Thom S. Rainer

Thom S. Rainer

Op-ed Contributor

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  • Seven Good Things About the Houston Subpoena Controversy

    Seven Good Things About the Houston Subpoena Controversy

    I share the outrage of millions who were stunned when the city of Houston issued subpoenas to five area pastors. I am stunned and angered by this massive encroachment upon local churches by a governmental body. But there is an additional perspective to this horrendous act.

  • Seven Things I've Learned From Joyous Pastors' Wives

    Seven Things I've Learned From Joyous Pastors' Wives

    In this article, I share with you the lessons I've learned from pastors' wives who tell me they have found great joy and meaning in their lives. One, they understand and accept that criticisms and unreasonable expectations are a part of church life and leadership.

  • Eight Ways for Pastors to Affair-Proof Their Marriages

    Eight Ways for Pastors to Affair-Proof Their Marriages

    Too many families of pastors are torn apart because of affairs. And too many churches are left reeling with the consequences in their own congregations. What can a pastor do to affair-proof his marriage?

  • Fourteen Symptoms of Toxic Church Leaders

    Fourteen Symptoms of Toxic Church Leaders

    A toxic church leader, one that is figuratively poisonous to the organization, is rare. But it is that church leader who brings great harm to churches and other Christian organizations. And it is that leader that hurts the entire cause of Christ when word travels about such toxicity.

  • Seven Reasons Why We Should Not Give Up on Established Churches

    Seven Reasons Why We Should Not Give Up on Established Churches

    If you truly believe that established churches have no hope, there is no reason to read this post. I am not, however, among those pessimists. I am an obnoxious optimist about our churches.

  • 8 Things Pastors Do When Their Churches Are in a Slump

    8 Things Pastors Do When Their Churches Are in a Slump

    The meaning of "slump" is more evident in sports. When a baseball player, for example, is in a slump, we surmise that he is not hitting as well as he was earlier in the season.

  • 5 Reasons Many Churches Are Not Growing Evangelistically

    5 Reasons Many Churches Are Not Growing Evangelistically

    It's for you pastors who are frustrated that the church members are not evangelistic. It's for you church members who wonder why the pastor does not reach more people. After all, some may surmise, that is why we pay our pastor.

  • 5 Incredible Steps to Close the Back Door in Your Church

    5 Incredible Steps to Close the Back Door in Your Church

    By "closing the back door," I am referring to assimilating or keeping those who have already become a part of the church. The sad reality is that many churches have less than one-half of their members show up at any one point. They are "walking out the back door."

  • 5 Ways to Use the Offertory to Enhance Financial Stewardship

    5 Ways to Use the Offertory to Enhance Financial Stewardship

    But in churches with very healthy giving relative to their demographics, something different takes place in the offertory. It is meaningful. It is engaging. And it makes a difference. Here are five ways I have seen it done well in a number of churches.

  • Six Major Implications of the Growth of Multisite Churches

    Six Major Implications of the Growth of Multisite Churches

    It is one of those topics that almost always engenders lively discussion. Some church leaders are incredibly and positively excited about the multisite church movement. Others view the movement with many questions if not some level of suspicion. But recent studies tell us that we should not ignore this movement.

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