Thom S. Rainer

Thom S. Rainer

Op-ed Contributor

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  • 20 Strange Purchases Made by Churches

    20 Strange Purchases Made by Churches

    During one of our podcasts, we talked about church budgets and church purchases. That conversation led to a Twitter poll where we asked church leaders and members to name some strange purchases made by their churches. The responses were numerous and, yes, really strange.

  • 6 Adjustments Made by Scrappy Church Leaders

    6 Adjustments Made by Scrappy Church Leaders

    But when we interviewed the leaders of these scrappy churches, we noticed a pattern. These leaders at one time had been discouraged and despondent. Many were ready to leave the church. Some were ready to leave vocational ministry altogether.

  • Scrappy Church: Why I Have Hope for More Than 100,000 Churches in North America

    Scrappy Church: Why I Have Hope for More Than 100,000 Churches in North America

    The baby arrived! The baby is my book, Scrappy Church. And I am excited about this book. I am very excited about this book. I am very, very excited about this book.

  • 6 Negative Consequences of Church Members With an Entitlement Mentality

    6 Negative Consequences of Church Members With an Entitlement Mentality

    The opposite of a healthy church member is an entitled church member. He or she sees the church as an organization that doles out perks and benefits somewhat like a country club.

  • 8 Differences Between Church Giving and Church Dues

    8 Differences Between Church Giving and Church Dues

    It is amazing to hear how church members view their tithes and offerings to their local churches. Though it's cliché to say, the attitudes of their hearts reflect the nature of their contributions to the church.

  • 10 Reasons We Are Starting Revitalize Network

    10 Reasons We Are Starting Revitalize Network

    So, why are we starting Revitalize Network? As a starter, allow me to share ten reasons.

  • What's Next for Me After Lifeway?

    What's Next for Me After Lifeway?

    Please indulge me for one more blog post about my decision to retire from LifeWay. In my previous post, I shared the reasons why I am retiring, why God is leading me to leave an organization I love deeply. In this post, I will share some of my plans for life post-LifeWay.

  • Suicide, Depression and Pastors: One Way Church Members Can Help

    Suicide, Depression and Pastors: One Way Church Members Can Help

    Most pastors are not suicidal. But most pastors do struggle. They lead churches in a culture that is not friendly to their calling. Three-fourths of them lead churches that are struggling by almost any measure or metric. Many pastors are on the precipice of quitting, and most church members have no idea of their inner turmoil.

  • 15 Common Sacred Cows in Churches

    15 Common Sacred Cows in Churches

    To the delight of some and to the chagrin of others, I conducted an informal social media poll to find out what the audience deemed the most common sacred cows in their churches. The answers were voluminous. Some of the conversations were hilarious. Some people just got mad. Imagine that.

  • 10 Guidelines for Paying and Hosting Guest Speakers and Musicians

    10 Guidelines for Paying and Hosting Guest Speakers and Musicians

    Over the years, I have worked with many churches and speakers (and a few musicians) to establish some guidelines for hosting and paying guest speakers. Keep in mind, these are guidelines, not rigid rules. There will always be reasons for exceptions.

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