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Thom S. Rainer

Christian Post Contributor
  • 05/05/2012

    Five of the Most Difficult Challenges for Pastors

    It may be one of the most difficult jobs in the world. Indeed, it may be an impossible job to do in our own strength. So I asked the question: What specific part of being a pastor is the most difficult for you?

    55 comments | Tags Pastors
  • 05/03/2012

    The 10 Warning Signs of an Inwardly Obsessed Church

    Any healthy church must have some level of inward focus. Those in the church should be discipled. But churches can lose their outward focus and become preoccupied with the perceived needs and desires of the members.

    25 comments
  • 04/04/2012

    Seven New Trends in the Pastor Search Process

    If there is anything consistent about the current state of how churches find and call pastors, it is the inconsistencies of the process for each church. It is inconsistent by denomination and by each church individually.

    6 comments | Tags Pastors
  • 03/27/2012

    October Baby Opens Strong

    October Baby had a strong opening this past weekend placing eighth overall at the box office with an opening weekend gross of $1.7M and third among major releases in per screen average

    4 comments
  • 03/19/2012

    October Baby

    Millions of unborn babies are being led to their deaths. But most churches are just singing louder. What can we do?

    1 comments | Tags Abortion
  • 03/14/2012

    Eight Reasons Leaders Lose Their Drive

    The leader had no greater goal or vision than the job itself. The moment a leader is in a job for the paycheck alone, he or she has already lost the drive necessary to be a leader.

    2 comments | Tags Leadership
  • 03/09/2012

    People Migration to Larger Churches

    One of the most significant trends in American churches the past 25 years has been the migration of people from smaller churches to larger churches.

    29 comments | Tags Megachurch
  • 03/05/2012

    When Pastors Need a Pastor

    The expectations of a pastor are always high. Most are expected to omnipresent, omniscience, and always energetic and ready to serve. But these men are people with their own limitations and their own struggles.

    8 comments | Tags Pastors
  • 02/12/2012

    A Father's Prayer

    The year was 1985. My third son, Jess, was five months old. His older brothers, Sam and Art, were five and three years old respectively. My wife, Nellie Jo, and I were exhausted. She, in particular, seemed never to rest with the demands of being a stay-at-home mom to three preschool boys. I was sleeping little as well, dealing with the demands of being a full-time seminary student, serving as pastor of a small church, and working an additional thirty hours a week at a bank.

    5 comments | Tags Family issues
  • 02/07/2012

    Millennials, Religion, and a Reason for Hope

    The Millennial Christians are relatively few in number. Again, I am reticent to estimate with any claim of precision, but I have suggested that the number of Christians in this generation is 15 percent of their total.

    9 comments | Tags Youth
  • 02/04/2012

    I Am a Church Member

    I am a church member. I will seek to be a source of unity in the church. I know there are no perfect pastors, staff, or other church members. But neither am I.

    4 comments
  • 01/21/2012

    Seven Reasons Leaders Fail

    What then are the common characteristics of leaders who fail? They fail to dream.

    1 comments
  • 01/06/2012

    Twelve in 2012: Trends in Healthy Churches. Trends 7 to 12

    Healthy churches have pastors who love the members. And the churches allow their pastors to spend time in sermon preparation.

    1 comments
  • 01/05/2012

    Twelve in 2012: Trends in Healthy Churches. Trends 1 to 6

    The churches have a high view of Scripture. The members are evangelistically intentional.

    6 comments
  • 12/12/2011

    For Those Hurting This Christmas Season

    I hurt deeply for those who see empty places at their meals for Christmas. I hurt for those who have gone through the agony of a divorce.

    3 comments
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