Thom S. Rainer

Thom S. Rainer

Op-ed Contributor

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  • 6 Traits of a Church Disrupter

    6 Traits of a Church Disrupter

    He is almost in every church. He is the church disrupter. Unlike church bullies, the disrupter rarely attacks leaders directly. He is good about stirring up dissension, but he seems to always feel like "God led me to do it."

  • Before You Fire Your Pastor

    Before You Fire Your Pastor

    It happened again this week. A pastor contacted me to let me know his deacons asked for his resignation. The reason? No one was really clear about it. Too many pastors are getting fired. It feels like an epidemic.

  • Why It Takes 5 to 7 Years to Become the Pastor of a Church

    Why It Takes 5 to 7 Years to Become the Pastor of a Church

    In most established churches, there is a prolonged period before the church members as a whole will truly embrace you as pastor. The majority of pastors never make it to year five.

  • 7 Characteristics of Reactionary Pastors

    7 Characteristics of Reactionary Pastors

    Sometimes church leaders have to be reactionary. We can't always plan ahead. But many church leaders can be more proactive. Too many of these leaders waste valuable time because they were not prepared adequately.

  • Why Many of Our Churches Are Still One Color

    Why Many of Our Churches Are Still One Color

    Tens of thousands of congregations are one color, one race, or one group. Why? Why is this reality still taking place today?

  • Why Dying Churches Die

    Why Dying Churches Die

    Many churches are dying. Some are so sick that they are a few years, perhaps just months, from death. But too many refuse to do anything.

  • 10 Tough Pieces of Advice Pastors Have Trouble Receiving

    10 Tough Pieces of Advice Pastors Have Trouble Receiving

    The last thing pastors need is someone to offer them advice. But I do want pastors to hear those pieces of advice that are really difficult to heed.

  • 5 Reasons Church Organizational Changes Fail

    5 Reasons Church Organizational Changes Fail

    To be clear, organizational change is absolutely necessary ... some of the time. But much of the time, we lead organizational change for the wrong reasons.

  • 7 Common Reasons Churches Have a Dramatic Decline in Attendance

    7 Common Reasons Churches Have a Dramatic Decline in Attendance

    We consider a church to be in dramatic decline when the average worship attendance drops by 20 percent or more in three months or less. What causes such unusual declines?

  • Top 10 Surprises New Pastors Have

    Top 10 Surprises New Pastors Have

    I love new pastors. It is fascinating to hear their thoughts after they have served as a pastor for a year or two.

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