Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 315
March 7, 2014
When Not to Respond to Critics – Rainer on Leadership #045
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If you are a leader, you will be criticized. If you are not being criticized, you are probably not a leader. The issue is not whether or not you will be the subject of criticism; the greater issue is how you should respond.
As a general rule, leaders should respond to criticism. I do my best to do so, or at that very least, ask someone in my organization to respond. Critics, more often than not, deserve a response. They need to hear from the leader who can give them his or her perspective. They need to hear from a leader in the event the response can be an opportunity for reconciliation.
But there are times when leaders should not respond to critics. In this episode, Jonathan and I list four such reasons. We also discuss two instances in which I never respond to a critic.
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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/pastors.
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
Five Types of Critics in the Church
Seven Leadership Lessons Learned from Critics
Four Occasions When You Should Not Respond to a Critic
Friday Is for Freebies – The Apologetics Study Bible
My giveaway this Friday is 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
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March 6, 2014
Notable Voices – March 6, 2014
Five Levels of Church Disasters – Sam Rainer
Every church will experience a moment of crisis from time to time. Hopefully they are just moments—not seasons. The key to handling crises is knowing responding in an appropriate manner. Not all crises deserve the same level of response. That is why it is important to evaluate the seriousness of each crisis and match the response to its severity.
10 Great Leadership Quotes – Art Rainer
Art shares some of his favorite leadership quotes. There are some good ones in here.
17 Questions for Online Church – Jon Acuff
Last week, I wrote a post on the future of the digital church. I’m not sure if Jon reads this site or not (Jon — if you do, thanks!), but he shared his thoughts on the digital church this week over at his blog. He raises some good—albeit lighthearted—questions about online church.
Why I Park the Furthest from the Church – Derwin Gray
I’ve been to numerous churches with reserved parking for the pastor. Derwin has an unofficially reserved parking spot. But it’s not where you might think it would be.
3 Tips for Responding to Criticism – Tim Challies
Every leader will face criticism. When it comes, you should be prepared. Tim offers three tips for responding to the inevitable criticism leaders receive.
7 Suggestions to Get the Introverts Sharing in Your Meetings So You Don’t Miss Their Input – Ron Edmondson
In large team meetings, it is easy for introverts to be left out or to not speak up altogether. Ron shares seven ways to make sure everyone at the table provides input—even the introverts.
March 5, 2014
Ten Dangers of Denial in a Declining Church
The word “declining” can have different connotations as it relates to churches. Most of the time we think of numerical decline, but the meaning is much broader. It can mean declining influence in the community, or decline in effective preaching, or decline in evangelistic impact. The list could continue. Most of the time, though not all of the time, one of the symptoms of this decline is a numerical decline.
According to our best estimates, nearly nine out of ten churches are either declining, or they are growing less rapidly than the community in which they are located. In other words the church is not keeping up with the community. Many of our congregations, plain and simple, are not in good health.
A few months ago, I wrote a post about my obesity, and my determination to do something about it. Do you know what one of my key problems was? Denial. I did not want to admit I was obese. I did not want to look in the mirror. I did not want to see photos or videos of me. I wanted to avoid thinking about my unhealthy state through denial. And that denial led me to continue down the path of doing nothing about it.
Many church leaders and members are in denial. They refuse to see the diminishing influence of their churches for the good of the Kingdom. So they do like I did with my perpetual problem of bad health and obesity. They do nothing about it.
Denial is deadly. Denial means the problems are not addressed. Denial means more and more churches will be closing their doors. Though the manifestations are many, look at these ten key dangers of denial.
The problems will only worsen. We can’t wish away the challenges in our churches. We must be biblically obedient. We must take action or the situation will worsen.
Future generations are forsaken. Churches in denial are not thinking about their children or grandchildren or any future generations for that matter. They are only concerned about their present perceived needs.
Leaders will have regrets. True leaders, both staff and laity, desire to make a difference in this world. They desire for their churches to make a difference. These leaders will regret their failures to admit that problems exist.
Churches will miss opportunities for solutions. It is amazing to see what the body of Christ can do when it works biblically together. But the first step is admitting there is a need.
There is no urgency for change. The gospel and biblical truths are unchanging. But the world is changing rapidly. Churches in denial have no urgency to change in this fast-changing culture. They quickly become irrelevant.
Maintenance ministries engender frustration and conflict. Churches in denial try very few things new and challenging. They tend to be focused on keeping things the same. Such a posture is frustrating. Such a posture, because it is not looking forward, causes members to fuss and fight over their particular preferences.
Churches in denial are usually disobedient. They can be disobedient to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. They can refuse to obey some of the challenging commands of Scripture because it will get them out of their comfort zones.
Many of these churches will tolerate open and flagrant sin. Churches in denial tolerate mediocrity. The members don’t like to “rock the boat.” This attitude can lead to a tolerance of some of the most flagrant sins. I spoke with one church leader where it was commonly known in the church that three of the elders were involved in adulterous affairs. No one ever spoke up, and three families were torn apart.
The church will lose its best members. They will leave to go to a congregation where they can make a difference. They will refuse to accept the mediocrity that comes with denial of problems.
Comfort becomes an idol. Eventually churches in denial will become congregations of members who are focused on their comforts and needs. The denial will become entrenched, and hopes of biblical and healthy change will fade rapidly.
The need is great. The time is urgent. Denial and decline are a reality. But, in God’s power, there is always hope.
What do you think of my assessment? How do you respond to these ten dangers?
March 4, 2014
9 Reasons Why Church Leaders Should Read the Daily News
By Chuck Lawless
If you’re a church leader, whether laity or clergy, I know you’re busy. I get tired just thinking about non-stop meetings, prospect visits, member ministry, lesson and sermon preparation, e-mails and phone calls, community responsibilities, reading, and dozens of other tasks – not to mention personal spiritual disciplines and family priorities.
With this much to do, who has time left to read the newspaper every day? Even when we have access to the news via the Internet, the time required for a full reading is still not insignificant.
Think about, though, these reasons for reading the news:
We need to know the world God loves. Because He loves the world, we need to know that world. In today’s paper, I read of Ukraine, Russia, Venezuela, Syria, China, Pakistan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Switzerland, and Myanmar. Get a map, and locate these countries. Find out what unreached people groups are there. It’s all God’s world, and He died for all. To know only our part of the world is too self-centric.
Missionaries live in much of that world. Missionaries often live in volatile places. They go there under God’s call, believing and trusting we are praying for them. As you read the news, let that news drive you to prayer on behalf of missionaries in those areas. I assure you they long for it. If you suspect missionaries may not be there, ask God to open a door there.
That world lives among us. You know this reality: internationals live beside us, work with us, take classes with us, and attend church with us. They most often know the news of their countries of origin. Sometimes they have family in difficult situations. Our ignorance of those realities simply because we do not follow the news is poor pastoral leadership.
Others in your church and community are reading the news every day. They may, in fact, be leaders in your church or city. Perhaps their job requires their reading the news, or maybe they just want to be informed. They can speak intelligently in many circles. When we cannot join them in the conversation because we’ve ignored the news, we limit our ministry opportunities.
The news moves us outside our local Christian bubble. Read the “local news” section of your paper, and you might learn something you need to know as a Christian leader in your community. For example, I read today that the local Muslim leadership in my city sponsored an event this weekend to share their faith with residents. I will now seek to learn more about the size of the Muslim community, and I will pray with more focus and fervor – as a result of reading the newspaper.
Even evil people need prayer. I am hesitant to name names here, as all of us are sinners in need of the gospel. It’s easy, though, to read the news and label our enemies as evil. We are quick to condemn and reject those who commit sins that are not ours. Without ever compromising a call to righteous judgment, however, we are still to love our enemies and pray for them (Luke 6:27-28). Reading the news will challenge you to do so.
The news provides relevant and current applications for our teaching. All who teach God’s people are continually challenged to help others see how the gospel applies to life. Entire websites are devoted to providing sermon and teaching illustrations, but those illustrations are often dated or overused. The news can provide contemporary illustrations (as in today’s feature story in my city’s paper – a story of a man who has trusted God through a horrendous illness).
Reading the news will challenge you to keep learning. Consider into how many areas reading the news will take you. Politics. Geography. Economics. Business. History. Vocabulary. Sports. Weather. Religion. Media. Relationships. Arts. Advice. Vocations. Health. Medicine. Science. Language. And the list could go on. God has given us a brain to use as we do ministry, and reading the news will stretch that brain every day.
We are reminded of the urgency of the gospel. The news is about life, from the weekly birth announcements to the daily death notices. It’s about people – people we minister to, people we are trying to reach, people who have never heard of Jesus. It’s about the effects of human sin, including pride in our accomplishments and depth in our wickedness. It’s about a world that needs the message of Christ.
Read your Bible first every day . . . but then read the news through gospel, Great Commission lenses. You will look at the world differently.
As a Christian leader, what other benefits do you get from reading the news?
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
March 3, 2014
Eight Implications of Aging Boomer Pastors and Church Staff
On January 1, 2011, the first baby boomers turned 65. On that day, 10,000 boomers reached that milestone. In fact, 10,000 boomers are turning 65 every day, and will continue to do so for a total of 19 consecutive years. The implications are staggering for our nation, our economy, and our churches.
This generation is massive in size, 79 million total. They account for 26 percent of the U. S. population. We are rapidly moving toward a nation with an extraordinary number of senior adults. What, then, are the implications for local congregations? I see at least eight possible issues.
There will be a number of pastor and staff vacancies in churches. The boomers who are able to retire or move to another phase of ministry will not be easily replaced. Many younger pastors and staff are particularly reticent to move into the more established churches largely dominated by boomer pastors today. It is in those churches where I see potential crises looming.
Some boomer pastors will be reluctant to retire at a traditional retirement age. Frankly, the most common reason for pastors and staff holding on to their current positions is financial. Like their peers in the secular world, the Great Recession took its toll on their retirement accounts. Even worse, too many did not prepare financially for retirement at all. Another reason for delayed retirement is boomers’ perceptions of old age. Most view old age beginning in the early 70s rather than 65.
Boomer pastors and staff have a wealth of wisdom and experience. We in local congregations should discover ways to tap into it. Most denominations and non-denominational churches have no systems in place to do so.
There is an obvious dichotomy in these boomer pastors and staff. It is cliché but true. The world has changed faster than it ever has in just the past few years. Some pastors kept up with the changes and improved their skill sets, their technological abilities, and their abilities to relate to this vastly different world and culture. Many did not. It is that latter group for which I am most concerned.
A significant number of boomer pastors and staff are disillusioned. They are the children of the sixties, men and women who had high hopes and ideals. They have not seen the idealistic world they hoped to create become a reality. They are thus confused and disheartened as they enter their latter years.
Many boomer pastors and staff have strong desires to mentor the next generation. They see their greatest hope for influence now in people rather than society and structures. A related hopeful sign is that the Millennials have a strong desire to be mentored. How can we get these two generations together?
A number of boomer pastors and staff are struggling to decide what their next phases of ministry and life should be. Many had a mid-life crisis of sorts; now they are having later-life crises. They don’t want the next phase of life to be a stereotypical retirement of rocking chairs and fishing.
Reduced denominational structures offer fewer opportunities for boomer pastors and staff. In the past, many denominational structures offered pastors and staff in their 50s and 60s places of employment where they could utilize their years of experience for the benefit of others. But most denominations have downsized significantly and are no longer seeking these men and women of long church tenure.
Local congregations are facing challenges on a number of fronts. But all of these challenges present opportunities as well. Greater proactivity is needed for strategies to utilize the boomer generation pastors and staff.
What is your perspective and input on this issue? I always look forward to the great responses from the readers of this blog.
March 2, 2014
Pray for The Groves Church
Location: Webster Groves, Missouri
Pastor: Bob Bickford
Worship Time: 10:00 AM Central Time
Fast Facts: The Groves Church is a legacy replant that just launched in January of this year in the St. Louis area. This replanting strategy has led to greater community involvement from the members and the church has seen new growth and is reaching young families in the area. Please pray for their March block parties as well as their community-wide Easter outreach event in April. Also pray for the leaders and members as the church transitions from one that was dying to one that has new life as a result of replanting.
Website: GrovesChurch.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.
March 1, 2014
Eight of the Most Significant Struggles Pastors Face
Before me are handwritten notes that I took over a few weeks from various social media interactions, emails, and a few phone calls. The total is nearly 200 separate communications to me. I kept a record of them for one simple reason: I wanted to identify the greatest pain points of pastors today.
In many ways, there are no surprises. Indeed, I doubt most of you will be surprised at my findings. If nothing else, it is a good reminder of how we can help our pastors, and how we can pray for them. Of course, you will quickly see that they are not mutually exclusive. They are listed in the order of frequency I noted.
Criticism and conflict. I do have a few observations about this number one issue. First, it seems to be growing, and pastors seem to be experiencing greater challenges. Second, most of the issues of conflict are not doctrinal issues. Indeed, most are trivial issues. Finally, very few pastors are equipped and trained to deal with the steady stream of critics and crises.
Family problems. Many pastors struggle with expectations by church members of their spouses or children. Others struggle with finding time for their families. Many pastors’ families struggle with the “glass house” syndrome.
Stress. The pastor’s life is one of emotional highs and lows. It includes critics and adoring fans. Expectations from church members can be unreasonable. The very nature of a pastor’s call into ministry can lend itself to seemingly unending stress.
Depression. Every time I write about this topic, I hear from countless pastors and staff. Depression is pervasive in pastoral ministry. And it is often the “secret” problem.
Burnout. Local church ministry can attract two broad types of persons: the lazy and the workaholic. Accountability is often low, and it can be easy to get away with little work, or to work 70 plus hours a week. I see more of the latter than the former.
Sexual problems. These problems are most often in one of two categories: pornography or marital unfaithfulness.
Financial problems. Most of the world hears about the few pastors who make huge salaries. The reality is that the majority of pastors struggle financially.
Time management. Expectations of pastors can be unrealistic. Pastors are often expected to attend multiple meetings, to visit countless congregants, to prepare sermons with excellence, to provide ongoing strategic leadership, to conduct weddings and funerals, and to be involved in the community. Many pastors don’t know how or when to say “no.” And many are not good at delegating, or they really don’t have anyone who can handle some of their responsibilities.
Most pastors love their callings. Most pastors enjoy most of what they do in ministry. And most pastors wouldn’t change their role if they could. Still, many pastors have ongoing challenges and struggles. And many would gladly receive help from church members, a word of encouragement from most anyone, and the knowledge that others are praying for them.
What do you think of the eight struggles I noted? What would you add to this list?
February 28, 2014
10 Reasons for Church Conflict – Rainer on Leadership #044
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Conflict happens in every church. This conflict is sometimes managed well. Other times, not so much. In a recent post here on the blog, I listed 10 reasons for arguments that arise in the church. They mainly include unfair expectations and misunderstood intentions but are common issues in many churches. You will notice that we don’t discuss biblical and theological arguments in this episode. That’s a completely different (and more lengthy) discussion. Here are the 10 reasons we discuss:
Worship and music style.
Volume of music in the services.
Reasons why churches die.
Proper attire for church services.
Pastors’ salaries.
Megachurches.
The number of hours a pastor works each week.
Why people leave a church.
Role of a pastor’s wife.
Perspectives on pastors’ children.
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/pastors.
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
I Am a Church Member
The Pastor’s Kid
Autopsy of a Deceased Church
Friday Is for Freebies: Transformational Groups & a Twitter Chat
This afternoon at 2:00 p.m. EST, I am hosting a Twitter chat here on the site with Eric Geiger and Ed Stetzer—the authors of Transformational Groups. You can join us here at ThomRainer.com or follow along in your favorite Twitter app by using the hashtag #GroupsMatter.
In honor of today’s chat, my giveaway includes the Transformational Groups book. In it, Ed and Eric provide a map to transformational success for your church’s groups ministry. Using data from the largest survey of pastors and laypersons ever done on the condition of groups in the church, they define a simple process to lead your groups from where they are to where God wants them to be.
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. Names and addresses are deleted each week and are just used to select a winner.
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.
