Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 58

A Fascinating New Way to Read through the Bible

It’s likely that you have read through the Bible many times. And it is possible that you are like many in your congregation who have tried multiple times, as a New Year’s resolution, and lost their way in about mid-February as God lays down the law in great detail to the children of Israel in the wilderness.

As you mentor those who have a difficult time reading the Bible, you’ve probably used a variety of resources that are available through your denomination, or that you and your church have developed. There are certainly many ways that you can help your church avoid getting stuck in the wilderness.

As a publisher, we provide many of those resources. Like you, we’re looking for every which way to help those who have struggled with long-form Bible reading. This year, we’re fascinated by a new entry in the read-through-the-Bible category, The NLT Daily Readers Bible, compiled by 2K/Denmark (it’s in English!)

We think you, even as a longtime Bible reader, will find this new Bible to be a rich and valuable new reading experience.

Here’s how it works:

The NLT Daily Reader’s Bible offers the promise of reading the entire Bible in one year. But rather than providing a canonical progression through the Old Testament and New Testament, each day’s reading includes three passages—one is selected from the Stories of the Bible (the Old Testament books of Genesis through Esther and the New Testament books of Matthew through Acts), another from the Teachings of the Bible from the prophetic books of the Old Testament (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel through Malachi) and the letters of the New Testament (Romans through Revelation), and the final passage selected from the Wisdom of the Bible (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations). The entire text of the Bible is uniquely arranged for daily reading that can be completed in about 15 minutes per day.

Daily Themes. Each of the 365 selections of three readings flows from daily themes. This thematic approach to devotional reading ties together the passages you are reading each day.

For example, the theme for Reading #7 is I am the Good Shepherd with readings from John 9:1-10:21, Zechariah 11:4-12:14, and Psalms 22:19-31 — all pointing to the Good Shepherd and his role in our lives.

The theme of Reading #90 is A Gracious Giver of Peace and Mercy, with scripture from Numbers 5:11-6:27, Isaiah 18:1-19:4, and Psalm 108.

Numbered Readings. Each daily reading is numbered, so you can start any time of the year (not just on January 1!).

Uncluttered. The reading experience is not interrupted by chapter numbers, verse numbers, section headings or textual notes.

Unique Page and Type Design. The innovative interior design gives the reader visual cues for which of the three scripture types they are reading through layout and font selection. The Story is presented in a three-column format in sans-serif font. The Teachings are presented in a two-column setting in a serif font. Wisdom is presented in a one-column setting to preserve the feel of the poetic passages and is presented in an italicized font.

New Living Translation. The Daily Readers Bible includes the entire New Living Translation of the Bible, organized thematically in 365 readings. The NLT is the trusted Bible translation that you can most comfortably read, understand, and actively apply to your life.

 

Read More about the NLT Daily Readers Bible

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Breaking Out of the Loneliness and Discouragement Cycle in Ministry

Loneliness and discouragement are often connected in a vicious circle. One leads to the other. They feed off each other. When compounded together, church leaders often feel trapped and hopeless.

Far too few admit it out loud, but it’s a common problem in ministry.

The church is supposed to be a place of belonging and hope, but many church leaders experience the opposite—isolation and discouragement.

What causes this problem? Sometimes people are just mean and hurtful. But let’s dig deeper.

Vulnerability is risky where connection is most prevalent. The digital era has created worldwide connections, but sharing your struggles online is not the best way to find healing. When you are open to the world, it also opens the potential for misunderstanding, or worse, bullying.

The people you lead—by design—are not supposed to solve your problems. As a church leader, you are tasked with equipping others to solve their problems. While followers influence leaders through accountability and encouragement, the follower does not exist to solve the problems of the leader.

You are surrounded by people, but few can relate to the most difficult aspects of ministry. A healthy church will be a place full of meaningful relationships. On a personal level, pastors should have friends in the church. But rare is the church member friend who understands the nuanced dynamics of leading a congregation.

You can break out of the loneliness and discouragement cycle. Consider these four solutions.

Enjoy friendship with those inside the church without placing unreasonable expectations on them. Unmet expectations are one of the most common ways relationships break down. Release your church friends from the burden of helping solve your leadership problems. Simply enjoy them for their friendship.

Navigate the waves of discouragement with focused prayer. Every church leader will face a storm. Before you feel overwhelmed, double or triple your usual prayer time. We often want people to reassure us, but the best comfort comes from the Holy Spirit. You should not ask others for support without first praying to God.

Create a standing meeting with a mentor or coach in ministry. When you are in a regular rhythm of seeking advice, the pain of an inevitable crisis does not feel as acute. A sense of relief comes with knowing you have an upcoming session with a coach in which to ask questions and seek guidance.

Seek encouragement and advice from a variety of peers. The key here is “variety.” There is great value in the collective perspective of several other leaders. One of our most popular resources is Church Answers Central, a safe and private digital forum of over 1,800 church leaders. It’s part of our Silver subscription that’s only $9.97 a month. Imagine getting instant insight on a ministry question from several church leaders. It happens every hour at Church Answers Central!

The cliché is true. It’s lonely at the top. Ministry leadership often isolates and discourages pastors. If you’re there, we understand. But you don’t have to stay there. You can break out of the cycle.

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Seven Changes Pastors Plan to Make in 2022

We have heard from pastors more about changes they plan to make than any previous years we can recall.

And the changes are good, if not great.

Perhaps the pandemic has been a wake-up call for pastors. They realize more than ever they can’t lead as they’ve led in the past. Change is urgently needed for their churches. They, therefore, must set the example. They must be willing to change if they are leading their congregations to change.

We compiled seven critical changes pastors are planning from our ongoing conversations with pastors at Church Answers. The list is not comprehensive. It does represent, however, the most frequent changes pastors have told us they plan to make.

1. Be more intentional about evangelism. Many pastors realize that evangelism has not been a priority for them. They have let other activities replace this focus. They have substituted good for great. These pastors are committing themselves to be more focused on evangelism personally and lead their churches toward more effective evangelism.

2. Spend time with more committed church members. Several pastors shared that they have spent more time with marginally committed members than fully committed members. The less committed members are more demanding and more critical. They are a drain on the pastors’ emotional and spiritual energy. As a consequence, members who are selfless and ready to move forward have often been neglected. While these pastors did not suggest they would neglect the less-committed members, they did say they will be more intentional about discipling and working with those who are more committed to the church and to the cause of Christ.

3. Make sure their families are their first line of ministry among the church members. Pastors admit that they often see the need to balance family and church needs, a perspective that puts their families in competition with their churches. Many pastors are making subtle changes of perspective to see their families as their first line of ministry in their churches. In other words, their first church responsibility is to their families.

4. Learn to say “no” more often. Many pastors are people pleasers. They have trouble saying “no.” Consequently, they risk neglecting their families, their highest priorities, and their most committed church members by saying “yes” to everyone else. They plan to say “no” graciously more often.

5. Stop obsessing over losing members. Many pastors take it personally when people leave their church. Very few pastors are unbothered by it. But we have heard from many of these leaders that they are determined in God’s power to stop worrying about it. Several of the pastors learn quickly that these departures often leave the church healthier.

6. Be willing to get help for themselves and for their churches. Pastors often lead lonely and isolated lives. They tend to be hesitant to get help personally or to get outside consultations for their churches. We see these walls coming down. It is a good thing for both the leaders and the congregations.

7. Give more attention to small groups in the church. Most pastors know the incredible value of small groups to the health of their churches. They know that those in groups are more committed, attend more frequently, give more generously, and serve more readily. But pastors often neglect this priority for lower-priority items. Many pastors told us they would make time to lead and emphasize small groups in 2022.

This list is not exhaustive, but it represents some of the significant changes being made now and will carry into 2022.

I would love to hear from you pastors. What do you affirm that is on this list? What would you add to it?

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Why Sermon Preparation is Not Devotional Time

Every Monday morning, I swivel in my desk chair—praying, pondering. Yellow legal pads fill with chicken scratch in a language only I understand. About fifty Mondays a year, around 3:00 p.m., I start to wonder if I’ll have anything worthwhile to say the following Sunday. The other two Mondays I’m on vacation.

I know it’s the Holy Spirit, but many weeks it feels like sheer luck. My sermon comes together and cogent points begin to form. I’ve heard of some pastors using their sermon preparation as a devotional time. For me, that could never happen. I sweat too much when I write sermons. I’d get dehydrated.

Sermon preparation is not—and should not—be used as devotion time. Sermon writing is devotional to an extent. Both involve prayer. Both elevate Scripture. Both require the work of the Holy Spirit. But they are different.

The purposes are different. Sermons are public. Devotional times are personal. The purpose of a sermon is to reveal the mysteries of God to the bride of Christ at a specific point in time. The purpose of a devotional time is to spur individual growth over time. There is overlap between them, no doubt. But the sermon is more acute in power, while the devotional is more longitudinal in power.

The processes are different. It’s not that sermon writing is a cold, mechanical process, and devotional times are warm, fluid interactions with God. The fruit of sermon writing can be similar to your devotion. However, the process of writing a sermon is—and should be—different than the process of having a devotional time. Sermons have a deadline. Devotionals are ongoing. Sermons have a weekly resolution. Devotionals require a lifetime of consistency.

The audiences are different. A sermon is meant for the entire church. In most cases, sermons are meant for a broad audience—the five-year-old and the eighty-five-year-old. Five generations may listen to a sermon together in the same room. A devotional time, however, is exclusive to the individual. In order to separate the two, I make sure my devotional focus is different than the sermon series I am preaching.

Your sermons should not act as a devotional time. It’s tempting. I spend ten to twenty hours per week writing and preparing sermons. Is that enough to grow in Christ? I’m sure it is. But figuring out the path of least resistance is not the calling of a Christian. Is having two separate times efficient? No. But efficiency is not the primary calling of a pastor.

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A Proposal: One Reason We Don’t Evangelize

In some studies, fear is the #1 reason Christians give for not sharing their faith. I think there’s another reason, though, we cannot ignore. The Gospel of Mark has helped me to see this problem, and I invite you to review the Word as you read this post.

In several stories in the first half of the Gospel, the text tells us that crowds were filled with wonder at Jesus. It didn’t always happen that way—some of the religious leaders, in particular, turned against Jesus quickly—but it did happen often. For example, the people were astonished at His teaching because He taught differently than the scribes did (Mark 1:22). They were also amazed when He demonstrated His power to cast out demons (Mark 1:27).

Those who saw Jesus heal and save a paralytic were also amazed at Him (Mark 2:12). The people who learned Legion’s story of freedom from demonic bondage marveled at what Jesus had done (Mark 5:20). The family of the daughter of Jairus were “overcome with amazement” when Jesus raised her from the dead (Mark 5:42). Those who saw Jesus heal a deaf man with a speech impediment were “astonished beyond measure” (Mark 7:37).

And, here’s what most grabs my attention: when the people were filled with astonishment, they most often immediately began talking about Jesus (Mark 1:28, 2:12, 5:20, 7:37). Even in those cases where Jesus told people not to go tell, they often did anyway (Mark 1:45, 5:43 [cf. Matt 9:26). After all, how could you not tell others when Jesus healed you or raised a loved one from the dead?

But, then there’s the story of the people in Jesus’ hometown. When they heard Him teach and learned of His miracles, they were initially astonished themselves (Mark 6:2). That wonder, though, quickly gave way to skepticism and disbelief (Mark 6:3); in their minds, they reduced Jesus to just one of them. He was just the “routine” carpenter whose family they knew.

This time, then, it was not the crowds filled with wonder over Jesus; it was Jesus amazed by their unbelief (Mark 6:6). He was amazed that they were no longer amazed.

And, I can’t help but wonder if He isn’t sometimes amazed by our lack of amazement, too. What was once astonishment in our early Christian walk has too often now become the routine – and it’s no wonder we don’t evangelize like we should.

What are your thoughts?   

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The Surprising Attendance Decline of Streaming Worship Services: Five Observations

Over nine out of ten church leaders describe their church’s decline in attendance in streaming worship services as “major.” Many of them say the decline is at least 90 percent from its peak during the pandemic.

While we certainly anticipated that many church members would return to in-person worship attendance after the quarantine, we were not prepared for the magnitude of decline in digital services. And this decline took place regardless of the platform: Facebook, YouTube, and others.

How do we explain this decline? What observations do we have about this surprise? Here are five of those observations.

1. The desire to return to in-person worship services was a pent-up demand far greater than we thought it would be. Church members grew weary of looking at a screen. They missed the fellowship and connections their local church afforded. Though many members have been cautious about returning, they are nevertheless leaving the screen and returning to in-person at a rapid pace.

2. Watching streaming services never developed into a habit. One of the reasons millions of church members attend in-person services is because it represents a healthy habit they have developed. Viewing streaming services was perceived to be transitory by most who viewed them. It was never in the long-term plans of most people.

3. The novelty has worn off. There were undoubtedly many curiosity seekers who watched the streaming services in the early days of the quarantine. After tens of thousands of churches began offering digital services, it was no longer a point of curiosity.

4. Be careful not to invest too heavily in streaming services. Many church leaders continue to update the digital hardware and software at a significant financial cost. Other leaders spend hours each week preparing and refining the digital services. More attention needs to be paid to working toward getting more of our congregants returning to in-person services.

5. But don’t abandon digital services completely. They still have an important place in churches. You have some members who are physically unable to attend in-person services. You have people in your community who are not believers. Some of them are discovering local churches and hearing the gospel through streaming services.

We had a pastor connect with us at Church Answers shortly after the quarantine began. His church of 35 in attendance (in-person) increased to several hundred (digital) the first week of the quarantine. He declared to us that he could see his church reaching megachurch status of 2,000 or more in just a few weeks. I’m sure he was speaking tongue-in-cheek. At least, I think he was.

That first week represented the peak of the attendance. Today, only three or four people watch the services online. His story is not unusual in this strange world of the post-quarantine church.

I thank God for the mission opportunities of digital services. I think we have yet to discern all of their potential and future. The streaming of worship services likely did not turn out the way we anticipated thus far, but abandoning it now could prove to be costly to your Great Commission efforts in the future.

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How to Handle the Unsolvable Problems that Inevitably Arise in Your Church

No leader can solve every problem. 

Some problems have staying power. And good leaders admit it when a solution to a problem will not come to fruition. Allow me to offer you two perspectives—one from the solution side and the other from the problem side.

1. Leaders can select the right problem to solve but craft a poor solution.

2. Leaders can attempt to solve the wrong problem. 

As a pastor, I have been guilty of both—poor solutions to the right problems and good solutions to the wrong problems. I have fought needless battles. I have chased rabbits. The Bible gives plain instructions on how to deal with sin. But some problems in the church are not due to sin. These problems can be caused by poor planning, bad technology, old facilities, and odd traditions, among many others.

What should you do when you encounter the inevitable problem that appears unsolvable? What if you cannot ignore the issue? What if it must be addressed? These cases are not easy for leaders. But consider a few guidelines first.

Concede. Have self-awareness that your solution is not working. Acknowledge that you need a new plan. Your “best” solution may never work. Sometimes leaders have to concede and settle for plan B. Sometimes followers will never grasp the best solution. Remember, leaders serve the people, not their own ideals.

Consensus. The majority does not always have the right solution, nor do they always pick the right problems to solve. With consensus, no one gets all of what they want but most can live with the outcome.

Leaders can use consensus, however, by building it. Don’t start with a large bundle of ideas and allow the people to whittle down the options. Start with one or two new solutions and let the people build them up by making them their own.

Conversations. Leaders must have conversations proactively or gossip will take over reactively. Have friendly conversations with key people and assume they will “talk.” Then listen. Track the pulse of the body. Check the excitement (or dissatisfaction) level and continue crafting your solution.

Creativity. Conceding your ideal solution is not the same as admitting defeat. But it does require more creativity in building another solution. If the problem is unsolvable, then extra creativity is needed to find a resolution.

Some problems are perpetual. They never quite go away. For instance, a landlocked and growing church in a downtown area may not have the luxury of buying more land or building taller. Be creative in addressing the problem. Leaders can earn much respect by figuring out the next best solution.

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The Quarter-Time Church Member: Five Observations

The Quarter-Time Church Member: Five Observations

If your church is typical, over one-half of your members attend one out of four weeks or less.

I am convinced that the decreasing commitment of church members to their local churches is one of the greatest problems in our culture today. More than polarized politics. More than petty social media. More than the divisions related to a pandemic.

You see, healthy churches are positive forces in culture and communities. They serve and love others. They unite families. They communicate the gospel, where one finds true hope and peace.

But when church members begin to lessen their commitment to their churches, those congregations become weaker. They become unhealthy. And unhealthy churches are bad for the communities they serve and the culture in which they live.

How did we get here? How did we get to the point where nominal church commitment is no big deal? How did we come to accept quarter-time church members as normal behavior? Though we could expand significantly on these questions, let’s look at five key developments.

1. We fail to see that the local church is God’s plan A to do his mission on earth, and that he has no plan B. The New Testament, from Acts 2 to Revelation 3 is all about the local church. It is clear that God means for local congregations to be the focus of his ministry. When we minimize the local church, we minimize the work of God.

2. We embrace the false notion that commitment to a local church is legalistic. Try using that same argument with the family unit: “Oh, your strong commitment to your family is too legalistic.” Why do we use this legalism angle with the local church? I would rather my children and grandchildren see me at the church when the doors are open rather than treat my local congregation like a part-time civic club.

3. We have let culture dictate our schedules. If Christians would stop letting their kids play Sunday-morning sports, the leagues would soon get the message. Instead, on this matter and others, we let culture tell us what’s really important. In doing so, we are communicating to our children what is and what is not important.

4. We have accepted strawman arguments about gathering at our local church. Have you heard either of these two comments? “The church is not the building; it’s the people.” Or, “The church is about sending not attending.” Both of those comments are often used to suggest that the gathering of church members each week is not important. Tell that to the writer of Hebrews who said, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25).

5. We see church as a place to be served rather than to serve. Have you ever heard church members argue about their preferences? You probably think that’s a rhetorical question. Sure you’ve heard it. Preferences about the style of music in worship. About the order of worship. About the color of the carpet. About the time of service. The list could continue. If church membership is about getting perks like a country club membership, commitment to the congregation will inevitably wane.

These five observations alone could explain the phenomenon of the quarter-time church member. He or she is not really committed. He or she is really not making a difference.

To all of you who say you are connected to a local church: Are you really? Are you really gathering without excuses? Are you looking to serve rather than to be served? Are you willing to give up the trappings of culture to be a growing disciple in your church? Are you really so committed that you would put your church first, only after your Lord and your family?

Are you a quarter-time church member? If so, you are a part of the problem.

Be a part of the solution.

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Apathy: Why It Has Hit the Church So Hard and Your Next Step to Break Out of It

“I’m managing each week as they come. I don’t have the energy to think further out.”

The pastor was struggling to regain his passion, and he was expressing frustration with himself. He is self-aware enough to recognize his apathy. At the same time, he was unsure how to move forward from the malaise.

The problem of apathy has hit churches. Both leaders and congregants are struggling to move forward following the pandemic. A general lack of enthusiasm is defining the culture of many churches right now. What’s going on?

Broken rhythms tend to discourage excitement. When I broke my leg last year, I was no longer able to work out regularly. It affected my psyche. When someone misses several days in a row of a Bible reading plan, discouragement sets in. The pandemic broke a lot of regular church rhythms with people. It’s hard to build excitement with broken rhythms.

The spiritual discipline of evangelism is largely absent from congregations. This reality was present before the pandemic. But it is exacerbated now. When people lose sight of the main thing, a church’s sense of purpose evaporates.

Attendance frequency continues to get worse. The person who once attended every other week is now attending one out of four weeks. Momentum stalls when people do not gather frequently. When people are absent from church, they direct their passions to other endeavors.

Church leaders are both tired and confused. You can be exhausted but have clarity on what to do. When you lack clarity, exhaustion pulls you back to the status quo. A lot of pastors have no energy and no direction right now.

Survival mode has turned into maintenance mode. A flurry of activity was required during the pandemic just to stay afloat. It seemed as if major decisions were needed every day. Then the chaos settled, and everyone took a much-needed breath. But many pastors and leaders fell back into maintenance mode after being in survival mode for so long. Decision fatigue is a real phenomenon, so it’s understandable why many churches and leaders are simply maintaining.

Now is the time to start breaking the apathy cycle. One way to kickstart energy in the church is by re-emphasizing your membership class. As churches recover from the pandemic, unfortunately, the membership class is often one of the last things to return.

A culture of high expectations begins with a membership class. Think of each membership class as a new wave of aligned expectations washing into the church. Over time, each new group of people coming into the church help build the culture of high expectations.

New members bring energy into the church. I guess it’s possible to join a church with a sullen attitude. Most new members, however, tend to bring excitement and anticipation when they join the church.

Leaders are reinvigorated by equipping new members. How can you break out as a leader? Start by investing in new people. By design, this investment will challenge you to do new things. Each new person is an opportunity to think about discipleship in a fresh way.

New members have the potential to reintroduce evangelism. One of the best ways to encourage your church to restart evangelism is through new members. Channel their excitement about the church into an evangelism emphasis. Likely, new members will ignite passion in longstanding members as well.

Apathy is a common occurrence in churches right now, both with leaders and congregants. It’s an understandable problem given what most churches have experienced the last two years. But now is the time to break out of it.

How can you restart a healthy membership class? Join us on Thursday, October 28 at 1:00 pm Eastern for our webinar, “Moving Your Church from Apathy to Growth.” You can save your spot HERE.

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8 Reasons Some Church Members are a Thorn in a Pastor’s Side

Any of us who’ve pastored very long recognize that most churches (if not all) have at least one member who seems to be opposed to everything the pastor wants. Those members can be a continual irritation for even the most patient pastor. In my opinion, though, it’s important to consider possible reasons behind their actions: 

1. Some are non-believers. They may have been church members for years—and it may seem almost impossible to convince them they’re lost—but they show little evidence of conversion in any area of their lives. They act like non-believers because they are.

2. Many are undiscipled. They carry on like babies because that’s what they really are: spiritual babes, but they’re babes who’ve never been taught how to grow in Christ. They might even be in leadership positions that others placed them in—and they have no idea they have much room to grow.

3. Some are losing a battle with private, personal sin. Their failures are eating at their insides, but they’ve chosen not to share their struggle with anyone. Guilt’s consuming them, yet they only redirect their frustrations toward someone else. In this case, the pastor bears the brunt of their inner turmoil.

4. Some are dealing with out-of-control family issues. And, again, they’re often carrying that weight alone. The worry is great. The pressure is intense. Sleepless nights lead to short tempers and unchristian responses toward others.  

5. Others are still angry at other pastors (even long-gone ones), but they take out their anger toward their current pastor. “If one pastor is a problem, they all must be,” they think. In fact, they’d be angry at anyone who carries that title unless that pastor agrees with them completely.

6. The church has, by their own choices, placed some “leaders” in positions of authority before they were ready. Not only is this approach unwarranted biblically, but it also often results in immature believers overextending their perceived power. They sometimes fight a pastor simply to show their authority.

7. The church has, by their inaction, given the thorns permission to keep being thorns. You know that’s happened when the thorns have been problems in the ministries of several pastors. By now, the church has given up on doing anything about it—and the thorns know it.

8. Sometimes we pastors perceive them as thorns, when the truth is they’re confronting real issues in us. That’s not often the case with the thorns I’m describing in this post, but it does happen sometimes. We’re wise to consider whether our thorns speak any element of truth into our lives.

 So, what do we do with the thorns? Let’s start here: pray for them. At times, we don’t know what they’re dealing with. At other times, confrontation and discipline are indeed in order. In all cases, though, let’s be sure to have covered them in prayer, sought God’s wisdom, and responded with God’s leading.

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