Podcast Episode #018

We hear the phrase most often associated with political offices, but the first 100 days in a new job are extremely important to the rest of your employment. You can learn so much about an organization, the expectations others have of you, and hopefully gain advice that will help prevent potential issues in the future. So in this week's episode, Jonathan and I review a recent blogpost talking about a pastor's first 90 days and expand on it while also relating it to secular employment. My nine steps were:

* Spend significant time in the Word for your sermons. (Obviously this applies more to the pastorate, but time in the Word is still important for Christian leaders.)

* Listen.

* Be visible.

* Be accessible.

* Find low-hanging fruit.

* Learn the powerbrokers. 

* Go into the community.

* Express your enthusiasm about being their pastor.

* Don’t speak badly about your previous church. 

Episode Sponsor

This week's podcast is brought to you by the HCSB Bible. Taking into account the significant advancements in scholarship, translation theory, and contemporary English usage, the HCSB will satisfy both those new to the faith and seasoned scholars. Visit HCSB.org for more information.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com.

Podcast Episode #018

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play

We hear the phrase most often associated with political offices, but the first 100 days in a new job are extremely important to the rest of your employment. You can learn so much about an organization, the expectations others have of you, and hopefully gain advice that will help prevent potential issues in the future. So in this week's episode, Jonathan and I review a recent blogpost talking about a pastor's first 90 days and expand on it while also relating it to secular employment. My nine steps were:

* Spend significant time in the Word for your sermons. (Obviously this applies more to the pastorate, but time in the Word is still important for Christian leaders.)

* Listen.

* Be visible.

* Be accessible.

* Find low-hanging fruit.

* Learn the powerbrokers. 

* Go into the community.

* Express your enthusiasm about being their pastor.

* Don’t speak badly about your previous church. 

Episode Sponsor

This week's podcast is brought to you by the HCSB Bible. Taking into account the significant advancements in scholarship, translation theory, and contemporary English usage, the HCSB will satisfy both those new to the faith and seasoned scholars. Visit HCSB.org for more information.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you'll receive a free autographed copy of I Am a Church Member.

Podcast Episode #017

A look recent post I wrote on a pastor's work week. I took a survey of my deacons when I was pastoring in St. Petersburg Florida back in the 1980s. I listed several congregational responsibilities and asked them to share the minimum amount of time I should average in each area each week. I listed about twenty areas; but they were free to add other responsibilities to the blank lines.

I’m not sure exactly what I was anticipating. I just know that I was shocked when I tallied the results. In order to meet those twelve deacons minimum expectations I had to fulfill the following responsibilities each week:

* Prayer at the church: 14 hours

* Sermon preparation: 18 hours

* Outreach and evangelism: 10 hours

* Counseling: 10 hours

* Hospital and home visits: 15 hours

* Administrative functions: 18 hours

* Community involvement: 5 hours

* Denominational involvement: 5 hours

* Church meetings: 5 hours

* Worship services/preaching: 4 hours

* Other: 10 hours

Total: 114 hours/week

Some commenters on the post asked about another pastoral duty that was not covered in the survey: weddings and funerals. So in the podcast we touched on that as well as whether or not payments for those services should be included in a pastor's compensation package.

Episode Sponsor

This week's podcast is brought to you by Auxano and the Vision Room. VisionRoom.com is an online gathering of articles, tools and resources designed for church leaders like you who value vision clarity and want to live out that vision in meaningful ways. For more information visit VisionRoom.com.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com.

Resources

* Essential Church by Sam Rainer and Thom Rainer

Podcast Episode #017

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play

A look recent post I wrote on a pastor's work week. I took a survey of my deacons when I was pastoring in St. Petersburg Florida back in the 1980s. I listed several congregational responsibilities and asked them to share the minimum amount of time I should average in each area each week. I listed about twenty areas; but they were free to add other responsibilities to the blank lines.

I’m not sure exactly what I was anticipating. I just know that I was shocked when I tallied the results. In order to meet those twelve deacons minimum expectations I had to fulfill the following responsibilities each week:

* Prayer at the church: 14 hours

* Sermon preparation: 18 hours

* Outreach and evangelism: 10 hours

* Counseling: 10 hours

* Hospital and home visits: 15 hours

* Administrative functions: 18 hours

* Community involvement: 5 hours

* Denominational involvement: 5 hours

* Church meetings: 5 hours

* Worship services/preaching: 4 hours

* Other: 10 hours

Total: 114 hours/week

Some commenters on the post asked about another pastoral duty that was not covered in the survey: weddings and funerals. So in the podcast we touched on that as well as whether or not payments for those services should be included in a pastor's compensation package.

Episode Sponsor

This week's podcast is brought to you by Auxano and the Vision Room. VisionRoom.com is an online gathering of articles, tools and resources designed for church leaders like you who value vision clarity and want to live out that vision in meaningful ways. For more information visit VisionRoom.com.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you'll receive a free autographed copy of I Am a Church Member.

Resources

* Essential Church by Sam Rainer and Thom Rainer

Podcast Episode #016

My oldest son, Sam, joins us for this week's podcast. In the show, we discussed the importance of mentoring younger leaders and raising up the next generation of pastors as well as pastoring established churches. Sam's journey is one that is different than the majority of younger pastors in that he has spent most of his time at established churches and has only been on church staffs as a pastor. Sam also shares his paradigm for ministry: serve first and lead second.

Episode Sponsor

This week's podcast is brought to you by Essential Church, a book based on a study of one-thousand so-called "church dropouts" who were interviewed about why they left. Their answers are quite surprising, having less to do with "losing their religion" and more about the desire for a community that isn't made stale by simply maintaining the status quo.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com.

Resources

* Essential Church by Sam Rainer and Thom Rainer

Podcast Episode #016

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play

My oldest son, Sam, joins us for this week's podcast. In the show, we discussed the importance of mentoring younger leaders and raising up the next generation of pastors as well as pastoring established churches. Sam's journey is one that is different than the majority of younger pastors in that he has spent most of his time at established churches and has only been on church staffs as a pastor. Sam also shares his paradigm for ministry: serve first and lead second.

Episode Sponsor

This week's podcast is brought to you by Essential Church, a book based on a study of one-thousand so-called "church dropouts" who were interviewed about why they left. Their answers are quite surprising, having less to do with "losing their religion" and more about the desire for a community that isn't made stale by simply maintaining the status quo.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you'll receive a free autographed copy of I Am a Church Member.

Resources

* Essential Church by Sam Rainer and Thom Rainer

Podcast Episode #015

We explore five qualities to look for when hiring a new team member. These qualities apply to any level of employment and in both church and secular hiring processes. Based on this post, the five qualities to look for are:

* Character

* Competency

* Chemistry

* Alignment

* Trust

Near the end of the episode, I also share some questions and examples you can use to help judge potential candidates on these five qualities. It is vital to have the right people on your teams. Looking for these five qualities when hiring is essential to making your team the best it can be.

Episode Sponsor

I'd like to thank this week's sponsor: Ministry Grid. At MinistryGrid.com you'll find more than 1,000 video sessions on topics, ranging from parking ministry to polity, with more added continually. You can even upload your own content, turn off unwanted content, and put your church's own logo and colors on the site. An intuitive Learning Management System makes assigning courses and tracking progress a snap. It's training made simple. For more information and to get three months free, visit ministrygrid.com

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com.

Podcast Episode #015

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play

We explore five qualities to look for when hiring a new team member. These qualities apply to any level of employment and in both church and secular hiring processes. Based on this post, the five qualities to look for are:

* Character

* Competency

* Chemistry

* Alignment

* Trust

Near the end of the episode, I also share some questions and examples you can use to help judge potential candidates on these five qualities. It is vital to have the right people on your teams. Looking for these five qualities when hiring is essential to making your team the best it can be.

Episode Sponsor

I'd like to thank this week's sponsor: Ministry Grid. At MinistryGrid.com you'll find more than 1,000 video sessions on topics, ranging from parking ministry to polity, with more added continually. You can even upload your own content, turn off unwanted content, and put your church's own logo and colors on the site. An intuitive Learning Management System makes assigning courses and tracking progress a snap. It's training made simple. For more information and to get three months free, visit ministrygrid.com

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you'll receive a free autographed copy of I Am a Church Member.

Podcast Episode #014

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play

I’ve written extensively on my introversion here at the blog. In fact, one of the top posts on the blog is entitled The Introverted Leader. I welcome a fellow introvert, Ron Edmondson, to the podcast to discuss introverts in the ministry, blogging, church revitalization, and pastoring established churches.

We had the chance to ask Ron:

* Does being an introvert shape your preaching?

* How does being an introvert impact what you do in ministry?

* Are introverts drawn into ministry at a disproportionate rate?

* Are there certain struggles in ministry that introverts have? How do you overcome or manage those?

* What differences or struggles have you found in your transition from a church plant to an established church?

* What advice would you give to pastors who want to blog?

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by When Relationships Collide, a six-session small-group Bible study from LifeWay. This study:

* Names people in the Bible who dealt with conflict

* Offers principles for dealing with conflict in healthy ways

* Recognizes God’s role in conflict

* Identifies how God would have you resolve conflict

You can find out more at BibleStudiesForLife.com

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free autographed copy of I Am a Church Member.

Related Resources

* RonEdmondson.com

* Bible Studies for Life

Podcast Episode #013

I recently addressed the importance of aligning your small groups to the direction of the church. It was something that I struggled with as a pastor. I didn't know what our classes were going through in their studies. They could have easily been going in a different direction than the church was headed, and I would have never known. This is a critical issue in the church, and it's also a fine line for a pastor to walk. He shouldn't be dictatorial about what is studied in the small groups, but he does need to be informed and needs to set the vision and direction of the small groups.

We address five dangers of not having your small groups aligned with the vision of the church. Those dangers are:

* Because preaching is held to a higher standard, the perception becomes that the small group teaching is just not that important.

* The vision of the church could be distracted or derailed.

* It opens the door for heretical teaching.

* It takes away from the unity of the church.

* It does not allow for strategic teaching.

Episode Sponsor

This week's podcast is brought to you by Discipleship in Context. Discipleship in Context creates truly custom Bible studies for churches like yours that perfectly reflect your vision, ministry goals, and community context. For more information, visit DiscipleshipInContext.com.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com.

Related Resources

* I Am A Church Member

* Discipleship in Context

* Bible Studies for Life

* The Gospel Project

* Explore the Bible