Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 323

Ten Key Posts from the Past – Part Two

I have mentioned on more than one occasion how grateful I am for the growth of this blog. Indeed, earlier this week on Christmas Day, I expressed my profound gratitude for the readers of this blog.

Yesterday and today I am sharing with you ten of my personal favorite posts from the early years, particularly 2010 and 2011, of this site. The readership at ThomRainer.com is at a pace of 3.0 million pageviews a year. But in prior years the number was smaller—much smaller. So there is a good chance you have never read these posts.

I hope you enjoy them. They mean much to me, as you readers mean much to me. Here are the second five. (Read part one here)

6. Pastors and Time — April 6, 2010

The time allocation of effective leaders seems to complement the way they describe their own leadership styles. In order to accomplish what they considered priority functions, they had to sacrifice in other areas. The leaders of effective churches spent over 40 hours per week with their families and in sermon preparation time. In order to fulfill these priorities, they obviously had to let some things go.

7. Leadership and Decisiveness — August 31, 2011

Many leaders fail simply because they refuse to make a decision. Some insist on more and more information. They fail as they experience analysis paralysis. Others will not make a decision because they fear failure. Ironically, they experience the failure they feared because of their failure to make a decision.

8. You Are My Pastor — May 17, 2011

Too often I take you for granted. Too often I tell you what’s wrong instead of telling you how much I love you. Too often I forget that you are a human with feelings that hurt and eyes that cry. Too often I ask you to meet my needs instead of looking to meet yours.

9. The Introverted Leader — May 12, 2011

Small talk drains introverts. We weird people often wonder why people ask us how we’re doing. We can’t stand to be captured by a stranger or casual acquaintance that wants to tell us how we can make the world a better place to live. We dread being placed at a dinner table where we are expected to carry the conversation. We do not like being the center of attention. To the contrary, a lone corner of a room with no one noticing us suits us just fine.

10. Grammar Cop — September 28, 2011

Clear communication is important. Clear written communication is important. How we speak and write says much about us. The trend in clear written communication seems to be deteriorating. Be careful about how you speak. Be careful about how you write. You never know when a grammar cop may be following your words.

Ten Key Posts from the Past – Part One

I have mentioned on more than one occasion how grateful I am for the growth of this blog. Indeed, yesterday on Christmas, I expressed my profound gratitude for the readers of this blog.

Today and tomorrow I will share with you ten of my personal favorite posts from the early years, particularly 2010 and 2011, of this site. The readership at ThomRainer.com is at a pace of 3.0 million pageviews a year. But in prior years the number was smaller—much smaller. So there is a good chance you have never read these posts.

I hope you enjoy them. They mean much to me, as you readers mean much to me. Here are the first five.

1. William Thomas Rainer: In Memory, To God Be the Glory — February 14, 2011

February 3 was the date of a doctor’s appointment for Rachel. The doctor told Rachel in her previous appointment that she wanted to check a couple of items, but she really wasn’t that concerned. But the news was bad. Very bad. The baby had a rare condition that typically is not detected until later in the term, about the point where Rachel was. Both Jess and Rachel were told that the chances of their son’s survival were slim. But they prayed. They prayed for a miracle. They prayed with hope. Above all though, they prayed that God’s will would be done.

2. How to Encourage Your Pastor — February 24, 2011

I believe that serving as pastor of a church is one of the most difficult vocations a person can have. I believe that it is impossible for a pastor to be effective unless he is truly called of God. And I believe that God can and does use church members to encourage and help these pastors to be all that He wants them to be in their place of ministry. I pray that you will be one of those members who stand alongside your pastor in a role of encouragement.

3. Seven Characteristics of Highly Evangelistic Christians — March 29, 2010

It is inevitable that, when we do research on evangelistic churches, we learn about one or more members in the church who, to use the book title by Charles H. Spurgeon, embody the traits of “The Soul Winner.” Oftentimes one of those members is the pastor. But we have also seen many laypersons who are themselves soul winners.

4. Hubris and Leadership — March 26, 2010

In 2006, Bill Ford, holding the multiple titles of Chairman, President, and CEO of Ford, understood that his leadership was not getting the job done. So he, in essence, fired himself as President and CEO and brought new leadership to Ford. That move likely was the decisive moment that led the company to avoid bankruptcy.  “I have a lot of myself invested in this company,” Ford explained, “but not my ego.”

5. How Millennials View the Community — April 29, 2010

For Millennials, community is not a place where we look for prospects to help our church; it is a place where Christians are called to serve and minister. Millennials don’t ask what the community can do for the church; they ask what they can do for the community.

Seven Gifts I Have Received from the Readers of This Blog

On this Christmas day, I want to thank and acknowledge the readers of this blog for seven gifts you have given me. Your heart and generosity exceed anything I can repay.

The gift of your readership. Frankly, I find it hard to believe that you take the time to read my posts. Your presence on this blog is a great encouragement to me.
The gift of grace. I am neither the smartest nor the most eloquent blogger writing today. I make many mistakes. I write some dumb things. But you show grace and forgiveness more times than I deserve.
The gift of your ideas. Probably as many as one out of four posts are the result of your direct recommendations for topics. Thank you for the great ideas, especially when I am not thinking well.
The gift of your comments. On numerous occasions, I have heard from people who tell me that they get more out of the comments than my posts themselves. That is a testimony to the quality of readers at ThomRainer.com.
The gift of your kind spirit. Even when readers disagree with me or with other readers, you usually show a gracious spirit when doing so. Thus civil and kind discussion takes place on many serious issues on this blog.
The gift of your service to others. I have been gratified and edified how the readers will often help one another. When there is a need expressed by one reader, it seems that many are eager to offer quick and wise assistance.
The gift of your prayers. Many of you pray for the churches we highlight on Sundays. Many of you also tell me that you pray for me. I am amazed and humbled that you do.

The list could be longer; you certainly deserve greater thanks than these few words. But on this day that we celebrate the birth of our Savior, I want you to know how much I see Him working in your lives.

Thank you readers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve Memories

By Chuck Lawless

I’m 52 years old, but I remember well the Christmas eves of my childhood. Our grandpa spent the night with us, and he always slept on the couch in the living room. We needed him there to open the front door for Santa Claus. Sure, Santa usually came down the chimney, but our fireplace was a fake one. We may have been young, but even we figured out there was no way for Santa to enter our house through that means.

Grandpa was also responsible for making sure Santa saw the milk and cookies we left for him in the kitchen. We always wondered if Grandpa actually ate the cookies, and he teased with us enough that we never really knew. I can’t remember all the gifts we received each year, but I vividly recall Grandpa’s delight in telling the stories of his encounters with Santa.

Seldom did we sleep deeply on Christmas Eve. I doubt we had “visions of sugar-plums” dancing in our heads, but I’m sure we had thoughts of Matchbox cars, army men, fishing gear, and bicycles – thoughts about “stuff.” I know we wondered just how early on Christmas morning we could head downstairs to the Christmas tree. Every Christmas Eve lasted only 24 hours, but the memories still linger for me now decades later.

After I became a follower of Christ at age 13, Christmas Eve took on new meaning. It was the reminder that God Himself had come to earth. He so loved us that he stepped into our story, paid the penalty for our wrong, and conquered death on our behalf. The Babe in Bethlehem would be the Teacher, the Healer, the crucified One, the Victor over death.

He would be my personal Savior – and suddenly the “stuff” of Christmas would lose some of its meaning. Living in the light of eternity does that, you know. The temporary things of this world lose their significance when we really know the God of Christmas.

I remember another Christmas Eve when I found myself sitting in traffic, stuck with others who had delayed their shopping until almost too late. While sitting in my car, I smelled a horrendous odor in the distance – so strong, in fact, that the stench worked its way through my closed car windows. What I could not see in the dark was a large garbage dump in the distance. Mounds of garbage piled high, and men working overtime continually dumped even more refuse on those piles.

The whole scene seemed odd, actually. Our cars lined up by the dozens, all of us on our way to buy “stuff” – stuff that would eventually wind up at the top of this same dump. We were spending temporary money to buy temporary stuff that would land on this temporary pile. And, frankly, most of us still do.

Please don’t hear me wrongly, though. I am not arguing against buying Christmas gifts. Christmas is indeed a time of giving. What I’m arguing for is making sure we keep our priorities straight.

Christmas is about God’s giving Himself as the present. It’s about remembering that the everlasting One gave all so we might live eternally with Him. It’s also about building memories with the people God graciously places in our lives. For me, the words of Michael Card beautifully capture these ideas:

“‘When God gives a gift, He wraps it in a person,’ Bill Lane [Card’s mentor] said. The true purpose of giving a gift is that in the giving, we give a part of ourselves. And so it is with God, the greatest of givers. The special people He gifts us with are another way He gives us Himself.”[1]

This Christmas Eve, do give gifts. Even more importantly, though, be a gift to someone else. The “stuff” will all disappear, but the memories of life shared with others will last a lifetime.

Merry Christmas!

[1] Michael Card, The Walk (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2000), Kindle locations 73-75.

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.

Six Reasons Why I Love Church Staff

They go by a plethora of names. Some are youth or student ministers or children’s ministers. Some are administrators or executive pastors. Others are education ministers or small group pastors. Still others are music pastors or worship ministers. You get the picture. They are the men and women who serve vocationally in the local church. They are almost any position other than the lead pastor or senior pastor.

I love these leaders. I love their commitment to the local church. I love their willingness to serve without much recognition. I love so much about them. Allow me to share six reasons why I do.

They respond with joy to multiple “bosses.” Some of these leaders report to pastors. Most of them have areas of oversight with several informal bosses. All of them have to please the entire congregation.
They work without the limelight. These staff persons don’t always get the spotlight for their work. They persist anyway. Theirs is not a ministry for the sake of recognition, but for the work of God.
They do the work that others often don’t want to do. Many times these staff persons receive their tasks from others. Some may have the ability to delegate; others only receive what has been delegated to them.
They are passionate about their ministries. Talk to children’s ministers. Listen to them talk about their love for and devotion toward children. They are remarkable. They are my heroes and heroines. So are all the other church staff persons for their respective areas.
They work on their own initiative.  Many staff persons do not have a neat “rulebook.” They have to create their own world of work and ministry. Others depend on them to provide the structure and guidelines for their areas of ministry.
They are willing to support a vision that may not be their own. The vision of the church usually does not originate with a staff person. It more often comes from the lead pastor. But the staff minister works with that vision that is larger than himself or herself. These ministers learn to adapt and do what is best for the church.

I love church staff. I don’t express my appreciation often enough to these men and women who give and sacrifice so much. Thank you men and women. Thank you for all you do for your churches, and for all of us who serve Christ through our churches.

Pray for Springwater Community Church

Location: Surprise, Arizona

Pastor: Steve Rose

Worship Time: 10:00 AM Mountain Time

Fast Facts: Springwater meets in a local elementary school on Sunday mornings and has built a strong partnership with the school by sponsoring children with athletic scholarships and through monthly ministry to the faculty. They recently started a weekly bible study on Wednesday mornings for any faculty who want to attend before school begins.

Springwater and another young church plant in Surprise are holding a joint Christmas Eve service together in the city park this week. Please pray  they would make connections with people who might be at the park during that time. Also pray for their continued awareness and response to needs in their community. The affluence of the people in this Phoenix suburb live lives of material comfort and, as such, are more hesitant to gospel conversation. Pray the Holy Spirit would open the community’s eyes to their spiritual needs and position Springwater to respond.

Website: SpringwaterCommunity.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.

Fourteen Things You Shouldn’t Say to Your Pastor

The list is meant to be both humorous and serious. And I bet almost every pastor has heard all of these in the course of a ministry. Enjoy. But do not repeat (at least to your pastor).

I wish I had a job like yours, where I would work only one day a week.
What do you do with all the free time you have?
Can I have a couple of minutes before you preach?
I love you pastor, but _______________________________ (fill in the blank).
I like your preaching, pastor, but I really like ____________________________ (fill in the blank with television or podcast preacher).
Can your wife play piano?
Your kids shouldn’t behave that way. After all, they are pastor’s kids.
Your low salary is good for you. It keeps you humble and dependent on the Lord.
I bet you don’t spend any time preparing your sermons.
Pastor ________________ (predecessor pastor) didn’t do it that way.
You don’t have a real degree. You went to seminary.
How much longer do you think you’ll be at our church?
Did I wake you up pastor? It’s only 1:00 am.
Did you hear what they are saying about you?

Do you have any statements or questions to add to this list? How many of you have heard these statements before?

Ministers’ Housing Allowance – Rainer on Leadership #035

Podcast Episode #035

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The recent ruling by U. S. District Judge Barbara Crabb of the Western District of Wisconsin reverberated through churches around the country. When Judge Crabb ruled unconstitutional a provision in the U. S. tax code that allows ministers to declare some or all of their ministerial income as a housing allowance, I heard from pastors all over the country asking “What does this mean?”

I wrote a post the week after the ruling and this week’s podcast episode covers that post as well as some additional material. I would encourage you to share this episode with your pastors and with those who set personnel policies at your church. Times and laws are changing and churches need to be informed about these financial issues as we move forward.

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

Thoughts on the Court Ruling on the Ministers’ Housing Allowance
ERLC
Guidestone

Friday Is for Freebies: Building Momentum and an HCSB Study Bible

This week’s giveaway includes an  HCSB Study Bible and Building Momentum: Leading Your Church to Plan and Build Effective Facilities for Ministry.

An excellent guide for the pastor, church staff, and building team leadership, Building Momentum provides detailed guidance on how to prepare and lead a church through a building project.

Begins from the point that the church recognizes the need for a new building, through the design and construction phases, to the moment the building is occupied.

Written by Gary Nicholson, director of LifeWay Architecture, this 224-page, full-color guide-book not only offers practical instructions for planning and construction but also brings a clear spiritual perspective to each step of the process.

The HCSB Study Bible is a comprehensive, easy to read, and easy to use Bible,  which contains 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 $69.99 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.

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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 – December 19, 2013

How Leaders Go Numb — Sam Rainer

To succeed as a pastor, you have to be connected to the people who are in the church. After all, a good shepherd knows his sheep. Sometimes pastors—intentionally or not—become detached and as a result become numb to what’s happening in the congregation. Sam shares five ways leaders (and pastors) can go numb to what’s happening around them.

 

Dear Burned Out Pastor — Art Rainer

Art recently conducted an informal survey on pastoral burnout at his blog. He followed that up with this post—a letter to a burned out pastor.

 

What To Do When Your Pastor Search Committee Can’t Agree — William Vanderbloemen

Congregations across America call pastors to their churches in a variety of ways. Many times, the responsibility for recommending a pastor to a congregation falls upon a pastor search committee. What happens when that committee can’t agree can often be harmful to the church. Here are 7 helpful tips to avoid the pain of a disagreeing pastor search committee.

 

9 Ways to Pray for Churches and Pastors — Justin Taylor

Taken from a recent 9Marks report, these nine ways to pray for a church and pastor can benefit every church and pastor.

 

Information Overload — Peter Grainger

Are those listening to your sermons struggling to digest them or are you having difficulty delivering them effectively? Maybe there’s just too much information in the sermon.

 

7 Reasons to Preach God-Centered Messages — Darryl Dash

On first glance, it may seem obvious that sermons should be God-centered. But I’ve heard several sermons that weren’t. Darryl provides seven reason why it’s critical your sermons be God-centered.