Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 90

Difficult Questions about Child Protection in Your Church

By Sam Rainer

Is child abuse really a problem in our culture? Absolutely, the problem is real. About 686,000 children were abused in the United States in 2012, and over 1,600 children died from abuse the same year. Approximately 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men have been sexually abused as a child. From a biblical perspective, we live in a hyper-sexual culture in which children are exposed to a repeated and perverse narrative. Pastors and church leaders who ignore this issue are disregarding one of the most dangerous problems affecting children.

Does child abuse actually occur in the church? Yes. Victims of abuse are in your church. Since approximately 25% of women and 17% of men have suffered abuse at some point in their childhood, abuse victims are coming to your church every week. Though specific statistics concerning the number of cases involving sex abuse in the church are hard to obtain, insurance companies handle hundreds of claims a year in which a pastor, staff person, or volunteer is accused of sexual abuse. The problem is real in the church just as it is in the greater culture. 

Where is the greatest danger in most churches? Most churches have specific processes for child safety on-campus and during regular church hours. The greatest danger involves church sanctioned events and programs that are off site. In-home Bible studies and groups, in particular, are susceptible to lax controls. In fact, many of the worst cases of child abuse have occurred in home groups. Too often, I hear of home groups in which children are placed in a room with limited or no supervision. If a church threw a bunch of children in a room without supervision during Sunday morning classes, most parents would be shocked. You should not allow the same to happen with in-home groups. In fact, I suggest having even tighter controls for in-home groups. Predators often gravitate to the most trusting environments with the most lenient supervision. Unfortunately, church home groups can typify this type of environment. 

What should we do about suspected abusers? One of the most difficult aspects of this issue involves people whom you suspect have the potential to harm children, but may not have acted out yet. Obviously, you should not wrongly accuse someone. Spreading suspicions without facts is not helpful and can cause much damage. However, neglecting certain signs that raise suspicions is equally as dangerous. As with any sin issue, pastors and church leaders should talk to the individual if suspicions exist. Better to have an awkward conversation and keep children safe than dismiss suspicions and experience a tragedy. 

Are we allocating the proper resources for child protection? Proper policies and procedures are necessities for protecting children. However, you must also allocate enough resources to implement these policies and procedures. If your church must choose between adult curriculum and background checks, then the children are the priority. If your church is deciding between safer areas for children and a new choir room, then the children are the priority. Child protection is too important an issue. It should be among the top ministry priorities for churches. 

What if something happens at my church? Most churches will experience some form of an attack against children. Be prepared with specific policies and procedures. Also, make sure all staff and every volunteer understands the processes for reporting abuse. Report every reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect to the proper authorities. The scandal occurs in how you handle the situation. Cover-ups cause just as much harm as the offense. 

Any organization with lots of children is a target for predators. Satan especially wants to attack churches. John 10:10 warns that spiritual thieves steal, kill, and destroy. Predators steal the innocence of children. Predators kill the mission of the church. Predators destroy lives of families. The issue of child protection is difficult. The problem is real. Pastors and church leaders must protect children.

The Vision-Driven Leader: An Interview with Michael Hyatt

Podcast Episode #630

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Vision is more than a mission and much more than core values. Clarity birthed from a strong vision is imperative to the success of any leader. Today’s special guest, Michael Hyatt, founder and CEO of Michael Hyatt & Co. and author of The Vision-Driver Leader, shares his personal story of discovering his need for a strong vision and desire to equip leaders of today and tomorrow in this critical area.

Highlights:

I love hearing your story about your transition from a corporate CEO to a platform leader and now to the founder and CEO of your own leadership development company. How did your visionary leadership change for each of these organizations?
Why do many vision statements not work?
What are some of the obstacles that keep a leader from creating  a compelling vision? How do you overcome them?
What are some characteristics of an inspiring vision script?
Why is The Vision Driven Leader important for you as you equip leaders?

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Church Future Indicator
MichaelHyatt.com
The Vision Driven Leader: 10 Questions to Focus Your Efforts, Energize Your Team, and Scale Your Business by Michael Hyatt
Leading Virtually Sale


Episode Sponsors

Vanderbloemen has been serving churches for nine years, but did you know that Vanderbloemen also serves Christian schools, nonprofits, and Christian businesses? So if you’re listening, and you know a Christian school, nonprofit, or values-based business that is hiring, contact our friends at Vanderbloemen for your staffing needs.

For more information, visit Vanderbloemen.com.

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Scrappy Church.

Five Ways You Will Be a Different Pastor after the Pandemic

By Thom S. Rainer

In a recent article, I wrote that churches will never be the same after the pandemic. An important corollary to that thesis is that pastors will never be the same. Though the biblical standards of pastoral ministry remain constant, how pastors carry out that ministry will change dramatically. In many ways, the changes are already taking place.

Pastors will either thrive with an attitude of abundance or retreat with an attitude of scarcity. Some pastors are already adapting incredibly well during the pandemic. They are functioning more with an attitude of God’s abundant provisions than one of scarcity. These pastors are becoming amazingly creative and positive about the future. Unfortunately, others can’t wait to return to a church world that no longer exists. Those leaders will not do well. Some are looking to denominations and donors to rescue their churches even though they have all the resources they need right now.




More pastors will see the building as a means, not an end. I spoke with a pastor who shared his amazement at how well his church is doing without a physical facility during the pandemic. For sure, he will be glad to be able to return to the building. But his views on church facilities have changed dramatically. If you want to see how churches have defined themselves by buildings, go to the “About” section on a church website. A number of churches narrate their successes in ministry by the different buildings the church has constructed. That world is changing.




More pastors will see the digital world as an opportunity for the gospel rather than an evil to be cursed. Nope, I am not seeing many rants about the evils of the internet as a plethora of pastors are using Facebook live for digital services. What a difference a pandemic makes! Sure, the digital world has evil in it. The whole world has evil in it. Some pastors right now are re-thinking how their churches can engage the digital world. Others are just waiting for the pandemic to pass where they can do ministry as usual. Those leaders will not do well.




More pastors are re-discovering and re-engaging their communities. For too long, some church leaders have devised strategies to get guests to “come to church.” The pandemic has forced them to see that the church building is only a gathering point, not an ultimate destination. These leaders are leading their churches right now to find ways to be a positive ministry and influence in the community. So, the church is going to the community rather than pushing the community to go to the church. 




A number of pastors are looking at metrics differently. For example, what are the implications when a church of 125 in attendance has a digital service with 500 views? Who are those people? How many of them are local? How can we connect with them? How can we serve them? Most church metrics are focused on how many people show up in a facility or give funds to the organization. The pandemic has opened the eyes of pastors to countless new possibilities. 

The pandemic is changing the way we do church. The pandemic is changing the way pastors will shepherd and lead in the future.

Look at God’s possibilities rather than the artificial limitations imposed by CVID-19.

Pray for 2nd Mile Church

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Pastor: Todd Dunn

Weekly Worship: Sundays at 10:00 AM, Central

Fast Facts: 2nd Mile Church was launched on August 26th, 2018. They acquired the building of a dying church by the miraculous hand of almighty God. The former church was about to close with only 15 remaining members. 2nd Mile paid off the church’s small mortgage on a 30-year-old building with a seating capacity of 350 plus classroom space. The church’s vision statement is based from Matthew 5:41 where Jesus said “If anyone forces you to go a mile with them, go two miles.” Thus 2nd Mile Church was born!

Please pray for Pastor Dunn and the church staff during the global pandemic as they work to be creative and find unique ways to reach their community even as a “stay at home” order is in place in Ft. Worth. The church is streaming services live on Facebook each Sunday at 10:00 AM. They are also offering live streaming of a Good Friday service at 7:00 pm CDT on Friday, April 10th and an Easter Service at 10:00 am CDT on Sunday, April 12th. May God use these services to reach and minister to the Ft. Worth community!

Also, please pray for financial provision for the church so they can continue to pay bills and staff salaries. It is also very important to the church to continue their partnership and financial support of Harvest of Hope Orphanage in Kenya, Africa. Each week 200 students from the orphanage’s 2nd Mile Chapel tune in to watch church services live. Please pray for the children at the orphanage and for Bro. Fredrick Munuku as he leads this ministry.

Website: 2ndMileFW.com

“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 to have your church featured in the “Pray for…” series, fill out this information form..

Leading The Church When You Doubt Yourself

Podcast Episode #629

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If you are a pastor you are going to have seasons of doubt during leadership. Disruption can cause added stress and make leaders question their decisions. So how do we answer this universal question? How do you lead when you doubt yourself?

Highlights:

All leaders have seasons of doubt
Seek encouragement from friends and family
Challenge yourself with something new
Don’t make decisions out of fear
Rely on prayer warriors in the church

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Church Future Indicator
Revitalize 2020 – Virtual Conference Registration


Episode Sponsors

Vanderbloemen has been serving churches for nine years, but did you know that Vanderbloemen also serves Christian schools, nonprofits, and Christian businesses? So if you’re listening, and you know a Christian school, nonprofit, or values-based business that is hiring, contact our friends at Vanderbloemen for your staffing needs.

For more information, visit Vanderbloemen.com.

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Scrappy Church.

How to Help Members Deal with the Pain of a Dying Church

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Revitalize and Replant often talk about dying churches and the pain it creates for members. Thom and Kevin Ezell discuss best practices for leaders to utilize as they help members of a dying church deal with the pain.

Highlights:

Get them to turn that pain into a greater passion for prayer.
Find the intersection of members’ passions, member’s’ gifts, and community needs.
Celebrate more often.
Get them to remember the past to propel them to the future.
Get them to consider a replant.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

North American Mission Board
Sandals Church
Revitalize 2020 – Virtual Conference Registration











Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.
Submit Your Question:

Do you have a question about church revitalization or replanting for us to use on the podcast? Visit the podcast page to submit your question. If we use it on the show, you’ll get a copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church and Reclaiming Glory.

12 Reasons People Give up on Church

By Chuck Lawless

Most, if not all, of us know someone who attended church but then simply gave up on God’s people. Based on my work with churches and the unchurched over the last 20 years, here are some of the reasons I’ve heard: 

They see nothing different in Christians. They come looking for the difference the gospel makes, but they find only people who act like the rest of the world acts.


 They hear nothing but judgment. Presented lovingly, judgment is part of helping people see their need for Jesus. The problem is that they too seldom hear it presented lovingly.


They hear only stories and humor. They came to church desperately wanting to hear something from God to help them with their chaotic lives, but they instead heard little or nothing from the Word.


Nobody connects with them. They may have come with some desire to be anonymous, but most did not come with a hope of being ignored. When nobody talks to them, they see little reason to keep coming.


They see no relevance in its message. Frankly, I lay this issue at the feet of preachers. If we don’t help folks know how to apply the Word in their lives, they leave with head knowledge rather than heart change.


Somebody hurt them or their family. Sure, they need to forgive and press on – but some folks aren’t there yet. They carry their anger with them and depart the church.


They have other options today. Via the Internet, they can “attend” church virtually and listen to sermons electronically. And, they can do that without putting on their best clothes.


Everything is “over their head.” Nobody taught them the basics of Christianity. They struggle understanding what they hear – and they’re too embarrassed to ask for help.


They’re tired of church drama. Some of the most ridiculous interpersonal fights I’ve ever seen have been among believers. It’s no wonder some people walk away from the silliness.


Nobody answers their questions. “Just because the Bible says so” isn’t always the best answer for seekers who are asking honest questions in their spiritual quest. 


They feel unneeded. They’d love to get involved, but no one’s asked them. As far as they know, the church doesn’t need them.


They’re not ready for the commitment. When they really do hear the gospel, they hear its call to give up self. Those who aren’t ready for that commitment avoid its call by leaving the church.

What other reasons have you heard? 

Leading Your Church When So Much Is Unknown

Podcast Episode #628

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Every article dealing with the Coronavirus is a rehash of what everyone knows; we are in turbulent times. For leaders it is crucial to lead well even when so much is unknown. Thom and Sam discuss some best practices and how to shepherd your people during times of uncertainty.

Highlights:

Fear is an overriding emotion, especially when a lot of unknowns exist. 
Above all, pray to the Sovereign Creator. 
Let your church’s legacy and past remind people of your resiliency. 
Lead symbolically and inspire people.
Get people moving again through ministry. 
Focus on what you can control.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Church Future Indicator


Episode Sponsors

Vanderbloemen has been serving churches for nine years, but did you know that Vanderbloemen also serves Christian schools, nonprofits, and Christian businesses? So if you’re listening, and you know a Christian school, nonprofit, or values-based business that is hiring, contact our friends at Vanderbloemen for your staffing needs.

For more information, visit Vanderbloemen.com.

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Scrappy Church.

Your Church Is Now a Blank Slate

By Thom S. Rainer

You will never get to return to your church.

Let me be clearer. When you return to gather for worship and fellowship and study, it will not be the same church before the coronavirus pandemic.

The world will never be the same. And neither will your church.

Many, if not most, of our churches are struggling and hurting. Some will not make it. The situation is bleak for many congregations.

But this period is also a time of opportunity. It is a time to rethink your church. It’s a time to shed “the way we’ve always done it” mindset and move into a new and exciting future.

For certain, we don’t change our views on the Word of God, the exclusivity of salvation through Christ, or any of the essential doctrines of the faith. But these days are a great time to rethink how you “do church.” Here are ten points to consider:

What lessons can you learn from the digital world that you can apply anew on the other side of the pandemic? How can you do church differently digitally?

How can you re-discover your community? How can you learn fresh their needs? How can you reach them with the gospel? We have a tool called Know Your Community. It’s a great place to start.

What should your stewardship look like beyond the pandemic? Should you make some radical changes in how your church funds are used?
Will COVID-19 cause you to rethink how you use your facilities? Can they be used for a greater gospel purpose?
Those who create dissension in your church kill its spirit. Will you be willing to deal with them forthrightly in the future?
How will your church connect and relate to other churches? Are new models on the horizon? Should you be a part of a new model?
Is the Sunday-morning-only experience for most churchgoers about to die? How should you respond?
What changes would you make if you tossed out the old church calendar and started from a blank slate?
Read the book of Acts. Read the letters to the early churches. What changes does your church need to make to become a New Testament church?
What does church staffing look like with a blank slate? Is it time to shift models?

These are but ten of many starting points for you to consider.

Yes, the pandemic is bad news. But the opportunity to etch a future on a blank slate is good news. From this calamity many stronger, more gospel-focused churches will arise.

There is no reason your church shouldn’t be one of them.

Pray for Ashburn Baptist Church

Location: Orland Park, Illinois

Pastor: Tommy Thompson

Weekly Worship: Sundays at 11:00 AM, Central

Fast Facts: Pastor Tommy Thompson assumed the pastorate at Ashburn Baptist in 2019 following the founding pastor of 68 years, Vernon Lyons. The church was an established church in decline and in need of revitalization, but God is guiding them into a bright future.

Pastor Tommy sees the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to magnify Jesus and offer hope to a world filled with anxiety. He recently preached “a fearful world needs a fearless church!” Pray for Pastor Tommy as he leads Ashburn Baptist during this difficult season, and for the church as they provide care to their members and community.

During the pandemic the church is providing online services on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. They are also providing a hotline for those who are feeling isolated or are in need of counseling. Please pray that Ashburn Baptist will be fearless as they minister and point others to Christ.

Website: www.AshburnBaptist.com

“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 to have your church featured in the “Pray for…” series, fill out this information form.