Thom S. Rainer
Latest
How Your Church Should Prepare for an Active Shooter
I hate the title of this article. I hate that I even feel compelled to write about the topic. But many of you contacted me after the tragic murders at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas.
15 Unusual Hospital Visits Experienced by Pastors
Pastors visit church members and others in the hospital. It is what pastors do. And most patients appreciate the ministry and efforts of these pastors. But that does not mean the pastors' visits are uneventful.
How Much Time Do Pastors Take for Vacations?
This topic was hotter than I expected. I asked pastors and other church staff about the amount of time taken for vacations each year. Most of the responses came from pastors, and many of those pastors were pretty intense about it.
10 Really Strange Things That Happened at Church Business Meetings
Dead bodies and donuts. Those are two of the themes of church business meetings.
The 5 Choices of Declining Churches
It's simple and straightforward. Leaders of declining churches have five choices. But putting them to practice is not so easy.
7 Common Reasons Pastors Get Cold Feet
Many people have this naïve view that a pastor just has to preach and love people. Not so.
9 Common Types of Church Cowards
Many pastors and church leaders are miserable because of fewer than five percent of the church members.
10 Ways to Bring Joy to Your Pastor
In some ways, I don't like the official designation of October to be pastor appreciation month. I really wish we showed appreciation to pastors all the time.
4 Most Common Acts of Stupidity That Get Pastors Fired
For some reason, some church leaders just don't think they will get caught. Or they think the baby steps won't lead to major steps toward a total fall. Please read these four acts of stupidity carefully and prayerfully.
Top 10 Sources of Discouragement for Pastors
"Is this valley I am going through normal for pastors?" The question came to me directly from a pastor who was relatively new to his church. He was surprised how abruptly discouragement hit him.