Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 401

HindSight (September 16, 2011)

State of the media: social media report. Nielsen reports that almost a quarter of American's internet usage is found in social networks.

How digitization is transforming the book industry. In short order, increased digitization and e-reader usage are changing the playing field for book publishers, including B&H Publishing (a division of LifeWay).

What are the guidelines for setting a pastor's salary? Good leading questions from the article: "At least three questions are wise to prayerfully consider in determining a pastor's salary. What biblical principles do we need to keep in mind? What institutional policies make sense? What cultural dynamics are in play?"

5 lessons for parenting in the digital age. "Few parents are going to completely forbid their children from interacting with today's amazing gadgetry. However, it's essential that we focus on a conscious, rather than habitual, use of modern technology."

Christians in China: Is the country in spiritual crisis? The BBC asks: "In the past, repression drove people to convert - is the cause now rampant capitalism?"

Posthumously honoring Dr. Adrian Rogers. I'm proud of LifeWay trustees for presenting this resolution to Joyce Rogers and Steve (her son). We are grateful for Dr. Rogers's lasting legacy and ministry.

Don't let bitterness poison your marriage. Four good pieces of advice to root out bitterness in marriage.

2 different foundations for leadership. What is your style based upon?

Five Characteristics of Healthy Church Leaders

I like studying healthy churches. Much has been written about the sad state of churches in North America, so much so that many have asked me if God is done with our congregations. I sadly have contributed to that perception of hopelessness. In an honest attempt to report the factual state of churches in our nation, I often describe the problem without contributing to the solution.

But isn't that the case of much of church life today? Critics and doomsday pundits abound. It's easy to criticize and observe what's wrong instead of offering hope and direction.

Suggesting a New Direction

I am making an honest attempt to move in a new direction. I will continue to report the facts of American congregations as our research dictates. Facts are our friends, and I don't need to have my metaphorical head in the sand.

But I will also offer hope and possible solutions as the facts unfold. God is still working in great ways in so many churches across our land.

The Path Forward

Indeed what I will do is take copious notes from healthy churches and their leaders. I will share with you how God is working in great ways in so many churches.

In many ways, I will simply be a conduit of information so you can be both encouraged and instructed.

In this article, I will focus on the leaders of healthy churches. Of course, the word "healthy" has some degree of subjectivity to it. I am not referring to any particular size of church or style of church. Instead, I am reporting from churches that are largely unified, that are reaching and caring for their communities, and that are truly making biblical disciples for Christ.

Beginning with the Leaders

What are some of the obvious characteristics of leaders of these healthy churches? Most of the leaders I observed are senior pastors, but I have not limited my leadership observations to them alone. My list is obviously not exhaustive, but I begin with five traits.

1. They spend time in prayer and the Word. Indeed most of these leaders take at least an hour a day alone to pray and study God's Word. Some take two to three hours. These leaders are incredibly busy, but they have deemed time with God and His word as one of their highest priorities. They are truly Acts 6:4 leaders who devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

2. They have longer tenure in the church. Most of the healthy church leaders I observe have been in their present church for at least five years. They have weathered conflict and change. They have earned the love and respect of the people of the church. They have become trusted and loved in the communities they serve.

3. They demonstrate obvious love for the people in their congregations. It's cliché to say that no one is perfect. There are no perfect pastors. There are no perfect staff members. And there are no perfect people in the church. Ministry is messy and sinners are sinful. Receiving criticism and second-guessing is the fate of every leader in a church. But leaders of healthy churches love the people anyway. These leaders understand that the Savior loves them though they don't deserve that love. They love unconditionally because they are loved unconditionally.

4. They have a consistent missional leadership push. Evangelism is a priority for these leaders. They serve and care for the community. They lead the church in an outward focus. They have an obvious passion for the nations. They focus on sending people and other resources where there is need.

5. They lead toward incremental change. These leaders are change agents. But they don't lead autocratically or at such a pace that the congregations cannot or will not follow. They "eat the elephant" one bit at time. And they seek God's wisdom and the counsel of wise men and women on how big that elephant bite should be.

Communicating Hope

God is not done with our churches. He is the God of hope and promise. And in the weeks and months ahead, I plan to share more with you about the great hope that we are seeing in so many churches.

Stay tuned.

Remembering September 12, the Day After

I certainly remember September 11, 2001. Like millions of other people, I have a distinct memory of where I was and what I was doing as the towers fell.

But I also remember well September 12, 2001, the day after the fateful event.

The Day After

Tributes and documentaries have inundated the airwaves and the Internet regarding the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Rightfully so. The nefarious act and the loss of lives will ever scar the history of our nation. We must never forget.

And we must never forget the heroic acts that saved lives and rescued people. The tragedy gave us some of the greatest heroes of our nation's history.

But I also remember the day after.

It would be an overstatement to say that the shock of the event had worn off just twenty-four hours later. To the contrary, most American citizens, and even others around the world, were still in a state of numbed disbelief.

But it was on the day after, September 12, that I begin to hear the questions. How could this happen? Why did this happen? Why did God let such evil people take the lives of so many innocent victims? What does this event mean for us as a nation?

The Tough Questions

So many of the questions were difficult to answer. There was no copy and paste response that could console a grieving and frightened nation. Churches would swell with attendees the next Sunday as both churched and unchurched America sought hope and tried to make some sense of this dreadful catastrophe.

I found myself captivated and challenged by the questions and the commentary the day after September 11. And I pondered some of those same issues myself.

What Really Matters

As I began to think and pray about 9/11 just one day later, I began to wonder about the eternity of those who had perished. I wondered how many had heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I wondered how many had received the gift of salvation through Him.

How many Christian co-workers, I wondered, had taken the time to share Christ with those who would lose their lives on that fateful day? How many believers had been lovingly and sufficiently bold to tell the good news?

I truly wondered about these matters on September 12.

And I wondered how many of those who perished told their spouses or their children that they loved them. How many of the victims left their survivors with memories of their love and concern for them?

You see, those were the things that really mattered to me on September 12. Those were the questions at the forefront of my mind.

It's Personal

Perhaps more than anything, September 12 reminded me why September 11 was so important to me. That horrendous day became a reminder to me to give my life to those things that really matter. A national tragedy became a personal marker.

And so on September 12, I prayed that God would give me wisdom and opportunities to share the gospel with greater boldness. I prayed that I would become a more compassionate Christian, and see others through the eyes of Christ. And I prayed that God would give me the heart to become a better husband and a better father.

Those were the things that mattered most.

On September 12, 2001, I was reminded of what mattered most.

And after I prayed, I went home and told my wife how much I loved her. I called each of my boys to let them know how much I loved them, and how proud I was of them.

And I pledged not to let an opportunity go by where I did not share the love of Christ with others. I pledged not to let a moment pass where I did not tell my family how much I loved each of them.

I can't make good sense out of September 11.

But I can let September 11 make good sense of my own life.

That was the gift of September 12.

May we never forget.

HindSight (September 9, 2011)

Organizational charts. Microsoft's depiction is funny, but betrays a common "silo" mentality in most corporations.

12 unusual words that describe words. Great list for all of us grammar nerds. Remorse or repentance? This contrast between temporary remorse and genuine repentance is helpful. Twitter: the fastest growing social network. Do you think Google+ will supersede Twitter? With 9/11 anniversary on a Sunday, pastors prepare their sermons. If you're a pastor, will you be preaching about something related to 9/11? Difficult conversations: 9 common mistakes. Good insights here for conflict management. 5 reasons for bringing your Bible to church. From the article: "many people lack the self-control to just read their Bible on their phones/tablets during church and not text, Facebook, Tweet, check email, etc." Ouch. Retweet added to Oxford English Dictionary. Is this "the latest testament to Twitter's growing importance in the modern world"? Education is a key predictor of emotional health after 65. "Older Americans with a college education are significantly more likely to be emotionally well-off than are people in this age group with less education," according to this recent Gallup poll. Faith-based filmmaking: the Sherwood Pictures crusade. Time Magazine focuses on Sherwood Pictures, who released the films Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof. I believe that Courageous (which opens Sept. 30) will add to this already strong list of films. Pilot Steve Scheibner gives this powerful testimony from his experience with the 9/11 tragedy. Very God-honoring. (HT: Challies)

Church Staff: Some Observations

In the past quarter of century of church leadership and church consultation, one of the most common and pressing issues I have heard relates to church staff. For example, here are some of the more common questions I receive: After the pastor, what should be the next staff position we add? How much of a church budget should be dedicated to personnel costs? How do lay leaders deal with staff conflict? How do pastors and staff deal with staff conflict? How do we know when a volunteer or a paid staff member should lead a church ministry? What do we do about an under-performing staff person? Should we, or how should we, differentiate pay among staff members?

Current Church Staff Trends in American Congregations

Rather than attempt to answer each of the above questions specifically, I will rather note some trends that are evident in American churches regarding church staff. As will be evident in each of these trends, the diversity in how churches deal with staff is growing each year.

· There are no longer consistent norms for the portion of a church budget that should be dedicated to personnel costs. Each church has a different rationale or contextualized reasons for the inclusion or exclusion of specific paid staff. No longer can someone look at a church budget and offer an normative percentage for personnel costs.

· The responsibilities and names of church staff positions are incredibly diverse. When churches were largely program driven, they would offer call or hire staff according to the program. Thus a music minister was hired for the music program. An educational minister was brought on staff to oversee the educational program. And a youth minister was added for youth programs. Though those positions still exist, program oversight is no longer the primary motivator for adding many staff members.

· The job descriptions of executive pastors are greatly varied. Some executive pastors oversee all staff; some don't. Some executive pastors share preaching responsibilities; some don't. Some executive pastors have primarily business administration responsibilities; others have primarily ministry responsibilities. While more and more larger churches are adding executive pastors, the nature of their responsibilities is very diverse.

· Churches still struggle to know how to deal with under-performing church staff. There continues to be a widespread sentiment that it's not the "Christian thing to do" to dismiss or discipline church staff. Often these under-performing staff members are therefore re-assigned to innocuous and low-accountability positions. However, we are watching a recent trend that shows about four percent of church staff are terminated each year, a number much higher than that of senior pastors (see below).

· The number of forced terminations of senior pastors has stabilized. For the past seven years, about 1.5 percent of senior pastors have lost their jobs each year due to forced terminations. That number is fairly stable.

· Other than the senior pastor and the worship leader, there is little consistency among churches on which staff positions are paid and which are unpaid volunteers. This inconsistency has become even more pronounced the past five years.

The Growing Pattern of Diverse Trends

Though I have noted just six trends, there is a definite pattern of variation in how churches do their staffing. When I first started doing church consultations in the late 1980s, I could bring a template job description for five or six church staff positions. And I could provide metrics that helped church leaders know if the level of paid staffing in their churches was adequate.

That is certainly not the situation today. How churches decide their staffing needs is almost as varied as the number of churches. Any maybe the "cookie cutter" approach is not the best way to staff churches today. Maybe churches truly understand their unique communities, congregations, and missional thrust more clearly. Maybe the churches are responding to the unique call of God on their congregations in the way they decide staff. If so, this trend of inconsistency may not be such a bad thing after all.

Midmegachurches in the Southern Baptist Convention

In a previous blog, I responded to a request to list all megachurches (worship attendance 2,000 and above) in the Southern Baptist Convention. This time I am responding to a similar request to list all the SBC midmegachurches (worship attendance of 1,000 to 1,999). There are about 35 churches that did not report that would likely be on this list. By the way, all of the megachurches and midmegachurchers only account for 1.5% of the total churches in the SBC. The denomination is still a convention of mid-size and smaller churches, since 98.5% of churches have a worship attendance below 1,000.

1. Temple, New Bern, NC
1,993


2. Living Hope Baptist Church, Bowling Green, KY
1,987


3. Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, KY
1,985


4. Sherwood Baptist Church, Albany, GA
1,980


5. First Baptist Sevierville, Sevierville, TN
1,975


6. First Baptist Panama City, Panama City, FL
1,970


7. Colonial Hills Baptist, Southaven, MS
1,956


8. First Baptist Church Woodway, Waco, TX
1,950


8. Hillcrest, Pensacola, FL
1,950


10. Thompson Station Church, Thompson Station, TN
1,944


11. First Baptist Church, Wichita Falls, TX
1,941


12. North Metro First, Lawrenceville, GA
1,930


13. Ingleside Baptist Church, Macon, GA
1,911


14. Cedar Creek Chruch, Aiken, SC
1,900


14. First Baptist Church, Forney, TX
1,900


14. Rock Creek, Little Rock, AR
1,900


17. Bethlehem Church, Gastonia, NC
1,887


17. Ridgecrest, Springfield, MO
1,887


17. NorthPointe Community Church, Fresno, CA
1,877


20. Immanuel Baptist Church, Highland, CA
1,865


21. First Baptist Church, Rockwall, TX
1,850


22. Warren Baptist, Augusta, GA
1,843


23. Broadmoor Baptist Church, Madison, MS
1,838


24. Mountain Lake Community , Cumming, GA
1,835


25. Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Herndon, VA
1,830


26. Midway Macedonia, Villa Rica, GA
1,816


27. First Baptist Church, Montgomery, AL
1,812


28. Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church, Allen, TX
1,809


28. Cuyahoga Valley Church, Broadview Heights, OH
1,809


30. Humble Area's First Baptist Church, Humble, TX
1,803


31. Dallas Bay, Hixson, TN
1,800


31. Mandarin First, Jacksonville, FL
1,800


33. Fairview Baptist Church, Columbus, MS
1,796


34. Second Baptist Church, Warner Robins, GA
1,785


35. First Baptist Church, Texarkana, TX
1,775


36. North Jacksonville Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL
1,771


37. Jersey Baptist Church, Pataskala, OH
1,770


38. Global Mission, Silver Spring, MD
1,764


39. Waters Edge, Yorktown, VA
1,763


40. Tallowood Baptist Church, Houston, TX
1,752


41. First Baptist Church, Columbia, SC
1,750


42. First Baptist Church, Snellville, GA
1,747


43. First Baptist Church, Covington, LA
1,728


44. First Baptist Church, Raytown, MO
1,717


45. Brand New Church, Harrison, AR
1,714


46. Summit Church, Estero, FL
1,708


47. Forest Park, Joplin, MO
1,704


48. Berendo St Baptist Church, Los Angeles, CA
1,700


48. La Familia de Dios, Ontario, CA
1,700


48. First Baptist Church, Millington, TN
1,700


48. Immanuel Baptist Church, Shawnee, OK
1,700


48. The Fort Bend Church, Sugar Land, TX
1,700


53. New Hope, Fayetteville, GA
1,695


54. Westside Church, Omaha, NE
1,692


55. Emmanuel, Enid, OK
1,690


56. Twin Cities Community Church, Grass Valley, CA
1,684


57. Westwood, Alabaster, AL
1,662


58. First Chinese Baptist Church, Los Angeles, CA
1,660


58. Friendship Baptist Church, The Colony, TX
1,660


60. Broadmoor Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA
1,650


60. Newchurch, Oklahoma City, OK
1,650


62. Bay Life, Brandon, FL
1,639


63. Scotts Hill Baptist, Wilmington, NC
1,635


64. First Baptist Church, Clarksville, TN
1,630


65. Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Dothan, AL
1,625


66. Quail Springs, Oklahoma City, OK
1,622


67. Chets Creek, Jacksonville, FL
1,620


68. First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, AL
1,610


69. South Biscayne, North Port, FL
1,608


70. First Baptist Church, Moore, OK
1,606


71. First Baptist Church of O'Fallon, O'Fallon, IL
1,601


72. Coral Park Hispana, Miami, FL
1,600


72. First Southern Baptist Church of Del City, Oklahoma City, OK
1,600


72. First Baptist Church, Wylie, TX
1,600


72. New Calvary Missionary, Atlanta, GA
1,600


72. Stonegate Fellowship Church, Midland, TX
1,600


77. Mandarin Baptist Church of LA, Alhambra, CA
1,598


78. CrossPoint Church, Hutchinson, KS
1,566


79. North Monroe Baptist Church, Monroe, LA
1,555


80. Cowboy Church of Ellis County, Waxahachie, TX
1,554


81. Hope Baptist Church, Las Vegas, NV
1,550


81. Trinity Baptist Church, Lake Charles, LA
1,550


83. Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, AL
1,546


84. Bon Air Baptist Church, Richmond, VA
1,534


85. First Missionary Full Gospel Baptist Church, Red Oak, GA
1,518


86. First Redeemer, Cumming, GA
1,507


86. First Baptich Church, Middleburg, FL
1,507


88. First Baptist Church, Garland, TX
1,504


89. Clovis Hills Community Church, Clovis, CA
1,500


89. Cross Pointe Church, Duluth, GA
1,500


89. Foothills Community Church, Seneca, SC
1,500


89. First Baptist Church Harvester, Saint Charles, MO
1,500


89. Heartland Worship Center, Paducah, KY
1,500


89. Hibernia Baptist Church, Green Cove Springs, Fleming Island, FL
1,500


89. Hill Crest, Anniston, AL
1,500


96. North Richland Hills Baptist Church, North Richland Hills, TX
1,498


96. First Baptich Church, Powell, TN
1,497


98. Richland Creek Community Church, Wake Forest, NC
1,492


98. Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, LA
1,490


100. First Baptist Church, Roanoke, VA
1,489


100. Southern Hills Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, OK
1,489


102. Anastasia Baptist Church, St Augustine, FL
1,484


103. First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, NC
1,483


104. Graceland Baptist Church, New Albany, IN
1,475


104. First Baptist Church, Trussville, AL
1,475


106. Houston Northwest Church, Houston, TX
1,466


106. Sarasota Baptist, Sarasota, FL
1,466


106. Woodland Church, Bradenton, FL
1,466


109. First Baptich Church, Collierville, TN
1,465


110. ClearView Baptist Church, Franklin, TN
1,462


111. Calvary Baptist, Alexandria, LA
1,460


112. Kirby Woods Baptist Church, Memphis, TN
1,454


113. First Baptich Church, Benton, AR
1,450


113. Calvary Baptist, Dothan, AL
1,450


115. True North Church, North Augusta, SC
1,440


116. Church On the Eastern Shore, Fairhope, AL
1,434


117. Aloma Church, Winter Park, FL
1,430


117. Higher Ground Baptst Church, Kingsport, TN
1,430


119. Roswell Street Baptist Church, Marietta, GA
1,427


120. Germantown Baptist Church, Germantown, TN
1,420


121. Oak Ridge Baptist Church, Salisbury, MD
1,417


122. Longview Heights Baptist, Olive Branch, MS
1,413


123. Cornerstone Community, Orangeburg, SC
1,408


124. First Baptist Church, Tulsa, OK
1,406


125. Central Florida First, Orlando, Orlando, FL
1,402


126. 121 Community Church, Grapevine, TX
1,400


126. Arran Lake, Fayetteville, NC
1,400


126. Brainerd, Chattanooga, TN
1,400


126. Concord Missionary Baptist Church, Dallas, TX
1,400


126. CrossPointe, Valdosta, GA
1,400


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


126. First Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA
1,400


126. Grace Fellowship Church, Paradise, TX
1,400


126. Hopewell Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA
1,400


126. Lawndale Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC
1,400


126. Valley Creek Baptist Church, Flower Mound, TX
1,400


126. Vaughn Forest, Montgomery, AL
1,400


138. Genoa Baptist Church, Westerville, OH
1,395


139. Bannockburn Baptist Church, Austin, TX
1,394


139. Westside Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL
1,394


141. First Baptist Church, Boiling Springs, SC
1,390


142. Lexington Baptist Church, Lexington, SC
1,388


143. First Baptist Church, Kissimmee, FL
1,385


144. SouthCrest Baptist, Newnan, GA
1,384


145. First Baptist Church of Maryville, Maryville, IL
1,381


146. Community Life Church, Forney, TX
1,380


147. St Stephen Baptist Church, Houston, TX
1,375


148. First Baptist Church, Rogers, AR
1,372


149. Paramount Baptist Church, Amarillo, TX
1,367


150. Copperfield Church, Houston, TX
1,365


150. First Baptist Church, Carrollton, TX
1,365


152. West Jackson Baptist, Jackson, TN
1,357


153. Fruit Cove Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL
1,350


153. Jacob's Well, Eau Claire, WI
1,350


153. Lakewood Baptist, Gainesville, GA
1,350


153. First Baptist Church, Plant City, FL
1,350


153. Resurrection Baptist Church, Schertz, TX
1,350


153. South Georgia Baptist Church, Amarillo, TX
1,350


159. First Baptist Church, Fort Smith, AR
1,344


160. First Baptist Church, Hattiesburg, MS
1,340


160. West Acres Baptist Church, Evans, GA
1,340


162. First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, NC
1,330


162. Mount Ararat Baptist, Stafford, VA
1,330


164. Fellowship, Salem, VA
1,321


165. First Baptist Church, Conyers, GA
1,319


166. First Baptist Church, Universal Cty, TX
1,315


167. First Baptist Church, San Antonio, TX
1,314


168. Lakeview Baptist Church, Auburn, AL
1,311


169. Hopeful Baptist Church, Lake City, FL
1,310


170. Grace Church, Des Moines, IA
1,309


170. First Baptist Church, Lewisville, TX
1,309


172. First Baptist Church Lone Oak, Paducah, KY
1,304


173. First Baptist Church, Lubbock, TX
1,301


173. Avalon Church, McDonough, GA
1,300


173. Beach Church, Myrtle Beach, SC
1,300


173. East Leesville Baptist Church, Leesville, LA
1,300


173. Faith Baptist Church, Youngsville, NC
1,300


173. First Keller, Keller, TX
1,300


173. Peace, Decatur, Decatur, GA
1,300


180. First Baptist Church, Allen, TX
1,293


181. Englewood Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, NC
1,291


182. Bay Leaf Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC
1,290


182. First Baptist Church, Georgetown, TX
1,290


184. Harvest Baptist Church, Watauga, TX
1,288


184. NorthPark Baptist Church, Trussville, AL
1,288


186. Church at Viera, Melbourne, FL
1,286


186. First Baptist Church, Windermere, FL
1,286


188. Dogwood Church, Peachtree City, GA
1,284


188. Fellowship of the Parks, Keller, TX
1,284


190. Jersey Village Baptist Church, Houston, TX
1,283


191. Sugar Hill Church, Sugar Hill, GA
1,276


192. Green Street Baptist Church, High Point, NC
1,275


193. Brookwood Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA
1,274


194. Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, GA
1,270


195. Westside Baptist Church, Lewisville, TX
1,267


196. First Baptist Church, Bentonville, AR
1,265


196. First Baptist Church, Prattville, AL
1,265


198. The Fellowship At Forest Creek, Round Rock, TX
1,264


199. First Baptist Church, Cabot, AR
1,252


200. Deep Creek Baptist Church, Chesapeake, VA
1,250


200. First Baptist Church, Bryan, TX
1,250


200. Great Hills Baptist Church, Austin, TX
1,250


200. Gulf to Lake Baptist Church, Crystal River, FL
1,250


200. Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock, AR
1,250


200. Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, Abilene, TX
1,250


200. Westside Baptist Church, Gainesville, FL
1,250


207. Severns Valley Baptist Church, Elizabethtown, KY
1,248


208. Stevens Street Baptist Church, Cookeville, TN
1,246


209. Northside Baptist Church, Liverpool, NY
1,242


210. Cross Point Community Church, Gadsden, AL
1,240


210. PaulAnn Baptist Church, San Angelo, TX
1,240


212. Hermitage Hills Baptist Church, Hermitage, TN
1,236


213. First Baptist Church, Merritt Island, FL
1,233


213. North Side Baptist Church, Greenwood, SC
1,233


215. Consolidated Baptist Church, Lexington, KY
1,228


215. First Baptist Church, Denton, TX
1,228


217. CrossPoint, Trussville, AL
1,224


218. Florence Baptist Church, Florence, KY
1,223


219. Lee Park Baptist Church, Monroe, NC
1,220


220. Gladeville Baptist Church, Gladeville, TN
1,209


221. First Baptist Church, Ardmore, OK
1,200


221. Bayside Baptist Church, Harrison, TN
1,200


221. Belle Aire Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, TN
1,200


221. First Brazilian Baptist Church, Pompano Beach, FL
1,200


221. Coronado Baptist Church, El Paso, TX
1,200


221. Daybreak Community, Carlsbad, CA
1,200


221. First Baptist Church, Dickson, CA
1,200


221. First Baptist Church, Starkville, MS
1,200


221. First Baptist Church, Richardson, TX
1,200


221. First Baptist Church on the Square, LaGrange, GA
1,200


221. First Baptist Church, Douglasville, GA
1,200


221. First Baptist Church, Statesboro, GA
1,200


221. Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, Greenwell Springs, LA
1,200


221. Grove Level Baptist Church, Maysville, GA
1,200


221. Hardin Baptist Church, Hardin, KY
1,200


221. Hope, Ocala, FL
1,200


221. Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church, Mesquite, TX
1,200


221. First Baptist Church, New Port Richey, FL
1,200


221. First Baptist North Mobile, Saraland, AL
1,200


221. First Baptist Church, Pflugerville, TX
1,200


221. Rich Fork Baptist Church, Thomasville, NC
1,200


221. First Baptist Church, Rock Hill, SC
1,200


221. Russell Baptist Church, Green Cove Springs, FL
1,200


221. The River Community Church, Cookeville, TN
1,200


221. Zion Baptist Church, Marietta, GA
1,200


246. Binghamtown Baptist Church, Middlesboro, KY
1,197


247. Calvary Baptist , Tuscaloosa, AL
1,196


248. First Baptist Church, Dothan, AL
1,192


248. Walnut Ridge Baptist , Mansfield, TX
1,192


250. Grand Avenue Baptist, Fort Smith, AR
1,185


250. Seoul Baptist Church of Houston, Houston, TX
1,185


252. Harrisburg Baptist Church, Tupelo, MS
1,180


253. Southcrest Baptist Church, Lubbock, TX
1,179


254. Cornerstone Baptist Church, Roseville, MI
1,175


254. Eden Westside Baptist Church, Pell City, AL
1,175


254. Golden Acres Baptist Church, Phenix City, AL
1,175


254. Keystone Community Fellowship, North Wales, PA
1,175


258. Hilldale Baptist Church, Clarksville, TN
1,170


259. Coggin Avenue Baptist Church, Brownwood, TX
1,165


259. Magnolia Ave Baptist Church, Riverside, CA
1,165


261. Millbrook Baptist Church, Aiken, SC
1,161


262. First Baptist Church, Warrensburg, MO
1,160


263. First Baptist Church, Richmond, VA
1,157


264. Hyland Heights Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA
1,156


265. Crossland Community Church, Bowling Green, KY
1,150


265. First Baptist Church, Lafayette, LA
1,150


265. Franklin Heights Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, VA
1,150


265. Lifepoint Church, Fredericksburg, VA
1,150


265. Palma Sola , Bradenton, FL
1,150


265. First Baptist Church, Pelham, AL
1,150


271. Village Baptist Church, Fayetteville, NC
1,148


272. First Baptist Church, Belton, TX
1,144


272. West Conroe Baptist Church, Conroe, TX
1,144


274. Fairview Baptist, Corryton, TN
1,130


275. First Baptist Church, Temple Terrace, FL
1,126


276. Parkwood Baptist Church, Gastonia, NC
1,125


277. Highland Baptist Church, Waco, TX
1,117


278. Little Flock Baptist Church, Shepherdsville, KY
1,115


279. First Baptist Church, Loganville, GA
1,113


280. Friendly Baptist Church, Tyler, TX
1,112


281. Grove Avenue Baptist, Richmond, VA
1,108


282. Metro Community Church, Edwardsville, IL
1,106


283. Southcliff Baptist Church, Fort Worth, TX
1,105


284. Calvary Baptist Church, Lexington, KY
1,101


285. Amite Baptist Church, Denham Springs, LA
1,100


285. First Baptist Church, Camden, SC
1,100


285. Central Baptist Church, Warner Robins, GA
1,100


285. Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, Waco, TX
1,100


285. First Baptist Church, Madison, MS
1,100


285. First Baptist Church, Augusta, GA
1,100


285. Hunters' Glen Baptist Church, Plano, TX
1,100


285. Lindsay Lane Baptist Church, Athens, AL
1,100


285. First Baptist Church, Morristown, TN
1,100


285. Bethel Baptist Church, Norman, OK
1,100


285. North Oxford Baptist Church, Oxford, MS
1,100


285. Oakland Baptist Church, Corinth, MS
1,100


285. The Fellowship At Cinco Ranch, Katy, TX
1,100


298. Prince Avenue Baptist Church, Bogart, GA
1,099


299. Alice Drive Baptist Church, Sumter, SC
1,094


300. First Baptist Church, Fort Mill, SC
1,090


301. Western Avenue Baptist Church, Statesville, NC
1,089


302. Porter Memorial Baptist Church, Lexington, KY
1,086


302. Salem Baptist Church, McDonough, GA
1,086


302. West University Baptist Church, Houston, TX
1,086


305. First Baptist Church, Watkinsville, GA
1,085


306. High Rock Baptist Church, Salisbury, NC
1,080


307. Immanuel, Tallahassee, FL
1,077


308. Hoffmantown Church, Albuquerque, NM
1,075


308. First Baptist Church, Daytona Beach, FL
1,075


308. First Baptist Church, Midlothian, TX
1,075


308. Hillcrest Baptist Church, Lebanon, TN
1,075


308. Osborne Baptist Church, Eden, NC
1,075


308. Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA
1,075


314. First Baptist Church, Columbia, TN
1,074


315. Central Bearden Baptist Church, Knoxville, TN
1,073


316. First Baptist Church, Hot Springs, AR
1,072


317. Del Sol Church, El Paso, TX
1,071


317. Pathways Community Church, Santee, CA
1,071


319. Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, TX
1,070


319. Woodland Park Baptist Church, Chattanooga, TN
1,070


321. Crossroads Baptist Church, The Woodlands, TX
1,067


322. Calvary Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA
1,065


323. Immanuel Baptist Church, Lexington, KY
1,064


324. First Baptist Church, Tacoma, WA
1,063


325. First Baptist Church, Leesburg, FL
1,060


326. London Bridge Baptist Church, Virginia Beach, VA
1,057


327. Cottage Hill Baptist Church, Mobile, AL
1,056


328. Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, Pleasant Garden, NC
1,055


329. First Baptist Church , Richmond, KY
1,053


330. Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church, Garland, TX
1,051


331. Hillcrest Baptist Church, Hopkinsville, KY
1,050


332. The Church at Severn Run, Severn, MD
1,049


333. First Baptist Church Russellville, Russellville, AR
1,045


334. Morrison Heights Baptist, Clinton, MS
1,042


334. Wedgwood Baptist Church, Fort Worth, TX
1,042


336. Mount Zion Baptist, Huntsville, AL
1,040


336. Mountain View Baptist, Thomaston, GA
1,040


336. First Baptist Church, Tallahassee, FL
1,040


339. North Asheville Baptist Church, Asheville, NC
1,039


340. First Baptist Church, Burleson, TX
1,038


341. Sugar Land Baptist Church, Sugar Land, TX
1,037


342. Northcliffe Baptist Church, Spring Hill, FL
1,036


343. The Rockies Fellowship, Pueblo, CO
1,035


343. First Baptist Church, Weston, FL
1,035


345. First Baptist Church, Colleyville, TX
1,034


346. Chestnut Mountain Baptist, Flowery Branch, GA
1,030


346. Fifty Ninth St Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA
1,030


348. Colonial Heights Baptist Church, Ridgeland, MS
1,029


349. Hillcrest Baptist, Enterprise, AL
1,029


350. Summit, North Little Rock, AR
1,028


351. Parkway Baptist Church, Victoria, TX
1,027


352. Bellevue LifeSpring Church, Bellevue, NE
1,026


353. First Baptist Church, Cumming, GA
1,024


354. Bethlehem Baptist Church, Mansfield, TX
1,020


355. First Baptist Church, Canton, GA
1,018


356. Brushy Creek Baptist, Taylors, SC
1,012


356. Wallace Memorial Baptist, Knoxville, TN
1,012


358. First Baptist Church, Altus, OK
1,010


358. First Baptist Church, Odessa, TX
1,010


358. First Baptist Church, Huntsville, AL
1,010


358. Immanuel Baptist Church, Lebanon, TN
1,010


362. Red Bank Baptist Church, Chattanooga, TN
1,007


363. New Hope Church, Lorton, VA
1,005


364. Hillcrest Baptist Church, Cedar Hill, TX
1,003


365. North Side Baptist Church, Weatherford, TX
1,002


366. Cross Brand Cowboy Church, Tyler, TX
1,001


367. Antioch Church, Long Beach, CA
1,000


367. Boca Raton Community, Boca Raton, FL
1,000


367. Eastmont Baptist Church, Montgomery, AL
1,000


367. Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, Indianapolis, IN
1,000


367. Emmanuel Baptist , Grenada, MS
1,000


367. Family Fellowship, Greenville, TX
1,000


367. First Baptist Church, Hurst, TX
1,000


367. First Baptist Church, Grapevine, TX
1,000


367. First Baptist Church, Rincon, GA
1,000


367. Friendship Baptist Church, Yorba Linda, CA
1,000


367. Good Community Church, Torrance, CA
1,000


367. Green Valley Baptist Church, Henderson, NV
1,000


367. Mims Baptist Church, Conroe, TX
1,000


367. New Life Community Baptist Church, E Saint Louis, IL
1,000


367. Sharon Church, McDonough, GA
1,000


367. Tabernacle Baptist, Danville, VA
1,000


367. Trinity Baptist , Ocala, FL
1,000


367. Woodlawn Baptist, Conover, NC
1,000

HindSight (September 2, 2011)

10 ways to know you're a social media expert. Some truth behind this humorous post.

Minorities are majorities in many metropolitan areas. According to census data, non-Hispanic whites are the minority in 22 of the nation's 100 largest urban contexts.

How to resolve conflict biblically. Conflict happens, and sometimes it is inevitable. Maybe this "4G process" can help.

Billy Graham reflects on the end of life. "The best way to meet the challenges of old age is to prepare for them now, before they arrive," says Mr. Graham.

6 personas of social media sharing. Which one are you?

7 worst natural disasters of the last decade. Some of these are surprising, and some went largely unnoticed by the Western world (e.g., no. 2).

Americans divided on whether King's dream has been realized. From the Gallup poll: "Americans believe there is work to be done, as nearly half are still not convinced that King's goal of true racial equality has been met."

Proclaiming truth beautifully. Interesting post from Trevin Wax, who argues that "we are often good at articulating biblical doctrine, but we don't give much thought to the role of beauty in communicating truth." He also offers a strong collection of examples from those who attempt to achieve both emphases.

Michael Kelley's forthcoming book, Wednesdays Were Pretty Normal (B&H Publishing, March 2012), is a moving, real-life testimony of a father's journey of faith through the diagnosis and treatment of his son's leukemia. I loved it and you will too. Here's Michael giving us an introduction:

Leadership and Decisiveness

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I just returned from the premier of Courageous, the incredible new movie that will be in theaters on September 30. I came away from the movie inspired and convicted. The Sherwood team has done a great job of portraying via the big screen those things that really matter.

The movie ends with the question, "Who will take a stand?"

Indeed that is the question for leaders today.

The Courage of Decisiveness

One of the outstanding resources to accompany the movie is Courageous Living by Michael Catt. In the book, Michael tells the story of Ed Freeman, a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. Freeman flew into the middle of enemy fire thirteen times to rescue thirty wounded warriors who would have otherwise died. He would later receive the Medal of Honor for his incredible acts of courage.

You see, Ed Freeman did not have to be the smartest person to know what he needed to do. He did not have to have the most strategic mind or the greatest leadership skills. He did not have to possess the most elite academic credentials.

He had to have courage – the courage to act.

The Power of Decisiveness

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

During the last budget crisis in our nation, millions of people became angry and frustrated with our president and congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle. People were looking for leadership and decisiveness, not gridlock and the blame game.

Though it is certainly possible to act too quickly, to make a decision without even the basic facts, most leaders do not have this problem.

Many leaders fail because they do not make decisions when decisions must be made.

There is power in decisiveness.

Our organizations, our families, and even our nation are pleading for those who will have the courage to act. That is the power of decisiveness.

The Path of Decisiveness

How then, do we become more decisive leaders? May I suggest three initial steps?

First, pray for courage. The decisions we must make will not likely be as dramatic as those of Ed Freeman, who decided to risk his life multiple times to rescue his wounded comrades. But our decisions do have impact on people and the organizations we serve. We cannot be frozen into inaction; we must be decisive.

Second, get the minimal facts necessary to make a decision, but be willing to act without all the information you would like to have. Delays in decisiveness can cripple an organization. On the battlefield, they can result in loss of lives.

Finally, be willing to live with imperfection. You will not make perfect decisions. But you can be assured of failure if you are unwilling to make courageous decisions.

The Example of Decisiveness

The main character in Courageous is a police officer named Adam Mitchell. Various plots and subplots revolve around him, his job, and his family. Ultimately, Officer Mitchell realizes that many people depend upon him to be courageous and to be willing to make decisions, even if those decisions are difficult. In one of the more poignant moments in the movie, Adam Mitchell says bluntly, "I'm accepting the fact that I need to learn to do the hard things."

So he seeks courage from the Lord.

So he gets the basic facts he needs to make decisions.

And so he decides.

God give us leaders who will demonstrate your courage.

God give us leaders who will take a stand.

And God please give us leaders who are willing to make courageous decisions.

The Retirement of Steve Jobs: Thoughts and Quotes

Steve Jobs' retirement marks one of the most significant transitions in the modern history of American business. I am not sure what you think about him as a leader, but Jobs spoke a lot about the brevity of life which shaped his vision for Apple. Though he is not a Christian, I do think Christians could learn a lot from some of his ideas, legacy, and decision-making.

One of his most unique leadership traits: he is one of the only leaders I know that is celebrated for being a micro-manager.

Here are some fascinating quotes from Jobs:

The Real Importance of Technology

"The problem is I'm older now, I'm 40 years old, and this stuff doesn't change the world. It really doesn't.

"I'm sorry, it's true. Having children really changes your view on these things. We're born, we live for a brief instant, and we die. It's been happening for a long time. Technology is not changing it much — if at all.

"These technologies can make life easier, can let us touch people we might not otherwise. You may have a child with a birth defect and be able to get in touch with other parents and support groups, get medical information, the latest experimental drugs. These things can profoundly influence life. I'm not downplaying that.

"But it's a disservice to constantly put things in this radical new light — that it's going to change everything. Things don't have to change the world to be important." [Wired, February 1996]

The Downside of Technology

"I think it's brought the world a lot closer together, and will continue to do that. There are downsides to everything; there are unintended consequences to everything. The most corrosive piece of technology that I've ever seen is called television — but then, again, television, at its best, is magnificent." [Rolling Stone, Dec. 3, 2003]

The Beauty of Simplicity

"For something this complicated, it's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them."

"That's been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains." [BusinessWeek, May 25, 1998]

The Need for Innovators

"This is what customers pay us for–to sweat all these details so it's easy and pleasant for them to use our computers. We're supposed to be really good at this. That doesn't mean we don't listen to customers, but it's hard for them to tell you what they want when they've never seen anything remotely like it. Take desktop video editing. I never got one request from someone who wanted to edit movies on his computer. Yet now that people see it, they say, 'Oh my God, that's great!'" [Fortune, January 24 2000]

What Really Matters

"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful… that's what matters to me." [The Wall Street Journal, May 25, 1993]

"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." [Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]

So, what is your perspective on Steve Jobs?

HindSight (August 26, 2011)

101 inspiring aerial photographs. Stunning photos, unless you're acrophobic.

8 ways to communicate your strategy more effectively. Inspire. Educate. Reinforce. Tell a story. Good leadership insights here.

Why McDonald's wins in any economy. You can judge for yourself, but I still think the secret is hooking in us parents and grandparents with the Happy Meal.

7 steps to finding time for social media. Bottom line: make time.

So you want to be a senior pastor? Incredibly helpful advice and reflection for those interested in pastoral ministry by Pastor Jay Thomas.

Google cuts churches out of nonprofit program. Faith-based groups must now pay for Google's toolbox.

What's fueling Bible Belt divorces? Could low education and getting married younger be to blame?

Steve Jobs's resignation letter. He said, "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."

Inflatable church pops up on demand. Sadly, "No traditional sermons are on offer in the Transparent Church, however; rather, an open format is presented, with an emphasis on philosophy and discussion of life's important questions."

Women own the majority of e-readers. Sixty-one percent, to be exact (according to recent data from Nielsen).