Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 12 Ways to Keep Yours Alive

by Thom S. Rainer

No one wants to see a church die. And yet, far too many churches are dying. For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Thom Rainer has helped churches grow, reverse the trends of decline, and has autopsied those that have died. From this experience, he has discovered twelve consistent themes among those churches that have died. Yet, it’s not gloom and doom because from those twelve themes, lessons on how to keep your church alive have emerged.

Whether your church is vibrant or dying, whether you are a pastor or a church member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church will walk you through the radical paths necessary to keep your church alive to the glory of God and advancement of Christ’s Kingdom!

Genres: Church, Christian, Nonfiction, Leadership, Christianity, Religion, Theology

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2014

About the author

Thom S. Rainer is the founder and CEO of Church Answers and Executive Director of Revitalize Network. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama where he received his degree in business administration. He received both the master of divinity and the Ph.D. degrees from Southern Seminary.

Dr. Rainer has served as pastor of four churches. He is the former president of Rainer
Group consulting. He served for twelve years as dean at Southern Seminary and for thirteen years as the president and CEO of LifeWay Çhristian Resources.

Dr. Rainer has authored or co-authored 33 books. Among his greatest joys are his family: his wife Nellie Jo; three sons, Sam, Art, and Jess; and eleven grandchildren.

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book makes some good, commonsense observations and points. But I don't think it is a good book, or a book that will ultimately be helpful to most pastors or church members. There are several problems with it: 1) Lack of a clear definition of what a healthy church is. The author seems to be using the usual metrics: numerical growth, budget, outreach to community, etc. But there is no clear definition of what a healthy church is, and still worse, very little interaction with the Scriptural teaching on the nature, governance, priorities, and doctrine of the church. 2) Flawed research methodology: from what I can tell, the observations in this book are based on research on a relatively brief sampling of churches that shut their doors. Sure, there were some common factors present in all of these churches, such as the loss of an outward focus, but the number of churches surveyed was so limited and there were so many factors not even mentioned (such as: other sociological conditions in the communities of the churches that were surveyed, or even more importantly, declining doctrinal convictions and fidelity to the gospel) that I find it hard to take this research seriously. 3) Inadequate interaction with biblical texts and flawed exegesis: The use of Scripture is very anecdotal. In the one passage where the author does attempt to do a little bit of exegetical work, he gets the exegesis wrong. But more seriously, there is no clear biblical definition of a healthy church and no serious interaction with the New Testament letters that were addressed to churches in various states of health. All in all, this is a fairly shallow book that at best will have only very limited value to churches in decline. Reading this book and then forming conclusions about one's particular church problems would be like someone going to the doctor, complaining of shortness of breath and chest pain, and then the doctor, with no further conversation or testing, informing the patient that he or she has heart disease, simply because the doctor knows of 10 patients who displayed these symptoms and then died of a heart attack.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Our group of ten met weekly to read and discuss a chapter in this small well written book. Each of the 14 chapters had Scripture reference, three questions, and a short related prayer which we prayed throughout that week. The book was very meaningful and led to thoughtful reflection and prayers along with sharing of ideas and plans for ways our church can reach out to the community. We decided that we do not have a dying church, but we do need to continue to be prayerful and share the love of Jesus to all.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very small book; however, the author is candid and does not mince words. The topic, though unpleasant, is managed well. It has given me much food for thought, meditation and prayer. Every person who holds membership in a church should read this, in order gauge not only where your church is, but where you are in your personal ministry to the world. This book transcends cultures and denominations- these truths are equal for all churches and people.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 1 out of 5]

This didn't have anything helpful in it.
I was expecting a dive into what made churched fail and sensible ways to avoid te same mistakes.
Mostly he touched on abfew things that didn't work and then said that it's all in God's hands and to pray and hope for the best.
Not helpful at all.

[Cale Manley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dying churches is a sobering topic to discuss, so this book isn’t going to let you go away all smiling and lighthearted. But it’s necessary to face the facts. I liked how Rainer not only tells you how to address the problem, but how to go from here once you diagnose your situation. For sick or dying churches, he gives helpful advice on what to do. He is honest whether there is hope or not. I wish every pastor and even every church member could read this little book. It could be transformational.

[Hannah Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

a hard book to read, but necessary...very much a wake-up call.

I think some of the points could be considered "common sense", but at the same time they are not because when we are heavily involved in a ministry, group, organization, etc., we have difficulty seeing the "common sense" things. there are many small churches in the U.S., and large ones even, that could benefit from reading this book. an autopsy allows for us to learn...and this book is that for churches. it encourages more healthy ministry, looks into things churches may have neglected, and calls out the complacent church members. the overall goal of "Autopsy of a Deceased Church" is to keep churches active and healthy so that more and more people come to know the Lord. this book isn't written to keep the individual churches alive, it's to see the universal church thrive.

[Nathan Hildenbrandt · Rating 3 out of 5]

While still a short book (coming in at 102 pages), this book feels like it could have remained as a blog post, which the author notes is how the idea for the book began. While relatively high on examples, it was low on application, and I feel as though not many practical pieces of advice were given that could help a church leader bring health to a sick or dying church. The solutions that were offered were almost an afterthought at the end of the chapters.

Ultimately, Rainer offers this takeaway from the extensive research he has completed. Sick and dying churches must become healthy through:

1) prioritizing prayer
2) humbly accepting the need to change
3) shifting focus from “in” to “out”
4) simplifying ministry

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book discusses the causes of death among churches. Some of the causes are external, such as the church not reaching out to their community, while other causes of death are internal, such as the facilities and culture within the church. The chapters are fairly short, making this an easy read. Each chapter contains prayer commitments and questions for discussion on the chapter's topic. My church used this book during our Sunday evening services, but it can be used for personal or group reading.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short read. Rainer researched 14 churches that "died" and dissected their similarities. I disagree with the idea that a healthy church must be growing exponentially as the author seems to say. But I think he may have a some good points. Problems to watch out for:
1. Clinging to the past with desperation (not doctrines or biblical truths but human preferences)
2. When the church becomes a fortress, keeping it's members "safe" inside and keeping outsiders out.
3. Where does most of the money go? Is the money just for meeting the needs of the church members and church functions or is it being used in outreach?
4. Fading obedience to the Great Commission.
5. Inner fighting about preferences: what songs are sung, what instrument accompanies, timing of the service, buying new carpet, new pulpit... etc
6. A pattern of ministers leaving every 2-3 years
7. The church not being devoted to meaningful time in prayer together.
8. Members "going through the motions" without a gospel-centered purpose.

[Chris Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding. A must-read work for preachers and elders and a great read for most members.

[Zach Byrd · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a book that could have been a blog post.

[Pz4real · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a New York Strip Appetizer- not very big, but very meaty and extremely tasty… Must read for any pastor, ministry leader or church attendee

[Mya Biddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

☠️

[Camille Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains nuggets of truth, but this book is written under the presupposition that church government (or lack thereof) is such that members can vote out pastors whenever they want. Though many churches are used to this way of functioning, it’s extremely problematic and it is unfortunate that Rainer did not touch on the subject of poor leadership/government as a significant reason for poor health in many churches.

[Morgan Walker Annable · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I will be reading over and over again and sharing with colleagues and my congregation.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even before he led Lifeway Christian Resources, Thom Rainer spent years as a pastor, seminary professor, and church consultant. In those roles, Dr. Rainer gained a great deal of experience in balancing statistical analysis with real-life, anecdotal evidence to form solid conclusions about what is happening in the church and why. In Autopsy of a Deceased Church, Dr. Rainer puts these skills to good use, helping pastors and church leaders to think about the kinds of symptoms that they need to look out for in order to help their churches avoid dangerous decline or even death.

For his latest book, Dr. Rainer looked at multiple churches that died. He analyzes their stories and shares with us a set of twelve common traits that he found in nearly every one of those churches. Those 12 traits are the things that church leaders want to learn to recognize and defend against as they work to serve their churches well.

I won’t spoil the book by listing the 12 traits here, but I will give a bit of simple praise. The things that Dr. Rainer has seen in the deceased churches he studied are very real, very dangerous tendencies that can crop up in the local church. One example would be an over-fascination with nostalgia. Many now dead churches went through a period of time where the people in the body pined for some period of strength in the church’s past rather than working to improve the present or press toward the future. Longing for the “good old days” is very easy, but it can be blinding, calcifying, and deadly.

I’ll give just one more example. In many of the deceased churches that Dr. Rainer studied, members obsessed over the facilities. If you have been in ministry, it is probably not hard to imagine how a church might grow to be more concerned about keeping a building or even a special room in the building perfectly preserved than it is about honoring God through worship, discipleship, and evangelism. It is also not hard to see how a church that goes down that path will find itself declining as it loves its property more than its Savior.

In the final chapters of the book, the author offers some suggestions for churches that find themselves in decline or near death. The advice is different depending on whether a church is a little sick, a lot sick, or about to die. However, in each, Dr. Rainer has some God-honoring and sometimes hard truth for the churches to consider.

I would happily recommend this work to any pastor or church leader. Autopsy of a Deceased Church has some solid challenges and very practical advice that pastors and other leaders can and should consider. I found myself especially challenged by the chapter on prayer (it seems that dying churches stop praying together too—no surprise). This book is short, easy-to-read, and helpful.

[Matt Allhands · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has great intentions and a solid premise. The Q and A and prayer sections are the best feature.
It suffers greatly from the lack of attention concerning the identity and mission of the church according to Scripture, the respective roles between leadership (ordained or not) and their congregations, and a point of faulty exegesis.

[Katerina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Autopsy of a Deceased Church is a short, little book that describes ten characteristics of dead or dying churches. The book is valuable for helping those in a dead or dying church to recognize their church’s state. While Rainer does offer some suggestions on how dying churches might regain their health, I found these chapters to be inadequate. One can be left with the impression that addressing the symptoms will fix the problems when that is not the case. Despite this shortcoming, Rainer’s emphasis on prayer (each chapter ends with a prayerful commitment) helps overcome this, for it is through humble prayer that solutions are found.

[Nate Bate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, easy read. I find it to be accurate even if it is painful. It is diagnostic but sensitive. It is a must read for those who even have a hint of concern for the health of their church. Perhaps even for those who think they are a part of a healthy church so they can consider what their part is for helping it stay healthy. This book serves a narrow purpose, and it should be one diagnostic tool among many for churches.

[Chase Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rainer does an incredible job of presenting the tragic reality of many churches in America today. As a church planter, this book was a sobering and much needed read. It helped me reflect on how our new church can be intentional now about not falling into the same pitfalls.

This is a must-read for every church planter—and honestly, maybe for every pastor. The wisdom in these pages can help churches proactively fight against complacency, stagnation, and decline.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book will not solve your church’s problems but it may identity some downfalls that can cause your church sickness and over many years death. I enjoyed the simple and pointed statements through the book and had many take aways. There are also great questions to ask yourself, the elders and the pastor of your church as a member or before becoming a member.

[Lee M Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful to see the signs of a sick and dying church before it is too late to save it.
In a nutshell the church becomes me and us focused rather than following the great commission.
Lookout when you become more focused on the staff than the mission of the church!

[Jack Wilkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another short, useful read. Gives great insight into diagnosing where church can go wrong.

[Gabe Chaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great eye-opening book on the state of most of today's churches. A must read for Church leaders and members.

[John Brackbill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful primarily because it promotes healthy introspection.

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book, quick and engaging read.

[Noah Nemni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great research presented in a quick assessable format

[Bruce M. Burkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short, helpful read that gave several helpful thoughts on what to avoid as your church ages. The section on pastoral tenure was especially helpful to me personally.

[Rosario · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book as both encouraging and challenging. I’d recommend anyone to read it.

[Dusty Kirkland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really encourage Christians to read this book. It helps people see why some churches don’t survive, and unfortunately a lot of the things described in here are way too common in churches today.