Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 373

Lessons on Interfaith Evangelism (part one)

Recently on the blog, I have written posts on personal evangelism and assessing the evangelistic health in churches. When many think of evangelism, they simply consider it to be sharing Christ to those who do not know Him as Savior. While this is true, we should not neglect sharing our faith with those following other religions.

For my book The Unexpected Journey, Nellie Jo and I spent several weeks interviewing Christians who had been previously devoted to non-Christian religions. It made an indelible impression on both of our lives. In today's article, I will share some of the lessons we learned from our conversations with those who had journeyed from other gods to faith in Christ. I'll complete the list in a future post.

Know what you believe. Most of the interviewees told us that they were amazed at the biblical ignorance they witnessed when they were not yet Christians. Several times we heard them say that they knew more about the Bible than Christians did. We cannot expect to defend the faith if we do not know what we believe. And we cannot know what we believe unless we spend time in the Bible.

Know what they believe. While we cannot expect every Christian to know every detail about every other religion, we can train ourselves to know enough to have conversations with people of a specific belief system. Quite frankly, Christians often do more harm than good in our conversations with those of other religions. We cannot expect to have their ears unless we have done our homework to find out as much as possible about what they believe. And that means we must be willing to listen to them, which is the next lesson.

Listen to them. Sometimes Christians are just too eager to talk and unwilling to listen. Listening means we are willing to learn from others. Listening means we are not threatened in our own Christian beliefs by hearing what someone else believes. Listening means we really care for the person.

Pray for them. Some of the most "hopeless" persons became followers of Christ through the persistent prayers of Christians. How many churches actually set aside corporate prayer time to pray for those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

Invite them to church. I've done a great deal of research on this. In every instance, data has overwhelmingly shown that many non-Christians will come to church if we would just invite them. What are we waiting for?

Learn about their home lives. Many of those we interviewed shared with us some very sad stories of a difficult childhood or home life. If we listen with sensitivity to learn about others' childhood and youth, we can relate to them better.

Get them to look closely at their own documents. Not all belief systems have specific documents, but many do. Many times, people of different religions will be open to discussing Christianity because of the doubt raised by their own documents once they start to study them. Of course, this apporoach presumes the Christian has also studied his or her belief system well.

How have your evangelistic efforts benefited from these lessons in the past? In what areas do you need the most work?

Eight Reasons Some Leaders Hesitate Instead of Deciding

Admittedly, some leaders decide too quickly. They do not have adequate information. They have not listened well to others. They have not thought through the collateral issues.

But if hasty decision making is an illness, hesitant decision making is an epidemic.

Too many leaders fail to lead because they simply fail to decide.

By the time they make a decision, if they make one at all, opportunities have passed, constituents are frustrated, and confidence is eroded.

So why are some leaders so hesitant to make timely decisions? I talked to a number of leaders and they offered me these eight reasons.

They overanalyze the situation. As a result, analysis paralysis takes over. The leader tries to examine the potential outcome from every angle. I recently read a 10-year old strategic plan that was over 200 pages long. I could not find one strategy that became a reality. The leader spent a lot of time studying and writing, but he was unable to pull the trigger on any major decision.
They get too comfortable. Decision making typically means that things are not going to be the way they always have been. A number of leaders don’t like change. They don’t like being pulled from their comfort zones, so they erroneously rationalize that no decision will result in no change. You often hear these leaders lamenting for the ways things used to be.
They lack confidence. I recently spoke to a leader who shared a story about one of his direct reports. The subordinate is a gifted man with a great level of intellect. He intellectually knows what decision to make, but he lacks the confidence to make the decision. He starts second-guessing himself even before he has made a decision. Once he makes a decision, he is in misery anticipating a negative outcome.
They think it’s already too late. One leader lamented that he did not make the decision in his forties to do graduate study. He thought it was too late in life to take on such a work. Now that he’s in his fifties, he will not decide to go to graduate school because it’s even later. He’ll likely lament this decision in a few years. I had a student study under me who began his doctorate in his eighties. He wanted to be better prepared for his next phase of life.
They came from families that were risk averse. On many occasions the leaders told me that poor decision makers often come from families that discourage decision making. Perhaps parents instilled in their children that they couldn’t and shouldn’t make decisions on their own. So when they were placed in a position of authority where they had to make a unilateral decision, they were unable to do so.
They are lazy. When a leader makes a significant decision, he or she typically creates more work. The lazy leader finds it more convenient and palatable to forego a decision because he or she can forego work. Opportunities typically do not meet lazy people.
They are in over their head. Leaders often fail to decide because they don’t have the ability to know which direction to go. To use the Jim Collins’ metaphor, they are in the wrong seat on the bus. Many of these leaders are fearful of admitting their inabilities and inadequacies because they are prideful and fearful. They end up hurting themselves and the organization.
They work for leaders who won't let them make decisions. They are stifled in their leadership because they work for leaders who are micromanagers or overbearing persons. They thus lack the freedom to decide.

The leaders to whom I spoke offered a number of ways to move people from indecisiveness to decisiveness. I hope to make that the topic of a future post. For now, I need to go eat lunch. But I am having trouble deciding what I want.

Pray for . . . Cowboy Fellowship

Location: Pleasanton, Texas

Pastor: Pete Pawelek

Weekly Worship: 10:45 AM

Fast Facts: Involved in a growing movement across America, but especially in the southwest, Cowboy Fellowship is a growing congregation. With everything from the pulpit to the office assistant’s desk made from barn wood, the look and feel is definitely cowboy-friendly. This church hosts nearly 700 attenders weekly and emphasizes Scripture and sound teaching. Please pray for Pastor Pete as he leads this dynamic congregation to become fully formed disciples of Christ.

Connect: Website

“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 .

The Strange Case of the Imploding Ministers

By Mike Glenn, Senior Pastor, Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, Tennessee

We've all been there. A friend calls with news of another pastor who has been caught in an ethical or moral situation and forced to resign. Or worse, we read the news in the morning paper. We sigh and wonder what happened, but honestly, every one of us knows what happened. The demands of ministry don't let up. The pressure is relentless and constant. There is always one more phone call to make, one more hospital visit to make and the sermon always needs more work. Running on empty, a pastor makes the fatal decision that he's so tired…just this once…fill in blank here (have an affair, take a little money from the church to make it to payday, pick a drug of choice—pornography, alcohol—to ease the pain a little)…and a ministry is lost.

Ministers don't explode. You never hear of a pastor grabbing an Uzi and shooting up a congregation. Ministers implode. That is, the pressure on the outside becomes greater than the pressure on the inside and we're crushed like an empty soda can. Ministry, however you express it, is giving yourself away. Unless we are intentional to refill our souls, we'll soon get to the place where we have nothing to give.

So, what do we do? Perhaps the ministry of Jesus would offer some helpful lessons. What kind of patterns do we see in the life of Jesus?

Several come to mind. First, Jesus made a habit of prayer. Several times we're told Jesus disappeared to pray all night. Jesus knew the Scriptures. How many times do we see Jesus quoting Scripture from memory? For the minister, a disciplined life or prayer and Bible study is absolutely non-negotiable. This is NOT studying for the sermon, but studying out of our pure love for God's Word. When we become overcommitted, we think we can skip pray and study, and run off to do our ministry. But remember this: the one thing our people count us to bring to them is the evidence that we have been with Jesus — recently!

Second, Jesus kept Sabbath. Jesus reminded us God created the Sabbath for us. Sabbath speaks to our need for rest. There are obvious implications. First, make sure you're getting enough sleep. Most of us are sleep deprived. No one works well when they're fatigued. Second, take a day off. No, Sunday is not a day off. Find one day where you can focus on yourself and your primary relationships. And one more thing, take your vacations. Our ministry deserves our best energy. That means we have to be intentional about recharging our souls.

Third, Jesus had friends. In reading the gospels, we often overlook how close Jesus seems to have been with John. He often pulled John, Peter and James aside for deeper conversations. Jesus seems to have enjoyed staying with his friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Too many times, we allow our ministries to isolate from the close friendships that make life bearable. I know finding good friends as a pastor can be difficult, but I have found them to be indispensable. Prayerfully seek out those who have the spiritual maturity to walk with you. Having a safe place to work through your struggles might be the thing that keeps your ministry from running off the tracks.

Ministry is a marathon, not a sprint. As such, we have to discipline ourselves for the long haul. Paying attention to your personal discipleship, physical and spiritual rest and supporting relationships can go a long way to keep us in the race.

In addition to serving as the senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church, Mike is a frequent speaker and prolific author. His latest book is The Gospel of Yes. You can read his blogs at www.MikeGlenn.com.

Pastor to Pastor is the Saturday blog series at ThomRainer.com. Pastors and staff, if we can help in any way, contact Steve Drake, our director of pastoral relations, at Steve.Drake@LifeWay.com . We also welcome contacts from laypersons in churches asking questions about pastors, churches, or the pastor search process.

Friday is for Freebies

The first item in this week's giveaway is the new book What Bible Translation Should I Use? It's one of the most frequently asked questions related to the Bible, and in this book, Douglas Moo, Wayne Grudem, Ray Clendenen, and Philip Comfort make a case for the Bible translation he represents: the NIV 2011 (New International Version), the ESV (English Standard Version), the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible), and the NLT (New Living Translation) respectively. In each case, the contributors explain the translation philosophy underlying these major recent versions. They also compare and contrast how specific passages are translated in their version and other translations.

The second is the hardcover version of The Apologetics Study Bible. This Bible features more than 100 key questions and articles placed throughout the Bible about faith and science which prompt a rewarding study experience at every reading.

To be eligible to win, tell us your favorite athlete, living or dead.

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

Notable Voices (September 20, 2012)

How To Run Your Meetings Like Apple and Google -- Sean Blanda

It seems no one ever looks forward to meetings. Some even overlook serious problems in the workplace just to avoid the meetings which would result if they spoke up. By why is that? Why can't meetings be a time of creativity and productivity? Well, maybe they can. This list provides a starting point for transforming your meetings from painful to productive.

What if I’m Questioning the Love of God? -- Michael Kelley

A frequent question asked of pastors is "How do I know God loves me?" Michael rightly points to Scripture and the cross for the answer.

Which Bible Translation Should I Use? -- Devin Maddox

Andreas Kostenberger has released a new book comparing and highlighting four major, modern Bible translations. I'll be giving a copy of this away tomorrow here on the blog, but this post provides a quick overview of the book.

5 Reasons Why Rural Pastors Need to Get Out of the Church Office! -- Luke Geraty

A few weeks back, I linked to a post touching on unique challenges for rural pastors. This week, we turn to the need for rural pastors to be out of the office and in the community. I would also add that this is not only for rural pastors. If you're holed up in your private study for 40 hours a week and not visible in the community, you'll likely struggle as a pastor in any setting—rural, suburban, or urban.

Why Would Employees Decline to Move -- Atlas Van Lines

As president of a large company, I see dozens of employees come and go every year. For our new employees, the decision to move is many times a very difficult one. And while we transfer very few employees at LifeWay, these are interesting statistics for those working in a more transient field.

Seven Updated Trends on Megachurches in America

This article is not the first time I have written about megachurches; it likely won’t be the last. We should all readily acknowledge that there is not a specific size church that God blesses more than others. God is doing a great work in many small, medium, large, and mega-size churches.

The fascination with megachurches is, at least to some extent, related to the sociological impact on the community in which it resides. Outreach magazine, in partnership with LifeWay Research, just released its annual “Largest and Fastest Growing Churches in America” issue. In addition, the magazine includes a fascinating section devoted to megachurches. I have used some of the information throughout this issue in this blog.

Some of the major trends in megachurches I note were mentioned in the past. But others are new. All are fascinating to study and ponder.

Trend #1: Further consolidation of people attending church in megachurches and other large churches. There continues to be a shift of members and attendees from smaller churches to larger churches, particularly megachurches. While megachurches account for less than one-half of one percent of all churches in American, more than ten percent of church attendance is concentrated in these churches. We see no signs of this consolidation abating. For example, more than 50 percent of church attendees attend the largest 10 percent of churches.

Trend #2: A significant increase in the number of megachurches in America. In 1970 there were approximately 50 megachurches in America. The number increased to 150 by 1980; 300 by 1990; 600 by 2000; 1,200 by 2005; and 1,600 today. But there has been a noticeable decrease in the rate of growth of the number of megachurches the past seven years, a trend worth watching.

Trend #3: An increased interest in the long-term sustainability of a megachurch. I noted in an earlier blog post how few churches sustain megachurch attendance levels over a long period. In fact, I listed the ten largest churches in 1969, none of which are in the top ten today. There is a growing interest in legacy churches and the revitalization of former megachurches or declining megachurches. For example, how has Moody Church of Chicago sustained megachurch status longer than any other American church (1876 to present)? Certainly its tie to Moody Bible Institute has been important, but there have been many other churches tied to colleges that have declined or closed.

Trend #4: More youthful megachurch pastors. For better or worse, the historical pattern has been for a pastor to “climb the ladder” to different size churches. Ultimately a few pastors would make it to the level of a church averaging 2,000 or more in weekly attendance. They would tend to be older, having “paid their dues” for many years. Not so today. The average age of a megachurch pastor continues to decline. Indeed there are 25 megachurch pastors whose ages range from 30 to 37. The average age of the pastors of the largest 100 churches in America is 47.

Trend #5: More multi-venue, multi-campus churches. I have noted this trend in numerous articles. Related to this trend, watch for a reduction in the size of newly-built worship centers in large churches and megachurches. Pastors are becoming increasingly attuned to the stewardship of using more facilities more often.

Trend #6: A greater interest in groups. Megachurch leaders have a growing interest in groups as the church mechanism for assimilation, evangelism, fellowship, ministry, and more in-depth teaching. Groups have different names: small groups, Sunday school, life groups, home groups, etc. Megachurch leaders know that the health of their congregations can often be measured by the health of their groups. As the church grows larger, it must intentionally move smaller as well.

Trend #7: A greater interest in the source of growth of megachurches. Megachurches are often caricatured as organizations that are mostly sociological rather than theological. Their growth, some critics argue, is but a reflection of the demographic growth of their communities. Such blanket critiques are unfair and largely unfounded. But there will be more and more analysis of the type of growth coming into megachurches. Is it transfer of members from other churches? Is it unchurched Christians returning to church? Does it represent a true evangelization of the communities in which the church is located?

Some will bemoan the attention given to megachurches, especially if it is done to the neglect of other, smaller churches. But, at the very least, these churches are profoundly impacting our culture and the way we do church. We ignore these trends to our peril.

Confessions of A Bah-Humbug Father

I loved watching my boys participate in sports. One of their youngest ventures was t-ball. For the uninitiated, t-ball is baseball without a pitcher. The baseball is placed on a tee for the young boy or girl to hit.

Now the beauty of t-ball is that you can’t strike out. If you happen to miss the ball when you swing, your coach will help you position your bat, and you get to try again. In fact, you keep on trying until you finally hit the ball. My boys called second and third swings “do-overs.”

I wish I had some do-overs as a father. I tend to be a workaholic. And when I put in long and unreasonable hours, I get grouchy. The laughing, joyous father becomes a grouchy bear.

Though I have had many spells of the bah-humbug attitude, it seemed to be especially pervasive when my boys were young. I was a seminary student and pastor of a rural church. I also worked at a bank since the church only provided me fifty dollars per week in income. My schedule was horrendous. Fifteen hours of classroom time each week. Thirty-plus hours at the bank. More than twenty hours a week of studying. And at least forty hours at the church.

During those three years, I often was anything but a joy. I have some painful memories that I don’t particularly like recalling. But those stories are important reminders.

The three preschool boys were still in their pajamas, watching an early-morning cartoon. “Look at Scooby Doo, Daddy!” one of the boys exclaimed in laughter. Those boys were having so much fun. They wanted their daddy to join in on the hilarity.

I was tired and had to leave for an 8:00 a.m. class, but that does not excuse my behavior. I told the boys in an irritable tone that I had to leave and they needed to hug me good-bye, part of our everyday routine.

The boys were into their cartoons and were oblivious to my demands. In a moment of anger, I left the little campus apartment without my daily hugs. I got into the old Ford, made the usual U-turn that brought me right in front of the apartment. And there, standing on the little porch, were Sam and Art crying, motioning for me to return and hug them.

I felt like such a lowlife—because I was.

Even as I write this story more than two decades later, my eyes are filling with tears.

I jumped out of the car, grabbed my two sons with each of my arms, took them back into the apartment, and hugged them repeatedly.

I then threw off my coat and sat on the floor and watched Scooby Doo.

I missed my 8:00 a.m. class, and I don’t even remember what the class was. But I do remember Scooby Doo. And I do remember my boys yelling with delight that Daddy had returned and joined the party of laughter.

But there just aren’t any do-overs as a father.

You can ask for forgiveness. You can make up for a bad moment.

But you can’t undo that which has already been done.

There are no do-overs.

Adapted from Raising Dad (B&H Publishing Group, 2007)

A Time to Give Birth and a Time to Die

Please forgive the personal nature of this blog. As you read my article, my daughter-in-law, Rachel Rainer, will be giving birth to Harper Grace Rainer by C-section. Though we anticipate no problems, both mom and baby have some risks.

Harper will be delivered prematurely to minimize the risks to Rachel. As most of you know Rachel and her husband, Jess Rainer, lost a son just 60 minutes after birth 19 months ago. Subsequently, the doctors are taking extra precautions with both Rachel and Harper.

The Excitement of a New Grandchild

I can’t wait to meet Harper. She will be my fifth grandchild. Another daughter-in-law, Erin Rainer, will be giving birth to my sixth grandchild about two weeks later.

I knew I would love my grandchildren; but I didn’t realize how much I would love them. Each of those boys and girls has stolen my heart.

God is so good to give us these wonderful grandchildren. I don’t deserve them, and I don’t take them for granted.

The Memory of Another Grandchild in a Newly Released Album

In the midst of the anticipated celebration about the birth of Harper, we in the Rainer family can’t forget what took place in February 2011. The death of William Thomas Rainer, up until a few days before his birth, was totally unexpected.

Now, in the same hospital with many of the same medical personnel, another child will be born. Our faith is totally in God, but I hope you understand why we have some apprehension. Our human frailties sometimes are too obvious.

Shortly after the death of Will, a Christian country singer named Will Peppers approached Jess and Rachel with a request for permission to write a song about the brief life of my grandson. They were overwhelmed with gratitude and readily agreed. The song, “60 Minutes,” is the lead song of his new album Testimony. I encourage you to listen to the song here and perhaps purchase the entire album. Every song is a personal testimony of the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Request for Prayer

Could I be so bold to ask for prayer for Rachel and Harper today? Jess and Rachel have been through much the past year and a half. I would be humbled and appreciative if you take time to pray for both the mom and the baby today.

I will be sending updates via Twitter and this blog. The anticipated time of delivery is between noon and 1:00 pm central time.

The writer of Ecclesiastes certainly pulled no punches. He said: “There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die.” He continued, “a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 4).

We have seen death, and we have mourned. Pray that today we will celebrate the birth of Harper Grace Rainer, and that we will know it is a time to laugh and a time to dance.

Pray for . . . Next Level Church

Location: Fort Myers, Florida

Pastor: Matt Keller

Weekly Worship: Saturdays at 4:30 & 6:30 PM Eastern Time; Sundays at 9:30 & 11:30 AM Eastern Time

Fast Facts: As high school sweethearts, Matt and Sarah Keller knew they wanted to serve God together in local church ministry. In 2001 they began the work of planting Next Level Church. Their first worship service was launched on Mother’s Day 2002 in a local theater with 35 in attendance. On April 9 & 10, 2011, NLC hosted their first services in their permanent location with over 2,000 in attendance.

Connect: Website

“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 .