Thom S. RainerRecensioni

Writing: 4.5; Theme: 5.0; Content: 5.0; Language: 5.0; Overall: 5.0

Church membership carries with it great responsibility and blessing in the life of the Christian. This small tome shares how the right attitude can make church life a great success. Highly recommend.

***January 14, 2024***

Though the information in this book isn't wrong, per se, it's incomplete and unbalanced.

Rainer says: "You are [in your local church] to meet the needs of others. You are there to serve others. You are there to give. You are there to sacrifice. Get the picture?" (p 34)

While at first glance that might sound biblical, the Bible, in fact, uses one-another terminology to describe what we "should" be doing in the Church body. "Love one another, forgive one another, serve one another..." As in, our church should be a place where we love and are loved, serve and are served, give and receive. Rainer's "do more, more, more" attitude will lead many members (who are already serving at capacity) to burnout.

There was also an undue emphasis on how hard pastors or those in leadership positions work and all of the ways we lowly parishioners make life even harder on them. The point Rainer was trying to make is that they need prayer. True - the Bible tells us to pray for our leaders. But again, it also tells all Christians to pray for one another.

Chapter 4 details the true story of a pastor who's overwhelmed with the "needs" of his congregation, and while reading it, I couldn't overlook the fact that the pastor in this account had very poor boundaries. A pastor should not be neglecting his nuclear family to attend to the needs of the church family - if he is, that's a sign that he is trying to do too much. In my experience, it's because the pastor has taken on the role of savior instead of leading people to our true Savior, Jesus Christ. If you set yourself up with poor boundaries and tell everyone that they need you to save them, of course some undiscerning members will believe you and become too needy at some point. Pastors should be setting and enforcing healthy boundaries for themselves, modeling what those look like, as well as teaching those boundaries outright, to church members. Not only will it ease the burden on everyone serving in the church, but it will help to reinforce the truth that pastors and other leaders are finite human beings, just like the rest of us. They are not extra-special-holy and extra-special-capable. (I highly recommend all church members - laypeople and leaders alike - read [b:Boundaries|944267|Boundaries When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life|Henry Cloud|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348423991l/944267._SX50_.jpg|55483783].)

Chapter 5 is titled, "I will lead my family to be healthy church members" - so, obviously, this focuses on marriage and parenting. As an apparent afterthought, Rainer says, "Many church members are single. They have no immediate family with whom they can worship in the church. Regardless, there are still people watching them and how they love the church. They are to be an example to others." (Gee, really? How insightful!) Considering 50% of American Christians are single, it's frustrating that we're still disclaimers in books that are about the Church, the eternal family of God that will continue on even as the nuclear family ends with Christ's return.

Overall, I feel like this book is far too short and superficial to fully address some of the issues that it brings up. Incomplete truths can be dangerous.

I think this would be best read in a small group or Sunday School or new member's class, where time can be allocated to discuss the issues more in-depth and fill in some of the glaring holes this book leaves.

The book “I Am a Christian” begins by reminding us that all who follow Jesus must “fully grasp what it means to say, ‘I am a Christian.’” We must know what it means, who we are, and what we believe. This—and orienting our priorities around this—are urgently needed in our day.

Rainer states, “‘I am a Christian’ and ‘I am a church member’ go hand in hand.” He writes further, “When Christians become committed church members, the church becomes healthy. When the church becomes healthy, communities become healthy. When communities become healthy, the world is transformed.”

The book’s seven chapter highlight different “I am” statements related to being a Christian such as:

* I am a church member.
* I am a disciple.
* I am a servant.
* I am a witness.
* I am a prayer warrior.

Though I wasn’t a fan of the writing style, “I Am a Christian” provides helpful clarity concerning what the church is and is not, and how we are to walk out our lives as Christian, especially alongside a local body of believers.

This book would be especially suitable for new believers or new church members. I could easily see it being used to disciple believers or in a new members’ class, as it covers many important beliefs that all Christians should hold.

I received a review copy of this book for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely fabulous resource for pastors, staff and laypeople of the non-mega church variety. This is a very practical book to help your church find it's focus and reach the community right where you live. You are where you are for a purpose and you are surrounded by the people in your community who have a need... Christ... and you are there to help show Him to them. Be a scrappy church (and this book will guide you step by step) and reach your community for the Kingdom right now!

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Nothing terribly objectionable other than the content doesn’t really justify a book. Prescriptions are to have a user friendly (and accurate) website, good signage, take safety and cleanliness seriously, and have a large greeter ministry. This is better served as a long form article, a series of blog posts, or maybe as an appendix in a more holistic book like 9 Marks of a Healthy Church.

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I am a huge fan of Thom Rainer. I should mention that in the beginning. I have read all his books, read his blog, and follow a lot of his advice. I was so excited to receive this one for review.

This book is about church change and what goes into proposing healthy and church transforming change. Rainer's advice to couch everything in prayer is some of the most sound advice. His other advice, such as get a team to help support seems like a no brainer. It is funny how much of this advice seems intuitive, but so many pastors I know do not follow it.

I really enjoyed this one and thought it was a good companion to his book Autopsy of a Deceased Congregation. I gave this one 4 stars.

*I wish to thank NetGalley and B&H Books for the opportunity to read this early. I received it for free in exchange for an honest review.

This is a short book. This may be a little off putting to some folks as to whether or not they should purchase it. It is also a simple read. This may also be a deterrent.

Simply put though...Read this book!

Yes, it short, yes it is simple, but immediately after reading this book, I said to myself, "I want everyone in my congregation to read this book!" I am thinking of placing his steps for congregational healthiness at the forefront of our next council meeting. They are easy and simple guidelines to be a member in a congregation. That is what the whole book is. A small intro and then right into the principles that Rainer wants to discuss. Simple things like I will pray for the pastor. Very simple, but easily forgettable by many members.

I am trying not to spoil his principles by giving them all away, but this book is worth the read. It is worth sharing with others. This would make a great discussion in congregations. It will make people change the way they think about membership plain and simple.

"I paid close attention to this podcast as it overlaps my secular job and the church. This podcast makes demographic information for your available to you at a cost but knowing the demographics are essentialy to planning." https://churchanswers.com/podcasts/rainer-on-leadership/a-new-way-to-know-your-c....

A book that is practical in the age it was written, Thom Rainer's Becoming a Welcoming Church reminds us that a longtime member's experience of church is nowhere close to a first time visitor, and that the church that is intentional about true hospitality should be thoughtful on every step of interaction along the way; from website to parking lot to before and after service.

I can't help but to think how later generations will find this book archaic; already we are in the age where church websites are becoming dinosaurs, and Rainer's insistence about graphic design signage and other items are based more in the marketing of our age(and suburban/upper class wealth) than in historic church growth. Nevertheless, the ethos of the book is one that can give us a positive way to look forward and to think about how a church stops being the holy huddle and starts being a house of hospitality.

This is a very short book that makes very strong points. It's basically written for seasoned Christians who are unhappy/unsatisfied with their church for various reasons. It leads the reader in its six chapters to make six pledges regarding behaving in accordance to a biblical church member. The author made strong points on why these six pledges are legit. He cited Biblical passages directly related to them and gave captivating illustrations that help you understand and empathize. The six pledges are : 1. Be a "member" (as in member/organ of the body of Christ), not a Country Club member, 2. Behave with the purpose of unifying people in the church, rather than gossip about others; 3. Put your personal preferences about how a church should operate aside, and instead place what best serves the people at the top of your priority; 4. Pray for your pastor because being a pastor brings many challenges; 5. Demonstrate to your family members how you honor and love your church; 6. View being a church member as a precious gift from God, not as representing a set of rules you are forced to follow.

It really is a VERY short book. Each chapter took me no more than five minutes. It was a easy reading experience. I knew before going into the book that there would probably be points I didn't want to hear. But the content is so short anyways that they are not even that annoying. And the author was persuasive. I appreciated being called out on what wrong attitude I had. I would recommend the book to other seasoned Christians who are also sometimes unhappy/unsatisfied with things in their church :D

I wanted to give this book 3.5 stars. It has some very good principles and I have come away challenges and helped. However there is a lot of filler that I skipped over. I didn't find the examples of churches helpful either. The research and the basic pint of the book is spot on though and I would encourage other ministry leaders to read this book and spit out the bones.

Awesome book, an easy and enjoyable read, packed full of great and challenging ideas to help your church and/or organization become a welcome environment

Short, yet impacting read. It offers a different perspective, one which forces you outside of yourself and your wants, in order to focus on being an effective churchgoer.

I recommend it for anyone looking for a deeper church experience.

7/10: A fairly helpful book, with what appears to be a very sensible premise — that people in "simple" churches tend to grow more than those where church life is complex. It takes a statistical approach (though Rainer and Geiger are no Jim Collins), and it's certainly worth reading. It's helpfulness is lessened for me because its conclusions probably most useful to larger churches (which tend to be more complex by nature) than smaller ones, and to the American scene.

This was written from an Evangelical perspective, but still inspirational and useful for non-Evangelical Christians.

Short, lightning fast read that could form the basis for a solid sermon series or class on membership.

Good, concrete pictures of trends among dying churches (including ones I've known intimately). Only three stars because it could have been longer. (What book review ever asks for longer?)

It's interesting to see reviews of fellow pastor friends who didn't like this book. I suppose it's repetitive, and some of the research needs explained better, but it hammers home again and again crucial thoughts on church organization.

I came to it after reading the incredible Essentialism by McKeown, which pairs well with it (and exceeds it) in the emphasis on clear focus and direction in ministry. I'll be returning to this book.

Other reviews are correct when they ask for deeper theological and Scriptural reflection, however.

This was an intriguing book. I learned the Millenial generation is, at over 70 million strong, larger than the Baby Boomer generation, and is influential because of it. As this book and study defines them, the Millenials are born between 1980 and 2000. The authors attempt to be objective in their study and the reporting of results, and they were interested in understanding the relationships and views of this generation. Their particular and transparent bias is of Evangelical American Christians, yet they structured their questions for the respondents broadly, with somewhat wider application.

On the whole, it is an enlightening book, providing insights into the habits, priorities, and views of the world of this group of Americans. The questions the survey team asked were probing at times in an effort to clarify understanding of views of Christianity, of technology, of education, of family, of priorities and more.

Rainer has presented a game plan for churches to become more hospitable, a guide toward a practical framework for making a difference for those visiting their church. Good for group study or individual reading

I expected to pan this book in a review when I began it. It felt like another "church growth"-oriented, Gospel-lite pamphlet put out by LifeWay. Well, my presuppositions were exposed! This delightful book will be a staple for us as we follow up with visitors at our church. It paints a picture of an healthy church filled with imperfect people serving a Sovereign God who desire to love on each other and reach the outside World. The book includes a chapter with a Gospel presentation and present church as a place where you can both be served and serve others. Thank for this helpful resource, Dr. Rainer!½

In the book Who Moved My Pulpit, Thomas S. Rainer has produced nothing short of a manual for the average church leader (Pastor/Minister/Elder/Staff/Lay Member) to begin a new work, project, or change in a methodical and successful manner. The book highlights eight steps by which, when employed, will help build the backing for a project, encourage others in their participation in the beginning of the project, and then to not only implement the project but also how to maintain the desired impetus. Although successful implementation of a desired change is the focus of the work, the examples used point more to a change in the “traditional” method by which something is done or accomplished – there is NO focus in the work of using the principles discussed for the implementation of changes to doctrine or orthodoxy.

The principles discussed in the work would be applicable to any situation in which a leader or the leadership of an organization, seeks to embark upon an effort to introduce and implement a new method of operation. Of course, since Rainer has produced this work specifically for the leadership of a Church, there are obvious and expected reference to the Scriptures – for which one is appreciative.

The book itself is rather small. Physically measuring 5x7 and 143 pages, and a word count of approximately 25,000 words, it can easily be conquered in one or two sittings if so desired, but the small packaging belies the grand thought presented. The overall method, or steps, involved in the process of effecting the desired change (which are also chapter divisions) are: Stop and Pray, Confront and Communicate a Sense of Urgency, Build an Eager Coalition, Become a Voice and Vision of Hope, Deal with People Issues, Move from an Inward Focus to an Outward Focus, Pick Low-Hanging Fruit, and Implement and Consolidate Change. The individual parts of the process as seen by Rainer will not be discussed, one is encouraged to buy the book and discover the specifics of the process for themselves, but by simply reading the steps in the process one is able to catch a sense of what Rainer is presenting. For those new to the positions of leadership, and even those that have long been involved in leadership positions, the discussion of each step will help by giving a mental roadmap to the overall process to be followed and what pitfalls may be expected. Church or organizational politics and personal interactions can be difficult of the novice and expert alike, so Rainer’s insights will certainly help leaders to focus on the discrete aspects of the process.

There were two facets of this work that one might see as a difficulty – one related direct to the work, one related to the potential. Never let it be said that Rainer didn’t recognize that truth that God is in the work of the church. As noted, “This book rather is a collection of stories of how God has used leader to move toward change and progress. It is the story of the work of God in God’s churches” (28). One applauds Rainer for the acknowledgment of this truth; yet, repeatedly Rainer makes such statements as: “my church,” “your church,” their church,” and “our church.” Of course, one recognizes that when speaking of how a leader interacts with a congregation with whom he works, it is easy to fall into a type of verbiage that is used not so much to identify possession of the Church, but inclusion with a group of people. One certainly understands why writers use this type of language, but this language only reinforces the division that underlies a denominational mindset. It is understood that many may see this as a petty critique, but the recognition of the Church in its universal sense should never be slighted.

The second critique is related to the potential use that a work such as this may be employed. As already stated, Rainer NEVER implies that the steps outlined in this work should also be applied to enact a change of doctrine; but (and it’s a big but), the steps and methods outlined could just as easily be used to incite doctrinal change as well. There are people in the world that do seek to change doctrine to their own taste, and truthfully the methods outlined would also produce those results. Therefore, while one recognizes that Rainer has made a wonderful book by which leaders may effectively lead a congregation to or thru a change, those same leaders – now aware of the process – should use this knowledge to maintain their vigilance in the service of the Lord.

Quotes from the book:

“One of the principles of leadership in any congregation, particularly a local church, is the law of unintended consequences” (11).

“Effective change leadership in the church will not take place in human power; it can only come from God” (41).

“If you love change more than you love people, you have already failed as a leader” (79).

“Change usually does not take place until church members see positive evidence that it is good for the church” (96).

“As a rule of thumb, once leaders are sick and tired of hearing themselves say the same thing over and over again, that is the beginning point of effective communication” (116).