A college football fan will adjust gladly to changes in kickoff time. A church member gets mad if his or her service time is changed by just a few minutes.
A college football fan is loyal even if he or she never gets to meet the coach. A church member gets mad if the pastor does not visit for every possible occasion.

Yes, I admit I do enjoy college football. But I really love Christ’s churches even more. I need to demonstrate that reality more readily. Do you?

So . . . what would you add to my somewhat sarcastic list? Do you see the humor? Do you see some truth?

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The Decline of Sunday Evening Services – Rainer on Leadership #064

Podcast Episode #064

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A recent post and podcast on changing trends in the church created quite a stir with one particular issue: Sunday night worship services. As Jonathan points out in this week’s podcast, there are typically four options for churches on Sunday nights: no service, a copy of the Sunday morning service, a different but less-attended worship service, and a time of discipleship either on- or off-campus.

While some faith traditions have no history of Sunday evening services, many do. If you do have Sunday evening services or a time of discipleship, I would encourage you to examine what you do as a church and ask if that’s the best thing for your context. While many churches are doing away with Sunday evening services, not every church should. If you continue to hold Sunday evening gatherings, be creative with what you do and make Sunday evenings work best for your church in your specific context.

That being said, here are the six main reasons Sunday evening worship services are on the decline:

The advent of Sunday evening services in many churches was a cultural adaptation for its time. Its decline or demise is thus a cultural response.
The disappearance of blue laws (mandatory Sunday closings) allowed many alternatives to Sunday evening worship, and many church members chose those options.
There has been an increasing emphasis on family time. Families with children at home particularly viewed one worship service on Sundays to be sufficient for them.
Many pastors simply do not have the desire, energy, or commitment to prepare a second and different sermon. Their lack of emphasis was thus reflected in the congregation’s lack of interest.
When many churches began offering services on alternative days, such as Fridays or Saturdays, there was neither the desire nor the resources to keep Sunday evening services going.
A number of churches, particularly new church starts, are in leased facilities. They do not have the option of returning on Sunday evenings.

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.

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Friday Is for Freebies: I Am a Church Member

This week’s freebie includes a copy of my recent book I Am a Church Member. Also, if you haven’t gotten a copy yet or would just like to pick up a copy in eBook form, it is available today only (Friday, July 25) for just $0.99.

Get your eBook at:

LifeWay • Amazon • iBooks • ChristianBook.com • Barnes & Noble

Based on an idea originally taken from this blog, I Am a Church Member discusses the attitudes and responsibilities of church members. I address in detail what congregations should really be focusing on — praying for church leaders, being a functioning member, treasuring church membership, and more.

Six chapters with these titles include study questions to guide the discussion:

I Will Be a Unifying Church Member
I Will Not Let the Church Be About My Preferences and Desires
I Will Pray for My Church Leaders
I Will Lead My Family to Be Healthy Church Members
I Will Be a Functioning Member
I Will Treasure Church Membership as a Gift

Also included is the black, genuine leather version of the HCSB Study Bible, a comprehensive, easy to read, and easy to use Bible, with features and formats specifically designed to enhance your Bible study experience. You can also go to MyStudyBible.com and dive right in for a complete digital experience.

This Bible has a retail price of $79.99 and features 15,000 study notes, 290 Hebrew and Greek word studies, 66 highly detailed book introductions, 62 maps, 27 topical articles, 20 charts, and 18 illustrations, all focusing on the most important topics and questions in Bible study.

Enter this week’s Friday Is for Freebies giveaway

To enter this week’s giveaway, fill out the form below. Entries will be closed at midnight Saturday night. We will contact the winner via email on Monday morning. Entrants may receive occasional promotional emails from ThomRainer.com.
RSS and email subscribers should click through to the website to enter.

First Name*




Email Address*

After submitting your entry, you will be directed back to the ThomRainer.com homepage. By entering, you acknowledge and accept the terms of the promotion.

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