Sam Rainer's Blog, page 2

Deacon Selection Process: Interview Questions to Ask Before Ordination [FREE Download]

Deacons play a vital role in the church, serving alongside pastors and helping maintain the congregation’s spiritual health. While much focus is placed on pastoral leadership, deacons are no less essential to the church’s mission. No single passage outlines the exact duties of a deacon, but several themes emerge from Scripture, particularly in Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3.

Acts 6 provides the foundational account of deacons in the early church. As the number of believers grew, so did logistical challe...

What Pastors Should Wear While Preaching (Proper Church Dress Code)

Between the 4th and 6th centuries, early Christian ministers adopted distinctive attire, setting them apart from the people they shepherded. As long robe-like garments of the Roman and Greek Empires became less popular in civil life, the church retained the attire for clergy, which evolved into what we know today as vestments.

In many Christian traditions, clergy still wear liturgical garments. As a low-church Baptist, I have limited knowledge about the use and symbolism of Catholic, Anglican, L...

Am I Too Lonely? A Free Self-Scoring Tool for Pastors and Church Leaders

Generally, pastors are content with their callings. A study by Ryan Burge noted that 83% of clergy felt happy at least four days a week, and 85% reported having life satisfaction almost daily. While this data was collected before the pandemic, there is little reason to believe that pastors are more dissatisfied as a professional group than any other. Additionally, the longer a pastor is in ministry, the higher the satisfaction rate.

But what about loneliness? It’s reasonable to propose that a pa...

Is Your Church High, Low, or Average Capacity? A Formula That Predicts Growth or Decline

How fast can the church adapt and change? Capacity involves ability. How capable is the church of moving forward? The Capacity Filter Formula is a simple way to gain a general understanding of your church’s ability to handle change. As you answer the three questions below, be as accurate in your numbers as possible. If your church is smaller, you may be able to put names to numbers. If your church is larger, do your best to make accurate estimates.

Answer the questions with numbers, not percenta...

Predators, Wolves, and Recognizing Where Abuse Begins in Churches

There is a difference between a predator and a wolf. A predator may come from anywhere. But the Bible gives a special warning about wolves—namely, church leaders who look the part but are dangerous. Matthew records this warning from Jesus: “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.”

Wolves are inclined to do as much damage to the church as possible. The carnage may come in the f...

How to Know Your Church Is Truly Revitalized (5 Key Indicators)

At what point can you say your church is fully revitalized?

In some ways, church health is an ongoing journey. You never really “arrive.” In fact, the healthiest churches are inevitably messy. A healthy church will have many new believers, which means an ongoing struggle to disciple them. This discipleship doesn’t happen instantaneously. The more people you reach for Christ, the more new believers you have, and the messier your church will be.

However, there are some key indicators that signal y...

Why Don’t Pastors Use All Their Vacation Days?

About half of all American workers do not take all their allotted paid time off—the reasons why are relatively consistent across socioeconomic and demographic lines.

Half (52%) feel they don’t need the vacation time.Half (49%) are worried they would fall behind at work.A little less than half (43%) say they would feel bad about giving their co-workers additional work.

What about pastors? Few pastors use all their vacation days. One-third of the pastors say they always take fewer vacation...

How to Do Proper Exit Interviews When Church Staff Leave (Plus Downloadable Guide)

The personnel committee gathered for their monthly meeting. As the lead pastor walked into the room, he could feel the tension. The group was too quiet, and every eyeball followed the path to his seat. 

They started with a prayer as usual, but as soon as amen was said, one of the members released the pressure, “Pastor, why did Jeremy leave our church?”

“Well, God called him to another church.”

The pastor was slightly confused why everyone seemed stressed about the student pastor’s departure. 

“I...

Five Powerful Prayers for Your Christmas Eve Service

Most churches will have more guests during a Christmas Eve service than in any other service throughout the year.

What will you say to God with all these new people listening?

As pastors, we have the unique opportunity in a Christmas Eve service to lead our congregations—and numerous guests from the community—in prayer.

These five prayers can serve as guides, helping to set a joyful tone and celebratory atmosphere for the birth of Jesus.

Prayer 1: Open with a prayer of anticipation for the Savio...

The Urgent Reality of Church Safety: New Issues Every Congregation Now Faces

Every church has a dual calling when it comes to the evils of the world: ensure safety and confront danger.

Ensure safety (internally): The church must be a place where every person is protected from harm.Confront danger (externally): The church is also called to send people out to preach the gospel in dangerous places.

A safe church is a threat to the enemy. An unsafe church undermines the gospel and is an asset to the enemy.

The High-Trust and Low-Security Environment

Churches, by natur...