Thom S. Rainer

Latest

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  Jul 7, 2014

  6 Symptoms of a Dysfunctional Church

  Unfortunately, I did not have to look far to find over 20 current examples of dysfunctional churches. In my quest, I found six recurring themes. In every one of the congregations, the church manifested at least three of these symptoms.

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  Jul 2, 2014

  7 Factors Hindering Evangelism in Churches

  With that in mind, in this article I try to help church leaders look in the mirror if their churches are not evangelistic. And here are seven factors that leaders may see when they get that honest perspective.

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  Jun 29, 2014

  7 Reasons the Pastor's Salary Can Be a Source of Tension

  If you want a lively discussion, then the topic of the pastor's salary can usually meet that need. I have discussed this issue in the past on both my blog and my podcast. In both cases, the conversation was, well, interesting.

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  Jun 28, 2014

  6 Surprising Traits of Effective Pastors

  A couple of caveats are in order. First, the idea of "surprising" can vary from person to person. I think you might be surprised at some of these traits, but you might not be. Second, the term "effective" is nebulous. I am not speaking of size of church or level of fame. I have subjectively noted several dozen pastors whose ministries have been consistent and whose impact in their churches and communities has been positive.

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  Jun 26, 2014

  9 Rapid Changes in Church Worship Services

  If you were attending a church worship service in 1955 and then returned to the same church in 1975, the changes would be noticeable but not dramatic. Churches were slow to change over that 20-year period. If you, however, attended a church worship service in 2000 and then returned to that same church in 2010, there is a high likelihood you would see dramatic changes in just ten years.

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  Jun 24, 2014

  The Dangerous Third Year of Pastoral Tenure

  Pastors generally don't stay long at churches. The average tenure is between three and four years. But, as our research has shown consistently, longer tenure is needed for church health. Longer tenure does not guarantee church health, but a series of short-term pastorates is typically unhealthy.

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  Jun 20, 2014

  7 Ways to Hurt Your Pastor

  If you really want to hurt your pastor, then this blogpost is for you. This past week alone, I had conversations with dozens of pastors. These pastors love their churches and the members. They are really committed to their callings. But they are real people who can really be hurt.

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  Jun 3, 2014

  7 Habits of Outwardly Focused Churches

  It was not a dramatic moment in time. Instead it was subtle, almost too subtle to be noticed. It became evident first in mainline churches. But evangelical churches followed a few years later. The erosion was slow, but it became glaringly apparent after several years.

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  Jun 1, 2014

  The Most Common Factor in Declining Churches

  As God has allowed me to study congregations for more than 25 years, I began to see a common pattern in churches that had become outwardly focused. You read some of the practical steps these churches have taken in the earlier post.

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  May 27, 2014

  5 Fascinating Facts about Single Parent Families for Church Leaders

  Today, I want to focus on one large slice of the demographic pie in America—households headed by a single parent. That world is growing and shifting so quickly it is almost breathtaking. For now, I offer five factoids about these families. Consider the implications for churches as we attempt to minister and reach these persons.