Thom S. Rainer

Thom S. Rainer

Op-ed Contributor

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  • The Death of Elitist Leadership

    The Death of Elitist Leadership

    It is indeed an understatement, but it's true. Leadership is changing. The overall thrust of the changes is that elitist leadership is dead; at the very least it is dying. The demand for greater transparency, honesty, and just plain decent behavior has never been higher.

  • What They See When They Come to Your Church

    What They See When They Come to Your Church

    In the context of serious theological discussions, it may seem trivial to write about first impressions of guests when they visit your church. But, if we could understand that a returning guest has more opportunities to hear the gospel and experience Christian love and fellowship, we might take the issue a bit more seriously.

  • The Five Myths About Small Groups

    The Five Myths About Small Groups

    Discipleship is a hot topic within the local church right now. Discipleship manifests itself in the local church most often through small groups. But they often struggle to be successful and transformational because of wrong expectations, beliefs, or myths about how they work best.

  • Five Secrets Pastors Refuse to Tell

    Five Secrets Pastors Refuse to Tell

    By their very nature, pastors are a confidential lot. But most people don't realize pastors have their own secrets. These spiritual leaders refuse to share their thoughts or pains for fear that their own ministries will be damaged. So they keep the secrets.

  • Seven Keys to Preventing Pastoral Burnout

    Seven Keys to Preventing Pastoral Burnout

    I have the incredible opportunity to interact with pastors regularly. In recent conversations, I asked two questions. First, have you ever experienced burnout in your ministry? Second, what do you do to prevent pastoral burnout?

  • Seven Things in the Church That Will Not Change

    Seven Things in the Church That Will Not Change

    The Bible is still the Word of God. God is still in control. Sometimes the pace of change confuses and disorients us.

  • Five of the Most Difficult Challenges for Pastors

    Five of the Most Difficult Challenges for Pastors

    It may be one of the most difficult jobs in the world. Indeed, it may be an impossible job to do in our own strength. So I asked the question: What specific part of being a pastor is the most difficult for you?

  • The 10 Warning Signs of an Inwardly Obsessed Church

    The 10 Warning Signs of an Inwardly Obsessed Church

    Any healthy church must have some level of inward focus. Those in the church should be discipled. But churches can lose their outward focus and become preoccupied with the perceived needs and desires of the members.

  • Seven New Trends in the Pastor Search Process

    Seven New Trends in the Pastor Search Process

    If there is anything consistent about the current state of how churches find and call pastors, it is the inconsistencies of the process for each church. It is inconsistent by denomination and by each church individually.

  • October Baby Opens Strong

    October Baby Opens Strong

    October Baby had a strong opening this past weekend placing eighth overall at the box office with an opening weekend gross of $1.7M and third among major releases in per screen average

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