Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 91

Understanding Church Disruption

Podcast Episode #627

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What do you think when you hear the word disrupted? When you’re thinking of that word it can be negative, but the reality is that the greatest movements in the church have occurred due to disruption. In today’s episode, Thom and Sam discuss many of the positive aspects of disruption within the church.

Highlights:

Disruption, properly understood, can be a good thing.
Many churches are declining and dying because they have not been disrupted.
An older example of disruption: multi-site
A current example of disruption: churches partnering with businesses for revenue.
Disruption is ultimately change leadership and has to be treated as such.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Church Future Indicator
Know Your Community Report


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.

Dealing with Depression in a Church Revitalization

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Depression is real and pervasive in those who work in the church. Church revitalization is a difficult task and leading the church is spiritual warfare. We want to give you helpful tools to help you as you work through your emotions and remind you of truth when faced with struggle.

Highlights:

The struggles in a revitalization are real and pervasive.
Spiritual warfare is clearly evident in revitalization.
You are not alone.
You should get help when you are depressed.
Depression is not an indicator of either defeat or inferiority.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Discipled Warriors by Chuck Lawless
Revitalize by Andy Davis
Church Answers
Spiritual Depression by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
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.

Six Reasons Why Church Members Choose One Worship Service Over Another

By Sam Rainer 

My church has five services on Sunday morning across two sites and in two languages. I preach three services in English, our Hispanic pastor preaches a service in Spanish, and our campus pastor preaches at our second site. Why do people choose one service over another? I’ll give you six reasons from the perspective of my church. However, I believe these reasons apply to many churches offering multiple services. 

Language preference. This reason is obvious. If you speak only Spanish, you’ll likely choose our Hispanic service. However, it’s not as simple as you might think. Children and students of those who attend the Hispanic service often end up in our children’s ministry and student ministry. Some of our bilingual members go back-and-forth between English and Spanish services.


Time preference. Some people choose a service because the time slot works well for them. I have a friend who goes to the 8:00 a.m. service simply because he’s up early and likes that time.


Style preference. Some pastors and church leaders believe style is the driving factor for service selection. It’s important, certainly. A monastic chant service is not likely to grow. But we should not fall into the trap of believing one service is more highly attended than another simply because of style.


Group preference. A worship service is often the front door to a church, meaning people will attend a worship service before doing anything else in the church. However, once people decide on a church, a small group preference can dictate which service they attend. In our church, some attend the 9:30 a.m. service because their preferred group meets at 11:00 a.m.


Family situation. We do not offer programming for children during our 8:00 a.m. service. The main reason is demand—simply too few children would be present to warrant year-round programming. Therefore, if you do not want to have your child in the service, then 8:00 a.m. at our church is not an option for you. I know of other churches that offer student ministry only at one timeslot. Therefore, families with students end up picking a service based upon ministry availability.


Week-to-week decision. Believe it or not, there are some who select a worship service based on what is happening in their lives that week. If they want to sleep in, then they go to a later service. If they want to get somewhere before lunch, then they go to an earlier service. Personally, it does not bother me so long as someone is faithful.

Let me share with you two lessons I’ve learned from these six reasons: 1) Don’t assume people are attending a service just because of style, which is often the argument. 2) Having more options can benefit your church. In our case, we have multiple services mainly because of parking problems. We fill our parking lot long before we fill our worship space. But having these options enables us to reach more people and keep them.

Speaking and Preaching to a Virtual Audience

Podcast Episode #626

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The COVID-19 crisis has led churches to adopt a completely virtual format. These new platforms require pastors and leaders to evaluate and transform their normal styles of communicating with their audience. Thom and Sam give tips and best practices for speaking and preaching during this new era of gathering on today’s episode which was recorded from a Facebook Live event held last week.

Highlights:

Look at the camera
Dress appropriately
Don’t recreate your live experience
Get the right equipment
Reminder: You’re on camera

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.

One Church’s Response to the Coronavirus

By Thom S. Rainer

I have the opportunity to work with 1,600 church leaders at Church Answers on an ongoing basis. They are an incredible blessing to me. I mentor 30 of those leaders in one-on-one meetings. Justin Gatlin is the pastor of Alvin Missionary Baptist Church in Alvin, Texas. He is one of the 30 men I mentor personally. He sent me an update on his church’s proactive work to address the pandemic. It is a great example of one leader tackling these challenging times with both faith and works. His church has an average attendance of 200. They only had 115 the week before they canceled worship services. With one exception, I am including the totality of his email with his permission. The only area I did not include was the church’s financial contingency plans.

Hey Dr. Rainer,

I just wanted to touch base on the coronavirus response I am working through and looking for your feedback. We have currently canceled the next two weeks of services (we have two confirmed cases in our town of 27,000, and the county has only performed 15 tests, 8 of which are pending, so we are anticipating a lot more). Our mayor has declared a state of emergency and banned gatherings of over 50, with a $2,000 fine. Our city secretary told me that we could meet as long as we stayed below 50% capacity (what they are recommending for restaurants), but I think for the time being it is a bad witness and unwise. We will reevaluate in April.

For worship: I am obviously doing live streams. A member of our church secured watchambc.com for me, which gives us something simple to run on our signs. We are simulcasting to Youtube and Facebook Live. For Sunday evening and Wednesday night, I am streaming it from my office. I am trying to be creative and take advantage of the format. Next Sunday night, I will be interviewing a couple that just got back from a mission trip in Belize, and tonight I am doing an “Ask Me Anything” discussion. For Sunday morning, we will still have the band (3 songs instead of 4) and a full sermon. Several of our small groups are going to be meeting via Zoom. Our kids’ director is helping me create handouts to align with the Sunday sermon that kids can work on at home  (a word find based on keywords, drawing a picture about the main idea, etc). 

For communication: I have deployed Flocknote and have been using a blend of texts, video, emails and posts on our website (alvinmbc.com/covid19) to keep people updated. I asked for volunteers to make one phone call a day and have 26 people each calling one household. That lets every household get one call per week, and widows and the sickly twice a week. They are visiting briefly, offering to pray over the phone and reporting any concrete needs or major prayer requests back to me to follow up. Our deacons are also each staying in touch with their normal care lists, and small group/Sunday school leaders are doing the same. I am hoping this maintains a tight community during the break and keeps me freed up to focus on the people who need focus. 

For community service, our food pantry is active, and we are letting people pick-up food or we are offering to drop off food at their door. I am evaluating other options, but the school district and city are both restricting themselves pretty tightly to prevent the spread of the virus. I personally, like several of our members, am trying to help with online tutoring for the kids out of school. 

What do you think? What am I missing? 

PS: I am praying for you:

Heavenly Father, I am asking for your special protection and guidance for Dr. Rainer. His platform is so large that he has the potential to guide so many in their response to this virus. I pray for his health and that of his family at this time and for the health of those like Amy, Jana, and Kevin, who will support his work. I pray that you will give him the words he needs to equip the equippers to lead our congregations through this, and take advantage of the unique opportunities of this moment, despite the unique challenges. I know that this virus is a scary sign of a broken world, but that death is dead and the victory is won. So I ask these things in the name of the risen 

Lord Jesus, Amen.

 

Pray for Thaxton Baptist Church

Location: Thaxton, Mississippi

Pastor: Michael Wilbanks

Weekly Worship: 10:30 AM & 5:00 PM, Central

Fast Facts: Thaxton Baptist is located in the town of Thaxton, Mississippi. The church emphasizes faith, family, and missions. One way the church is living out their mission during the COVID-19 emergency by serving as a distribution location for drive-thru “grab and go” free breakfasts and lunches for students in the Pontotoc County school system.

First Baptist is heavily involved with missions, and the church has trips scheduled to Ecuador and Kenya this spring. Please pray for Pastor Michael and the leadership as they evaluate and make decisions about these trips. Also pray for the groups in Ecuador and Kenya who need help with ministry training, backyard Bible clubs for kids, construction projects, evangelism with the indigenous population, and work with church plants and camps. Also pray for the career missionaries who are stationed in these regions.

The church is currently providing online streaming of Sunday morning, Wednesday evening, and special prayer services. They are coordinating efforts to care for senior adults and others in need during the COVID-19 emergency. Please pray for First Baptist as they provide the hope and love of Jesus to the community of Thaxton during these challenging days.

Website: www.ThaxtonBC.org

“Pray for . . .” is the Sunday blog series at ThomRainer.com. We encourage you to pray for these churches noted every Sunday. Please feel free to comment that you are praying as well.

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

Preparing Your Family for a Ministry Transition

Podcast Episode #625

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You are thinking about making a ministry transition. Maybe you will be visiting the church soon or perhaps the church has already called you to this new opportunity. Hopefully, you have already begun to think about your family. Thom and Sam discuss best practices and things to consider when preparing your family for a ministry transition.

Highlights:

Your spouse has the trump card
Shield your younger children as much as possible
Include your older children as much as possible
Keep ties to family friends
Build excitement for the new ministry and location

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Church Future Indicator
Know Your Community Report


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 to Earn Extra Income to Support Yourself in Ministry

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This one is a bit different but very helpful. Perhaps you are barely paying the bills in a full-time ministry position, or you have a desire to go bi-vocational to connect with people in your community. Today’s episode with Dr. Kevin Ezell discusses how you can earn extra income to support yourself while serving in ministry.

Highlights:

Get a side digital gig.
Get a side delivery gig.
Try Uber or Lyft.
Turn a hobby into part-time income.
If it’s temporary, consider asking individuals for support.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Find More Money by Art Rainer
Get Money Right 111 – Find More Money Podcast
Shipt
Revitalize Network
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.

What Will the Post-Coronavirus Church Look Like?

By Thom S. Rainer

Church leaders and members are rightly giving much attention to dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. In-person church services are being canceled. Small groups are meeting digitally, if at all. Church leaders are urging members to support the church financially through digital giving. Churches are preparing ways to minister to their communities in the midst of the pandemic.

I am grateful for the responses and for the caring hearts of so many church members. In the midst of a major challenge, it is heartwarming and reassuring to see many people who really care.

But the coronavirus will move past its pandemic state at some point in the future. I am fascinated to see what our churches will look like on “the other side.” Here are eight likely developments:

Non-digital giving will become an outlier. Fewer people will want to handle the offering plates or buckets. Fewer people will touch cash. Watch for a dramatic decrease in non-digital giving. Make certain you are moving your church to digital giving. Your church should be receiving 60% of gifts digitally right now. That number must grow. Have someone in your church who can help the digitally challenged to set up online giving for them personally.
Smaller worship services will become normal. We were already seeing a trend of churches moving to smaller worship gatherings, even if the church was growing. We anticipate many larger churches will attempt to have services capped around 250 to 300. Smaller churches will, of course, have even smaller gatherings. A 200 attendance church, for example, may move toward two services post coronavirus.
The 80% rule will become the 60% rule for worship gatherings. The 80% rule said that a worship center with a capacity of 200 feels full at 160 (80%). The 60% rule says the congregation will want more social distancing, and thus the 200 capacity worship center will reach its social distancing capacity at 120.
The negative economic impact on churches could have long-lasting effects. Church leaders should begin discussions of “what if?” What if our giving was cut by 30% for the next few years? What adjustments would we make?
Social distancing will change permanently some of the traditions in many churches. Stand and greet is gone and will not return in most churches. Church huggers will no longer be tolerated. Even handshakes will be minimized.
The death rate of churches will worsen. Many churches are barely hanging on. These churches will not survive the consequences of the coronavirus. The death rate of churches will thus increase significantly. These deaths can be mitigated, however, with an intentional focus on church adoption and church fostering.
Church adoption and fostering will increase significantly. I addressed this issue in my March 16, 2020 post. Church adoption takes place when a healthier church brings the people and assets of a struggling church into its church family. The adopted church becomes a campus of the adopting church. Church fostering is the process where a healthier church provides assistance and resources to a struggling church for a defined period, typically less than a year. Church fostering may or may not lead to church adoption.
Churches will rapidly adopt more virtual practices. Many churches have resisted the migration into the virtual world, but the coronavirus has taken many congregations into a quick immersion into the digital age. The initial forays have been to move into digital giving more fully and to stream some form of worship services. But coronavirus is the tipping point of much more to come in the digital world. Indeed, this change may be the most profound of all the changes churches will face after the coronavirus is no longer considered pandemic.

For certain, these are trying days. I know you know it, but remember God’s got this situation. He’s got you. And He’s got your church. I am in an ongoing conversation with the Church Answers community. Nearly 1,600 of us church leaders are providing regular updates and thoughts there. We would love to see you there.

Should You Publish a Book?

Podcast Episode #624

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When thinking about writing and publishing a book there are a lot of questions. What’s the reason for writing, what should the process look like, and what are my publishing options are just a few of the questions Thom, Sam, and Jess Rainer answer on today’s Rainer on Leadership episode.g others.

Highlights:

Why should you publish a book?
What are the different options to publishing a book?
Why is guided publishing such a good route to go?
How do you get started publishing?

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Church Future Indicator
Know Your Community Report

Craft Book Company – Use the coupon RainerPodcast to get $200 off any product.

The coupon can be applied at checkout and will be limited to the first 5 uses.




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.