Thom S. Rainer

Latest

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  Dec 6, 2018

  5 reasons some long-term pastors fail

  I am a strong proponent of longer-term pastorates. I love hearing about pastors passing tenure thresholds of five, ten, and fifteen years. All other things being equal, I would much rather see a pastor have long tenure in a given church than not.

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  Nov 12, 2018

  6 Reasons the Role of Interim Pastor Is Changing Dramatically

  Today, the role of interim pastor is changing, becoming more complex, and carrying higher expectations. Why is this dramatic change taking place? Here are six major reasons:

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  Nov 10, 2018

  Pastors: How to Avoid Getting Fired When Leading a Growing Church

  Some churches will be preacher eaters regardless of the actions of the pastor. Still, I see these right actions as helpful toward minimizing the possibility of a forced termination.

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  Nov 8, 2018

  7 Reasons Pastors Get Fired When a Church Is Growing

  Even in "successful" revitalizations, it does not always turn out well for the pastor. Why is that? My list is not exhaustive, but here are seven common reasons:

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  Oct 28, 2018

  7 Reasons Many Pastors Avoid Counseling

  I wanted to know why so many pastors were avoiding counseling ministries today. Their responses were clear and consistent:

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  Oct 25, 2018

  What Do Pastors Like Most About Their Ministries?

  The results are in! As of this writing, 1,178 pastors responded to my social media poll asking what pastors liked most about their ministries.

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  Oct 14, 2018

  7 Traits of a Healthy Church Leader

  I see more signs of healthy church leaders today than I have seen at any point in my 30 years of ministry.

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  Oct 11, 2018

  One of the Most Destructive Statements a Church Member Can Make

  If you have served in church leadership for several years, you have likely heard this statement:

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  Oct 6, 2018

  20 Strange Purchases Made by Churches

  During one of our podcasts, we talked about church budgets and church purchases. That conversation led to a Twitter poll where we asked church leaders and members to name some strange purchases made by their churches. The responses were numerous and, yes, really strange.

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  Oct 3, 2018

  6 Adjustments Made by Scrappy Church Leaders

  But when we interviewed the leaders of these scrappy churches, we noticed a pattern. These leaders at one time had been discouraged and despondent. Many were ready to leave the church. Some were ready to leave vocational ministry altogether.