Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 368

Discipleship: In Context

“I wish we could go deeper.”

If you serve on a church staff, especially as a pastor, you know the frustration of hearing those words. That frustration is compounded if you press the maker of the above statement a little harder, asking them a simple follow up question: “What do you mean, 'deeper?'”

That’s when the issue gets complicated. Sometimes by “deeper” people mean intellectually deeper. In that instance, they’re asking that a certain amount of Greek and Hebrew words should be included in every sermon. Others might mean a depth of obedience, and they want more specific and directed challenges issued to the congregation. Still others might mean a depth of relationship, and they are asking for increased opportunities and environments for authenticity and vulnerability.

But most of the time, when you probe the issue, you don’t get a response at all. “Depth” is something we all want, but find a difficult time articulating. It points to the Christian desire for real and transformational discipleship, the kind of life where we are walking and growing daily with Jesus.

But how, as a church leader, can we help to facilitate that kind of growth? Is it classes? Sermons? Programs? One on one meetings? The answer is yes and no. Before we get down to those specific implementations, a church must, I think, embrace and understand that they are a unique expression of the Body of Christ.

Every church is unique. Sure, they all have common traits and common purposes. But those traits and purposes are being fleshed in a unique community. With unique people. And unique leadership. Understanding those traits of uniqueness can launch us on the road to better implementing not just a discipleship plan, but a discipleship plan that fits for an individual church.

Here, at LifeWay, we are striving to recognize the uniqueness of a given church. Part of that recognition is an initiative that we are very excited about. It is specifically designed to be able to interface with a given church at an individual level and deeply understand and embrace those elements which make that church unique.

It’s called Discipleship in Context. Through this initiative, we are working with unique churches to custom design curriculum just for them. Written with their church culture and structure in mind. Aligned with their core practices and doctrine. Lifting up key initiatives from their church body. Even built around the sermon series being preached. It’s a unique approach to Bible study that, until now, you could only have with a full-time writer on your church staff.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can build Bible studies like these, those that provide trustworthy content in a way that embraces the uniqueness of a given church, visit the Discipleship in Context website at discipleshipincontext.com.

Why Accountability Is Weak in Many Organizations

What makes organizations weak? Is it a failure of good strategic planning? Are there cultural issues that preclude good performance? Are many leaders and workers failing to execute? While these issues are important, new information suggests that there may be one major issue we have often overlooked.

An Insightful Revelation

In a recent publication by Darren Overfield and Rob Kaiser, the authors culled through their research since 2010 of 5,400 leaders in organizations in four continents. They found that accountability was the weakest link in organizational behavior. Nearly half, 46 percent, said they do not have sufficient accountability from managers and leaders. The two authors noted, “No matter how tough a game they may talk about performance, when it comes to holding people’s feet to the fire, leaders step back from the heat.”

The evidence is overwhelming. Leaders are letting people get away with laziness, lack of productivity, personal branding, and personal interests to the detriment of the organization. Overfield and Kaiser offer some historical reasons that might explain this counterintuitive behavior. I have added a few of my own.

Lack of Courage Among Leaders

Some leaders are simply unwilling to have the tough conversations with those in their organization. For certain, those conversations are not fun and they are thus often placed on the backburner. Anytime we confront someone with his or her deficiencies, we can be certain there will be negative emotions. So it’s just sometimes easier to take the path of the coward and do nothing.

Concern with Personal Popularity

I once worked with a leader in an organization who was very smart and well equipped for his position. His style of leadership, however, was one where he wanted to be liked and popular with those who served in his area. As a result, he gave additional vacation days beyond policy as rewards for regular and expected work. His department constantly had parties during working hours. And everyone got good reviews and raises. The leader's first concern was his popularity. Consequently, his employees developed an entitlement mentality and resisted normal accountability. Productivity thus lagged and the leader was asked to leave.

Free Riders Carried by the Group

The organization may have a culture that encourages productive employees to cover for non-productive employees. There is a ”niceness” in the systems of the organization inhibiting productive employees from confronting the non-productive employees with their failure to carry the load. As a result, the better workers will pick up the slack for the weaker workers. Sadly, the better workers usually get frustrated with the inequities over time, and they eventually leave. The organization gets to keep the non-productive employees.

Focusing on Strengths/Neglecting Weaknesses

There has been some silly advocacy to focus only on workers’ strengths while avoiding any discussion about their weaknesses. Many leaders have moved toward that approach because it is less confrontational and more comfortable. But those in leadership positions are not there to be comfortable. They are to be leaders who are courageous and bold and forthright and honest.

A Culture That Discourages Accountability

Sometimes the overall culture of an organization discourages leaders from holding people accountable. I have seen this phenomenon, for example, in a number of churches. Staff members will not be carrying their weight. They come and go as they please. No one really knows how much they work in a given week, but many suspect that the hours are minimal. However, they get the same raises as everyone else. Their reviews are positive if they exist at all. Leaders in the organization are discouraged from dealing with the situation, because any type of confrontation would be perceived as “unchristian.”

But the Bible is clear on such behavior. The Apostle Paul said without equivocation in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: ‘If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat’” (HCSB). I think if we enforced that level of accountability in our organizations, productivity would move to unprecedented heights.

Pray for . . . New Hope Baptist Church

Location: Beulaville, North Carolina

Pastor: Bob Garbett

Weekly Worship: 11:00 AM Eastern Time

Fast Facts: Like many churches, New Hope is going through the challenges of being relevant to her community in this day. Pastor Garbett is praying for God to help the church reach the lost in their community with the gospel and share the love of Christ so that many will be saved. He is also leading the church to become disciple-makers so that new converts will become mature believers.

Website: http://www.newhopeonthenet.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, atSteve.Drake@LifeWay.com.

If I Were Satan

If I were Satan . . .

I would focus on the churches. I would get members to demand their own preferences. I would urge them to complain about the length of the pastor’s sermons and the color of the carpet. I would set member against member to fight over the right worship style. And I would make the business meeting the time where the most carnal members spoke and fight and destroyed.

If I were Satan . . .

I would encourage church members to avoid high levels of commitment. I would remind them that they are there to get their needs met. I would whisper to them that they shouldn’t be involved in ministry, because that’s why they pay the pastor and staff. And I would urge them to fight one another over tertiary and minor doctrinal issues. I would encourage Christians to identify themselves by their tertiary doctrinal stand and to exclude anyone else who does not match their precise standards.

If I were Satan . . .

I would let the leaders know that it’s okay to minimize and avoid the truths of God’s Word. I would encourage them to preach less Bible and deal with more relevant issues. I would make certain that small groups barely dealt with Scripture, but instead spent most of their time talking about sports, gossip, and politics. I would suggest that members do not need to spend time in the Bible on their own; a thirty minute sermon each week is sufficient time.

If I were Satan . . .

I would make certain church members understood that evangelism is not relevant in today’s society. I would tempt leaders to stay away from urging members to be engaged in gospel sharing lest they offend someone. I would dissuade everyone in the church to think about hell. It’s really better to keep it at as an abstract concept rather contemplating the eternal consequences of rejecting Christ. And I would tell church leaders to send their called pastors and missionaries to seminaries where evangelism is an afterthought.

If I were Satan . . .

I would whisper to Christians in the church not to think about abortion. It is politically incorrect and unpopular to broach the subject. I would tell them not to focus on the reality that over one million babies are killed each year in the United States alone. I would make sure they didn’t know that, in the time of a one-hour worship service in church, more than 130 babies were killed in the United States. I would let them know that it’s okay not to dwell on the greatest slaughter of humanity in the history of our nation.

If I were Satan . . .

I would keep church members so busy that they wouldn’t have time to pray. I would make certain that the leaders are discouraged from ever mentioning prayer as a priority in their congregations. I would assure the members that a brief time of prayer during a brief worship service is sufficient for the totality of their prayer lives. I would indeed do all I could to keep people from prayer, because it’s such a threat to me and my power.

If I were Satan . . .

And if I could do all these things, I am sure I would see churches across America void of power. I would see most churches in both spiritual and numerical decline. I would see Christian fighting Christian. I would see apathy, discouragement, dropout, and disillusionment. And I would look over the landscape of American churches, and I would see all of my victories. Then I would roar with pleasure at the new church order I see, and I would declare:

“It is good.”

“Indeed, it is very good.”

Friday is for Freebies: Pastoral Resources

My giveaway this Friday is a pair of pastoral resources.

First is the 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

Also included in the giveaway is Pastoral Leadership Is, a new book which presents a practical, Bible-based, and highly readable guide to leading the local church. This guidebook to the great adventure of being a pastor follows the directions God gave Moses in order to effectively shepherd Israel: Pray, Teach and Preach, Lead and Multiply. Believing the western world has traded the biblical model of pastoral leadership in favor of a traditional one, author Dave Earley writes to encourage pastors to become the spiritual warriors, missional leaders, and multiplying mentors God calls them to be. Each compelling entry is set up to finish the sentence that begins with the book's title. For example, Pastoral Leadership Is . . . "Abandoning Your Life to the Call of God," "Following Paul's Example in Praying for Your Flock," "Cooperating with the Holy Spirit," "Leading a Church Full of Leaders," "Resolving Conflict," and more.

To be entered in the giveaway tell us your favorite athlete, living or dead.

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

Notable Voices (November 8, 2012)

What Senior Pastors Should Expect from Social Media -- Ben Stroup

For many senior pastors, social media is a foreign concept. However, more and more are embracing technology for both personal and pastoral growth.

How President Obama Should Choose His Leadership Team -- Gretchen Gavett

Tuesday's election changed very little in regard to the balance of power in Washington, D.C. Gretchen offers seven leadership tips to help navigate the gridlock and resistance the President could deal with for next four years.

7 Things a Pastor's Kid Needs from a Father -- Barnabas Piper

As a former pastor and a father to three boys, I'm sure my sons resonate with this article.

Pastoral Longevity and Church Growth -- Charles Arn

Charles Arn reflects on the top reasons pastors leave their churches.

The People Have Spoken—What Should Christians Do Now? -- Ed Stetzer

In the wake this past Tuesday's re-election of President Obama, several bloggers, including me, offered their reactions. Ed's post outlines an appropriate response for Christians over the next four years.

Christians, Let’s Honor the President -- Russ Moore

Russ Moore also penned this post on how we, as Christians, are compelled to honor our leaders whether we agree with their policies or not.

Postscript of a Presidential Election

The election is over. The people have spoken. Barack Obama has been re-elected as president of the United States. As I promised in my post yesterday, I will pray for President Obama. He is the leader of this nation, and thus he is my leader.

Post-election analyses will be abundant; I doubt I will add anything new to the conversation. Allow me just a few observations as we move into four more years of an Obama administration.

We are a deeply divided nation. The U. S. Senate is a majority Democrat. The House of Representatives is majority Republican. And of course President Obama is a Democrat. The voting patterns indicate that the citizens of this nation are divided as well. I remained perplexed at the undecided voter phenomenon in the presidential polls leading to this election. The contrast between the two candidates and their positions was stark. From my simple perspective, there were two clear choices and indecision was certainly not one of them. President Obama and congress face some huge challenges with our economy. With the “fiscal cliff” looming, and with seemingly uncompromising positions on both sides, no solution seems to be in sight. The national debt levels are sinful. And I hear of no solutions for the huge problems we face with our governmental entitlement programs. Social issues were not nearly as big as I expected them to be. I knew the economy would trump most issues, but I did not expect social issues to be so obscured. We are likely to be paying higher taxes as individuals one way or another. The payroll tax reduction will likely expire. And, unless an unexpected compromise takes place, the Bush tax cuts will expire. How will a fragile economy respond as consumers have less take-home pay?

These are some of my observations and questions. What observations do you have to this election?

An Open Letter to the Next President of the United States

Dear President Obama or President-elect Romney:

One of you men will soon be elected to lead our nation for the next four years. I realize that I am but one of tens of millions of voters and citizens. My words have little influence or impact. But, thanks to the freedoms we have in this nation, I can speak my voice just like anyone else.

First, I plead with you to be a unifying force in our country. We are so divided, and the conversations have become so acerbic and bitter. I realize you and your party have a distinctively different vision than the other party. But there has to be much that we have in common. There have to be points where we can unify. You are the president of all of us, even those who voted against you. Please find a way to bring us together. Reach across the aisle to discover common issues and concerns. Please unify us and don’t divide us.

Second, let your message be one of hope. For so many years, it seems that we have heard messages of division and despair from our leaders. Remember the vision of a Washington who led this nation with hope despite the incredible challenges our young and struggling nation faced. Remember the vision of a Lincoln who rallied our nation with hope at its most divided moment. Please give us hope instead of placing blame on others.

Finally, please know that I am praying for you. I am confident that I am one of millions who do so. My prayers are not contingent on your actions or your policies. I am praying for you because you are my leader. I respect the office you hold, and follow the admonition of God’s Word to be unwavering in my prayers for you. I cannot imagine the immense responsibilities and challenges you face. You cannot lead our nation and the free world well in your own strength. I pray you will have God’s strength for all you do.

Congratulations Mr. President. The election was a difficult challenge, but now the people have spoken. May God bless you. And may God bless this great nation we serve.

Sincerely,

Thom S. Rainer

Top 25 Hymns Sung in Churches

In a previous post, I noted the top songs sung in churches. I got the information from CCLI, but CCLI does not track songs in the public domain. As a consequence, my list missed many of the great hymns of the church.

I am grateful for the work of LifeWayWorship.com. They were able to provide me a ranking of sales of the top 25 hymns sung in the church. The period covered contains cumulative sales for the past four years.

How Great Thou ArtGreat Is Thy FaithfulnessBlessed Assurance, Jesus Is MineAll Hail the Power of Jesus' NameHoly, Holy, HolyJesus Paid It AllChrist the Lord Is Risen TodayCrown Him with Many CrownsIt Is Well with My SoulTo God Be the GloryThe Solid RockCome, Thou Fount of Every BlessingI Stand Amazed in the PresenceVictory in JesusNothing but the BloodAmazing Grace! How Sweet the SoundPraise to the Lord, the AlmightyAt the CrossRevive Us AgainBe Thou My VisionBecause He LivesJoyful, Joyful, We Adore TheeA Mighty Fortress is Our GodFor A Thousand Tongues To SingAmerica, the Beautiful

“How Great Thou Art” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” are still under copyright, so CCLI tracks them and they rank #26 and #53 respectively on their list of all songs sung in church.

To create this list, we combined the sales from a traditional arrangement and a contemporary arrangement for each hymn. I encourage you to visit LifeWayWorship.com. It’s a great resource for all churches.

So what do you think of this list?

Pray for . . . Parklawn Assembly of God

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Pastor: Walter Harvey

Weekly Worship: 8:00 AM & 11:00 AM Central Time

Fast Facts: Parklawn Assembly of God and Pastor Walter Harvey desire to assist one another in spiritual growth within the context of a relationship with God and each other. Pray for this church as they seek to develop leaders for the church and community and strong, faithful families.

Website: http://www.parklawn.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, atSteve.Drake@LifeWay.com.