
Thom S. Rainer
Op-ed Contributor
Latest

8 Reasons Many Bible Belt Churches Are in Trouble
I served as pastor of four churches, and three of them were in the Bible Belt. One was not. It was my favorite.

5 Ways to Stop the Decline In Your Church
Is there any hope for our church? Are we doomed to close the doors of this church after over a century in this community? Those questions were two among many I received recently.

12 Key Reasons for Church Staff Conflict
To be clear, conflict exists in all relationships. And when I use the phrase "church staff," I am referring to all who serve in vocational ministry at a local church, including the pastor.

6 Reasons Congregational Singing Is Waning
What then are the primary reasons fewer people are singing in church? Why has that act of worship before God become nominal in so many contexts? Here are six reasons:

The Seven Deadly Sins of Church Announcements
Have you ever had a cringe moment listening to church announcements?

6 Reasons Some Congregations Have Frequent Attenders
Wouldn't you love it if everyone who connected with your church showed up every week?

7 Times Pastors Failed at Mind Reading
Today, hardly a week goes by where pastors do not share a story with me about their failure at mind reading. Here are seven common examples.

3 Common Sentences of Dying Churches
You don't have to wait until a church closes its doors to hear some of the sentences that led to its death. Indeed, these three sentences, or something similar to the words, are pervasive in too many churches.

5 Categorical Lies About Pastors
I've had enough. I've heard the lies too many times. It's time for them to end.

6 Reasons Why Your Church Members May Not Be Friendly to Guests
It's one of the biggest lies in churches.



















