Thom S. Rainer's Blog

About 80% of churches are either declining or plateaued. We should celebrate the 20% that are growing, but this post is about the larger group. Struggling established churches are notorious for hanging on—not for years, but for decades. How is it that some churches can remain on life support for so long? The reasons are varied and, to some degree, contextual, but one demographic factor stands out.

Most established churches naturally settle into a mode of demographic replacement.

Assuming a church does not experience a mass exodus or a split, and assuming it roughly reflects the age demographics of the surrounding population (many do), the “replacement rate” of the population will kick in and keep the church afloat for decades.

Here’s how:

The average death rate in the United States is 9.2 deaths per 1,000 people—roughly 1%. You’ll lose about 1% of your congregation to death every year (a morbid thought, but also reality).The “replacement rate” of a population is 2.1 births per woman. We’re currently at 1.6 in the United States. Aside from immigration, the nation is losing population and becoming older. The same goes for churches.Fertility reductions typically begin affecting population structure within 20–30 years and produce large, system-level changes within 40–60 years. Therefore, churches—like the rest of the nation—age slowly over decades and thus take quite some time to die.The current median age of a churchgoer is about 60 years old, while the median age in the United States is 39. Churches are typically a generation older than their surrounding communities. The slow trend of aging is beginning to accelerate. Churches are not getting any younger, and it’s catching up to them.As Ryan Burge has revealed, this slow aging process will reach a tipping point in the coming decade as the Baby Boomer generation passes. Younger generations simply do not attend church with the same frequency. What was once gradual will speed up tremendously.

Simple demographics explain the slow, painful death of many established churches. It can take decades for declines to catch up to a congregation. A church of 100 people will lose only one person to death each year. Typically, that same church will replace this loss with about one birth per year. If the church loses just two additional people annually who stop attending (for whatever reason), it would still take 25 years to lose half the congregation.

I once consulted with a church that lost, on average, eight people per year. This slow decline continued for 40 years without many noticing. Then, they woke up to reality. What had once been a church of 500 was now a church of 180. What’s amazing is how long it took for people to notice—four decades.

Obviously, other factors contribute to declines in established churches. People move away. Rural communities shrink. Urban neighborhoods change. Churches split. Young families transfer elsewhere. This post simply focuses on the demographic reality of slow declines. The good news is that slow declines can be reversed. Churches can reignite passion for evangelism and discipleship. They can change trajectory. My goal here is to explain why 80% of churches can be declining or plateaued and yet take decades to die.

My prayer is that this trend reverses.

The post Why Some Established Churches Die Painfully Slow Deaths appeared first on Church Answers.

I followed Christ at age 13 after having heard the gospel from a seventh-grade classmate for more than a year. I did not own a Bible, and the day I got saved was the first time I had ever been inside a church building. I knew about Christianity and church only what I needed to know: God loved me, and I needed salvation.

That day, God made me His child as I prayed with my pastor at the end of the worship service. To my surprise, a lady in the congregation—a lady I had never met—immediately greeted me and invited me to Sunday school the next week. That next Sunday, I was there.

In fact, I was at church almost every time the doors were open. Sunday morning Sunday school, followed by the morning service. Sunday night discipleship training, then the Sunday night service. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer meeting. Thursday night outreach (we called it “visitation”). Other special events throughout the year.

I never missed going to church unless my family had a prior commitment or I was sick.

Every activity was an opportunity for me to learn something as a new believer, and I devoured whatever I could get. Looking back, it’s amazing how much l learned in my first years as a believer.

Here was the problem, though: I learned content by sitting through sermons and classes, but I didn’t learn how to put all the content together well. More specifically, I had little idea how to absorb the content, apply it to my young life, and consequently walk more faithfully with Jesus.

I was getting content but still living inconsistently—a baby in Christ whose head was filling with information, but whose feet weren’t moving quickly enough toward obedience.

I was getting the puzzle pieces, but I didn’t know how to put the puzzle together.

What I needed then—and what I strongly encourage churches to provide young believers today—was a mentor, an older brother in Christ to walk beside me until I steadied my feet and stood firmly in my faith. I needed someone to help put me on the right track, redirect me when I began to wander, and pick me up when I fell.

To be fair, I did have Sunday school teachers and pastoral staff members who loved me and faithfully taught me. I will forever be grateful to them for their witness and work. With none of them, though, did I grow close enough that they could peer into my soul and identify my internal rebellion. With none did I feel comfortable expressing my questions, fears, or doubts as I began to dig more deeply into my faith. None of us used the term “accountability” back then, so I also had no one to ask me hard questions as a teenage guy trying to live as a Christian in a non-Christian home.

In many ways, I was a faithful, energetic church member invested with the crowd while I was also a loner trying to figure out my way in the middle of the crowd. I was, I suspect, like many church members today.

I needed a mentor, but back then, I didn’t even know I could ask someone to pour some of his life into me. What I really needed was a brother to reach out to me like that sister who had initiated a conversation to invite me to Sunday school years before.

That’s why I’m writing this post today: to encourage our Church Answers readers who are growing, mature Christ-followers to begin building a mentoring relationship with another believer. Somebody in your congregation—perhaps a younger believer, or even an older believer who’s never really been discipled—is longing for some guidance.

Somebody’s just waiting for another believer to help him put together all the puzzle pieces of his Christianity. You just might be that person.

The post Helping “Puzzle Piece” Christians Grow in Their Faith appeared first on Church Answers.

My last article explored the reality of cultural attrition in the church. It is a genuine problem, and real problems call for intentional solutions. So, how do we prevent cultural attrition in our churches? Here are eleven ways to fight cultural attrition in your church.

1. Celebrate history.

Many established churches concentrate too much on history. In fact, some church members focus so heavily on “the way things used to be” that it borders on idolatry. However, history can also serve a healthy and helpful purpose.

Wise church leaders will leverage the power of history to strengthen a healthy church culture. Celebrate moments when the church worked together. Highlight seasons of generosity. Remind your congregation of its strong history of outreach and evangelism. While some parts of your church’s past may be challenging, do not discard it entirely. Celebrate what is good, faithful, and healthy from your history.

2. Commit to improvement.

Your church culture can become unhealthy gradually; it can simply develop over time. However, if your culture is going to improve, it must be intentional. You need to commit to making progress. God has not called you to be a complacent leader. He has called you to continuous growth. Likewise, He has called you to lead others toward growth. To combat cultural attrition, you must commit to a purposeful pursuit of greater health as a church.

3. Tell stories.

God’s people have always been shaped by stories of what God has done. The same should be true in your church. Share stories of how God is working through your congregation, and intentionally link those stories to your church culture.

Share testimonies from new members who joined because the church was welcoming and loving. Highlight how a local school was blessed when the church hosted a special event. Use videos, social media, and other tools to tell these stories effectively. Help God’s people see where and how God is working among them.

4. Repeat the vision and mission often.

I’ve heard it said that when leaders grow tired of repeating the mission, the congregation is probably just starting to hear it. We forget easily, and vision fades over time. Your church needs consistent reminders of its mission and vision.

Be intentional about repeating the vision frequently. Use posters and visual cues to remind people. Reinforce the vision during worship services. Proclaim it again and again. Doing so strengthens your ability to resist cultural erosion in your church.

5. Offer loving, yet clear correction.

There is a reason Scripture often compares us to sheep. People tend to wander easily. Church members can drift away from the healthy culture you are working to establish. As loving shepherds, we must gently guide people back to health. Healthy correction might come through a quiet conversation, a thoughtful text, or a phone call. Sometimes, correction simply happens by asking clarifying questions that lead people to self-correction. Be loving, but also be clear when guiding others back toward a healthy culture.

6. Affirm healthy behavior.

People value genuine affirmation. When individuals know they are doing something well, they are more likely to continue that behavior. This principle is simple, yet powerful. Many church leaders overlook the importance of affirming those who quietly reinforce a healthy culture. We can become so focused on challenges and problems that we fail to notice what is going right. Combat cultural attrition by affirming those who consistently model health, even in small and unseen ways.

7. Learn from others.

Leaders are learners. If we want to slow down cultural attrition in our churches, we should learn from those who have built and maintained healthy cultures. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel on your own. Learn from experienced church leaders, trusted friends, and even leaders outside the church. Listen to lay leaders within your congregation. Seek out churches and organizations with strong cultures. Join leadership communities like Church Answers Central. Ask others how they built their culture, kept it strong, and reshaped it when necessary.

8. Bring in an expert.

Sometimes you need to call in the experts. Some organizations, such as Church Answers, specialize in helping churches assess and strengthen their health. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it is often an act of wisdom.

Outside experts can help a church recognize blind spots and pinpoint where things may have gone off course. They can assist in outlining steps toward restored health and reinforce truths leaders may have been sharing for some time. Do not hesitate to seek expert guidance when facing cultural attrition.

9. Institute intentional new member training.

To combat cultural attrition, a healthy culture must be passed on to new members. One of the most effective ways to do this is through intentional new member training. Churches must take both membership and assimilation seriously. At Church Answers, we offer The Complete Membership Toolkit. Whether you use our resources or create your own, be intentional about helping new members understand your church’s values, expectations, and culture.

10. Model proper culture.

Leaders set an example. If you want to maintain a healthy culture, you must consistently demonstrate it. Show those you lead what health and faithfulness look like in everyday life. Church leaders can become discouraged, tired, or even cynical. Complacency can quietly creep in. Yet, leaders must keep going. Keep the vision in front of you and continue modeling the culture you want others to imitate.

11. Pray.

Prayer is the heartbeat of the church. Without prayer, there is no life. Both you and your church need prayer. A healthy culture cannot be built or maintained without prayer. To protect your church from cultural attrition, start a prayer ministry or revive an existing one. Pray consistently with your leadership team for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and strength. Teach your congregation about prayer through focused studies and intentional emphases. Commit to being a praying church.

Cultural attrition slowly erodes a church’s health. Do not sit back and allow it to happen. These steps provide practical ways to combat cultural attrition. What has worked in your church? We would love to hear from you in the comments.

The post How Church Leaders Can Combat Cultural Attrition appeared first on Church Answers.

They didn’t leave the church.

At least, not officially.

They’re still on the roll. Still give occasionally. Still speak kindly when you see them.

But they’re not there like they used to be.

A faithful couple. Long-time members. Once present every week. Now… every now and then.

No conflict. No complaint. Just fewer Sundays.

And no one knows why.

This is the shift many pastors are sensing but struggling to name. It’s not loud. It doesn’t demand attention. But it is quietly reshaping the church.

The Drift Is Subtle Before It Is Significant

It rarely begins with a decision.

It begins with a pattern.

One missed Sunday becomes two. Twice a month becomes once. Then occasional becomes normal.

There’s no announcement. No moment where someone says, “We’ve decided to disengage.” It just… happens.

And because it’s gradual, it’s easy to overlook. After all, they’re still around. They haven’t left.

But over time, the cumulative effect is significant. A once-faithful member becomes a sporadic attendee. A core family becomes a fringe presence.

If you only measure loss by membership rolls, you’ll miss what’s happening in real time.

They Are Not Angry—They Are Reprioritizing

Here’s what makes this shift so difficult to address:

They’re not upset.

They still love their church. They appreciate you as their pastor. They would even say they are committed.

But somewhere along the way, church became one of several options instead of the priority.

Weekends filled up. Travel increased. Kids’ activities expanded. Rest became more necessary.

And without ever saying it out loud, they began to make new choices.

They are not reacting—they are reallocating.

You’re not dealing with resistance. You’re dealing with competition—for time, attention, and energy.

The New Definition of “Regular” Has Quietly Changed

For decades, pastors could assume that a faithful member attended weekly.

That assumption no longer holds.

Today, many of your most committed members would describe themselves as “regular” attenders… even if they are present only twice a month.

In their minds, nothing has changed. They still feel connected. Still engaged. Still part of the church.

But the definition of consistency has shifted.

And if you’re leading with yesterday’s assumptions, you’ll misread today’s reality.

You may think people are declining in commitment when, in their minds, they are doing just fine.

No One Talks About It Because Nothing Feels Wrong

There is no crisis moment.

No doctrinal disagreement. No relational conflict. No moral failure.

So no one raises a concern.

The member doesn’t feel the need to explain. The pastor doesn’t feel the urgency to ask.

And the drift continues—quietly, steadily, almost invisibly.

Silence can be deceiving.

It does not always indicate health. Often, it reflects ambiguity.

People are not intentionally stepping away. They are simply not thinking deeply about what they are stepping away from.

The Response Is Not Guilt—It’s Clarity and Reengagement

It can be tempting to respond with pressure.

But guilt is a short-term motivator at best—and often a damaging one.

Instead, this moment calls for clarity.

Clarity about why gathering matters. Clarity about what it means to be a member. Clarity about the role of the church in the life of a believer.

And it calls for intentional reengagement.

Not just from the pulpit, but personally.

A text. A call. A conversation that says, “You matter. We notice. We care.”

It also means creating meaningful touchpoints beyond Sunday morning—places where relationships deepen and engagement grows.

The goal is not attendance pressure.

It is intentional discipleship.

The Quiet Reality

The most concerning trends in the church are not always the loudest.

Some do not come with conflict or crisis.

Some come quietly.

They whisper in empty seats that used to be filled. In names still on the roll but rarely in the room. In faithful members who slowly become occasional attendees.

And wise pastors learn to listen early.

Because what is subtle today can become significant tomorrow.

And what is silent now may shape the future of your church more than anything you hear out loud.

The post The Silent Shift: Why Your Core Members Are Attending Less (and Telling You Nothing) appeared first on Church Answers.

If you pastor a church of any size, you must manage the organization, which involves a combination of technical and cultural issues. Technical matters—such as facilities management, curriculum selection, and program coordination—require specific expertise, but can often be handled by a single leader or a committee. Cultural issues, on the other hand, are pervasive to the organization and cannot be solved by technical expertise. Instead, these issues involve general acceptance by everyone.

There’s a reason certain things become embedded in a church’s culture: most people find them acceptable. Having people sign a covenant is a good step toward establishing common values, but the action itself is merely technical. To bring about true change, those values must be internalized. Likewise, holding volunteers accountable to safety policies and procedures is necessary, but if people don’t take ownership of the process, you may not achieve the culture you desire.

Indeed, changing the behavior

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The post Six Guidelines for Embedding Safety into the Church Culture appeared first on Church Answers.

One of the churches I served as pastor had many babies born to our church members each year. On occasion, one or both of the parents would ask me what I thought about a specific name, particularly a name in the Bible.

I did not have all the tools and technology we have today, so I did my best to research the names they were considering. Today, we can go to the Social Security database and get the names given to babies each year. I did just that and, with the help of technology, found the names that have a biblical origin.

My criterial were simple. The name had to be a biblical name, and it had to fall out of the top 500 rankings for the past five years.

Here are the girls’ names:

KeziahRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “Cassia” (fragrant spice; beauty, restoration)Scripture: Job 42:14 TirzahRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “Delight, pleasantness”Scripture: Song of Songs 6:4 NoaRank: Outside top 1,000 (U.S. girls)Meaning: “Movement, motion”Scripture: Numbers 27:1 AdahRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “Adornment, beauty”Scripture: Genesis 4:19 ShiphrahRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “Beautiful, fair”Scripture: Exodus 1:15 HadassahRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “Myrtle tree” (peace, blessing)Scripture: Esther 2:7 ApphiaRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: Often understood as “fruitful” or “increasing”Scripture: Philemon 1:2

And here are the rankings for the boys’ names:

BoazRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “Strength” or “swiftness”Scripture: Ruth 2:1 AmosRank: ~#600–800Meaning: “Burden” or “carried by God”Scripture: Amos 1:1 JethroRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “Excellence” or “abundance”Scripture: Exodus 18:1 ZebulunRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “Honor” or “dwelling”Scripture: Genesis 30:20 EliakimRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “God will establish”Scripture: 2 Kings 18:18 MalachiRank: ~#500–700 (varies by year)Meaning: “My messenger”Scripture: Malachi 1:1 CanaanRank: Outside top 1,000Meaning: “Lowland” or “land of promise (by association)”Scripture: Genesis 12:5

A Closing Thought

These names sit in a rare category:

They are known—but not common.
They are biblical—but not overused.
They are distinct—but not difficult.

Let me hear your thoughts on names for children, particularly biblical names.

The post appeared first on Church Answers.

I was talking to another ministry leader about rhythms and leadership. She was really tired, questioning her calling, and feeling like she wanted to quit. At one point, she said something that stuck with me. She said she does not pace herself well. She just keeps going, says yes to new needs and opportunities, shows up, carries more, and pushes through until she is completely exhausted. I have felt the same way in past seasons of leadership, and maybe you have too.

I think many women in ministry know this feeling.

There is pressure that comes with leadership. The needs are real, and the opportunities are always present. There’s always another event, conversation, or person who needs help. Over time, it can feel like saying yes to everything is part of remaining faithful. Leading without balance will eventually lead to exhaustion instead of productivity.

Sometimes the best thing to do is to pause and reflect on why we’re moving at the current pace in ministry. Before discussing rhythms, boundaries, or rest, it can be helpful to ask ourselves a few questions:

What need am I trying to fulfill on my own without Jesus?What makes it hard for me to say no?What am I trying to prove to myself or others?What relationships or priorities are being neglected because of ministry?Am I leading because I am connected to Christ or because of pressure and expectation?

These questions are not intended to make us feel guilty, but to raise our awareness. Often, the Lord uses moments like this to show us where we may be trying to do things on our own or leading with dependence on Him.

Jesus discussed this in John 15 when He said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” This statement is both humbling and freeing. It reminds us that the fruit of ministry does not come from our effort, planning, or ability to keep everything running smoothly. It comes from staying connected to Jesus. If we want to get through the dry seasons, busy times, and endless needs in ministry, we must remain connected to the source of life. Just as a branch cannot survive when disconnected from the vine, leaders cannot sustain faithful ministry when they are disconnected from Jesus. Rest, prayer, and renewal are not optional for leaders; they are the ways we stay connected to the One who produces the fruit.

From the beginning of creation, God embedded rhythm into life. After six days of work, God rested—not because He was tired, but because rest was part of His design. Even Jesus demonstrated this rhythm during His time on earth. We see Him stepping away from crowds and demands to withdraw to quiet places to pray and connect with His Father. If anyone could have justified constant activity, it was Jesus. Yet, He still prioritized time alone with the Father. Lasting leadership involves learning to move between seasons of service and seasons of renewal.

Part of learning to lead from a place of connection involves understanding our gifts and limits. Many leaders become overwhelmed because we start taking on responsibilities that were never meant to be ours. Some are gifted to lead others in caring for people, while others are meant to serve behind the scenes. Each role is vital. No single person can do it all. When we try to be everything for everyone, we eventually become drained and discouraged. Healthy leadership means recognizing where God has gifted us and allowing others to step in where their gifts are stronger.

Boundaries also serve to protect the ministry God has given us. For women in ministry, boundaries can sometimes feel uncomfortable. We worry that saying no might seem selfish or unhelpful. However, boundaries are not about withdrawing from ministry; they are about safeguarding the ministry God has entrusted to us. Jesus Himself demonstrated this. He did not heal every person nor respond to every request immediately. Sometimes, He even stepped away from the crowds when people still sought Him. Saying no to some things allows us to say yes to what truly matters. Guarding time with the Lord, protecting family routines, and recognizing when our schedules are too full are not signs of weakness; they are part of caring for our calling. I once had a mentor tell me to schedule rest and family time like I would an important meeting. Put it on the calendar, protect it, and make it a priority. Otherwise, there will always be another need, opportunity, or reason to move on to the next thing.

Another important rhythm of leadership is learning to ask for help. Ministry was never meant to be done alone. Delegation and shared leadership allow the ministry to grow and flourish. When we invite others to serve with us, we are not losing control of the work; we are multiplying it and giving others the chance to develop the gifts God has given them. Looking back on times when I experienced burnout, I realize I was trying to do everything myself. Underneath that mindset was often a mixture of control, fear of failure, and a lack of humility to admit that I needed help.

Renewal looks different for each leader. Some find restoration through solitude and prayer. Others find renewal through conversations with trusted friends. Some experience renewal through creativity, spending time outdoors, or simply slowing down enough to breathe. The goal is not to copy someone else’s rhythm of rest. The goal is to pay attention to how God restores our souls. When we begin recognizing those patterns of renewal, we start leading from a place of overflow rather than constant depletion.

Ministry is not a race; it is a journey of faithfulness. If we want to serve for the long run, we must learn to pace ourselves—not out of fear or self-protection, but out of wisdom and trust that the work ultimately belongs to God. The healthiest leaders are not the ones who do the most or carry the heaviest burdens; they are the ones who remain rooted in Jesus and lead from the overflow of His presence. When we stay connected to the true source of life, the fruit that develops from our leadership will always be stronger than anything we could produce on our own.

The post The Pace of Leadership: Why Burnout Is Not a Badge of Faithfulness appeared first on Church Answers.

The last command Jesus gave before He ascended into heaven was not vague (Acts 1:8). It was not optional. It was not reserved for a select few. He told us to be witnesses—clearly, intentionally, and urgently.

You would think, then, that evangelism would be front and center in how we examine, credential, and ordain those called to ministry.

But it often isn’t.

In many churches and denominations, we rightly evaluate doctrine, education, and character. We ask good questions about theology and polity. We ensure candidates can rightly handle the Word.

But we too seldom ask a simple, revealing question: Are they sharing the gospel?

Somewhere along the way, evangelism moved from essential to assumed.

And what we assume, we rarely measure.

What we don’t measure, we often neglect.

The Great Commission Is Clear—But the Criteria Are Not

The Great Commission is not one of many options for the church. It

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Planning for Easter Sunday raises a strategic question: should this service look and feel bigger and more energetic, or should it resemble the regular rhythm of worship? Both approaches have advantages and downsides. Because Easter is often the highest-attended Sunday of the year, how leaders answer this question shapes not only the experience of that day, but also what first-time and returning guests assume about the life of the church.

The Special Production Strategy

A “special” Easter service is one with elements not typical for the church: expanded music, dramatic productions, or large-scale creative visuals. First, this strategy signals how Easter is set apart. The resurrection of Jesus is the central event of the Christian faith, and a service that feels elevated can help communicate its significance. Intentional creativity, with more energy than usual, can stir worshipers’ emotions as they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. For people who attend church only occasionally, the sense of “this is a big moment” can make the gospel story feel weighty and memorable.

Second, a distinctive service can capture attention in a crowded cultural landscape. Many people arrive on Easter with expectations of something special. When the church meets those expectations with high-quality execution, it can lower resistance and increase receptivity. A powerful choir production or a carefully crafted visual presentation can help people who are not yet believers feel the magnitude of the resurrection.

However, there are drawbacks. A service that looks nothing like the rest of the year can unintentionally mislead guests. If the music style, production, or tone is dramatically different, newcomers may assume that what they experienced is normal, only to return the following week and find a very different church. This “bait and switch” effect is rarely intentional, but it can create confusion and disappointment. The more a service departs from the weekly norm, the greater the risk that Easter becomes a one-time event rather than a doorway into ongoing participation.

There is also the danger of spectacle overshadowing substance. When production values rise, the temptation grows to rely on emotional impact rather than clear proclamation. Easter must never become a performance that moves people without confronting them with the claims of the risen Christ and the call to repentance and faith.

The Similar to Other Sundays Strategy

On the other side, many churches choose to make Easter look very much like any other Sunday. The primary strength of this approach is honesty. Guests experience the church as it truly is. The preaching style, music, and congregational participation reflect what they would encounter if they returned next week or next month. This continuity helps set realistic expectations and supports assimilation. What people see on Easter is what they will get year-round.

A familiar format can also communicate an important theological truth: the resurrection is not an annual add-on but the foundation of every Lord’s Day. Every Sunday is, in a sense, a celebration of Easter. When the church worships in its normal pattern, it proclaims that the risen Christ is central not only on one special date, but in the ongoing life of the congregation.

Yet this approach has its own limitations. For those who come only once or twice a year, a service that feels completely ordinary may fail to convey the day’s extraordinary nature. Without intentional emphasis, the unique opportunity for heightened attentiveness may be missed. What is familiar to regular attenders may feel flat to spiritual seekers who are already stretching themselves simply by walking through the doors.

So which is better? My church has chosen the “similar” strategy more times than not, but we make sure the energy of the worship is greater and more upbeat than what is typical. Easter is a stewardship moment. Whether the service is special or familiar, the aim is the same: to exalt the risen Christ, to speak clearly to those who are far from God, and to invite them into the ongoing life of the church. The question is not merely what will impress the crowd, but what will most faithfully and effectively point them to Jesus and help them take their next step toward Him.

The post Easter Services: Big Special Production or Just Like Any Other Sunday? appeared first on Church Answers.

It was March 1981. I had turned 20 just a few months before, and I was in conversation with a small country church in Ohio about becoming their pastor. Looking back now, 45 years later, the whole story is a bit unusual.  

I knew the church because one of their previous pastors had been the youth pastor where I was a member as a teenager. God saved me when I was 13, and the church had a few youth pastors during my teen years—but this pastor really challenged me to consider my calling to preach. When he himself became the senior pastor of the church I would later pastor, he invited me often to preach so I could grow in this task. He opened the door for me to do what I still love to do so much today: to preach the Word. 

I have no idea why that church called me as pastor, except that they were looking for someone who would come cheaply. And I would have preached for nothing! The crowd was small (only 19 people attended on the first Sunday), but those few made a difference in my life. Here are some things I remember:

They invited me into their lives. Because I was so young, I wasn’t sure how pastors were supposed to act with members. I’m sure I was sometimes isolated and introverted, but these folks welcomed me into their homes. From the grandmother who invited me to breakfast with her family every Friday morning to the folks who allowed me to live in their home, they loved me. I was not only their pastor; I was their friend. They loved me enough to let me make mistakes… and start again. I’m honestly surprised they didn’t fire me at times because of my poor leadership. I was arrogant about my “success” as a young preacher and thought I was almost always right. I wasn’t, and they knew that fact. Still, they loved me. They gave me room to err, gently but necessarily corrected me, and still allowed me more opportunities to lead. They drove me crazy sometimes, but they deeply loved the Lord. I remember out-of-control business meetings that were hours long and conversations that were not always easy, but I also remember people who loved the Lord deeply. I often think of members who told everyone they knew about Jesus. Over the course of two years, we saw someone follow Christ in faith and repentance almost every Sunday. God blessed our craziness that began with me.  They taught me about simple faith. Thinking back, I’m amazed by how much they trusted the Lord through difficulties like the loss of a job, the death of a child, the wandering of an adult child, the rage of alcoholism, and the ravages of cancer. Many of the members could not have explained things theologically, but they trusted God with their questions. They simply leaned on Him, and they modeled faith for me when they faced things I had never encountered in my young life. They graciously launched me into my next steps in ministry. I had no idea how much it would hurt when I resigned from that first church to move to my second place of ministry. I was excited about the move, but the pain was great when I announced my departure to my first congregation. To their credit, they blessed my leaving even as they grieved with me. All they wanted was for me to follow the Lord, even if that meant my going to another church. Many of those folks remained friends for years, and I still have some of the cards they gave me on my last Sunday there.

I don’t know how long you’ve been in ministry, but I pray you can look back and see God’s hand in your history. Sometimes, the passage of time helps us see differently, even those church members who were problematic in the past, and we learn to love even the unlovable members of yesterday. We eventually learn that we’re all products of folks who once trusted us to lead them, even when we weren’t really ready. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m really grateful for those folks today.

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