Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 314

Pray for First Christian Church

Location: Fairfield, Illinois

Pastor: Craig Scott

Worship Times: 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Central Time

Fast Facts: This church of around 400 in rural southern Illinois has a history of being very mission-minded and is beginning to take the first steps at becoming very community- and outreach-minded as well.  They are doing so through “The Great Giveaway” where everyone from the church donates their garage sale items and members of the  community can come take whatever they need.  They also host a “Taco Tuesday” for the local high school of 400 where students can come during their lunch hour and eat all the tacos they want for a small donation.  This typically draws 225 or more students each week.

Please pray for Pastor Craig’s complete healing as he continues to recover from an accident suffered on a mission trip last June with the youth group. He has an incomplete fracture of his spine and has been in rehab since his return from the trip. Also pray for the congregation’s willingness and involvement in the outreach ministry of the church and that the leadership would make wise decisions about the future and what God has planned for the church. Finally, pray for their upcoming Friend Sunday on March 30.

Website: FCCFairfield.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.

Six Reasons Comparisons Hurt Churches

When I wrote I Am a Church Member, I noted the key role 1 Corinthians 13 plays in defining what should be expected of a church member. Of course, many view this “love chapter” without understanding that Paul wrote it in the context of speaking to church members about their attitudes and behaviors in a local congregation.

So I often propose “What if?” questions to church leaders and members with 1 Corinthians 13 in the background. What if I am patient with members and leaders in my church? What if I am always kind to them? What if I put their needs before my own? What if I viewed my church with all of its imperfections in light of unconditional love?

You get the picture.

Unhealthy churches have numbers of leaders and/or members who do not practice 1 Corinthians 13 in their local congregations. These persons tend to seek their picture of an ideal church rather than loving their current church, her leaders, and her members. They are thus constantly comparing some aspect of the church with some other church or members or leaders. As a result, six unhealthy consequences unfold when these comparisons take place.

Comparison creates dissatisfaction among members with the pastors and staff. “The current pastor does not preach like the pastor at some other church.” “Our student pastor is not as dynamic as the other guy at the other church.” “If only our pastor would keep his sermons as brief as my former pastor.” “I know that the pastor at the other church visits the members more than our pastor.”
Pastors and church staff can have the “green grass” syndrome when they compare their churches and its members with some other church. I once asked a friend to name his favorite church of the several he had served as pastor. His response was both amusing and sad: “The next one.” He would move from one church to another seeking that perfect congregation. Of course, that place does not exist.
Comparisons create unhealthy expectations. Being a church member is somewhat akin to being married. How many of us have thought our marriage could be so much better if our spouse could become something he or she is not? No church is perfect. All struggle in some way or another. When we compare our church to some other congregation, we may be creating an expectation that is neither realistic nor healthy.
When we compare, we become consumer members instead of serving members. The role of church members and leaders is to serve. We are to serve God first, and our fellow members next. When we compare churches, we are putting our self-interests and perceived needs ahead of others. We engage in “church shopping,” a phrase you will find nowhere in the Bible.
Comparing creates a culture of criticism. Leaders and members constantly note where the church and its members fall short. They regularly assess the pastor and other leaders as to ways they don’t meet expectations. The natural outflow of such a mindset is unholy dissatisfaction and criticisms.
When we compare, we don’t take time to “look in the mirror.” In my first church where I served as pastor, I became irritated and frustrated with the members. My experience was nothing like I had anticipated or hoped. When I started complaining to God about “those people,” God convicted me of my own inadequacies, my own sins, and my own problems. I had spent too much time looking at the splinter in others’ eyes rather than the log in my eye.

I have been guilty of comparisons in local congregations, both as a church member and as a pastor. But I have found the greatest joy when I stop comparing and start serving. I’ve got plenty for God to fix without spending an inordinate amount of time worrying about how other church members, pastors, and staff can become better from my own imperfect perspective.

Communicating Big Ideas with Art Rainer – Rainer on Leadership #046

Podcast Episode #046

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On this week’s episode of Rainer on Leadership, I had the pleasure of having my middle son, Art Rainer, join us to discuss how to communicate big change to an organization or church. Art serves as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.

In this episode, we discuss:

Whose responsibility is it to communicate big ideas,
What to do if the big idea fails,
How you can ensure everyone is on the same page—especially if the organization is a large one,
How to handle critics or detractors within the organization, and
Who some of the effective leaders are that Art has worked with.

One leader Art mentioned is the pastor he worked for while on staff at First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach, FL (now Family Church)—Jimmy Scroggins. And since Art brought up Jimmy, we couldn’t let the opportunity pass to get the story behind one of the greatest YouTube clips of all time:

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 autographed copy of I Am a Church Member.

Resources

The Effective Executive
The Everything Store
Harvard Business Review

Friday is for Freebies: The Gospels and Acts Apologetics Commentary

This week’s freebie is an exciting new resource from B&H Publishers. The primary purpose of the Holman Apologetics Commentary on the Bible is to equip readers to defend the reliability of Scripture and the historic evangelical understanding of its teachings. Designed for use by general readers, it will encourage awareness and discussion of Bible difficulties that are not commonly mentioned from the pulpit or even the seminary lectern.

The four Gospels and the book of Acts tell stories of Jesus’ life and the birth of Christianity. Are these stories true history or just religious fiction? Christians accept the stories as true and say that the entire Bible is a reliable communication inspired by God. Against this, non-Christians have argued that the Bible is a book of legends, myths, and historical inaccuracies—just another example of human religious endeavor. In The Holman Apologetics Commentary on the Bible: The Gospels and Acts, four world-class New Testament scholars address challenges to the reliability of the Gospels and Acts. In order to identify the most important challenges, the authors drew from the literature of skeptics and New Testament critics, plus they included questions that many Christians ask as well. The result is the most comprehensive defense of the Gospels and Acts that has ever been published.

Also included is a the black, bonded leather version of The Apologetics Study Bible. This Bible will help today’s Christian better understand, defend and proclaim their beliefs in response to a postmodern age bent on challenging everything they believe.

This Bible has a retail price of $59.99 and features more than 100 key questions and articles placed throughout the Bible about faith and science which prompt a rewarding study experience at every reading.  Hear from the top apologetics thinkers of our day such as Chuck Colson, Norm Geisler, Hank Hanegraaff, Josh McDowell, Albert Mohler, Ravi Zacharias, Lee Strobel and 90+ more contributors as they submit compelling evidence, historical fact and supporting arguments to bring the Truth to light.

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. Names and addresses are deleted each week and are just used to select a winner. **RSS or email readers will need to visit the site to enter the giveaway**

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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.

Notable Voices – March 13, 2014

5 Lessons Learned from RadioShack – Art Rainer

Last week, RadioShack announced they would be closing more than 1,000 stores. Art used this as a discussion point with the team he leads and found five applicable lessons.

 

Pastor, What is Your Future? – Ronnie Floyd

Ronnie exhorts pastors to pray, believe, and trust the Lord as they navigate toward their future.

 

3 Deadly Symptoms of a Sick Church Staff Culture – Lance LeBlanc

Earlier this week, I shared an interview with William Vanderbloemen on ways to spot emotionally healthy church staff members. In this article, Lance looks at symptoms of an unhealthy church staff.

 

But in Multisite, I Don’t Know the Pastor – J.D. Greear

The Summit Church has been multisite for more than a decade now, so J.D. has probably heard every criticism of the model that exists. In this article, he debunks one of the main criticisms of the multisite church model.

 

7 Ways The Lord Uses Depression in the Life of a Minister – Mike Leake

I recently wrote on pastors and the importance of mental health. While it is a major struggle for many pastors, there is hope as well. Mike provides seven ways that God can use depression in the pastor’s life for his glory and our good.

 

10 Ways to Avoid the Awkward Silence in Your Small Group – Eric McKiddie

For groups to be healthy, there needs to be dialogue. If no one talks, then no one ever opens up to build community. Here are 10 ways to spur discussion in your small group.

Seven Ways to Help New Members Stick

Very few church leaders need to be convinced that assimilation is important. And very few church leaders need to be convinced that some upfront mechanism, like a new members’ class, is important. The question I am asked frequently is: “What are the best practices for this upfront orientation or new members’ class?”

I have the advantage of research, input, anecdotal information, and ongoing conversations with church leaders. From these sources, I have derived seven ways to help new members stick. Obviously, my list is not exhaustive, but I do think it represents some of the best practices I see in churches today.

Keep the initial orientation brief. Some churches have new members’ classes that last multiple hours over multiple days. These orientations are counterproductive. They engender information overload and have little impact. If there is much information you need to share, do so over a longer period of time, but not in the initial new members’ class. The new members’ class works best if it is two to three hours in one setting.
Tell them what the church believes. These new and prospective members must know the key beliefs or doctrines of the church. Don’t let them be surprised later. Such could prove messy for the members and the church as a whole.
Explain to them the church’s polity. Polity is the organizational and authority systems of the church. Many new members assume the church they are joining makes decisions like churches where they have been in the past. Such assumptions can cause problems later.
Share with them what is expected of them. Too many churches are shy about sharing expectations with members. But clear expectations lead to both happier and healthier members. I was recently with some church leaders who told me they were very explicit about four minimal expectations of members: they should attend weekly worship services; they should get in a small group; they should be involved in at least one church ministry a year; and they should be faithful financial givers to the church.
Let them know how they can plug in. Don’t merely let them know what is expected of them; share with them the specifics of how they can carry out the expectations. For example, if the church expects them to be in a small group or Sunday school class (a key to assimilation health), give them clear and detailed information on who to contact, where and when the group meets, and when they should get started.
Orient them about the church’s facilities. I know it’s basic, but it’s important for members to understand the details of the church’s facilities, even in smaller churches. When are the offices open? Who can use certain parts of the church buildings? Where are the nursery or preschool areas? Where are the restrooms?
Have someone stay in contact with them for six months. You will typically retain or lose members in this time frame. Have well-trained members checking with the new members. It may be a simple call or an email once a week. It does not have to be overbearing. The veteran member can ask if they are orienting well, if they have found a small group, or if they have questions.

The reality of assimilation, or new member stickiness, is that it is usually effective or ineffective in the first few months. Some churches err with too much upfront and drive new members away with information overload and lengthy classes and inventories. Others churches err by doing too little. But the most effective churches tend to shape their strategies on these seven simple efforts.

What do you think of these seven ways? What would you add?

Image credit

7 Reasons Why Church Leaders Should Memorize Scripture

By Chuck Lawless

I still remember the first Bible verses I memorized, even though I memorized them decades ago (and in the King James Version, for that matter):

1 John 4:8 – “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

I was a young believer saved out of a non-Christian home, and the Bible was new, fresh, and alive to me then. I would be dishonest, though, to say that memorization is as easy today. I often must remind myself of why memorization matters.

The Bible is the Word of God. Church leaders know this fact, but we don’t always treat the Word with this level of respect. I am particularly burdened by this reality because I’ve been with many people of the world who have little access to this Word. Should not North American believers – who often have more Bibles in our homes than people – be especially grateful? Should we not want to know God’s Word so well that it dwells in our hearts?


Jesus modeled for us the power of knowing the Word. Three times on the Mount of Temptation, Satan tempted Jesus – and three times Jesus countered him with the Word. In fact, He quoted the book of Deuteronomy (without, it seems, using a concordance or a Google search)! How many of us could readily quote from that book, especially in a moment of agonizing temptation? Jesus showed us that the Word – all of it – has power over the devil.


Hiding the Word in our heart helps us to avoid sin. That’s what the psalmist told us:


“In addition, Your servant is warned by them [the ordinances of the Lord]; there is great reward in keeping them.” (Psa 19:11)
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping Yourword. I have sought You with all my heart; don’t let me wander from Your commands. I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.” (Psa 119:9-11)

The Word of God teaches us, rebukes us, corrects us, and trains us in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). Only when we treasure it in our hearts can we most powerfully fight the sin that so easily entangles us (Heb. 12:1).

The Word drives the garbage from our minds. I’m over 50 years old, but I still occasionally remember images I saw as a teenager. If I allow those images to linger, I’m asking for trouble. Here’s the good news, though: through the Sword of the Spirit (the Word – Eph 6:17), we can capture every thought for Christ. Satan cannot hold our minds in bondage when we wield the Sword.


Memorizing the Word can help prepare us for the mission field. Whether as a short-termer or as a career missionary, you may go to a place where having copies of the Bible is risky. That danger may be even greater for the people you are trying to reach. If your knowledge of the Scriptures is limited only to what you can read in the moment, you may limit your outreach opportunities.


The day may come when we have little or no access to the Bible.  I am, of course, speaking more to North Americans here. Much of the world already faces this situation. We cannot know when that may happen in our context, but nor can we assume it won’t happen. If that were to occur, how much of the Word would you know? How much of your teaching would be affected? We need to know the Word so well we can teach it without a written text in front of us.


Memorization review requires daily time with the Word. That’s the nature of memorization – if we don’t do it every day, we forget what we memorized. Even a few minutes a day to review biblical texts can strengthen our walk with God.

This semester at Southeastern Seminary, I am teaching a class on discipleship and Christian growth. One topic we are covering is scripture memorization. Let’s help one another with this task.

What obstacles to memorization do you face? More importantly, what strategies have you found effective?

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.

photo credit: AhmadHashim via photopin cc

Eight Ways to Spot Emotionally Healthy Pastors and Staff

William Vanderbloemen is the president and CEO of Vanderbloemen Search Group, an organization that has helped hundreds of churches and Christian organizations find the right person for the right position at the right time. The organization views emotional health as a key factor in assessing candidates. William recently shared how the firm looks for such candidates.

I found his “eight ways” to be incredibly insightful and helpful, so I am sharing his words mostly verbatim in this post.

1. Does the person constantly compare himself or herself to others?

Theodore Roosevelt is attributed to saying, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Emotionally unhealthy people compare themselves to others, think the grass is always greener, and even resent others’ success. In contrast, emotionally healthy people are content with what God has given them, confident that God has perfectly equipped them for what He has called them to do, and can celebrate the success of others.

2. Does the person have a victim mentality?

Emotionally unhealthy people keep company with people who bring them down and then blame everyone else when their life isn’t how they want it to be. Conversely, emotionally healthy people don’t act as though the world owes them anything. They don’t waste their time having pity parties or feeling sorry for themselves.

3. Do you hear about forgiveness when talking to this person?

Closely related to number 2, emotionally healthy people don’t hold grudges. They know that harbored anger and resentment will imprison them and affect every aspect of their lives. Emotionally healthy people don’t dwell on the past or obsess about a time someone hurt them.

4. Does this person need to be the center of attention?

Ever been around that person who is needy for attention or constant affirmation? It’s just a guess, but that person probably has some deep insecurity with which they need to deal.

Emotionally healthy persons don’t need or demand recognition. In fact, the most successful people I’ve ever been around almost refuse to let the conversation become about them. They ask about others in the room. They give credit to others. They believe in themselves and “do their own thing,” not needing to fit in or craving affirmation.

5. Can this person say “no”?

Over committing yourself may be a sign that you think you’re superman or that you want others to think you are. If someone can’t say no, they are probably too worried about what everyone else thinks of them. And if someone is too fixated on pleasing others, they may not be emotionally healthy. Likewise, over committing yourself might mean that you’re placing a higher priority on work than on your family/home life.

6. Is this person high on the “drama meter”?

“And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). A firm trust in the goodness of God gives a deep peace that makes one relatively unfazed by change, daily stressors, worries, and tough situations.

Emotionally healthy people don’t have knee-jerk emotional reactions to change or get worked up about things that they can’t control.

7. Does the person have a record of giving back and giving his or her all?

Emotionally unhealthy people hoard their time, talents, and even love. Emotionally healthy people have a spirit of servanthood and give of themselves. Emotionally unhealthy people are afraid to try hard because they might fail. Emotionally healthy people give their all regardless of what they might get in return or what the outcome might be. And if they do fail, are hurt, or are rejected, they don’t give up or begin to withhold their gifts. They continue to give back and give everything they’ve got.

8. Does this person know that joy is a choice?

When Walt Disney said, “Happiness is a state of mind,” he was on to something. Emotionally healthy people know that they have control of their attitude and their responses to situations.

Listen for persons choosing to live out all of the fruit of the spirit, which are clear determiners of emotional and spiritual health: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Here’s a news flash about churches and Christian organizations: They are led by a bunch of people who need a Savior. No team member is perfect, and waiting to find the perfect one means you will always be a team of one. Everyone you bring into your organization will have flaws. But you can mitigate the effect of those flaws if you seek people who are balanced and healthy. When emotionally healthy people are in leadership in the church or other Christian organizations, it creates an entire culture of emotional health and healing. It will make a bigger difference than you can imagine.

I am so grateful to William and his team for these insights and for their ministry. You can download the whitepaper at Vanderbloemen.com, and you can visit their website to learn more about their ministry.

Pray for Christ Church

Location: Fairview Heights, Illinois

Pastor: Shane Bishop

Worship Times: Saturdays at 5:00 PM; Sundays at 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, and 6:00 PM Central Time

Fast Facts: This dynamic church located on the outskirts of St. Louis is preparing to launch its third satellite campus this spring. Please pray for Christ Church’s missions efforts in Salina, Kansas this summer as well as the church’s annual Potato Drop—a local outreach event which provides food for families in need. Also pray for pastor Shane Bishop as he leads Christ Church to reach the communities of Fairview Heights, Collinsville, Maryville, and Millstadt.

Website: MyChristChurch.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.

Ten Areas Where Pastors Need to Be Trained for the 21st Century

Any pastor or other church staff member should be prepared in biblical truths. Theology is a key discipline as well. Indeed none of the classical disciplines should be forsaken, nor any of the practical disciplines, such as missions, evangelism, or church planting.

But the American culture has shifted dramatically in a relatively short period. The United States is becoming more like an international mission field. As a result, ministry training, whether formal or informal, should reflect this reality. Missionaries are typically required to receive intensive cultural and language training before they go overseas. Frankly, a similar need exists today for those in American congregations, or those planning to go to these churches.

So where are the greatest needs? My list is certainly not exhaustive, nor is it in any particular order. But I do see all of these areas as key to reaching our new and challenging culture.

A new language. If a pastor or church staff member does not “speak” social media, he or she is neglecting one of the fastest growing trends in our nation, indeed in our world. It is no longer a fad; it is a primary means of communication.
A non-Christian culture. Our nation is fast becoming a non-Christian nation. While we lament the relative decline in the numbers who follow Christ, we must also accept the reality that those in our community cannot be assumed to be like us, or to hold our values.
The decline of cultural Christians in churches. The Pew Research project confirmed the dramatic increase in the numbers of people who have no religious affiliation. For our churches, this development means that most people do not feel cultural pressure to attend churches. More and more, those who are there are convicted Christians and not Christians in name only.
A new work/life balance. Pastors and church staff members have always been on call 24/7. But now they are connected 24/7 as well with computers, smart phones, and other technological advances. For better or worse, the world of work and personal life is becoming increasingly blurred.
Unregenerate church members. Cultural Christians are those who really know they are not believers, but are affiliated with churches for cultural reasons. But another group includes those who may cognitively assert a belief in Christ, but have really not had a conversion. For certain, this development is not new. But we are seeing the cumulative cost of weak discipleship and false conversions in our churches. How will we respond to the issue of numbers of members who are not truly believers?
The community as a mission field. Can we change our mindsets and be better prepared? Our communities are not just changing because there are fewer Christians. They are changing with an influx of new ethnic groups and people of other religious beliefs.
Less automatic cultural respect of church leaders. In past years, those who held the title of “pastor” or some similar nomenclature were revered in the community just by the position they held. Such is not the case today. Respect must be earned one day at a time.
A more critical world. Many pastors and church staff members do not deal well with the more transparent and critical world in which we live. Some retreat to a form of passivity or paths of least resistance. And some quit altogether.
A greater need for leadership skills. The world in which we live is complex. We may long for simpler times, but that won’t change our realities. Church leaders must be better leaders in more challenging times.
More churches in need of revitalization. This last item may be last on the list, but the need is huge. As many as nine out of ten of our churches are in need of some level of major revitalization. There are tens of thousands of these churches, and the implications for equipping leaders for them are vast.

This list may be discouraging to you as you read the cumulative implications. I see it, however, from a different perspective. I see this new reality and this new mission field as a great opportunity. No, it’s not your father or mother’s church. It’s a new and challenging reality requiring a missional mindset. It requires total dependence on the One who sends us to the mission field. And that is exactly where God wants us.

What do you think about this mission field called America?