Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 339

Friday Is for Freebies: I Am a Church Member (Audio CD)

This Friday’s giveaway includes an audio version of my book and a copy of the Mission of God Study Bible.

Several readers have asked for the audiobook for I Am a Church Member, and I’m excited to announce it is now available. I Am a Church Member begins to remedy the outbreak of inactive or barely committed church members, addressing without apology what is expected of those who join a body of believers. When a person’s attitude is consistently biblical and healthy, matters of giving, serving, and so forth will fall into place more naturally.

Also included is the latest HCSB study Bible from B&H, the Mission of God Study Bible. Edited by Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation, the Mission of God Study Bible encourages followers of Jesus Christ to see their everyday life from God’s perspective and have His heart for people. It’s a reminder that we live around people in desperate need of redemption and reconciliation with God, which can only be found in Jesus. The mission of God has never been just for specialists; it is for all believers to live out through their daily lives and by sharing the good news of what God has done through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus.

To be eligible to win, tell us if you’ve ever listened to an audio book. If so, which one was your favorite?

The deadline to enter is midnight CDT this Saturday.  We will draw one winner from the entries on Monday morning.

By entering, you acknowledge and accept the terms of the promotion.

Notable Voices — August 8, 2013

7 Reasons for the Death of Sunday Evening Worship — Jesse Johnson

Sunday evening church services are becoming more and more rare. Jesse examines seven reasons for the trend.

 

Rodney Stark: Membership in Local Churches Is Now at an All-Time High in America — Justin Taylor

Much has been written about the Rise of the Nones and Millennials leaving the church in recent months. However, Baylor sociologist Rodney Stark has released some new research in which he claims that church membership is at an all-time high.

 

Top 10 DNA Markers of Churches with Thriving Small Group Cultures — Mark Howell

Healthy small groups are vital for healthy churches. Mark gives 10 reasons why small groups play such an important role in the makeup of a church.

 

No, You’re Probably Not Smarter Than a 1912-Era 8th Grader — Smithsonian

This eighth grade test from 1912 both displays the practical focus of education in the early 20th century and shows how much less our eighth graders today are expected to learn.

 

A Note to Our Tribe: Battling Cancer — Margaret Feinberg

Please join me in praying for Margaret Feinberg as she announced this week that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Ten Things Pastors Like Least about Their Jobs

Let me state the obvious: Pastors are humans. That means they have preferences, likes, and dislikes. So I did an unscientific Twitter poll to find out what pastors really don’t like about their jobs. By the way, one pastor cautioned me about calling their ministries “jobs.” I understand, but it’s hard to fit “God-called vocation and ministry” into a 140-character Twitter question.

I was surprised at the variety of responses. Pastors are certainly not monolithic. No one response was greater than 20 percent of the total. And I was surprised at some potential responses that did not show up. For example, as an introverted pastor, I liked counseling the least of all the work I did. But no pastors mentioned counseling as a least-liked aspect of their jobs.

Here are the top ten responses. They are listed in order of frequency of response.

Conflict and complaining church members. No surprise on this one. These issues are a way of life for most pastors.
Family challenges. Most of these responses were related to a desire to cut back on some church responsibilities to spend more time with family. Some pastors expressed concern about protecting family members from the issues of number one above.
Busy work. None of the pastors thought this work was beneath them. They simply did not enjoy paperwork, janitorial work, and maintenance work that took away from their primary ministries. This issue was more common with pastors of smaller churches.
Members whose priorities are their own comfort and preferences. “They like their comfort, but not their commitment,” one pastor wrote.
Expectations to be present at all church functions and many social functions. One pastor indicated he could be cloned two times and still would not have enough capacity to meet all of the members’ expectations.
Non-productive meetings. I feel their pain. 
Expectation to be on call 24/7. Many pastors indicated that they don’t feel the benefit of a day off or a vacation because they have to respond to any interruption requested by a church member.
Confronting people who are sinning. “It’s biblical,” one pastor said, “but it sure doesn’t end well.”
Problems with staff members. As you would expect, this issue was more common for pastors of larger churches that actually have multiple full-time staff members.
Members who aren’t passionate about evangelism/reaching the community. There is obvious overlap between this response and the response noted in number four.

What do you think about this top ten? What would you add?

8 Ways to Become a Great Commission Christian

By Chuck Lawless

I admit the topic of this blogpost might not quickly grab your attention – but I challenge you to keep reading. The world needs us to have this discussion. In fact, our basic Christian obedience is at stake if we ignore this topic.

Five times in the New Testament, Jesus gave us a version of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:45-47, John 20:21, Acts 1:8). Reaching the nations is clearly on God’s heart. For too many churches, though, a global focus is little more than an occasional study or an annual offering. 1.7 billion people in the world still have little access to the gospel, while most American Christians have more Bibles in our home than human beings. Somehow, we must refocus on winning the people groups of the world.

To help you and your church move in that direction, here are some ways to begin to think globally. Expand your vision, and perhaps your burden for the nations will increase.

Listen to (or read) the news with Great Commission ears and eyes. Most of us hear the news as events, but we should hear newsworthy happenings as calls to prayer. People who have never heard of Christ die every day due to war and famine. Governments are in turmoil. Natural disasters destroy homes and lives. If we pray as we hear the needs, God will grab our heart for the nations. Indeed, it is possible in some cases we might be the only person who has ever prayed for some people around the globe.
Talk to your kids about their classmates. Most public classrooms in North America include students from different ethnic or religious backgrounds. Use this opportunity to introduce your children to different cultures, languages, and beliefs. Invite your children’s friends to your home. Teach your kids to appreciate and respect others even as we believers seek to lead others to the gospel truth.
Put a map on a wall in your home. Frankly, North Americans are geographically ignorant. And, it’s easy to ignore the spiritual needs of the world when people are only anonymous folks living in a nation we cannot name. You might find yourself more interested in the nations – and praying more for them – when a map is always before you and your family. Start by praying for a different country or people group when your family says grace each night.
Meet a missionary. It might take some work to connect with a missionary on stateside assignment, but it’s worth the effort. Your pastor or a church staff member can likely help you. I wish I could introduce you to folks like S, who served in southeast Asia during a time of war; C, who is using sports evangelism to reach Muslims; and S, who is backpacking through the jungles of South America to reach distant tribes. Every one of these missionaries would love to tell you his story.
Visit ethnic restaurants in your community. Instead of choosing restaurants based on your tastes, visit restaurants just to learn about other cultures and food. Ask to meet the owners, and introduce them to your kids. Talk to servers who’ve been raised in other countries. Even if you don’t like the food, you’ll probably like the people – and thus pray more for them, their family, and their country of origin. Pray specifically for opportunities to invite your new friends to church.
Invite international students to your home. If there is a university near your home, I suspect you’ll find international students there. Many of those students will never be invited to visit an American home, and some will spend holidays alone on their campus. Opening your home will not only invite fellowship and learning, but it will also open the door to sharing your faith.
Learn another language (or at least encourage your children to do so). In a world that is increasingly global, Americans are notoriously monolingual. Broaden your horizons by learning a second language, even if the learning is slow. It’s difficult to learn another language without also learning something about the people who speak that language.
Read missionary biographies. Depending on the missionary and the setting, these life stories can have much to offer. Travel. Adventure. Animals. Strange foods. Sickness. New vocabulary. Danger. Miracles. Answered prayers. Changed lives. Sacrifice. You might even discover some new heroes among these missionaries.

Give us your ideas now. How have you learned to be a global Great Commission Christian?

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.

Evangelism and the Wrath of God

I observed with keen interest this past week the multiple voices responding to the rejection of the hymn written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, “In Christ Alone.” I read about it first from my friend, Timothy George, who explained the issue clearly and succinctly:

Recently, the wrath of God became a point of controversy in the decision of the Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song to exclude from its new hymnal the much-loved song “In Christ Alone” by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. The Committee wanted to include this song because it is being sung in many churches, Presbyterian and otherwise, but they could not abide this line from the third stanza: “Till on that cross as Jesus died/the wrath of God was satisfied.” For this they wanted to substitute: “ . . . as Jesus died/the love of God was magnified.” The authors of the hymn insisted on the original wording, and the Committee voted nine to six that “In Christ Alone” would not be among the eight hundred or so items in their new hymnal.

The Controversy Grows

So I watched the controversy grow. As a student of the local church, I was fascinated to see how far left the Presbyterian Church (USA) had moved as it banned one of the top hymns of the era from their hymnal.

I was also intrigued by the controversy because I consider Keith and Kristyn Getty to be friends. Keith, of course, is the co-composer of the hymn. And his wife Kristyn has sung the hymn countless times before audiences around the world. They are a wonderful and godly couple that only desire to bring glory to God through their music.

The Russell Moore/Washington Post Article

But it was an article by Russell Moore in the Washington Post that framed the issue for me in a powerful way. Here are his words:

As an evangelical, I would argue that it’s necessary to sing about the wrath of God, because we are singing not just from and to our minds, but to and from our consciences. There’s a reason why evangelical congregations reach a kind of crescendo when they sing out that line in the Gettys’ song. It’s not because, per the caricature, we see ourselves as a “moral majority” affirming our righteousness over and against the “sinners” on the other side of the culture war.

Instead, it’s just the reverse. When Christians sing about the wrath of God, we are singing about ourselves. Our consciences point us to the truth that, left to ourselves, we are undone. We’re not smarter or more moral than anyone else. And God would be just to turn us over to the path we would want to go — a path that leads to death. It is only because Jesus lived a life for us, and underwent the curse we deserve, that we stand before God. The grace of God we sing about is amazing precisely because God is just, and won’t, like a renegade judge, simply overlook evil.”

Wow. Those words hit me like a metaphorical two by four. I can spend time bemoaning the travesty of the hymn’s omission, or I can look at the plank in my own eye. Too often I say I believe a central tenet of the Christian faith, like the wrath of God, but I don’t demonstrate either its meaning or its application in my own life.

Mercy Compels Me to Go and Tell

You see, if I truly grasped fully the meaning of God’s wrath, I would live like a recipient of God’s mercy every moment. Once again, Russell Moore articulates the issue well:

The Gospel is good news for Christians because it tells us of a God of both love and justice. The wrath of God doesn’t cause us to cower, or to judge our neighbors. It ought to prompt us to see ourselves as recipients of mercy, and as those who will one day give an account. If that’s true, let’s sing it.

Moore is exactly right. We ought to sing of God’s mercy. We ought to grasp the grace that has been given to us. Mercy and grace we don’t deserve.

But beyond singing about it, we ought to tell others about it. If truly understand what I deserve—wrath—and what I have been given—mercy—I should be telling everyone about that good news. I should be so overwhelmed by God’s act of mercy and grace in my life that I cannot help but tell others about it.

Perhaps our evangelistic efforts are anemic because we evangelicals have become functional liberals. We cognitively accept such tenets as the wrath of God, but that belief does not become a functional reality in our lives and in our sharing of the Gospel. If I truly grasp the wrath of God and the undeserved mercy I have received, I should not be able to shut up telling others about my Savior Jesus.

For we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20).

May it be so in my life Lord. And forgive me when it’s not.

Pray for Valley View Baptist Church

Location: Imperial, Missouri

Pastor: John Daly

Worship Times: 10:30 AM (Central Time)

Fast Facts: At Valley View Baptist Church, their message is simple. “We live by His Grace and for His Glory. We desire to honor God, love people, and to sacrificially serve one another.”

Their focus is to equip the church membership to reach the lost in their community. Please pray as they seek to develop true disciples of Christ. Pray for their follow-up efforts from July’s Vacation Bible School week.

Website: www.valleyviewbaptiststl.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.

2013 Update: Largest Churches in the Southern Baptist Convention

Each year, I provide the list of the largest churches in my own denomination, well aware that the readership of this blog extends beyond the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). I provide the list for interest, not to make any qualitative comments or assessments about these churches or their size.

I chose 1,000 in average worship attendance as the cut off for large churches. One could easily argue that a cut off of 500 in attendance would still yield relatively large churches.

Before you peruse the list, note the following items related to this compilation:

Most of the churches’ data is current. In some of the churches, however, the most recent data came from previous years.
All the data is self-reported by the church.
If you believe a church should be on the list but it is not, the most likely explanation is that the church failed to report or chose not to report data.

By the way, the SBC has 46,000 churches, and 595 made this list. So approximately 1.3% of the churches have an attendance of 1,000 or greater.

RANK
CHURCH — CITY, STATE
WEEKLY WORSHIP ATTENDANCE


1
Second Baptist Church — Houston, TX
25,892


2
Woodlands Church — The Woodlands, TX
18,524


3
Saddleback Valley Community Church — Lake Forest, CA
18,000


4
Fellowship Church, Grapevine — Grapevine, TX
17,418


5
NewSpring Community Church — Anderson, SC
17,367


6
Prestonwood Baptist Church — Plano, TX
15,318


7
Thomas Road Baptist Church — Lynchburg, VA
13,500


8
Potential Church — Fort Lauderdale, FL
12,300


9
The Village Church — Flower Mound, TX
10,500


10
Higher Dimension Church — Houston, TX
9,000


10
The Fountain of Praise — Houston, TX
9,000


12
Lake Pointe Church — Rockwall, TX
8,811


13
Cross Church — Springdale, AR
8,029


14
Sagebrush Community Church — Albuquerque, NM
7,906


15
Pinelake Church — Brandon, MS
7,734


16
Bay Area Fellowship — Corpus Christi, TX
7,600


17
Christ Fellowship Baptist Church, Inc — Palmetto Bay, FL
7,367


18
Shepherd of the Hills — Porter Ranch, CA
7,280


19
Shadow Mountain Community Church — El Cajon, CA
7,220


20
Voices of Faith Ministries — Stone Mountain, GA
6,800


21
Bellevue Baptist Church — Cordova, TN
6,564


22
Long Hollow Baptist Church — Hendersonville, TN
6,453


23
Elizabeth Baptist Church — Atlanta, GA
6,401


24
First Baptist of Woodstock — Woodstock, GA
6,110


25
Hope Community Church — Raleigh, NC
6,060


26
Idlewild Baptist Church — Lutz, FL
6,012


27
Church by the Glades — Coral Springs, FL
5,954


28
The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin — Austin, TX
5,805


29
Brentwood Baptist Church — Brentwood, TN
5,581


30
Fallbrook Baptist Church — Houston, TX
5,500


31
The Summit Church-Homestead Heights — Durham, NC
5,465


32
First Baptist Church of Orlando — Orlando, FL
5,400


33
Houston’s First Baptist Church — Houston, TX
5,160


34
Biltmore — Arden, NC
5,008


35
First Baptist of Atlanta — Atlanta, GA
4,956


36
Hillvue Heights — Bowling Green, KY
4,903


37
Franklin Avenue Baptist Church — New Orleans, LA
4,760


38
Green Acres Baptist Church — Tyler, TX
4,748


39
West Ridge Church — Dallas, GA
4,651


40
The Crossing Church — Tampa, FL
4,613


41
Cascade Hills Baptist Church — Columbus, GA
4,581


42
Champion Forest Baptist Church — Houston, TX
4,380


43
Sandals Church — Riverside, CA
4,300


44
Johnson Ferry Baptist Church — Marietta, GA
4,296


45
Clear Creek Community Church — League City, TX
4,283


46
First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida, Inc — Jacksonville, FL
4,280


47
Greater Cornerstone Baptist Church — Dallas, TX
4,250


48
Faith Promise Church — Knoxville, TN
4,200


48
Sharon Baptist Church — Philadelphia, PA
4,200


50
Hickory Grove — Charlotte, NC
4,163


51
Sagemont Church, Houston — Houston, TX
4,063


52
Brentwood Baptist Church — Houston, TX
4,000


52
The Church at Brook Hills — Birmingham, AL
4,000


54
Liberty Baptist Church — Hampton, VA
3,956


55
Celebration Church (SBC) — Metairie, LA
3,934


56
Gardendale First Baptist Church — Gardendale, AL
3,750


57
Brookwood Community Church — Simpsonville, SC
3,700


58
Hebron Baptist Church — Dacula, GA
3,559


59
First Baptist Church of Naples — Naples, FL
3,554


60
Sevier Heights Baptist Church — Knoxville, TN
3,536


61
Riverbend Baptist Church — Austin, TX
3,500


61
The Church at Rock Creek — Little Rock, AR
3,500


63
Valley Baptist Church — Bakersfield, CA
3,486


64
Sugar Creek Baptist Church — Sugar Land, TX
3,444


65
First Baptist Church — Pasadena, TX
3,400


65
Southwest Community Baptist Church — Houston, TX
3,400


67
Calvary — Winston Salem, NC
3,397


68
Virginia Highlands Christian Fellowship — Abingdon, VA
3,337


69
The Church At BattleCreek — Tulsa, OK
3,311


70
Spartanburg First Baptist Church — Spartanburg, SC
3,200


71
Beltway Park Baptist Church — Abilene, TX
3,135


72
Hunter Street Baptist Church — Hoover, AL
3,122


73
Mud Creek — Hendersonville, NC
3,120


74
Bear Creek Baptist Church — Katy, TX
3,098


75
McGregor Baptist Church — Fort Myers, FL
3,061


76
Highview — Louisville, KY
3,044


77
Silverlake Church — Pearland, TX
3,017


78
Olive Baptist Church — Pensacola, FL
3,007


79
First Baptist Church — Dallas, TX
3,002


80
Central Baptist Church, Bryan, Texas — Bryan, TX
3,000


80
Community of Faith — Sugar Land, TX
3,000


80
The Church at the Springs — Ocala, FL
3,000


83
First Baptist Church at the Mall — Lakeland, FL
2,987


84
Bell Shoals Baptist Church — Brandon, FL
2,985


85
Abundant Life Baptist Church — Lees Summit, MO
2,984


86
Kingsland Baptist Church — Katy, TX
2,924


87
The People’s Church — Franklin, TN
2,901


88
Waters Edge Church — Yorktown, VA
2,888


89
Willowbrook Baptist Church — Huntsville, AL
2,884


90
First Baptist Church of Brandon — Brandon, FL
2,875


91
The Heights Baptist Church — Richardson, TX
2,866


92
Dawson Memorial Baptist Church — Birmingham, AL
2,850


93
Cleveland First Baptist Church — Cleveland, TN
2,838


94
Blackshear Place Baptist Church — Flowery Branch, GA
2,815


94
Oakwood Baptist Church — New Braunfels, TX
2,815


96
Grace Baptist Church — Knoxville, TN
2,785


97
Pleasant Valley Baptist Church — Liberty, MO
2,782


98
Cleveland Community Church — Clayton, NC
2,770


99
Central Baptist Church — Jonesboro, AR
2,749


100
Hendersonville First Baptist Church — Hendersonville, TN
2,746


101
Indian Rocks First Baptist Church — Largo, FL
2,744


102
LifePoint Church — Smyrna, TN
2,716


103
Rock Bridge Community Church — Dalton, GA
2,697


104
Calvary Baptist Church — Clearwater, FL
2,696


105
Metropolitan Baptist Church — Houston, TX
2,659


106
First Baptist Church — West Monroe, LA
2,621


107
New Vision Baptist Church — Murfreesboro, TN
2,618


108
Henderson Hills Baptist Church — Edmond, OK
2,600


109
Concord First Baptist Church — Knoxville, TN
2,581


110
First Baptist Church Indian Trail — Indian Trail, NC
2,526


111
First Baptist Church, Euless — Euless, TX
2,519


112
First Baptist Church of Arnold — Arnold, MO
2,510


113
Sojourn — Louisville, KY
2,508


114
Apex Community Church — Kettering, OH
2,500


114
Greenforest Community Baptist Church — Decatur, GA
2,500


114
New Faith Church of Houston — Houston, TX
2,500


114
Praise Temple Baptist Church — Shreveport, LA
2,500


114
Rock Springs Baptist Church — Easley, SC
2,500


114
Russian Baptist Church — West Sacramento, CA
2,500


120
Opelika First — Opelika, AL
2,491


121
Englewood Baptist Church — Jackson, TN
2,481


122
Crossroads Church — Newnan, GA
2,467


123
Cornerstone Church of Ames — Ames, IA
2,426


124
Lenexa Baptist Church, Inc — Lenexa, KS
2,421


125
Grace Community Church — Clarksville, TN
2,400


125
Providence Baptist Church — Raleigh, NC
2,400


127
First Baptist Church — Mckinney, TX
2,391


128
First Baptist Church of Oviedo — Oviedo, FL
2,382


129
Immanuel Baptist Church — Highland, CA
2,379


130
Fielder Road Baptist Church — Arlington, TX
2,377


131
Park Cities Baptist Church — Dallas, TX
2,375


132
Shadow Hills Baptist Church — Las Vegas, NV
2,358


133
First Baptist Church BA — Broken Arrow, OK
2,350


134
First Baptist Church of Mandarin — Jacksonville, FL
2,342


135
Shades Mountain Baptist Church — Vestavia Hills, AL
2,323


136
Burnt Hickory Baptist Church — Powder Springs, GA
2,319


137
Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church — McDonough, GA
2,315


138
Mobberly Baptist Church — Longview, TX
2,313


139
The Journey Fellowship, Inc. — Saint Louis, MO
2,300


140
First Baptist Church — Arlington, TX
2,294


141
Shandon Baptist Church — Columbia, SC
2,290


142
Glenview Baptist Church — Fort Worth, TX
2,280


143
Bethlehem — Gastonia, NC
2,277


144
Colonial Heights Baptist Church — Colonial Heights, VA
2,269


145
Valley View — Louisville, KY
2,267


146
Second Baptist Church — Springfield, MO
2,247


147
New Vision Church of Northern California — Milpitas, CA
2,233


148
Broadmoor Baptist Church — Madison, MS
2,232


149
Geyer Springs First Baptist Church — Little Rock, AR
2,230


150
Bay Life Church — Brandon, FL
2,227


151
First Baptist Church of Hattiesburg, Inc. — Hattiesburg, MS
2,201


152
Great Commission Baptist Church — Fort Worth, TX
2,200


152
LifePoint Church — Tampa, FL
2,200


152
Mosaic LA — Los Angeles, CA
2,200


152
North Spartanburg First Baptist Church — Spartanburg, SC
2,200


152
Silverdale Baptist Church — Chattanooga, TN
2,200


157
East Bayou Baptist Church — Lafayette, LA
2,176


158
Woodcrest Chapel — Columbia, MO
2,171


159
First Baptist Church — Wichita Falls, TX
2,156


160
Second Baptist Church – North — Kingwood, TX
2,150


161
East Cooper Baptist Church — Mt Pleasant, SC
2,141


162
First Baptist Church Norfolk — Norfolk, VA
2,131


163
Alamo City Christian Fellowship Church — San Antonio, TX
2,125


164
First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Inc. — Jacksonville, NC
2,109


165
First Baptist Church — Amarillo, TX
2,100


165
First Baptist Church Woodway — Waco, TX
2,100


165
Fort Lauderdale First Baptist Church — Fort Lauderdale, FL
2,100


168
Summit Church — Estero, FL
2,074


169
First Baptist Church — Forney, TX
2,050


170
First Baptist Church of Simpsonville — Simpsonville, SC
2,043


171
Calvary Baptist Church — Beaumont, TX
2,033


172
Westbrook Baptist Church of Hutchinson Kansas — Hutchinson, KS
2,032


173
Thompson Station Baptist Church — Thompson Station, TN
2,031


174
Skyland — Kannapolis, NC
2,006


175
Baptist Temple — Mcallen, TX
2,000


175
East Brent Baptist Church — Pensacola, FL
2,000


175
First Baptist Church — Bossier City, LA
2,000


175
First Baptist Church — Wylie, TX
2,000


175
First Baptist Church Jackson — Jackson, MS
2,000


175
First Baptist of Jonesboro — Jonesboro, GA
2,000


175
Iglesia Bautista De Glenview — Ponce, PR
2,000


175
Irvine Baptist Church — Irvine, CA
2,000


175
Riverland Hills Baptist Church — Irmo, SC
2,000


175
Sixth Avenue Baptist Church — Birmingham, AL
2,000


175
Spotswood Baptist Church — Fredericksburg, VA
2,000


175
Sunnyvale First Baptist Church — Sunnyvale, TX
2,000


187
The Fort Bend Church — Sugar Land, TX
1,993


188
NorthPointe Community Church — Fresno, CA
1,992


189
Chets Creek Church — Jacksonville, FL
1,969


190
Northwood Church — Keller, TX
1,963


191
Cuyahoga Valley  Church — Broadview Heights, OH
1,961


192
Ridgecrest Baptist Church — Springfield, MO
1,960


193
Warren Baptist Church — Augusta, GA
1,956


194
Marathon Church — Piedmont, SC
1,952


195
Temple — New Bern, NC
1,949


195
Westside Church — Omaha, NE
1,949


197
Sevierville First Baptist Church — Sevierville, TN
1,948


198
Living Hope — Bowling Green, KY
1,947


199
Midway Macedonia Baptist Church — Villa Rica, GA
1,943


200
Crossgates Baptist Church — Brandon, MS
1,940


201
Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church — Allen, TX
1,933


202
Ingleside Baptist Church — Macon, GA
1,901


203
Hillcrest Baptist Church — Pensacola, FL
1,900


204
First Baptist of Montgomery — Montgomery, AL
1,892


205
Tallowood Baptist Church — Houston, TX
1,887


206
Forest Park Baptist Church — Joplin, MO
1,884


207
CrossPointe Church — Valdosta, GA
1,878


208
Taylors First Baptist Church — Taylors, SC
1,874


209
Sherwood Baptist Church — Albany, GA
1,867


210
Oasis Church of South Florida, Inc — Pembroke Pines, FL
1,860


211
First Baptist Church — Covington, LA
1,854


212
Casas Adobes Baptist Church — Tucson, AZ
1,852


213
Berendo Street Baptist Church — Los Angeles, CA
1,850


213
First Baptist Church of Rockwall — Rockwall, TX
1,850


213
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church — Herndon, VA
1,850


216
Cedar Creek Baptist Church — Aiken, SC
1,844


217
Hyde Park Baptist Church — Austin, TX
1,842


218
Faith Baptist Church — Bartlett, TN
1,835


218
Mountain Lake Community Church — Cumming, GA
1,835


220
Panama City First Baptist Church — Panama City, FL
1,828


221
First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach — West Palm Beach, FL
1,826


222
St Stephen — Louisville, KY
1,825


223
Humble Area’s First Baptist Church — Humble, TX
1,805


224
Brainerd Baptist Church — Chattanooga, TN
1,804


225
Nations Ford Community Church — Charlotte, NC
1,800


225
Northstar Church — Kennesaw, GA
1,800


227
Broadmoor Baptist Church — Shreveport, LA
1,775


227
Dallas Bay Baptist Church — Hixson, TN
1,775


229
Johenning Temple of Praise — Washington, DC
1,763


230
Church On the Eastern Shore — Fairhope, AL
1,760


231
Columbia First Baptist Church — Columbia, SC
1,750


232
Central Baptist Church — Hixson, TN
1,749


232
New Hope Baptist Church — Fayetteville, GA
1,749


234
Brand New Church — Harrison, AR
1,714


235
Istrouma Baptist Church — Baton Rouge, LA
1,712


236
Twin Cities Community Church — Grass Valley, CA
1,705


237
Immanuel Baptist Church — Shawnee, OK
1,700


237
Mt Calvary Baptist Church — Fairfield, CA
1,700


237
North Jacksonville Baptist Church — Jacksonville, FL
1,700


240
Galilee Baptist Church — Suitland, MD
1,694


241
Mandarin Baptist Church of Los Angeles — Alhambra, CA
1,693


242
Fellowship of the Parks — Keller, TX
1,686


243
Rogers First Baptist Church — Rogers, AR
1,683


244
North Monroe Baptist Church — Monroe, LA
1,680


245
Global Mission Church of Greater Washington — Silver Spring, MD
1,673


246
SouthCrest Baptist Church — Newnan, GA
1,667


247
O’Fallon First — O””Fallon, IL
1,661


248
Mount Ararat — Stafford, VA
1,658


249
Cornerstone Peaceful Bible Baptist Church — Upper Marlboro, MD
1,650


249
Tuscaloosa First — Tuscaloosa, AL
1,650


251
First Baptist Church — Carrollton, TX
1,648


252
First Baptist Church Snellville — Snellville, GA
1,646


252
Hope Baptist Church — Las Vegas, NV
1,646


254
Ridgecrest — Dothan, AL
1,643


255
The Avenue Church — Waxahachie, TX
1,638


256
Quail Springs Baptist Church — Oklahoma City, OK
1,630


257
Calvary Baptist Church — Alexandria, LA
1,625


258
Whitesburg Baptist Church — Huntsville, AL
1,615


259
Trinity Baptist Church — Lake Charles, LA
1,614


260
Cross Pointe — Duluth, GA
1,604


261
Greater Exodus Baptist Church — Philadelphia, PA
1,600


261
Heartland — Paducah, KY
1,600


261
North Phoenix Baptist Church — Phoenix, AZ
1,600


261
Oakwood Baptist Church — Chickamauga, GA
1,600


261
Stonegate Fellowship Church — Midland, TX
1,600


266
Cowboy Church of Ellis County — Waxahachie, TX
1,592


267
North Richland Hills Baptist Church — North Richland Hills, TX
1,581


267
Southcrest Baptist Church — Lubbock, TX
1,581


269
Jacob’s Well — Eau Claire, WI
1,570


270
First Baptist Church — Raytown, MO
1,566


271
Colonial Hills Baptist Church — Southaven, MS
1,563


272
First Chinese Baptist Church — Los Angeles, CA
1,560


273
Jersey Baptist Church — Pataskala, OH
1,557


274
PaulAnn Baptist Church — San Angelo, TX
1,544


275
Lee Park Baptist Church — Monroe, NC
1,541


276
River Oak Church — Chesapeake, VA
1,528


277
First Baptist Church — Denton, TX
1,524


278
Clarksville First Baptist Church — Clarksville, TN
1,518


279
Anastasia Baptist Church — St. Augustine, FL
1,510


280
First Redeemer Church — Cumming, GA
1,507


281
First Baptist Church of Middleburg — Middleburg, FL
1,504


282
Bannockburn Baptist Church — Austin, TX
1,500


282
Crossword Christian Fellowship — Riverside, CA
1,500


282
Family Church Inc. — Pine Bluff, AR
1,500


282
First Baptist Church — Garland, TX
1,500


282
Grace Point Church — San Antonio, TX
1,500


282
La Familia de Dios — Ontario, CA
1,500


282
New Life Community — E Saint Louis, IL
1,500


282
Redeemer Fellowship — Kansas City, MO
1,500


282
Rockpointe Church — Flower Mound, TX
1,500


282
Southern Hills Baptist Church — Oklahoma City, OK
1,500


282
Zion Baptist Church — Marietta, GA
1,500


293
Richland Creek Community — Wake Forest, NC
1,492


294
Kirby Woods Baptist Church — Memphis, TN
1,490


295
True North Church — North Augusta, SC
1,486


296
Seoul Baptist Church of Houston — Houston, TX
1,478


297
Foothills Community Church — Seneca, SC
1,474


297
Powell First Baptist Church — Powell, TN
1,474


299
Millington First Baptist Church — Millington, TN
1,473


300
First Baptist Church Tulsa — Tulsa, OK
1,456


301
North Metro First Baptist Church — Lawrenceville, GA
1,454


302
First Baptist Church — San Antonio, TX
1,450


302
First Baptist Church of Harvester — Saint Charles, MO
1,450


304
First Baptist Church — Moore, OK
1,449


305
Lakewood Baptist Church — Gainesville, GA
1,447


306
Temple Baptist Church — Hattiesburg, MS
1,444


307
Woodland Community Church — Bradenton, FL
1,442


308
Hendersonville First — Hendersonville, NC
1,434


309
First Baptist Church Windermere — Windermere, FL
1,433


310
Maryville First — Maryville, IL
1,425


311
Grand Avenue Baptist Church — Fort Smith, AR
1,422


312
Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville — Brownsville, TX
1,420


313
First Baptist Church — Texarkana, TX
1,412


314
Boiling Springs First Baptist Church — Boiling Springs, SC
1,410


315
Fellowship of The Rockies — Pueblo, CO
1,404


316
121 Community Church — Grapevine, TX
1,400


316
Benton First Baptist Church — Benton, AR
1,400


316
Canaan Christian — Louisville, KY
1,400


316
Community Life Church — Forney, TX
1,400


316
Concord Missionary Baptist Church — Dallas, TX
1,400


316
Cornerstone Community Church — Orangeburg, SC
1,400


316
Fairview Baptist Church — Corryton, TN
1,400


316
First Baptist Church of Plant City — Plant City, FL
1,400


316
First St. John Missionary Baptist — Fort Worth, TX
1,400


316
Greater St Matthew Baptist Church — Houston, TX
1,400


316
Grove Level Baptist Church — Maysville, GA
1,400


316
Keystone Community Fellowship — North Wales, PA
1,400


316
Newchurch — Oklahoma City, OK
1,400


316
Valley Creek Baptist Church — Flower Mound, TX
1,400


330
Genoa Baptist Church — Westerville, OH
1,398


331
Clovis Hills Community Church — Clovis, CA
1,388


331
Collierville First Baptist Church — Collierville, TN
1,388


333
Lawndale — Greensboro, NC
1,382


334
Bay Leaf Baptist Church — Raleigh, NC
1,377


334
Lifepoint Church — Fredericksburg, VA
1,377


336
Graceland Baptist Church — New Albany, IN
1,375


336
St Stephen Baptist Church — Houston, TX
1,375


338
Fort Smith First Baptist Church — Fort Smith, AR
1,367


339
First Baptist Church of Kissimmee — Kissimmee, FL
1,364


340
First Baptist Church of Central Florida — Orlando, FL
1,362


341
Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church — Houston, TX
1,355


342
Second Baptist Church — Warner Robins, GA
1,353


343
Sarasota Baptist Church — Sarasota, FL
1,351


344
Council Road Baptist Church — Bethany, OK
1,350


344
Resurrection Baptist Church — Schertz, TX
1,350


346
Longview Heights Baptist Church — Olive Branch, MS
1,347


347
Alice Drive Baptist Church — Sumter, SC
1,345


347
Paramount Baptist Church — Amarillo, TX
1,345


349
Fellowship Community Church — Salem, VA
1,343


349
Roswell Street Baptist Church — Marietta, GA
1,343


351
Bon Air Baptist Church — Richmond, VA
1,339


352
Spring Baptist Church — Spring, TX
1,331


353
ClearView Baptist Church — Franklin, TN
1,330


354
First Baptist of Conyers — Conyers, GA
1,325


354
Hopeful Baptist Church — Lake City, FL
1,325


356
Hyland Heights Baptist – Lynchburg — Lynchburg, VA
1,314


357
Severns Valley — Elizabethtown, KY
1,311


358
Germantown Baptist Church — Germantown, TN
1,310


358
Grace Church — Des Moines, IA
1,310


358
Immanuel Baptist Church — Little Rock, AR
1,310


358
Lexington Baptist Church — Lexington, SC
1,310


362
Crosspoint, Southern Baptist Church — Trussville, AL
1,309


362
Del Sol Church — El Paso, TX
1,309


364
Scotts Hill — Wilmington, NC
1,306


365
Stevens Street Baptist Church — Cookeville, TN
1,304


366
Lone Oak First — Paducah, KY
1,301


367
Bayside Baptist Church — Harrison, TN
1,300


367
Bentonville First Baptist Church — Bentonville, AR
1,300


367
Daybreak Community Church — Carlsbad, CA
1,300


367
First Baptist Church — Hurst, TX
1,300


367
First Baptist of Gainesville — Gainesville, GA
1,300


367
First Keller — Keller, TX
1,300


367
First Southern Baptist Church — Oklahoma City, OK
1,300


367
Hibernia Baptist Church — Fleming Island, FL
1,300


367
Higher Ground Baptist Church — Kingsport, TN
1,300


367
Hill Crest — Anniston, AL
1,300


367
Hopewell Baptist Church — Gainesville, GA
1,300


367
Johns Creek Baptist Church — Alpharetta, GA
1,300


367
Morristown First Baptist Church — Morristown, TN
1,300


367
Oak Ridge Baptist Church — Salisbury, MD
1,300


381
First Baptist Church Woodbridge, Incorporated — Woodbridge, VA
1,299


382
First Baptist Church — Lubbock, TX
1,298


383
First Baptist Church — Roanoke, VA
1,296


383
Westwood Baptist Church — Alabaster, AL
1,296


385
Bellevue — Owensboro, KY
1,295


386
Centennial Community Church — Littleton, CO
1,291


387
North Asheville Baptist Church — Asheville, NC
1,286


388
Emmanuel Baptist Church — Enid, OK
1,284


389
Hiland Park Baptist Church — Panama City, FL
1,283


389
Jersey Village Baptist Church — Houston, TX
1,283


391
First Baptist Church — Universal Cty, TX
1,281


391
Hilldale Baptist Church — Clarksville, TN
1,281


393
New River Community Church — Lake Wylie, SC
1,278


394
Avalon Church — McDonough, GA
1,275


395
FishHawk Fellowship — Lithia, FL
1,269


396
Metro — Edwardsville, IL
1,268


397
Parkwood Baptist Church — Gastonia, NC
1,267


398
Grace Fellowship Church — Paradise, TX
1,262


399
Lakeview — Auburn, AL
1,260


400
Aloma Church Ministries, Inc. — Winter Park, FL
1,255


401
Fruit Cove Baptist Church — Jacksonville, FL
1,252


402
Peace Baptist Church — Decatur, GA
1,251


403
Dothan First — Dothan, AL
1,250


403
First Baptist Church of Allen, Texas — Allen, TX
1,250


403
Powhatan Community Church — Powhatan, VA
1,250


403
Skyway Church of The West Valley — Goodyear, AZ
1,250


407
Westside Baptist Church — Jacksonville, FL
1,248


408
First Missionary Baptist Church — Ardmore, OK
1,246


409
First Baptist Church — Georgetown, TX
1,245


410
Journey Church — Evans, GA
1,244


411
Prattville First Baptist Church — Prattville, AL
1,243


412
Watkinsville First Baptist Church — Watkinsville, GA
1,233


413
The Fellowship at Two Rivers — Nashville, TN
1,231


414
First Baptist Church of Merritt Island — Merritt Island, FL
1,230


415
Calvary — Tuscaloosa, AL
1,228


416
Dogwood Church — Peachtree City, GA
1,223


417
The Glade Church — Gladeville, TN
1,218


418
Birchman Baptist Church, Fort Worth — Fort Worth, TX
1,215


419
First Baptist Church — Midlothian, TX
1,212


419
Golden Acres  Baptist  Church — Phenix City, AL
1,212


421
Terrace Church at Six Mile — Tampa, FL
1,211


422
Englewood — Rocky Mount, NC
1,208


423
Stuart Heights Baptist Church — Hixson, TN
1,204


424
Cedar Street Baptist Church of God — Richmond, VA
1,200


424
Daystar Church — Greensboro, NC
1,200


424
Emmanuel Haitian Baptist Church — Miami, FL
1,200


424
Faith Baptist Church — Youngsville, NC
1,200


424
First Baptist Church — Richardson, TX
1,200


424
First Baptist Church, Summit — Summit, MS
1,200


424
First Baptist of Douglasville — Douglasville, GA
1,200


424
Fraternity Haitian Baptist Church — Miami, FL
1,200


424
Hope Ministries Ocala — Ocala, FL
1,200


424
North Oxford Baptist Church — Oxford, MS
1,200


424
Northeast Houston Baptist Church, Humble — Humble, TX
1,200


424
Russell Missionary Baptist Church — Green Cove Springs, FL
1,200


424
Tacoma First Baptist Church — Tacoma, WA
1,200


424
Travis Avenue Baptist Church — Fort Worth, TX
1,200


424
Woodland Park Baptist Church — Chattanooga, TN
1,200


439
Westside Baptist Church — Gainesville, FL
1,195


440
First Baptist Church — Lewisville, TX
1,191


441
Northcliffe Baptist Church — Spring Hill, FL
1,189


442
Northside Baptist Church — Lexington, SC
1,186


443
Parkway Church — Victoria, TX
1,184


444
Harrisburg Baptist Church — Tupelo, MS
1,181


445
Vaughn Forest Church — Montgomery, AL
1,175


446
Hermitage Hills Baptist Church — Hermitage, TN
1,174


447
Crossway Baptist Church — Springfield, MO
1,170


447
First Baptist Church of Pelham — Pelham, AL
1,170


449
Grove Avenue Baptist Church — Richmond, VA
1,169


450
First Baptist North Mobile — Saraland, AL
1,164


451
Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church — Moore, SC
1,160


451
First Baptist Church — Warrensburg, MO
1,160


453
Florence — Florence, KY
1,159


454
Green Street — High Point, NC
1,157


454
South Biscayne Church — North Port, FL
1,157


456
Western Avenue — Statesville, NC
1,153


457
Village Baptist Church — Fayetteville, NC
1,152


458
Arran Lake Baptist Church — Fayetteville, NC
1,150


458
Cornerstone Baptist Church, Arlington — Arlington, TX
1,150


458
Coronado Baptist Church — El Paso, TX
1,150


458
Emmanuel Community Church — Conyers, GA
1,150


458
First Baptist Church — Lafayette, LA
1,150


458
Friendship Baptist Church — The Colony, TX
1,150


458
Gulf to Lake Baptist Church, Inc. — Crystal River, FL
1,150


458
Hardin — Hardin, KY
1,150


458
Hopewell — Monroe, NC
1,150


458
Rich Fork — Thomasville, NC
1,150


468
Pathways Community Church — Santee, CA
1,145


469
North Side Baptist Church — Greenwood, SC
1,144


470
Harvest Baptist Church — Watauga, TX
1,143


471
First Baptist Church — Colleyville, TX
1,142


471
High Rock — Salisbury, NC
1,142


473
NorthPark Baptist Church — Trussville, AL
1,141


474
First Baptist Church — Burleson, TX
1,138


475
First Baptist Church — Frisco, TX
1,136


476
Crossroads Baptist Church — The Woodlands, TX
1,134


477
First Baptist Church Statesboro — Statesboro, GA
1,130


478
Fairview Baptist Church — Columbus, MS
1,125


479
Dayspring Baptist Church — Mobile, AL
1,121


480
West Jackson Baptist Church — Jackson, TN
1,120


481
Ocean View Church — San Diego, CA
1,115


482
Columbia First Baptist Church — Columbia, TN
1,113


483
North Side Baptist Church — Weatherford, TX
1,110


484
Hunters’ Glen Baptist Church — Plano, TX
1,107


485
The Fellowship At Cinco Ranch — Katy, TX
1,106


486
Calvary Baptist Church — Shreveport, LA
1,104


487
Immanuel — Lexington, KY
1,103


488
Belle Aire Baptist Church — Murfreesboro, TN
1,100


488
Central Baptist Church — Warner Robins, GA
1,100


488
Cielo Vista Church, El Paso — El Paso, TX
1,100


488
Cool Spring Baptist Church — Mechanicsville, VA
1,100


488
Cornerstone Baptist Church — Roseville, MI
1,100


488
First Baptist Church — Irving, TX
1,100


488
First Baptist Church — Branson, MO
1,100


488
First Baptist Church Powder Springs — Powder Springs, GA
1,100


488
Fort Mill First Baptist Church — Fort Mill, SC
1,100


488
Green Valley Baptist Church — Henderson, NV
1,100


488
Hillcrest Baptist Church — Lebanon, TN
1,100


488
Mount Zion Baptist Church — Huntsville, AL
1,100


488
Rock Hill First Baptist Church — Rock Hill, SC
1,100


488
Russellville First Baptist Church — Russellville, AR
1,100


488
Vandalia First Baptist Church — Vandalia, OH
1,100


488
Westside Baptist Church — Lewisville, TX
1,100


504
Binghamtown — Middlesboro, KY
1,096


504
Franklin Heights Baptist Church — Rocky Mount, VA
1,096


506
Prince Avenue Baptist Church — Bogart, GA
1,095


507
First Baptist Church — Bryan, TX
1,092


508
First Baptist Church Lilburn — Lilburn, GA
1,091


509
First Baptist Church — Odessa, TX
1,090


510
Great Hills Baptist Church, Austin — Austin, TX
1,088


511
West University Baptist Church — Houston, TX
1,086


512
LifeSpring Church, SBC — Bellevue, NE
1,085


513
Old Fort Baptist Church — Summerville, SC
1,080


514
The River Community Church — Cookeville, TN
1,079


515
First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia — Alexandria, VA
1,076


516
Millbrook Baptist Church — Aiken, SC
1,074


517
First Baptist Church of Mt Pleasant — Mt Pleasant, SC
1,070


518
Cornerstone Community — Marion, IL
1,064


518
Highland Baptist Church — Waco, TX
1,064


520
Living Stone Cathedral of Worship — Littlerock, CA
1,060


521
Walnut Ridge Baptist Church, Mansfield — Mansfield, TX
1,059


522
Northside Baptist Church — Liverpool, NY
1,057


523
Little Flock — Shepherdsville, KY
1,056


524
The Church at Viera — Melbourne, FL
1,054


525
Forest Hills Baptist Church — Nashville, TN
1,051


526
Enterprise First Baptist Church — Enterprise, AL
1,050


526
First Baptist Church Madison — Madison, MS
1,050


526
First Baptist Church of New Port Richey — New Port Richey, FL
1,050


526
Harris Creek Baptist Church — Mc Gregor, TX
1,050


526
Living Water Foundation Church And Ministries, Inc — Norfolk, VA
1,050


526
New Song Church — Carrollton, TX
1,050


526
Tri-Cities Baptist Church — Gray, TN
1,050


533
First Baptist Church of Weston — Weston, FL
1,049


534
Tillman’s Corner First — Mobile, AL
1,048


535
First Baptist of Cumming — Cumming, GA
1,047


536
First Baptist Church — Richmond, VA
1,045


536
Mountain View Baptist Church — Thomaston, GA
1,045


536
St Luke Missionary Baptist Church — Humble, TX
1,045


539
Brookwood Baptist Church — Shreveport, LA
1,043


540
Southwinds Church — Tracy, CA
1,040


541
Lindsay Lane Baptist Church — Athens, AL
1,036


541
The Summit Church — North Little Rock, AR
1,036


543
Lakeside Baptist Church — Granbury, TX
1,035


544
South Tampa Fellowship — Tampa, FL
1,034


545
Hillcrest — Hopkinsville, KY
1,033


545
Porter Memorial — Lexington, KY
1,033


547
First Baptist Church — Houma, LA
1,032


548
Salem Baptist Church — McDonough, GA
1,031


549
Copperfield Church — Houston, TX
1,030


549
Cornerstone Family Church — St. Cloud, FL
1,030


551
First Baptist Church — The Woodlands, TX
1,029


552
First Baptist Church of Brandon — Brandon, MS
1,028


552
Glen Haven Baptist Church — McDonough, GA
1,028


554
Hot Springs First Baptist Church — Hot Springs, AR
1,026


555
Pioneer Drive Baptist Church — Abilene, TX
1,025


556
First Baptist Church of Ocala — Ocala, FL
1,023


556
West Acres Baptist Church — Evans, GA
1,023


558
First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach — Daytona Beach, FL
1,021


558
First Baptist Church of Leesburg — Leesburg, FL
1,021


560
514 Church — New Albany, OH
1,020


560
First Chinese Baptist Church — Walnut, CA
1,020


562
Life Community Church — Jamestown, NC
1,013


563
Corryton Baptist Church — Corryton, TN
1,012


564
First Baptist of Augusta — Augusta, GA
1,011


565
Oakland Baptist Church — Corinth, MS
1,010


566
Clearview Baptist Church — Travelers Rest, SC
1,009


567
Decatur Baptist — Decatur, AL
1,007


568
Cypress Baptist Church — Benton, LA
1,006


569
Deep Creek Baptist Church — Chesapeake, VA
1,005


569
New Hope Church — Lorton, VA
1,005


571
First Baptist Church — Belton, TX
1,003


572
Progressive Community Church — Stockton, CA
1,002


573
Cross Brand Cowboy Church — Tyler, TX
1,001


574
Amite Baptist Church — Denham Springs, LA
1,000


574
Antioch Church — Long Beach, CA
1,000


574
City Church — Tallahassee, FL
1,000


574
Coggin Avenue Baptist Church — Brownwood, TX
1,000


574
Crestview Baptist Church — Georgetown, TX
1,000


574
Emmanuel Baptist Church — Grenada, MS
1,000


574
Family Fellowship of Greenville — Greenville, TX
1,000


574
First Baptist Church of Rincon — Rincon, GA
1,000


574
First Baptist Church on the Square — LaGrange, GA
1,000


574
Good Community Church — Torrance, CA
1,000


574
Greenwell Springs Baptist Church — Greenwell Springs, LA
1,000


574
Mims Baptist Church, Conroe — Conroe, TX
1,000


574
New Life Christian Fellowship — Blacksburg, VA
1,000


574
Pleasant Garden — Pleasant Garden, NC
1,000


574
Primera Iglesia Bautista de Coral Park — Miami, FL
1,000


574
Sardis Missionary Baptist Church — Birmingham, AL
1,000


574
Second Missionary Baptist Church — Grandview, MO
1,000


574
Sharon-H Baptist Church — McDonough, GA
1,000


574
The Journey Church — New York, NY
1,000


574
The Tabernacle — Danville, VA
1,000


574
Tulip Grove Baptist Church — Old Hickory, TN
1,000

Raising up Leaders & Pastoring Established Churches — Rainer on Leadership #016

Podcast Episode #016

Subscribe via iTunes • Subscribe via RSS 

My oldest son, Sam, joins us for this week’s podcast. In the show, we discussed the importance of mentoring younger leaders and raising up the next generation of pastors as well as pastoring established churches. Sam’s journey is one that is different than the majority of younger pastors in that he has spent most of his time at established churches and has only been on church staffs as a pastor. Sam also shares his paradigm for ministry: serve first and lead second.

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Essential Church, a book based on a study of one-thousand so-called “church dropouts” who were interviewed about why they left. Their answers are quite surprising, having less to do with “losing their religion” and more about the desire for a community that isn’t made stale by simply maintaining the status quo.

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

Essential Church by Sam Rainer and Thom Rainer

Friday Is for Freebies — Sacred Secrets and Between Us

It’s no secret that ministers’ wives need a time of refreshment and renewal. Many of them find refreshment through events and resources from well-known author and speaker Beth Moore.

Today’s freebie is the newest resource from Beth: Sacred Secrets: A Living Proof Live Experience Small Group Kit. The kit contains five study journals and two DVDs of teaching taped live on location at the 2013 Living Proof Live event in Greensboro, North Carolina. The world is obsessed with telling secrets for the sake of sensationalism. But not all hidden things are poisonous and dark. Some secrets are forgiven, some are covered, and some are kept between you and God.

If you’re interested in more from Beth, she will also be part of a special event for ministry wives called Between Us: Called, Equipped, and Encouraged in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on September 26-27. Beth will be a special guest with a message just for ministry wives, and the other platform speakers and breakout leaders are ministers’ wives themselves.

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.

To enter the giveaway, answer the following question:

What has been the most meaningful conference or event you have attended?

The deadline to enter is midnight CDT this Saturday. We will draw one winner from the entries on Monday morning.

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Notable Voices – August 1, 2013

What Makes Introverts Great Leaders? — Justin Lathrop

As an introverted leader, I resonate with Justin’s review and assessment of Susan Cain’s new book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking.

 

4 Things I Want to Know about My Staff — Craig Groeschel

Craig shares four areas in which he evaluates his staff. These questions provide insight into all areas of life. While they may be used by Craig in a church staff setting, all Christians could use these as a personal evaluation.

 

Rick Warren Preaches First Sermon Since His Son’s Suicide — Time

Time magazine covered Rick Warren’s return to the pulpit at Saddleback this past weekend. It was Rick’s first sermon at his church since the death of his son this past spring.

 

Five Ways to Innovate Faster — Scott Anthony

Innovation is vital for companies to grow. Scott shares five ways to accelerate the search for a viable new-growth model.

 

Pastoral Bullies — Sam Storms

Sam provides some cautions against the abuse of power. Unfortunately, this is a temptation and downfall of many pastors.