Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 305

The Most Common Factor in Declining Churches

In Wednesday’s post, I focused on seven very practical habits of churches that have an outward focus. I am honored and humbled to be in a place where I get to hear from and study about thousands of churches. The leaders and congregants in those churches provide me with incredible information and data. I am grateful, because I’m not smart enough to understand these issues on my own.

As God has allowed me to study congregations for more than 25 years, I began to see a common pattern in churches that had become outwardly focused. You read some of the practical steps these churches have taken in the earlier post.

The Most Common Factor

Conversely, though, I also can see a simple but profound pattern among the declining churches.

Stated simply, the most common factor in declining churches is an inward focus.

The ministries are only for the members. The budgetary funds are used almost exclusively to meet the needs of the members. The times of worship and worship styles are geared primarily for the members. Conflict takes place when members don’t get things their way. You get the picture.

Warning Symptoms

After studying and consulting with thousands of churches, I began to see clearly this pattern. Even more, I began to recognize symptoms of an inward focus. See if you recognize a few of these.

There are very few attempts to minister to those in the community.
Church business meetings become arguments over preferences and desires.
Numbers of members in the congregation are openly critical of the pastor, other church staff, and lay leaders in the church.
Any change necessary to become a Great Commission church is met with anger and resistance.
The past becomes the hero.
Culture is seen as the enemy instead of an opportunity for believers to become salt and light.
Pastors and other leaders in the church become discouraged and withdraw from effective leadership.
If the churches are a part of a denomination or similar affiliation, meetings of those denominations mirror the churches in lost focus and divisiveness.

There is Hope

For those of us in Christ, however, there is always hope—His hope.

I have written in recent years about the dire straits of most of our churches. I have felt it necessary to do so in order to face the facts. Indeed, I have written in my most recent book about the deaths of many churches.

In the weeks and months ahead, however, you will be hearing from me about churches that are defying the negative trends. You will hear more about church leaders who are dreaming again. You will hear about revitalized churches. This fall, I will deliver to your computers a multi-hour video conference about these exciting times.

I don’t have my head in the sand. I know times are tough in many churches. I know congregations are dying every day. I know many church leaders are discouraged.

But we serve the God of hope.

Decline in our churches does not have to be a reality.

I hope you will join me as I share what God is doing in so many congregations. And I always look forward to your comments and thoughts in these blog posts.

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Why Pastors Are Hesitant to Take Jobs at Established Churches – Rainer on Leadership #057

Podcast Episode #057

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On a recent post, friend of the blog Ron Edmonson requested we expound more on why pastors are sometimes hesitant to take jobs at established churches. Ron asked, and we listened. So today, we cover what an established church is (one who has been in existence for a sufficient amount of time so that it has patterns of behavior that are routine) and why they struggle to find capable, qualified pastoral candidates at times. We started with these ten reasons:

We don’t celebrate the victories of established churches and their pastors.
Church culture is increasingly negative, and some established churches have followed this trend. 
Some pastors have the “grass is greener” syndrome.
We have failed to equip many pastors in leadership and relational skills.
There is often a chasm between the expectations of pastors and the expectations of the congregations. 
The Internet age makes information readily available.
Established church members often compare their pastors to gifted orators on podcasts and other media.
More pastors are tempted to move campus pastor roles at multi-site churches. 
More pastors are tempted to start new churches.
Giving is declining in many established churches, reducing the availability of resources the church once had.

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Autopsy of a Deceased Church. Whether your church is vibrant or dying, whether you are a pastor or a church member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church will walk you through the radical paths necessary to keep your church alive to the glory of God and advancement of Christ’s Kingdom!

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 Grass Isn’t Always Greener
RonEdmondson.com
5 Stages of Pastoral Tenure

The post Why Pastors Are Hesitant to Take Jobs at Established Churches – Rainer on Leadership #057 appeared first on ThomRainer.com.

The Readers Have Spoken to Me (and I Have Heard Them)

Wow. I cannot thank you readers sufficiently for the incredible survey responses you gave me. I have read every one of them. I literally printed all of the responses, and now have a huge stack of paper on my desk.

Not only did I read them, I truly listened to you. As a result, I will likely make some modifications to the blog in the future.

Here is what I am doing for now. We will extend for one more week the contest for the $250 LifeWay gift card and three signed copies of Autopsy of a Deceased Church, plus ten runner-up prizes of a signed copy of Autopsy. If you entered last week by doing the survey, you can have your name eligible for the drawing twice by sending me an email. I’ll share more information on how to submit your e-mail at the end of this article. If you did not send a survey, you can still enter the contest this week by responding to my email request.

Okay, here are some of the results of the survey. Here is what you told me.

Who Are My Readers?

You represent diverse age groups. The largest single group is represented by the Millennials. They account for 29% of my readers.
The readers are primarily males (86%). I have to do better in my writings to get more female readers.
You come from a variety of different communities: rural, urban, suburban, small town, and medium-size town. Rural residents represent one out of five of the readers.
I was surprised to see the variety of your vocations. You are pastors, church staff, and a variety of lay positions. You are physicians, attorneys, blue-collar workers, policemen, firemen, and many more.
Though the majority of the readers are from my denomination, it is only a slight majority. More than four out of ten of you are not Southern Baptists. My annual readership is about 4.75 million page views, so that means about 2 million views are from those other than my denomination.
You come from churches whose worship attendance almost mirrors the national average. That means 55% of you are in churches with a worship attendance of 200 and under. And 27 percent of you are from churches with a worship attendance of 400 and above.

What Don’t You Like About My Blog?

“You are too technical. Lighten up.”
“Your hair looks like a helmet.”
“You write too much from a Baptist perspective.”
“You need to offer your opinion more, rather than just giving a lot of statistics.”
“Too many numbered steps. Not everything has to be a list.”
“You write too much from an American perspective.”
“Your mom spelled ‘Thom’ wrong.”

What Do You Like about My Blog?

“It is very practical.”
“Your love of pastors and local churches.”
“Your concise and plain writing style.”
“You stay on top of trends church leaders need to know.”
“Your willingness to let your critics comment without you being defensive.”
“There are times I would swear you were writing about my church.”
“Biblically based and highly applicable.”

What About the Length and the Frequency of the Blog Posts?

80% of you like the length of my posts. 19% of you would like to see them longer.
70% of you like the frequency of my posts. 26% of you would like me to post more frequently.

What Would You Like to Talk with Me About over a Cup of Coffee?

Those responses were absolutely incredible. One thing I know for sure is that you are really interested in your churches becoming healthier. You expressed that concern in a number of ways. You also surprised me by the number of comments expressing a desire to know me better personally. Listen to this comment:

“Thom seems extraordinarily intentional about his words. They are sometimes sanitized. That can be good, but I’ve never once gotten a behind-the scenes, raw, authentic perspective of who he really is. I appreciate his empathy toward pastors, but I’d like to knows some things beyond words that will help me connect better.”

You readers have really helped me. Thank you. I was encouraged by so much of what you said. And, yes, even the critical comments were helpful.

A Concluding Word (For Now) and This Week’s Contest

This survey has confirmed my feelings that I need to offer video content from time to time. In fact, many of you would like me to speak in a conference type way through my blog.

So here is my question:

If I delivered a video conference to you as a ministry on this blog, what would be your choice of topics?

Email your ideas to Jonathan and you will be entered in this week’s contest.

You have spoken.

I have listened.

The post The Readers Have Spoken to Me (and I Have Heard Them) appeared first on ThomRainer.com.

Notable Voices – May 29, 2014

Are Millennials Really Leaving the Church? Yes — but Mostly White Millennials  – Bob Smietana

We start this week’s links with a couple of posts on Millennials. First, Bob examines the ethnic divide churches are facing when it comes to reaching Millennials. Simply put, more white Millennials are leaving the church than non-Anglo ones.

 

Millennials Are the Devil – Chris Martin

Next up, Chris Martin—not the one from Coldplay—examines how society’s somewhat derogatory tone and stereotyping of Millennials might be a contributing factor to why they are not interested in religion.

 

One Anothers I Can’t Find in the New Testament – Ray Ortlund

The past few weeks have been particularly negative around the Evangelical blogosphere. I wouldn’t be surprised if these recent online dustups inspired this post from Ray. It’s an article we could all benefit from.

 

When a Pastor Prepares to Leave – Chad Hall

I’ve written here on the blog about pastoral transition and the “grass is greener syndrome.” Whether they are pushed out or pulled away, it’s inevitable that pastors will leave churches. Chad shares how pastors can leave well.

 

4 Ways to Minister to Older Saints – John Pond

I recently wrote on the changing landscape of senior adult ministry. This article continues that discussion.

 

Strengthening Marriages through Biblical Preaching – Kevin Smith

Kevin shares how pastors can serve their church and the marriages in it well by preaching on the full scope of sexuality—not just political hot topics.

 

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Seven Habits of Outwardly Focused Churches

It was not a dramatic moment in time. Instead it was subtle, almost too subtle to be noticed. It became evident first in mainline churches. But evangelical churches followed a few years later. The erosion was slow, but it became glaringly apparent after several years.

The change of which I speak is the movement away from outwardly focused ministries in churches. Over time, most of the resources of time, money, and ministries have shifted more toward the members. Churches are now gathering in holy huddles with little intention of breaking out into a world of lostness and loneliness.

How It Happened

How did this negative trend develop? Though many perspectives could be offered, allow me simply to share the practical perspective. There was a time when most churches had an outreach ministry. And more times than not, this ministry was a type of program with predictable patterns.

But church leaders, vocational and lay alike, became program averse. So they slowly began eliminating outreach programs in their churches. I understand why this development took place. The programs seemed ineffective, not culturally relevant, and often cumbersome to lead and implement.

The problem, however, is that nothing replaced the programs. And the mild culture of outreach in churches was replaced with no culture of outreach.

At the same time, more churches started sending members on international mission trips. This development was good. But it gave many in the church a sense of false comfort that the church was really outwardly focused. The problem was that many times the local community became a neglected mission field.

Possible Beginning Points for an Outwardly Focused Church

So I began asking leaders in outwardly focused churches about their practical steps. I made certain the leaders were in different size congregations lest I offer suggestions limited to one group of churches. The leaders were in churches with worship attendance ranging from 50 to 2,500.

The answers I received were immensely practical, very helpful, and highly doable. Though this list is by no means exhaustive, here are seven of the more common habits.

The church takes time during each worship service to pray for the community. Prayer is powerful; and the church members become more focused about their communities.
A volunteer or staff person is accountable for the outreach ministry of the church. If no one has leadership responsibility, it does not get done.
A regular report is provided to church members about outreach and ministry efforts in the community. What gets reported gets done. Have you noticed most churches provide financial reports to the church members? That says the money is important. We need at least equal emphasis on the importance of outreach ministries.
Churches have regular “mystery” guests come to the worship services. One church leader told me that his church asks someone in the community to be a mystery guest every quarter. Those guests are always first-time guests, and they share their experiences with leaders later that day or week. The church members thus get to see the worship services through the eyes of a community member.
The church gives obsessive attention to their websites. A church website is the new front door for churches. It’s almost always the first place prospective guests go. These websites should be designed in a very guest friendly way.
The churches are intentional about scheduling ministries, events, and activities for reaching the community. One pastor told me that his church always focuses on one key community outreach ministry per month. The church’s attendance is less than 80, but it was under 40 two years ago.
Churches are intentional about connecting with their communities through social media. It is mindboggling that we have the most pervasive form of communication in history, but very few churches use it strategically. I know a pastor in a rural community who worked with a Millennial and asked her to lead the social media outreach. It has been a great success because someone is responsible for it.

Share Your Stories

There are many great stories from other churches about effective community outreach and impact. I would love to hear your stories. Indeed I would love to hear any of your thoughts about this article and the seven traits I noted.

I look forward to your comments.

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10 Ways to Recognize Our Arrogance

By Chuck Lawless

I’m writing this post for me as much as for anyone. In the past months, I’ve re-read Jim Collins’ How the Mighty Fall and Tim Irwin’s Derailed. Both of these gripping studies review the process of decline in leaders and organizations, especially in leaders who perhaps once thought themselves invincible.

These studies challenge me because I know I’m prideful. I also know that “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18, HCSB). With me, use these potential markers of arrogance to avoid such a fall.

Marker #1: You believe few people are as smart as you are.

Not many people actually say these words, but honest leaders must admit they sometimes think this way. Some reveal this thinking by their ridicule of anybody else “not quite up to my level.” Others assume they should be part of almost every discussion, regardless of the topic. If you assume few people can teach you anything, that assumption should cause you to evaluate your heart.

Marker #2: Your first reaction to negative is to be defensive or to cast blame on others.

If anything adverse (e.g., a lack of growth in the organization, a divided leadership team, a failed program) is always somebody else’s fault, you might see yourself as above such declines. In Jim Collins’ words, you may join falling leaders who explain away negative data and “blame external factors for setbacks rather than accept responsibility.”[i] 

Marker #3: Titles matter to you.

Check your signature line on your email. Look at your company’s letterhead and website. Read the bio you send to others who have invited you to speak. Consider your reaction when someone introduces you without noting your title. Think about how you introduce yourself. If your title has become your first name, you’ve crossed the line.

Marker #4: You assume your organization cannot fail.

The bottom line for you is this: your organization cannot fail because you don’t fail. You are intelligent enough to figure out the solutions. Your track record is so filled with successes that failure is unimaginable. And, even if your organization struggles, you can simply replace your co-workers; after all, you are convinced that finding people who want to work for you will not be difficult.

Marker #5: Not knowing “insider information” bothers you.

Arrogance is characterized not only by a belief we know almost everything, but also by a desire to know the “scoop” before others do. The most important people, we think, deserve to have the details first. If you get frustrated when you’re not in the information’s inner circle, you may well be dealing with arrogance.

Marker #6: You are disconnected from your team members.

Developing genuine relationships with employees is difficult as an organization grows. If, however, you see your team members more as cogs in a system than as valuable partners – or worse yet, if they perceive you view them that way – you may be haughtily operating as “a steam engine attempting to pull the rest of the train without being attached to it.”[ii] 

Marker #7: Spiritual disciplines are secondary, if not non-existent, in your life.

Disciplines like Bible study, prayer, and fasting are more than simple Christian practices; they are obedient actions of persons who recognize their need for a strong relationship with God. If you are leading externally without spending time with God privately, you are leading in your own strength. That’s sin.

Marker #8: No one has permission to speak truth into your life.

Leaders who fall are often not accountable to anyone. Few of us are fully self-aware, and all of us deal with a heart that is “more deceitful than anything else” (Jer. 17:9).  Feedback is critical, particularly from those who can test whether we exhibit the fruit of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26). If no one plays this role in your life, your lack of accountability is likely evidence of pride.

Marker #9: Other people see you as arrogant.

Take a risk – ask others what they really think about you. Talk to the people who report to you. Interview those who formerly worked with you, but then took other positions. Be specific in asking, “Do I ever come across as arrogant?” Even the most emotional (and perhaps exaggerated) responses likely reveal some level of truth. Hear it.

Marker #10: This post bothers you . . . or doesn’t bother you.  

If these words bother you, you may be coming face-to-face with reality in your life. If they don’t bother you, you may be failing to see the arrogance that characterizes all of us.

My own arrogance haunts me as I write these words. Please pray for me.

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.

 

[i] Jim Collins (2011-09-06). How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In (Kindle Locations 326-327). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

[ii] Tim Irwin (2009-10-29). Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership (NelsonFree) (p. 65). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

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Five Fascinating Facts about Single Parent Families for Church Leaders

We church leaders repeat often that we desire to know and reach our mission field. And we also know that our mission field demographics are shifting dramatically in the United States.

Today, I want to focus on one large slice of the demographic pie in America—households headed by a single parent. That world is growing and shifting so quickly it is almost breathtaking. For now, I offer five factoids about these families. Consider the implications for churches as we attempt to minister and reach these persons.

Nearly three out of ten families with children today are headed by a single parent. That makes this group one of the largest population segments in the nation.
Four out of ten children in American are born to single women. That rate is six times its level since 1960. And the pace continues even though teen pregnancy has been declining.
Hispanics and whites have the largest percentage increase in single parent births. African Americans still have the highest absolute percentage, but the faster growth is taking place among Hispanics and whites.
Males are the fastest growing category of single parents. I think most of us are surprised at this development. The implications for churches are staggering.
The vast majority of single parents are gainfully employed. Eight out of ten single moms are employed. Nine out of ten single dads are employed. The vast majority of these parents receive no government assistance.

These statistics provide incredible insights about a part of the population that many churches have no specific plans to reach or to minister to. With that in mind, I ask church leaders five questions to consider.

Do the leaders in your church have an awareness of this large population group? Just an awareness of the issue can prompt action.
Does your church have specific ministries designed for this population segment? A corollary question is: Are those ministries effective?
What would your church need to do differently to reach this group? I specifically refer to current ministries and programs.
Are there any attitudes that would discourage single parents from feeling welcome at your church? Some of you readers may give us some good insights there.
Have you attempted to connect with single parents in your church to get clarity about this group? They would certainly be the best persons to help our churches prayerfully and strategically think about this issue.

Yes, times are changing. But we in our churches have a great opportunity to reach a growing segment of the U. S. population.

How will your church respond? Does your church already have a specific ministry or outreach effort to single parents?

(Note: These statistics were gleaned from The Retail Revival by Doug Stevens. The author further cites these sources: “Four in 10 Children Are Born to Unwed Mothers,” from FamilyFacts.org and “Single Parent Statistics” from Single Parent Magazine, June 2012.)

photo credit: gagilas via photopin cc

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Pray for Searchlight Church

Location: Long Branch, NJ

Pastor: Chris Colletti

Weekly Worship: 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM Eastern Time

Fast Facts: Searchlight started with a core group of 13 meeting min Pastor Colletti’s house in 2010. Since that time, it has grown to more than 250 meeting in two services and has seen more than 80 professions of faith in the past four years. Please pray that Searchlight would continue to reach those in the Long Branch community for Christ. Also pray for their upcoming missions trip to Mexico the first week of June.

Website: SearchlightChurch.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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Nine Heartfelt Things Pastors Would Like to Say to Their Church Members

In an earlier article this week, I noted nine things church members would like to say to their pastors. In this article, I represent the pastors. Please hear me clearly. Most pastors love church members dearly. They truly care for those they serve.

But pastors are human.

And there are times they would like church members to know some things about them. In my conversations with pastors via social media, in person, by phone, and by email, here are the nine most common themes.

“When you criticize a family member, you hurt me deeply.” Please understand that neither my spouse nor my children are employed by the church. Do your best to treat them as regular church members, and do not place unreasonable expectations on them.
“I will have bad days, and it will show at times.” A pastor is supposed to be “on” all the time. But it is difficult. I know there are times I speak out of turn. I know there are times when I’m too tired to listen well. I will try not to show my bad days, but I will slip at times.
“Not all of my sermons will be ‘home runs.’” I wish they were. But with the number of different messages I have to prepare and preach in a year, I won’t always be the stellar preacher you want me to be. Indeed, I won’t always be the stellar preacher I want to be.
“I am sensitive about my salary.” There are few people who work in a place where everyone in the organization is the boss. That is the nature of church work. But when you make disparaging comments about my pay and my related work, it cuts me to the core.
“I struggle when the church numbers are down.” I know I shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t derive my worth based on attendance and offerings. But when attendance declines or offerings drop, I question my own leadership at the church.
“I would love a true friend in the church.” I’m talking about someone who would let me be myself, someone who wouldn’t mind if I let my hair down. It seems like everyone wants me to put on my pastor face all the time.
“Please don’t criticize me or ask me to do something right before I preach.” I put many hours into sermon preparation. I have prayed with intensity about the message. Please don’t tell me the worship center is too cold right before I preach.
“I cannot show up at every place all of you would like me to be.” I jokingly told a pastor friend that I wish I could be omnipresent, and he laughed and agreed. I love you church members, but it is physically impossible to be all the places you expect me to be.
“I hurt deeply when good people don’t defend me.” Every leader will have his or her critics; and that is certainly the case with pastors. I don’t expect to be immune from criticisms. But what hurts me the most is the silence of “good” members when I am attacked unfairly. Please say a kind word about me in response to the negativity you hear. Don’t let the few critics dominate the conversation.

Most pastors do indeed love their church members. But most pastors have a challenging work, one that is impossible without God’s strength.

Pastors, what would you add or change on this list? Church members, what do you think about these nine items?

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Changes in Church Hiring Practices for Pastors – Rainer on Leadership #056

Podcast Episode #056

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When it comes to how pastors are hired in churches, things have changed dramatically in the past few decades. These changes have established a new dynamic in what churches are looking for and how they are finding pastors.  This week on the podcast, Jonathan and I discuss these changes and how pastors or those seeking to become pastors should adapt to these trends.

Church consolidations mean more pastors will report directly to another pastor.
Multisite and multi-venue churches will increasingly hire more pastors. 
Established churches will have greater difficulty finding pastors that meet their criteria. 
There will be an increased demand for bivocational pastors. 
More churches will partner with seminaries to “raise their own” pastors. 
More pastors will be gauged by their social media involvement in the pastor selection process. 
There will continue to be growth in the number of megachurch pastor position openings. 
Pastoral tenure will move in two different directions. 
Pastoral mentoring will grow. 
Denominational influence on pastor placement will continue to wane.

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Autopsy of a Deceased Church. Whether your church is vibrant or dying, whether you are a pastor or a church member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church will walk you through the radical paths necessary to keep your church alive to the glory of God and advancement of Christ’s Kingdom!

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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