Thom S. Rainer

Latest

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  Feb 28, 2014

  Pastors and Mental Health

  The issue of mental health and Christians is finally getting some attention. Among the Christians who have challenges, many pastors struggle with depression. We hear too frequently about a pastor committing suicide. And many wonder how such a tragedy could happen to someone whose life was committed to serving the Lord.

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  Feb 25, 2014

  Six Major Issues Regarding the Digital Church

  The "digital church attendees" likely view the worship services online. Some churches now view these persons as integral participants in the life of the church. A small but growing number are willing to grant them membership.

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  Feb 19, 2014

  12 Reasons Pastors' Wives Are Lonely

  Pastors' wives have shared a common plight: they are very lonely. Some of the most common reasons pastors' wives have offered to explain their loneliness: superficial relationships in the church and mean church members.

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  Feb 11, 2014

  7 Warning Signs of Affairs for Pastors and Other Church Staff

  The conversation is always sad, always tragic. The pastor who left his church after a two-year affair with another church member. The student pastor who has been out of vocational ministry since he had a brief sexual encounter with his assistant. I have spoken with countless numbers of these men and women. And each time I am reminded of how much I need to love God with all my heart, and to be totally devoted to my wife.

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  Feb 9, 2014

  7 Reasons Very Active Church Members Drop Out

  During my 25 plus years of church consultations, I have interviewed a number of these active-to-inactive persons. Most of them shared freely and openly with me what took place in their lives, and how it impacted their ultimate decision to stop attending church.

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  Feb 7, 2014

  7 Observations on Church Discipline

  Yet the topic of church discipline seems to be primarily reserved for the theologians and a few pastors. Those of us who write about practical ministry and church health rarely mention this topic, even though it is a clear biblical practice. Allow me to note seven observations about church discipline.

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  Feb 5, 2014

  10 Common Topics of Church Member Arguments

  For many years I served as a consultant to churches and denominations, a role I relinquished when I became president of LifeWay over eight years ago. Part of our consultative process was interviewing church members. Inevitably I would hear issues of concern and issues among church members over which arguments took place.

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  Feb 3, 2014

  11 Reasons Pastors Are Trusted Less Today

  Why are pastors no longer held in high esteem? What is behind the precipitous drop in favorable ratings almost every year? Allow me to offer eleven possible reasons. As you will see, they are not mutually exclusive.

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  Jan 31, 2014

  7 Paradigm Shifts in American Churches

  I know I'm not smart enough to have predicted all of these major changes in churches the past decade or so. The changes have been profound in many churches, and they seem to be lasting changes. For clarity, please understand I am not making qualitative assessments of these paradigm shifts; I am merely noting them. And I understand fully that all of them are not operational in all churches. Nevertheless, they are pervasive on the congregational landscape of American.

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  Jan 30, 2014

  11 Things I Learned from Pastors' Wives

  Several months ago, I wrote a post about pastors' wives. The responses and comments were numerous and incredible. One of the greatest blessings about this blog for me is how much I learn from others. As I read the comments and the interactions, I came away with a greater appreciation for pastors' wives, as well as a greater concern for these ladies. I have attempted to summarize the primary issues the pastors' wives discussed. I am sure I've missed something. For now, here are eleven things I