Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 299

Notable Voices: July 24, 2014

Two Great Challenges for the Established Church in the South – Rob Tims

While some younger pastors are attracted to church planting, some are called to established churches. And like church planting, pastoring an established church has its fair share of challenges—especially these two.

 

Protecting Children at Church – Chris Hefner

Hardly a week goes by without news of abuse within the church. This is something we must work harder to prevent. Chris shares some guidelines that will help you and your church.

 

The Importance of Eating Together – The Atlantic

I heard Tony Merida speak earlier this year on how he and his church use meals to build relationships and share the gospel with unbelievers. Even though it doesn’t focus on evangelism, this article from The Atlantic backs up the importance and benefits of mealtime.

 

5 New Habits to Help Church Leaders Do More in Less Time – Rich Birch

We are all busy—especially those of you who are pastors. Here are five ways for you to be more efficient.

 

3 Surprising Facts About Churches on Social Media – Jason Vernon

Jason provides three areas where churches can engage more effectively through social media.

 

William Vanderbloemen Interviews Thom Rainer on “Autopsy of a Deceased Church” – William Vanderbloemen

I recently did an interview with William Vanderbloemen about my latest book, Autopsy of a Deceased Church.

 

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Five of the Most Frequent Issues of Conflict among Church Members

If you want to hear the reasons for a church fight, you are likely to encounter one of these five. Let me be clear. I do not think all church members are fighting all of the time. But the sad reality is that it only takes one real issue of conflict once a year to do serious harm to the unity and health of a congregation.

I’ve addressed issues of church conflict in different ways on this blog. This particular post is an update based on issues I’ve heard, or those in which I have been a mediator the past year. They are listed in the order of frequency I’ve heard them.

The corporate worship time is changed. The church may be adding a service. Another scenario is that current worship times are modified for a variety of reasons. Some members simply do not want to give up a cherished time slot for “their” worship service.
Members disagree how to deal with a pastor or staff member involved in moral failure. I’m serious. I recently was in conversation with leaders in a church where a staff member was dismissed due to clear and flagrant moral failure. The terminated staff person was treated with grace and generosity. Still, some church members thought that Christian charity and forgiveness demanded that the staff member not be dismissed.
A number of members complain about the length of the worship services. Their issue may be the length of time of music in the worship service. Or it may be the length of the pastor’s sermons. Or it could be other issues. Perhaps some of the members are frustrated that they get to the restaurants later than members of other churches.
There is lack of clarity and disagreement about who makes decisions. Most church documents are not clear on this issue. How much independent authority does the pastor have? Or the staff? What decisions should be made by congregational vote? How much authority do the elders or deacons have? Or committees or boards?
The conflict over worship style is still present. I have noted in other posts that this issue has not been as prominent as in recent years. Yet it is still present. I would surmise that it would have been the number one issue five to ten years ago.

If you have read any of my writings, you know I have a heart for revitalizing churches. Ultimately, church revitalization is about the revitalization of Christians. It is my prayer that church members will seek to be last and not first, that the needs of the church and the community will come before their own preferences.

“I give you a new command. Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35.

What do you think of these five sources of dissension among church members? What would you add?

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Expectant Churches vs. Reactive Churches

By Chuck Lawless

The Bible is a story of expectations: an expected Messiah who would crush the serpent (Gen. 3:15), an expected people from Abram (Gen. 12:1-3), an expected new covenant (Jer. 31:31-34), an expected return of Christ (Matt. 24:29-30), and an expected new creation (Rev. 21). Faith, in fact, is about expectation – the “reality of what is hoped for” (Heb. 11:1, HCSB).

Many churches, though, live in reactive mode rather than expectant mode. In my book, Discipled Warriors, I compare these churches.

REACTIVE churches . . .

have no recognized vision. They may have a vision statement, but it is simply a sentence on paper. With no clear direction, the congregation wanders in multiple directions.
are led by “fireman” leaders. That is, their leaders spend their time “putting out fires” rather than casting vision and raising up leaders. Keeping the congregation happy today consumes more energy than preparing them for tomorrow.
try seemingly every program available. Every new approach is considered a “fix” for the church’s concerns, and leaders change their approaches recurrently. Members are program-weary.
prioritize dollars to the point of immobility. Perhaps the congregation has faced in the past – or is currently facing – financial stress. Because of fear, they refuse to take any steps that involve financial risk.
seek simply to keep what they currently have. Maintaining the status quo is the goal: the same leaders, the same programs, the same order of service, the same building. Change is unwelcomed.
pray primarily in response to needs. A family erupts, and then the church prays. The monthly budget report is alarming, and thus they pray. Even their praying is reactionary.
generally lag behind in using technology. They may use multimedia, but they do so only with reluctance. Even then, they feel like culture has forced them in this direction.
have no master site plan. The church is focused on survival today, not expansion tomorrow. No one has invested in facility planning for the future.
are easily divided. Because the congregation has no driving vision, the smallest disagreements become growing fires – until the firefighter leader steps in to quench them.
would be surprised by growth. The congregation does not expect growth. They have no programming, structures, or personnel in place for future growth. If God were to bless them with growth, they would not know how to raise the new believers.

EXPECTANT churches . . .

have a clear sense of vision. Staff and lay leaders alike know and affirm the church’s vision. That vision factors into every budgetary and programming decision the congregation makes.
are led by “ignitor” leaders. That is, their leaders see their responsibility as igniting fires among the congregation. They ignite a passion for God, a fervor for evangelism, a burden for the world, and a desire to achieve the church’s vision.
plan strategically in using programs. Programming decisions are not made quickly. Leaders do their homework to evaluate whether a program fits the church’s culture and vision. They devote energy to making programs effective.
train members to give sacrificially. They know they can accomplish God’s vision only if His people give sacrificially and cheerfully. Thus, they teach financial stewardship with expectancy.
are never comfortable with the status quo. The leaders and the congregation are continually focused on what is still to come. In fact, change is the norm. A bit of chaos is not threatening if it propels the church forward.
pray not only in response to needs, but also in preparation for the future. They pray for one another’s needs, but they also pray about yet-to-be reached people, yet-to-be built buildings, and yet-to-be fulfilled plans.
lead the way in using technology. The church is on the cutting edge of utilizing resources to reach the world. Indeed, they have even learned to pastorally bring along an older generation still figuring out technology.
have a master site plan. They understand that facility decisions they make today affect the future – and vice-versa. The goals they have for the future influence the decisions they make today.
do not allow potential division to fester. Clarity of vision and strength of infrastructure (particularly, small groups and accountability) weaken any stronghold of division that might develop.
anticipate growth. Their “nursery” is ready for any baby Christians God gives them. Indeed, they grieve when growth does not happen.

What other comparisons would you add? Where is your church in 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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Five Pleas to Pastors from Pastor Search Committees

In a post last week, I noted five pleas from pastors to search committee. In this post, I share some pleas I have heard to pastors from search committees.

As I noted last week, congregations across America call pastors to their churches in a variety of ways. As church polity varies, so do the approaches of calling a pastor. A bishop or other authority appoints some pastors. Sometimes an elder board decides who will be considered as the next pastor. Many times, however, the responsibility for recommending a pastor to a congregation falls upon a pastor search committee.

The search committee is typically comprised of lay leaders voted on by the congregation or nominated by some group in the church. Occasionally, the membership may include a current pastoral staff member.

In my conversations with search committees, many of the members have shared with me how pastors can best make the process more effective. Here are five of their “pleas.”

“Tell us when you are no longer interested.” We could be spending a lot of time checking your references, doing credit checks, and listening to podcasts of your sermons. Please let us know so we can move to another candidate.
“Let us know of any major personal issues on the front end so we are not surprised.” We will likely conduct a credit check, a legal background check, and a social media check. Tell us in advance if there are issues we might find. That does not mean we will automatically eliminate you from consideration.
“Please share with us if your family is struggling with the possibility of a move.” We know that a move to another church and another town is a major disruption in your family’s life. You will not be happy and productive if they are unhappy. Let’s work through those issues on the front end.
“If you are in serious discussions with another church or churches, please let us know.” We may be dealing solely with you with the perception that you are doing likewise with us. We could, therefore, lose a lot of time if we only deal with you, and then discover that you have decided to go to another church.
“Please respond as promptly as possible to our requests.” The pastor search process is arduous and often lengthy. Help us as much as you can so we can keep moving toward some type of decision.

You might want to compare this post to last week’s post from the pastors’ perspective.

What has been your experience with pastor search committees? What do you think of these pleas?

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Pray for Hispanic Church of the Community

Location: Long Island City, NY

Pastor: Andy Torres

Weekly Worship: 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM Eastern Time

Fast Facts: Hispanic Church of the Community is a community outreach-driven church. Ministering to those in the Long Island City area, HCC offers ESL classes, citizenship training, civics prep courses, and computer skills training to community members. They also partner with a local agency to offer free breast cancer screenings for those in the community. Please pray that through their outreach they would be able to share the gospel message and see people come to Christ.

“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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Five Pleas from Pastors to Search Committees

On occasion, I provide updates on issues and strategies regarding pastor search committees. Congregations across America call pastors to their churches in a variety of ways. As church polity varies, so do the approaches of calling a pastor. A bishop or other authority appoints some pastors. Sometimes an elder board decides who will be considered as the next pastor. Many times, however, the responsibility for recommending a pastor to a congregation falls upon a pastor search committee.

The search committee is typically comprised of lay leaders voted on by the congregation or nominated by some group in the church. Occasionally, the membership may include a current pastoral staff member.

It is this latter approach, the utilization of a pastor search committee, which I would like to address in this article. Specifically, I want to share the perspective of many pastors about the process. On numbers of occasions, pastors have shared with me some challenges they have experienced with search committees. In this article, I present them as five pleas from pastors.

“Consider carefully how you first contact me.” It can be highly disruptive to my present ministry if you just show up at my church. And remember that if you send an email to me at my church, others may read it.
“Please stay in touch with me.” I can feel like I am in limbo if I don’t hear anything from you for a long time. I would rather be told that you are moving in another direction than not to hear anything.
“If I am called to your church, please let the congregation know the issues you and I agreed upon.” For example, if you are letting me hire my own staff rather than it going through a personnel committee, please let the church know this change is taking place before you present me.
“Clarify both the strengths and the challenges of the church before I come.” Do your best so I will not be surprised by the major struggles and challenges. I can deal with them better if I know about them in advance.
“Understand that if I come to the church, my entire family will be a part of the transition.” So please talk to my spouse about the issues, challenges, and opportunities. Include the entire family, not just me.

At any given time in a year, as many as 50,000 congregations are searching for a pastor. The implications of the challenges and possible misunderstandings are many. These pleas from pastors are sound and reasonable.

Let me know what you think about these five pleas. Next week, I will address the pleas of search committee members to pastors.

Stay tuned . . .

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Evangelism in the Local Church – Rainer on Leadership #063

Podcast Episode #063

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This week on the podcast, I am honored to host Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg to discuss the state of evangelism in the local church. While we are all commanded to share our faith with others, if we want to build evangelistic churches, we need the pastors to model it first. There are many ways to do this, and Mark and Lee share several ways this can be accomplished. From meeting for coffee, playing golf, barbecuing, to watching sporting events, we all have opportunities to engage in the lives of non-Christians and share our faith.

About Mark

Mark Mittelberg is a best-selling author, sought-after speaker, and a leading strategist in evangelism and apologetics-oriented outreach. He is the primary author (with Lee Strobel and Bill Hybels) of the updated Becoming a Contagious Christian Training Course, through which more than a million people have learned to effectively and naturally communicate their faith to others.

About Lee

Lee Strobel, with a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School, was the award-winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and a spiritual skeptic until 1981. His books include four Gold Medallion winners and the 2005 Christian Book of the Year (coauthored with Garry Poole). He and his wife live in Colorado

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Pastors Today. This weekly newsletter provides pastors with resources and information from around the web written specifically for pastors. For more information and to subscribe, visit lifeway.com/pastorstoday.

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 Case for Christ
The Case for Christianity Answer Book
Becoming a Contagious Christian
Becoming a Contagious Church

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Friday Is for Freebies: The Case for Christianity Answer Book

This week’s freebie coincides with my podcast episode coming later today which features a recent interview I conducted with Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg on the state of evangelism in America.

In The Case for Christianity Answer Book, bestselling author Lee Strobel offers biblically-based answers to the most-asked questions about the Christian faith in short, easy-to-understand explanations. The Case for Christianity Answer Book is a great book for both newer and seasoned Christians alike. Strobel, a former atheist, uses his investigative journalism skills to dig deep into the Bible to provide compelling and concise answers about Christianity.

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.

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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 17, 2014

Leading from the Pulpit – Eric Geiger

There’s a big difference in leading from the pulpit and using the pulpit to abuse and bully those listening to your sermons. The first is the sign of a mature pastor. The latter is not.

 

4 Important Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Blog – Eric McKiddie

I still feel more pastors should have blogs. It’s such an effective way to help shepherd your church in the digital age. If you’re still on the fence about it, let these four tips from Eric guide your decision.

 

Nine Secrets Your Pastor’s Wife Wishes You Knew – Christina Stolaas

Almost every time I speak with a pastor’s wife, I hear one of these statements.

 

Four Questions to Ask When Creating a Social Media Position for Your Church – Darrel Girardier

I’ve recently written about why your church needs someone running social media. Darrel shares how to determine what kind of person to get.

 

21 Signs Your Church Needs to Change – Carey Nieuwhof

Carey has put together a list of questions which will get to the heart of every church. I would encourage you to read these with a humble heart.

 

10 Keys to Being a Great Employee – Brad Lomenick

Leaders in the church or a company are still employees at the end of the day. But being a great leader doesn’t automatically mean you’re a great employee.

 

2014 Update: The Largest SBC Churches – Thom Rainer

Last Saturday I posted a list of the largest churches in my denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention. Here is a graphic that shows the top 100 reporting churches by their location and some other related stats. It also has the stats for the next 100 (they are not on the map).

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Five Reasons Your Church Might Consider Using eBay to Increase Giving

If you are interested in an innovative way to raise the level of giving in your church, then stay with me a few minutes. On the surface, it might seem like an Internet version of a yard sale to increase member giving. But I see it with much more potential.

While I’m certainly not the first person to broach this idea, I still think it needs to be considered by more church leaders. The concept is simple: Ask members to donate some of their physical goods to be sold on eBay. Someone is responsible for gathering the goods, and someone is responsible to get them on eBay to sell. The churches that have tried it typically have the event one to four times a year. There is a big emphasis to give physical goods above and beyond the tithes and offerings.

The early church did not have the Internet, but they took the concept of selling their physical goods seriously. For example, in Acts 2:44-45: “Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need. Again, we see the emphasis in Acts 4:34-35: “For there was not a needy person among them, because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed for each person’s basic needs” (HCSB).

So why should a twenty-first century congregation consider such an approach? Allow me to offer five possible reasons.

Such an approach has biblical foundations. The above passages are indicative that biblical stewardship includes the selling of our possessions for ministry needs.
It provides a new source of ministry income. Indeed, if the process is organized and promoted well, it may provide a significant source of funding for ministries locally and beyond.
It gets more people involved in the ministry of the church. In my limited awareness of this approach, I have heard that this emphasis draws more people to the ministry that were previously uninvolved.
Members are able to divest themselves of material things and possessions and lead a simpler life. Such has been the testimony of some who gave to this emphasis. They were thus able to focus better on those areas of life that really matter.
This approach can be a great unifier in the congregation. Some church members have shared the amazing stories of transformation and greater unity in the church as more people were focused beyond themselves.

While we can bemoan the advent and invasion of modern technology, we can also celebrate the ways it can be used for the glory of God. Maybe some church leaders can take these ideas and run with them far beyond anything I could suggest.

Do you do anything like this approach in your church? What do you think of using eBay to enhance the giving of your church members and, perhaps, non-members as well?

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