Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 96

A Tool to Give You an Idea Where Your Church Is Headed in the Future

Podcast Episode #612

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Chuck Lawless from the Church Answers team joins us to talk about an exciting new tool created by Southeastern Seminary. The Church Future Indicator is a free tool everyone will want to get ahold of. The tool is helpful and gives great insight into where your church is headed.

Highlights:

A tool meant to be a motivator, not a discourager
The need for churches to face reality
The need for churches to have hope and solutions
Hint #1: The Primacy of Prayer
Hint #2: The Great Commission Is Still Great

Other Highlights:

A church cannot turnaround until they are ready to face reality.
The Church Future Indicator tool helps churches see hope for the future.
Praying churches are led by praying pastors.
It is a sin to be good when God has called us to be great.
The Great Commission is still great.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Church Future Indicator
Pray and Go
Breakout Churches – Thom S. Rainer


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.

Why Pastors Leave a Church After a Major “Success”

By Thom S. Rainer

“I can’t believe he resigned.” 

The recent comment to me was from a church member of a seemingly healthy church. The pastor had been at the church seven years and decided to leave the congregation. In this particular example, there was no significant conflict. There was no pressure for him to leave. To the contrary, he was loved by most of the church members. 

But he quit. 

Not only did he quit, he decided to take a break from church leadership and took a job in the secular world.

“But what was really strange,” the church member commented, “we had just celebrated one of our biggest accomplishments in years with the building of our new worship center. It was really a success in many ways.” 

The church member obviously did not know that her pastor’s resignation was not that uncommon. In fact, we hear from pastors almost every month who decide to leave their churches when things are going very well. Simply stated, pastors sometimes leave in the aftermath of some seemingly big accomplishment, such as the construction of a new building, the adoption of another church, or the meeting of a major financial goal. Why? Why do they leave when things seem to be going so well? 

We asked pastors these questions. They gave us one or more of these four responses: 

The pastors were burned out. The accomplishment took every ounce of their energy and then some. They were burned out and worn out. They simply did not have the energy to resume a more normal ministry.




The pastors’ families suffered. Because the pastors spent so much time and energy on the successful project, their families were neglected. One pastor told us he had to resign to save his marriage. He had neglected his wife. “When the building program was over, I went home at a normal time,” he reflected. “We felt like strangers in the same house.” 




The pastors lose their zeal for normal ministry. “We took two years to finally adopt a church near us,” a Florida pastor shared with us. “The process was both challenging and exhilarating. I wasn’t burned out, but I lost my motivation to do the things a pastor is supposed to do. Preaching and pastoral care no longer gave me fulfillment.”




The pastors lose their connection with the majority of the congregation. A pastor in Indiana shared with us his neglect of most of the church membership. He was so focused on a major building program that he gave all of his attention to the few members leading the fundraising and providing leadership for the construction of the facility. He felt disconnected from other members once the project was completed and celebrated. 

These four reasons should serve as cautionary tales for pastors leading major efforts in their churches. Don’t burn both ends of the candle to lead the effort. Don’t neglect your family. Don’t neglect “normal” ministry. And don’t forget the rest of the congregation not directly involved in the project.

Some pastors leave their churches after successes with major projects. 

But most of those pastors could have done things differently and still be at their churches.

Pray for Kenwood Church of the Nazarene

Location: Clymer, Pennsylvania

Pastor: Al Nolan

Weekly Worship: Sunday at 10:30 AM, Eastern

Fast Facts: Founded in the small village of Kenwood, Pennsylvania in 1959, Kenwood Church of the Nazarene has always been considered a light in their community. The church may be a small & elderly congregation, but they have BIG hearts. The members love children and ministering to them through Vacation Bible School every summer. The members also love digging deeply into the Word of God.

Pastor Al Nolan was called as the church’s new pastor in September. He and his family moved to Kenwood from South Dakota. Please pray for Pastor Al and his family as they continue to transition to a new church and community.

Please pray for Kenwood Church as they brainstorm ways to minister to their local area in 2020. The church is specifically praying for ways to minister to the younger families in their community.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Kenwood-Church-of-the-Nazarene-193644799677/

“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.

Three More Trends for Churches in 2020

Podcast Episode #611

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Thom and Sam continue their conversation from episode #610 examining major trends churches can anticipate and prepare for in the coming year. While some of these trends will seem familiar, others will be new with the hope all will be informative and helpful for church growth.

Highlights:

Evangelism will return to its rightful place of importance and priority. 
Fewer pastors and church staff members will be compensated full-time wages. 
Fewer churches will align exclusively with denominations.

Other Highlights:

Churches will return to the basics and the call to the Great Commission. 
There are a number of pastors choosing to become marketplace vocational, staying within the context of community businesses and ministering part-time for the church. 
Contract work is a great opportunity for those who believe they may be called to ministry. 
As the gig economy grows, the number of full-time staff members will decrease. 
Many churches will identify with multiple organizations, networks, and denominations.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Rainer on Leadership – Episode #610
Church Consultation University
Evangelism in the 21st Century
Family Church – West Palm Beach, FL


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.

Revitalization in the Shadow of a Megachurch

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It’s time for another great episode of listener questions. These are some of our favorite episodes because we are able to respond to feedback from those who are making the work at Revitalize and Replant possible. If you have a listener question please submit those in the podcast comments.

From Scott:

What about doing a revitalization in the shadow of a megachurch…literally? I am the new pastor of a small church and there are several larger churches in our area. They would not classify as megachurches, but they have significant attendance nonetheless. We get a striking number of first-time visitors for a church of our size, but we are having trouble retaining them. One of the reasons is that they end up at one of these larger churches which has more resources and, therefore, feels more relevant. How does one go about revitalizing a church in the shadow of other congregations that simply have more intrinsic attractional pull?

From Jim:

I recently came to a church in need of revitalization. What I didn’t know is that there are some theological aberrations held by several members of the church. I feel called to stay, but how do I best deal with some of these theological issues without splitting the church or being told to split? I’m dealing with everything from a firm stance on post-millennialism being taught in Sunday school classes to a soft/affirming stance on LBGT issues being advocated for by some of the leadership.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Revitalize 2020
Revitalize Network Church of the Year Nomination











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.

10 Reasons Every Church Should Send Their Pastor on a Mission Trip

By Chuck Lawless 

Let me get to the bottom line: I believe every church ought to send their pastor on at least one international mission trip, including paying his way (and his spouse’s way). Here’s why: 

The Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) is for all churches, and pastors most influence the direction of the church. I have never found a strong Great Commission, missions-minded church without a pastor who sets that agenda. Send your pastor overseas on a short-term trip, and your church will likely turn its heart toward the world.


The church is responsible for calling out and sending out missionaries. Churches who take this responsibility seriously are led by pastors who take it seriously. They’re willing to send their church’s best to the nations. 


Many pastors will struggle to go unless the church helps cover the costs. Sure, they can raise funds on their own, but the wise congregation will be willing to make this investment in their pastor. The dollars spent will be few compared to the benefits gained.


Pastors will experience the heart of God on the mission field. That’s not to say they can’t do that in North America, of course. Something often happens, though, when pastors see nations and people groups with the eyes of God. Seldom do pastors return the same.


The nations need the training that pastors offer. All around the world are believers and church leaders who are longing for biblical and practical training. Your pastor can help provide that training.


Pastors model faith and courage by taking a trip. We will not win the world to Jesus with only pastors doing the work; we must have laypersons ready and willing to go both short-term and long-term. Pastors set the example for their congregation when they go. 


They will have a greater global perspective. The world is much, much bigger than North America – and leaders who exposit, illustrate, and apply God’s Word every Sunday need a global vision. 


They will likely be more cross-culturally evangelistic when they return. The nations of the world now live among us. Send your pastor on an international trip, and he will be more aware of internationals living in your community.


The church will pray more for missionaries. That’s what happens when church leaders spend time with Christian workers on the front lines.


The Lord calls pastors to become full-time missionaries. I don’t know many congregations who hope their pastor is called to missions, but the strongest Great Commission churches are open to this possibility. Often, the pastor’s calling begins with a short-term trip – and the church later rejoices at God’s calling.   

Pastors, what else would you add? 

Four Trends for Churches in 2020

Podcast Episode #610

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We are one month into 2020 and there is much we can learn about anticipated trends and how churches can begin to connect the dots and prepare for the future. While some trends you will expect, others will be new and our hope is that these four trends will be informative.

Highlights:

Worship sizes will grow significantly smaller.
There will be a significant increase in the number of worship services offered at times other than Sunday morning. 
Church facilities will undergo dramatic transformation.
Attendance will become a greater emphasis.

Other Highlights:

While average weekly attendance in worship will grow smaller this trend does not infer lower overall attendance.
The conversation among pastors is moving from size of worship space to quantity of worship opportunities. 
Thursday evening worship services may become a popular choice for creating a new service time.
As churches build smaller worship space they will often times concurrently build larger community and common space.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Church Answers
Church Consultation University
Revitalize 2020
Church of the Year Nominations
Cosco & Associates


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.

The Attendance Replacement Postulate

By Thom S. Rainer

Larger churches will have a more difficult time staying larger.

At least, that is my postulate according to our early research.  And to be clear, I am defining a larger church by the size of its largest worship service, not by its total attendance. It looks like churches that are intentional about moving to more services, more venues, and more sites can indeed get larger.

This research is based on the attendance size of an individual service, not on the cumulative size of a church’s combined services. In simple terms, it will become increasingly difficult for a church to replace lost attendees at large worship gatherings.

Here are some of my thoughts: 

The large worship service is mostly a factor of the Boomer generation that gravitated toward large attractional services. Until the Millennials came along, Boomers were the largest generation in American history. They are no longer the dominant voice in cultural and religious trends.




Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zers do not gravitate toward large attractional worship services. The big church event is simply not the preference of these generations. They prefer to attend worship gatherings in a smaller setting. 




The attrition rate of the larger worship services will not be easily offset by others coming to these services. When a member or an attendee dies or moves, he or she is more likely to be a Boomer. But the younger generations will not, as a rule, replace this Boomer attrition. If the younger generations attend worship services, they will more likely go to a smaller worship gathering. 




Our early research indicates the preferred size of worship gatherings will peak around 300. After that point, the replacement of dying or moving attendees will prove more difficult. I have to be careful to even call this information “research.” We conducted a limited study of churches by size to determine their conversion rates and their assimilation rates. The best rates peaked around 300 in worship attendance. At this point, the information may not be sufficient to deem it as research. It may be more accurate to label it a hypothesis. 




If this postulate proves true, it will have a dramatic effect on local congregations. Church practices will have to adapt. Church facilities will be dramatically different. Church funding and stewardship will have new priorities. Church staffing will not look anything like it does today.

To be clear, we are well aware there are exceptions to this trend. Some churches can grow with larger worship services if they are in fast-growing demographic areas, or if they are the church with obvious momentum in the community. But those two factors will not continue indefinitely. 

We will continue to keep you updated on this potentially critical issue. If you are a part of a church that seems to be having trouble replacing members who leave or die, the possible explanations could be many. But our early research indicates your challenge could be related to the size of your worship gathering. 

We have only just begun to delve into this issue.

Pray for First Baptist Church of Delassus

Location: Farmington, Missouri

Pastor: Cheston D. Pickard

Weekly Worship: Sunday at 10:45 AM, Central

Fast Facts: First Baptist Church of Delassus is located on the outside of Farmington, Missouri in a community called Delassus. At one time the little township was the county seat. Now, it is somewhat hidden and unknown in the area, but the church prays that the power of the gospel will spread from them like wildfire.

First Baptist Church of Delassus is a church with a congregation of over 100 that consists primarily of older people. The church desperately needs leaders, deacons, and teachers. Pray that the Lord would raise up workers and leaders within the church.

The church is currently doing the evangelism effort, Who’s Your One. Please pray that as the church seeks revitalization from the Holy Spirit, the Lord will work mightily in the lost in their area.

Website: FBCDelassus.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..

The Most Significant Single Changes in Turnaround Churches: Five Examples

Podcast Episode #609

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Using research gleaned from the successes of turnaround churches, Thom and Sam reveal the five most significant single changes made by a turnaround church.

Highlights:

Concerted and intentional corporate prayer
A pastor-led outward focus
Necessary subtractions 
A movement of focus
A pastoral commitment to stay 

Other highlights:

Prayer is a key element in helping move your church from a negative tone to a positive tone.
Expecting your church to turnaround without prayer is an improper expectation.
Churches which are human centered are doomed for failure. 
The church is not supposed to be a cafeteria for church members.
Turnaround in the church is usually not going to occur with a series of short-term pastors.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Anatomy of a Revived Church – Thom S. Rainer
Rainer on Leadership – Episode #607
SEBTS Church Future Indicator
Revitalize 2020 Convention
Simple Church
Church Consultation University
Church of the Year Nominations


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.