Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 362

Notable Voices — January 10, 2013

Four Keys to Better Blogging — Jonathan Howe

Over the past year, this blog has seen tremendous growth. That growth has come as the result of a dedicated plan and gracious readers like you. I’ve relied on several sources to help me become a better blogger, and Jonathan’s four keys have been an integral part of my strategy. If you’re interested in becoming a better blogger, these tips are a good place to start.

 

He Will Rise Up in the End — Trevin Wax

Trevin shares a powerful song by Ben Shive and a connection it made with the Christmas lesson from the Gospel Project.

 

5 Hidden Emotions of Many Leaders — Ron Edmondson

As Ron says, “if we were honest about the pressures we face, about our own shortcomings, weaknesses and fears, we would be better grounded to face them. We would also attract loyal followers who would be more willing to help fill in the gaps of our leadership.” I couldn’t agree more.

 

10 Things to Pray for Your Wife — Jonathan Parnell

One of the most important things a husband can do is pray for his wife. This list of ten specific things to pray for serves as a good guide.

 

The Big Boom: What Pastors Need to Know about Boomers — Devin Maddox

I’ve written extensively on generational church research and the Boomers and Millennials. Here are four tips to better engage the boomers in your church.

 

Louie Giglio to Deliver Benediction at Obama Inauguration — Washington Post

Atlanta pastor and the founder of the Passion movement, Louie Giglio, has been selected to pray at the upcoming Obama inauguration.

The Executive Pastor: Five Trends

For the past four decades the number of executive pastors has grown across America. Before the second half of the twentieth century, the staff position was rare to non-existent. With that growth has come a commensurate growth in confusion about the position. Whereas traditional programmatic roles such as students, senior adults, music and worship, and children have had clearly defined expectations, the role of executive pastor has been nebulous and changing.

Two Historical Broad Paths

In our informal survey over the past ten years, we have noted two major roles assumed by executive pastors. Some held responsibilities related to staff oversight. In some churches, all staff except the senior pastor were under the organizational responsibility of the executive pastor. In other churches, the primary role was staff oversight, but not inclusive of all staff.

The second major role has been business/administrative. Though I am reticent to compare churches to corporations, this role does have many similarities to a chief financial officer in the corporate world.

On some occasions, the executive pastor holds both staff oversight as well as operational leadership. In those churches, there are typically other staff under the executive pastor who help him carry on the heavy responsibilities.

Five Trends

In recent years we have noticed five clear trends related to the role of the executive pastor. Not all executive pastors, of course, would be included in all of these trends, but many would relate.

More executive pastors in smaller churches. Ten to fifteen years ago it was rare to find an executive pastor in a church with an average worship attendance less than 3,000. That has certainly changed each subsequent year. Now it is common to see executive pastors in churches with an attendance around 2,000 or even lower. I know of several churches in the 800 to 1,200 attendance range that now have executive pastors, or they are seeking one.
More executive pastors have staff responsibilities. Senior pastors of larger churches are eagerly seeking leaders who can provide staff oversight. That has now become one of the principal reasons an executive pastor is called to a church.
A growing number of executive pastors are also teaching pastors. Those who hold this dual role are still in the minority, but the numbers are growing. I hear more senior pastors say that their ideal executive pastor would have good leadership skills to oversee a staff, good business and administrative skills to lead the operations of the church, and good preaching and teaching skills sufficient to be in the pulpit at least once a month. The “Superman executive pastor “ is evolving, at least expectations of one.
More executive pastors have oversight of multiple venues. I have noted in earlier blogposts the growth of churches with multiple venues. It would make sense then that more executive pastors would be expected to lead the staff and operations of each of these venues or campuses.
More executive pastors have a combination of business training and theological training. It is becoming more common to see executive pastors who have, for example, one business degree and one or two theological degrees, or vice versa. It makes sense. More executive pastors are expected to be both theologians and well-equipped business leaders.

What is the Future for the Role of the Executive Pastor?

In simplest terms, more will be expected, both in responsibilities and training. The better equipped of these executive pastors will be in high demand and relatively low supply. It is fast becoming a “hot” church staff position.

When I note trends, I am often perceived to be an advocate of those trends. Many times, as in the case of the trends of executive pastor, I am still processing the information. I am a long way away from becoming either an advocate or a detractor. But I would love to hear from you. My readers typically have opinions, and most of them are good.

Aligning New Ministries Within Established Churches

If you have ever designed a room or redecorated a house, you know that it is much easier to work with new furniture. You buy furniture with the room in mind. If it does not fit into the design of the room, you do not get it. The challenging part is figuring out where your existing furniture and pictures fit.

The same is true for alignment.

The most challenging aspect of alignment is pulling existing ministries and existing staff in the same direction, especially if they have been moving in opposite directions. It is much easier to align new people and new ministries to the overall direction.

If they do not fit, you simply do not allow them to begin.

According to the research we gathered for Simple Church, we found it is vital that you make sure new ministries fit into the simple process before they begin. Finding out afterwards is always too late.

We asked vibrant and comparison church leaders to state their level of agreement with the following statement: “Before we begin a new ministry, we ensure that it fits within our process.” Of the vibrant churches, 68 percent strongly agreed or agreed compared to 40 percent of the comparison churches. The vibrant church leaders tend to ensure new ministries understand their place in the process prior to their launch.

Checking the Fit

Before you purchase a new pair of shoes, you wear them in the store. You walk around in them. It would be unwise to buy them without knowing if they fit right. Shoes that do not fit are found at the bottom of your closet. They create more clutter. Checking the fit is essential.

Simple church leaders check the fit. Before a new ministry is launched, they ensure it is a viable part of the simple ministry process. They clarify specifically how the new ministry will move people through the process. And they ensure that the leaders of the new ministry understand how the ministry is part of the big picture.

We are drawing a distinction between a program and a ministry. Ministries are different from programs. Ministries are either entire departments (ministry expansions) or specific groups (see ministry additions) that help move people through one aspect of the process.

In a simple church new ministries can be divided into two broad categories: ministry expansions and ministry additions. Checking the fit prior to inception is critical for both.

Ministry expansions are new ministries that are geared toward a specific age group or life stage. The church ministry is expanding to focus intentionally on a specific group of people. The new ministry is going to be a new department within the church such as a new middle-school ministry department or young couples department. In both of these cases, these groups were formerly a part of a different ministry. Now they will have their own identity. For ministry expansions, begin the new ministry with the same simple process. Be sure the programs within this ministry are placed to move people through the process. Ministry expansions are a great opportunity to highlight the simple process. You can begin them without the clutter. You can use these new ministries to show existing ministries the benefits of a streamlined approach.

Ministry additions are new ministries that fulfill a specific function within the simple process. These ministries must be set up to help move people through the process of transformation. For example, the baptism ministry team makes it easy for people to move to baptism. The guest reception ministry helps move guests into the life of the church. If it is unclear how a ministry addition will move people through the simple process, do not launch it.

In either case, whether you are expanding or adding a ministry, always ensure the ministry fits within the larger church process and vision.

If you’re interested in evaluating the clarity, movement, alignment, and focus of your church, you can take a free online Process Design Survey at EricGeiger.com.

Adapted from Simple Church (B&H Publishing Group, 2006)

The Death of the Mall and the Future of Church Buildings

I remember the first time I went to a mall. Raised in a small town in the southeastern section of Alabama, I was amazed when I went to the “big city” mall in Montgomery. All the stores were under one roof. They were new and shiny. The venture became an adventure for me.

But that was fifty years ago. Things have changed. Things have changed significantly.

As Jeff Jordan notes in The Atlantic Cities, the future of American shopping malls is tenuous.

The Plight of the American Shopping Mall

As Jordan says in his prescient article, the trends are gloomy for malls. Sales are down. Numbers of malls have closed or they are on the precipice of closing. Vacancy rates are up. Jordan notes “there are more than 200 malls with over 250,000 square feet that have vacancy rates of 35 percent or higher, a clear marker for shopping center distress.” He further provides data that indicate over 10 percent of malls will close in the next five years.

Of course, the declaration of the death of American malls is an overstatement or, at the very least, a premature obituary. Many malls will remain open; a number will remain viable and growing. Still, the trends are unmistakable and unavoidable. Only those who deny reality will fail to note the implications of this issue.

The Relationship to Church Facilities

Is it then fair to suggest any relationship between the decline of the malls and the future of the church buildings? I think so. To be sure, most malls are adversely affected by the growth of online shopping. There are not too many brick and mortar stores that don’t feel the impact of the Internet.

But there is more to the decline of the malls than the rise of the digital world. The Boomer generation has been the generation of bigness and sprawl. Their parents, in the aftermath of World War II, moved numbers of them to the new and massive suburbia. Large malls would soon follow. Most large megachurch buildings were constructed primarily for the favor of the Boomers.

But the children of the Boomers, Generation X and, even more, the Millennials, have been pushing for more intimacy and smallness. They triggered the unprecedented growth of Starbucks. They have been the key movers in social media, which has fostered a new online intimacy.

Among the Christian Millennials there is a desire for greater intimacy in church. They are in many ways triggering a new small group revolution. And though they may not have an explicit aversion to large church facilities, neither are they attracted to them.

The Future Size of Church Facilities

As there will still be large malls twenty years from now, so will there be large church facilities whose worship centers can accommodate 2,000 or more in one service. But you will also see a discernible difference in megachurches in ten or twenty years. Fewer of these large churches will have large facilities. More will have smaller worship centers and multiple venues, many with multiple gathering times and days.

The trend in smaller facilities will not be limited to just the largest of churches. Churches of all sizes will “downsize.” Or, as an alternative, they will not build larger the first moment the capacity feels challenged in their worship services.

A Boomer church leader looks at a small building and limited acreage and sees challenges. He sees the limitations of size and space. A Millennial leader looks at the same building and acreage and sees opportunity. He immediately thinks multiple venues, multiple services, and multiple days.

It will be fascinating to watch these trends unfold. Large malls will yield to online shopping and smaller and more intimate shopping villages. And large church buildings will yield to smaller church buildings and other venues that aren’t “churchy” at all. The result may be that we will see our church facilities actually utilized more; greater facility stewardship could result. After all, only college football stadiums are utilized less than church facilities.

Pray for The Master’s Community Church

Location: Kansas City, Kansas

Pastor: Todd Chipman

Worship Time: 10:30 AM Central Time

Fast Facts: Pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen and unify the fellowship. Pray also that God will continue to broaden their vision for the nations including those who live in Kansas City. And finally, pray that God will strengthen especially the young families of the church.

Website: www.themcc.org

“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 your church to be featured in “Pray for . . .” contact Steve Drake, director of pastoral relations, at Steve.Drake@LifeWay.com.

 

Five Lessons for Pastors from the Fiscal Cliff Fiasco

I am stating the obvious. Indeed I am mirroring the emotions of tens of millions of Americans. My statement? I am fed up with politicians. I am fed up with a congress and executive branch that fails to lead. I am fed up with last minute and dramatic decision-making. I am fed up with “kicking the can down the road” on major decisions. I am fed up with the lack of courage obvious at so many levels.

Okay, I’m complaining, maybe even whining. And I hate to listen to whiners! Can I do something constructive with this mess? Can I learn any lessons? My own answer is an enthusiastic “yes.” As I briefly analyzed the situation in D.C. and the Band-Aid solution of the fiscal cliff, I was able to glean some key leadership lessons. And I found five of the lessons were particularly poignant for pastors.

Remember who you work for. Forgive my bad grammar, but “remember for whom you work” just sounded a bit formal. Politicians often forget they work for the people. They don’t work for the pollsters. They don’t work for the lobbyists. They don’t work for donors. They work for the people who elected them. Pastors would do well to understand that their first level of accountability is to God. Seek to please Him first and foremost. Everything else and everyone else is secondary.
Relationships are key. Good leaders and healthy pastors work hard to maintain good relationships. Many pastors are able to lead and serve effectively because they have worked hard to have healthy relationships with people in their congregation and others. It appears that the current fiscal cliff was averted because the senate minority leader and the vice president of the United States were able to have a civil discussion based on their long-standing relationship. Indeed their relationship with each other likely overcame their distinct ideologies and diverse party loyalty.
Indecision can lead to bad decisions. Sometimes in church life it’s easier to put off tough decisions. The reality is that the failure to make timely decisions often leads to bad decisions down the road. Our nation is in a debt crisis. Politicians have yet to address that issue sufficiently. It’s politically expedient not to address the issue of entitlements. It’s stupid too.
Compromise is not always bad. Doctrinal compromise is bad; it can be heretical, especially if the doctrine is a primary Christian doctrine. But pastors don’t always have to get their way on other issues. It might be a setback if the congregation was unwilling to fund a new building program, but it’s not the end of the world. There is always a new day and new opportunity. We have a divided ideological government. On some issues we must compromise. Neither side will be totally pleased, but the alternative is a non-functioning government.
Lack of leadership frustrates followers. Do you know why you and I are so frustrated with our politicians? Among other reasons, we are longing for a leader in congress or the executive branch who will exhibit courageous leadership. Few things frustrate a follower more than inert leadership. The same is true for pastors. You are certainly called to care for the flock, but you are also called to lead. Most people in your churches will gladly and willingly follow wise and godly leadership.

This fiscal cliff will soon become another fiscal cliff. And if something does not change in Washington, we will soon witness the same drama and failed leadership. Though painful for our nation, these days provide good models for pastors as leaders. Simply do the opposite of what most politicians are doing.

Friday is for Freebies — Creature of the Word DVD & Book

This week’s giveaway includes a Creature of the Word book from Matt Chandler, Eric Geiger, and Josh Patterson as well as the DVD discussion guide.

The book examines the rich, Scripture-based beauty of a gospel-centered church and then clearly provides practical steps toward forming a gospel-centered church. It will become a centering discussion piece for those whose goal is to be part of a church that has its theology, culture, and practice completely saturated in the gospel. The Reformers viewed the gospel as not merely one thing among many in the life of a church but rather the means by which the church exists. When the gospel is rightly declared and applied to God’s people, the church becomes “a creature of the Word.”

The Creature of the Word: The Jesus-Centered Church DVD Discussion Guide supplements Creature of the Word by introducing and expanding on the book’s content. It also provides a discussion guide for participants and small groups. The DVD includes four video sessions, each approximately 30 minutes long.

Also included is a black, genuine leather version of the HCSB Minister’s Bible. This newly designed edition is ideal for pulpit use with its large type, wide margins, and extensive ancillary notes from many of today’s top preachers and church leadership voices.

Some features of the Bible include:

Where to Turn When . . .
Plan of Salvation
Four-color presentation page
Various wedding and funeral outlines by Jim Henry
“8 Traits of Effective Church Leaders” by Thom S. Rainer
“21 Essentials of Authentic Ministry” by James T. Draper
“Four Kinds of Expositional Preaching” by Ed Stetzer
“30 Keys to Giving an Invitation” by O. S. Hawkins
“Leading a Child to Christ” by Bill Emeott
“Reaching Students with the Gospel” by Lynn H. Pryor
“The Importance of Baptism and Communion” by Rick White
Commitment Counseling
The Christian Year and Church Calendar
The Apostles and Their History

To be eligible to win, answer the following question:

What Bible reading plan are you using this year?

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

 

Notable Voices – January 3, 2013

The Need for More Homegrown Leaders – Sam Rainer

With the recent advances in technology, churches have access to more information and training than ever before. Sam explains three reasons why churches should raise up and train more leaders within their context and how that will benefit both the local church and its community.

 

Defending the Defenseless: Responding to Putin’s Adoption Ban – Tony Merida

An adoptive father of five (four from Ukraine), Tony Merida responds to the recent legislation banning US adoptions in Russia with a challenge to local churches and believers.

 

Shy of the Social Media Spotlight? Get Over It. – Dorie Clark

Dorie Clark provides a list of reasons why CEO’s and other leaders need to be not only on social media, but engaged in social media. There are conversations happening. Put yourself out there. Be involved.

 

5 Ways to Make 2013 Your Best Year of Leadership Yet – Greg Baird

The New Year is always a good time to reflect on the past year and to look to the future with a renewed energy. Here are a few thoughts from Greg on how you can lead better in 2013.

 

The Four Stages of Visionary Leadership – Will Mancini 

When it comes to developing a vision for ministry or for a church, Will Mancini and the resources from Auxano are among the best available. In this post, Will outlines the four stages leaders progress through when becoming true visionaries.

 

Dear Worship Pastor: It’s Not About You – Timothy Dalrymple 

Tim offers a tongue-in-cheek reminder that worship gatherings are first and foremost for corporate worship, not concerts.

Thirteen Issues for Churches in 2013: Issues 7-13

In Monday’s post, I noted six key issues facing many American congregations. I will discuss seven more issues in this article, and thus provide 13 issues for 2013. As a reminder, these 13 items are not as much prognostications as they are current trends that are accelerating.

Innovative use of space. I recently drove onto a church property located on approximately three to four acres. My consultant training told me that 300 to 500 people could worship on that site. The Millennial pastor who was riding with me said that the site could easily accommodate 2,000 in attendance. The younger pastor did not see limitations of times or days of worship. Indeed that generation will cause us to look anew at church space limitations.
Heightened conflict. The Millennial generation will not accept church-as-usual. They are shaking the status quo in many churches. They are not seeking to be adversarial; they are simply asking tough questions that those of us in older generations were reticent to address. Anecdotally the greatest resistance to change is occurring in the Builder generation and the older Boomer generation (roughly including those born before 1955).
Adversarial government. More public schools and other public facilities will be less accepting of churches meeting in their facilities. Some other local governments are resisting approval of non-tax paying congregations expanding their facilities. New churches and existing churches that are expanding their venues will be forced to become more creative as they look for new locations.
Community focus. One of the great benefits the Millennial generation brings to our churches is their focus on the community in which the church is located. They are not content simply to offer ministries to those who come to the church facilities; they are going into the community to serve the merchants and residents who work and live there.
Cultural discomfort. Many of the issues noted thus far point to growing levels of discomfort for the congregations in the culture they seek to minister and serve. For all of the twentieth century and even the early years of the twenty-first century, it was culturally acceptable, even expected, to be a part of  a local congregation. Those expectations are all but gone. There is a growing and distinct divide between the values of the culture and the Christian values most churches hold.
Organizational distrust. There is a pervasive and growing distrust of institutions in general. Those institutions are found in both government and business, but religious institutions are not exempt from this lack of trust. That diminishing confidence exudes from those both in churches and those who do not attend churches.
Reductions in church staff. I am watching this development carefully. Two different forces are at work. First, in many congregations there is a greater emphasis on laypersons handling roles once led by paid staff.  Second, the tough economic climate and declining church attendance are naturally affecting church budgets. Congregations are reticent to fire staff, but more and more are not filling vacant positions.

What is your reaction to these issues? What trends would you add to this list?

Digital Books and the Changing Landscape of Publishing

According to a new study released just last week, Americans are reading more e-books and fewer print books. This news should come as no surprise. With the rise in popularity we’ve seen in tablets and e-readers, this trend has been happening for the past few years. We now find ourselves on the precipice of a landmark event: the day e-book reading supplants print book reading as the majority. And many analysts believe that day to be coming in either 2014 or 2015.

But why is this? What is the draw for e-readers over traditional printed books? While it may be difficult to determine one specific factor, there are several contributing factors.

Less space needed. Like many of you, I have a substantial-sized library of printed books I have gathered over the years. If I chose to do so, I could electronically store the entire library in cloud-based storage and access them through one small device. The space saved by e-readers and tablets when travelling is yet another benefit.
Increased interactivity. A printed book can provide only what is printed on its pages. E-books can provide interactive content, website links, video and audio content, and much more. E-books can offer more than just written words. They have the ability to provide a full multimedia experience.
Sharing potential of the content is increased. From most e-readers and tablets, not only can you read your book, you can share quotes and your thoughts online as you read. From a marketing perspective, what publisher wouldn’t love to have hundreds of readers sharing what they like best about the books they publish as they read them? There are few products that provide such an experience.
Searchable notes. While journaling notes is an effective way of documenting your thoughts as you read, what could be better than having those notes become easily searchable?
Cost effectiveness. If you are an avid reader, the cost effectiveness of an e-reader or tablet will eventually become a bonus for you. Because there is no physical product to print, bind, and ship, e-books are almost always cheaper to purchase than their printed versions.

These reasons and the supporting research, while not cause for alarm, are changing the publishing and retail landscape. Some would argue the change is for the better. And some would not.

While I do not see the end of the printed book anytime in the near future, I do see a future where the printed book and the e-book coexist to provide the same content to different audiences. That’s one of many reasons why we recently released the LifeWay Reader.

Do you have a tablet or e-reader? What factors led you to use it instead of reading printed books?