Thom S. Rainer

Latest

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  Nov 25, 2015

  5 Problems With Church Programs

  Writing this post may be one of the dumbest things I've ever done. I am the president of the world's largest Christian resource company, and I'm talking about the problems with church programs.

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  Nov 22, 2015

  Why Some Churches Choose to Die

  The conversation surprised me. I was recently meeting with about a dozen members of a church that was on the precipice of closing. During their perceived "good old days," the average worship attendance was in the 40s and 50s. Now the church attendance was in the teens. The church was on metaphorical life support.

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  Nov 17, 2015

  4 Ways Church Revitalization Is Changing the World

  I want to ask you a question that may seem silly and rhetorical: Do you want to be a part of something that is changing the world?

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  Nov 15, 2015

  Four Major Ways Pastors Hinder Church Revitalization

  Nine out of ten churches in North America are declining, or they are growing slower than the community in which they are located.

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  Nov 13, 2015

  6 Reasons Pastors Must Be More Courageous Today

  If I could choose one more course for ministry training and preparation, it would be "Courageous Leadership."

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  Nov 11, 2015

  7 Thoughts About Retiring Pastors Who Stay at Their Churches

  Every seven seconds a baby boomer retires, about 10,000 a day. That is the pace of potential retirement taking place every day since January 1, 2011.

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  Nov 8, 2015

  7 Great, 7 Awful Experiences of First-Time Church Guests

  If you want to make an immediate difference in your church, read these fourteen brief experiences.

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  Nov 6, 2015

  6 Reasons Church Leaders Should Use Periscope

  My first reaction to the discovery of Periscope was not favorable. Oh no, I thought, another social media tool.

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  Nov 4, 2015

  6 Considerations When Firing Church Staff

  It's one of the toughest parts of church leadership. You feel like a staff member is not a good fit. Or the elders or personnel committee feel the same about the pastor. You are confronted with the reality that you might need to ask that person to step down.

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  Nov 2, 2015

  Five Thoughts on Why Lighting Will Be the Next Worship War

  Many churches are having internal disagreements over lighting. In some churches it has become contentious.