Thom S. Rainer

Thom S. Rainer

Op-ed Contributor

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  • Ten Steps to Deal With Inward Drift in Established Churches

    Ten Steps to Deal With Inward Drift in Established Churches

    An established church develops certain patterns or traditions while simultaneously forgetting its original purpose and passion. By almost any metric, the majority of North American congregations are established churches. They often include discouraged leaders and frustrated members. So how does a church move from an inward drift to an outward focus?

  • Adultery and Leadership

    Adultery and Leadership

    What is the impact on a leader and his or her leadership when he or she is involved in an affair? I have been disgusted as I heard different pundits attempt to answer this question. The typical perspective regurgitated about the Petraeus and Broadwell affair is that, outside of the security concerns, it's really no big deal.

  • Why Accountability Is Weak in Many Organizations

    Why Accountability Is Weak in Many Organizations

    What makes organizations weak? Is it a failure of good strategic planning? Are there cultural issues that preclude good performance? Researchers found that accountability was the weakest link in organizational behavior.

  • Millennials, Politics, and an Open Letter

    Millennials, Politics, and an Open Letter

    At least in 2008 the Millennials proved to be a generation motivated by a strong centralized federal government. Most every study of the Millennials indicates that the same desire is still alive and well today. It is not unusual to see people look to the government for solutions when few alternatives seem available.

  • Eight Terrible Church Visits

    Eight Terrible Church Visits

    When I led a church consultation company, one of the more common facets of my consultation was an on-site visit to a worship service. The person I hired to conduct the visit could know nothing about the church. What makes for a bad first-time experience? Being asked to introduce yourself and everyone talking in code.

  • Ten Things Pastors Like About Pastoring

    Ten Things Pastors Like About Pastoring

    We wanted to know what pastors like about their ministry. Here are their top ten responses listed in reverse order, followed by a comment from a representative pastor. Preaching. "My sense of God's call to ministry was a call to preach. It's still what I love to do more than anything."

  • Ten Things Pastors Don't Like About Pastoring

    Ten Things Pastors Don't Like About Pastoring

    The expectations of a pastor are endless. Many members expect them to be omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. But different pastors are wired differently. One pastor may get great fulfillment out of counseling, while another dreads every minute of it.

  • Six Ways Churches Reverse a Decline

    Six Ways Churches Reverse a Decline

    I don't particularly like the "quick-fix" formula some pundits offer to leaders of churches that are plateaued or experiencing a decline. Nevertheless, I have had the wonderful opportunity to research churches across America. Many leaders are frustrated and seeking God's solution.

  • Seven Updated Trends on Megachurches in America

    Seven Updated Trends on Megachurches in America

    The fascination with megachurches is, at least to some extent, related to the sociological impact on the community in which it resides. There continues to be a shift of members and attendees from smaller churches to larger churches, particularly megachurches.

  • Seven Common Comments Non-Christians Make About Christians

    Christians are against more things than they are for. "It just seems to me that Christians are mad at the world and mad at each other." I don't see much difference in the way Christians live compared to others.

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