Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 99

Pray for Shoreline Park Baptist Church

Location: Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

Pastor: Barry Ginn

Weekly Worship: Sunday at 10:30 AM, Central

Fast Facts: Shoreline Park Baptist Church was almost completely destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. God called Barry Gin as pastor of the church about 2 1/2 years ago with 42 in attendance. Today, Shoreline Park’s attendance is 75-90. The church has baptized 50% of their present attendance in the last 2 to 3 years. It has been amazing to see what God is doing!

Shoreline Park is about to renovate their sanctuary for the first time since Katrina. God has allowed the church to slowly renovate the fellowship hall, educational space, and offices in the last 2 1/2 years. Renovating the sanctuary will be a huge leap of faith for the church. Please pray for Pastor Gin and the members as God leads them through this process.

Shoreline Park feeds their community each Monday free of charge. Please pray that the church can also meet the spiritual needs of the community as they serve them a hot meal.

Website: ShorelineParkBaptistChurch.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..

Lessons Learned from Churches That Almost Died but Didn’t (Part 1)

Podcast Episode #603

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We talk about some really great news today. Thom and Sam discuss lessons learned from churches on the cusp of death who recovered and are now thriving.

Highlights:

There is always hope for churches.
A community desires a healthy church.
Prayer is foundational and essential.

Other highlights:

Even when you don’t think it can happen, God can work.
If God can save any person, God can save any church.
A key element of leadership is inspiring hope in those you are leading.
A healthy church is good for the community.
If you want your church revived you need a revival in your own soul.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Five Reason Rural and Small Town Churches are Making a Comeback
Anatomy of a Revived Church
Seven Habits Successful Church Consultants Develop in Their First Year – CCU Webinar


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.

Six Ways Comparisons Hurt Church Revitalization – Revitalize and Replant Episode #126

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Comparison is an easy trap to fall into. It is tempting to look at a “more successful” church and wish we had a different situation. But as Thom and Mark peel back the onion we discover six ways comparison hurts church revitalization.

Highlights:

Comparison creates dissatisfaction among members with the pastors and staff
Pastors and church staff can have the “green grass” syndrome when they compare their churches and its members with some other church.
Comparisons create unhealthy expectations.
When we compare, we become consumer-members instead of serving members.
Comparing creates a culture of criticism.
When we compare, we don’t take time to “look in the mirror.”







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 Steps to Become a Better Leader in 2020

By Chuck Lawless 

I want to be the best leader I can be. I know I’m not there yet, and I still have much room to grow. So, as I write this post, I write as a student more than a teacher. Here are some steps I’m taking to improve as a leader in 2020. 

Develop a “leadership development” team. Enlist 2-3 people you respect, who know you well, and who will speak truth into your life – and ask them to evaluate your leadership at least twice a year (my preference is once per quarter). Listen non-defensively, and learn from them. 




Reach out to leaders you respect. Some will be inaccessible, but you never know until you ask. Take the risk – send an email or make a phone call. Ask at least this simple question: “What three things have you learned that make you a better leader?”




Read biographies or autobiographies of great leaders. You can learn much from historical leaders. I look for books that are (a) brief, because I’m busy, and (b) focused, because I want to learn about leadership. Do a Google search for “best leadership biographies” to find some options.




Spend time with your co-workers. Isolation does not make a good leader. In fact, it’s dangerous. The quality time you spend with your co-workers will build them up and strengthen your team.




Record and review one of your presentations. Regardless of your role, I assume that you preach a message, teach a class, lead a meeting, or spend some time in front of folks you lead. Video-record it, and review it with someone you trust.




Serve somebody. Leadership is indeed about being in front, but it’s also about being a servant. Choose today to do something for someone, and do it in such a way that few people know about it. Serve someone humbly and quietly.




Affirm somebody. No leader who succeeds serves alone. Go out of your way to say “Thank you” and “I appreciate you” to someone today.




Get more training in some area. Go to a conference. Take a free online class. Start doing another degree. Do something that pushes you to grow.




Take responsibility for failures, and point to others for successes. Good leaders don’t throw others under the bus, and nor do they steal glory from others. They promote others before themselves.




Pray 15 minutes a day about your leadership. Focus on nothing but being the leader God wants you to be. Confess your failures. Repent of any sin issues. Every day, ask God to make you a better leader.

What else do you do to be a better leader?

Six Things I Pray I Won’t Do as a Senior Adult in My Church

Podcast Episode #602

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For Thom, it’s a present reality, for Sam it’s a prayer for the future. Listen as Thom and Sam discuss the attitudes each pray to avoid as senior adults in the church.

Highlights:

Have an entitled attitude because of my giving to the church
Say “I’ve done my time”
Focus more on recreation than serving
Complain
Be more concerned about my preferences than the needs of others
Lose my zeal for evangelism

Other highlights:

As a senior adult with discretionary income, give joyfully with no strings attached.
There is always a role for servants regardless of age. 
For a senior adult with health issues, the role of prayer warrior is one way to stay connected to the church body. 
Once you become preference driven, it is easier to become a complainer in the church.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

End of Year Sale
Pray and Go
Revitalize Network


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.

Seven Trends for Churches in 2020

By Thom S. Rainer  

Offering trends are a worthless exercise if they have no connection to reality.

For over 15 years, I have suggested trends in churches that may become movements of reality. On an occasional basis, I review all of my prognostications to see if they came close to reality in just a few years forward. So far, my prediction accuracy rate has been almost 90 percent, depending on how long you allow the trend to become a reality. For me, three years is the timeframe by which I usually judge my accuracy.

To be clear, I am not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Not close. But because we receive voluminous amounts of information from churches at Church Answers, I am able to see thousands of “dots.” I am then able to connect those dots and often see a trend in the making.

My list is not exhaustive but, as we head into 2020, I see seven major trends developing. They are likely to change the landscape of churches in the next few years.

Worship sizes will grow significantly smaller. Please don’t mistake this trend to be synonymous with attendance decline. Even in growing churches, we are likely to see smaller worship gatherings. The growing churches will obviously have more services, venues, and sites. This trend is congruent with the next trend.




There will be a significant increase in the number of worship services offered at times other than Sunday morning. In most communities, one-third of the workforce has to work on Sunday morning. That number includes some of your most active church members who have to work one or two Sunday mornings a month. We accommodated the farmers well with 11:00 am worship on Sunday morning in the 1800s. We are due for some major changes 150 years later. 




Church facilities will undergo a dramatic transformation. The two preceding trends lead to this third trend. With both smaller worship gathering and more service options, the need for large worship centers or sanctuaries will diminish greatly. The “big box” worship center is a Baby Boomer phenomenon that is disappearing. Another major change in church facilities will be the sharing of those buildings and rooms with other organizations, even secular organizations.




Attendance will become a greater emphasis. For years, we have seen an aversion toward church leaders stressing attendance. Some critics say church leaders focus on numbers too much. Others say the church is wherever the people are. The result has been a diminished commitment to attend regularly. Why should someone attend if attendance is really not that important? We are now seeing a reversal of that attitude. More church leaders realize that the gathered church was a vitally important part of church life in the New Testament. It should not be less so today.




Evangelism will return to its rightful place of importance and priority. Too many churches have been doing good things while they are neglecting the priority of evangelism. Good becomes the enemy of great. In fact, many church leaders and members think they are evangelistic simply because they have community-invited events. Evangelism is the explicit sharing of the gospel message in the power of the Holy Spirit. Evangelism will return to its place of prominence in many churches. 




Fewer pastors and church staff members will be compensated full-time wages. There are many factors contributing to this reality. Only one of them is related to declining church budgets. Indeed, a number of pastors and church staff will choose the bi-vocational or co-vocational option.




Fewer churches will align exclusively with denominations. Some of the churches will leave their denominational alignment altogether. But more of these churches will see their respective denomination as but one of many ministry partnerships. They will align with and fund multiple organizations and networks.

As we move into a new year, let me again thank you for being on the front lines of ministry. We at Church Answers are grateful to God to serve you and work alongside you. May you see the abundance of God’s blessings in 2020.

Pray for Harbor City Church

Location: Gulfport, Mississippi

Pastor: Rod Wallace

Weekly Worship: Sunday at 10:30 AM, Central

Fast Facts: Harbor City Church is a new church plant in the heart of Gulfport, Mississippi. The church has been meeting in the Anniston Avenue Elementary School during their soft launch phase. The members desire to see God rewrite the stories of the people in the city of Gulfport and beyond. In the month of September all of the church’s giving went straight back into the community.

Harbor City’s grand opening is in January. The church will also be launching a new missional community (small group) very soon. Please pray for Pastor Rod and Harbor City’s members as they reach the Gulfport community for Christ. Also pray for more missional community leaders to meet the needs of new attendees.

Website: HarborCity.Life

“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..

Five Healthy Practices When Members of Another Church Visit Your Church

Podcast Episode #601

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There are good reasons and bad reasons to move from church to church. As leaders, it is important to understand healthy practices for when members of another church visit your church.

Highlights:

Listen to them.
Refuse to listen to them bash another pastor or church.
If necessary, suggest they reconcile with the pastor, staff, or members of their church.
In some cases, contact the pastor of their church.
Pray for all parties involved

Other Highlights:

Leaders don’t usually know why someone is considering a church move. Leaders must listen and listen with discernment.
Pastors have to work hard to push against a culture of complaining in the church.
Members who are disruptive at their previous church will likely be disruptive at their new church.
Handle criticism of another pastor as if the pastor is your friend. 
Pray for all parties involved when members of another church visit your church.

Resources Mentioned:

End of Year Sale


Episode Sponsors

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.

Vanderbloemen has 12 Vanderbloemen Differences that allow them to serve their clients better than anyone else. One of those is Theology Matters. Vanderbloemen’s staff has more seminary and theological experience than any other search firm with 250+ collective years of church leadership experience.

To learn more about all 12 of Vanderbloemen’s Differences, visit VanderDifference.com.

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 Becoming a Welcoming Church.

Why the Intersection of the Multi-site Movement and the Replanting Movement Is So Powerful – Revitalize and Replant Episode #125

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Dr. Kevin Ezell shares stories from the beginnings of the multi-site and replanting movement. Thom and Kevin discuss the strengths of these two movements coming together for Kingdom expansion.

Highlights:

A church stays alive through the principle of multiplication.
Proven leadership is provided to more than one site.
Kingdom facilities remain kingdom facilities.
Communities and neighborhoods regain a gospel presence.
A formerly dying church can soon become a replanting church itself.
More ministry and leadership opportunities emerge for staff and laity.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Revitalize Bundle
End of Year Sale

Thank You for My Christmas Gift

By Thom S. Rainer



I should be expressing my gratitude all the time, not just on Christmas day.

Of course, the greatest gift ever is Jesus, whose birth we celebrate today.

I am also thankful for:

· My family: Nellie Jo, Sam, Art, Jess, Erin, Sarah, Rachel, Maggie, Bren, Joel, Nathaniel, Joshua, James, Canon, Harper, and Collins. And my grandson, Will, who is with Jesus. And my foster grandchild I hope will soon become another grandchild.

· For the Church Answers’ team: Brad, Kevin, Amy, Jana, Sam, Art, Jess, Nellie Jo, Bryan, Chuck, Steve, Ahkeem, and Matt.

· For my churches: The Church at Spring Hill and West Bradenton Baptist Church.

· For my friends: I have learned in this new era of my life and ministry the depths and blessings of true friendship.

I must also thank you, the readers of this blog, the listeners of my podcasts, the readers of my books, and the members of the Church Answers’ community.

You are an incredible gift to me.

I don’t take you and your willingness to hear from me for granted.

So thank you for my Christmas gift: you.

May God bless you immeasurably this Christmas season and beyond.

Merry Christmas, my friends.