Notable Voices and the Week in Review: May 5, 2018
How to Select Mission Partners — Sam Rainer
The Internet age makes it much easier for independent missions, movements, and ministries to raise funding, as well as gain access to the decision-makers in churches. Independent works are on the rise. Expect these types of requests to continue and to increase in number. How do you begin to select a mission partner with so many out there? What do you say when you’re inundated with requests? I’ve created a six-part checklist to help our church begin the decision process.
Gen Z is Loneliest Generation, Study Finds — Facts & Trends
Nobody is lonelier than Generation Z. That’s the surprising conclusion of a new study that finds younger generations—across the board—are lonelier than older ones. In fact, students have higher loneliness scores than retirees, and the least lonely Americans are 72 and older, health insurer Cigna found in its online survey of more than 20,000 U.S. adults.
4 Ways a Church Should Respond with Grace When a Leader Falls — Eric Geiger
The apostle Paul wrote that when sin increases, grace increases all the more (Romans 5:20). So how should a church respond with grace when a ministry leader falls? Sadly, it seems to be happening more and more, so what should grace look like in those situations?
6 Ways to Prepare for Summer Outreach — Josh Presley
Even at this time of year here in northern Maine, several feet of snow can be found in far too many places. Snowmobilers are still flocking to our area to get in their last rides and the kids (and some adults) are still making snowmen. But even for our frozen towns summer is not too far away, and as everyone comes out of hibernation, this is the perfect time to engage our communities. Here are some important things we’ve learned along the way as we prepare for the primetime of the Spring and Summer months.
This Week at ThomRainer.com:

Six Reasons Churches Are Taking Too Long to Find a New Pastor
I wish I had objective data on the length of time between pastors. I can say anecdotally the time is much longer than it used to be. A whole lot longer…READ MORE
Church Sickness #6: Purposeless Prayer
Purposeless Prayer is when corporate prayer is nonexistent or steeped in non-useful tradition.
What Pastors and Church Staff Tell Us They Wished They Had Learned at Seminary
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode428.mp3
Six Major Staff Issues Pastors Face
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Rainer on Leadership
http://media.blubrry.com/thomrainer/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/Episode429.mp3
Recipes for Failure in Revitalization
by Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe | Revitalize & Replant
http://media.blubrry.com/revitalizereplant/s3.amazonaws.com/TheExchange/RevitalizeReplant/RR-Episode039.mp3