For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Thom Rainer, author of Autopsy of a Deceased Church, has helped churches grow, reverse the trends of decline, and has. For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Thom Rainer, author of Autopsy of a Deceased Church, has helped churches grow, reverse the trends of decline, and has autopsied those that have died.From his experiences, he has discovered twelve consistent themes among those churches that have died. For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Thom Rainer, author of Autopsy of a Deceased Church, has helped churches grow, reverse the trends of decline, and has autopsied those that have died.From his experiences, he has discovered twelve consistent themes among those churches that have died.
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Preview — Autopsy of a Deceased Church 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 twe..more
Published May 1st 2014 by B&H Publishing Group
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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 te..more
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.
Feb 15, 2018Jack WIlkie rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Another short, useful read. Gives great insight into diagnosing where church can go wrong.
Apr 28, 2018John Brackbill rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Helpful primarily because it promotes healthy introspection.
Apr 25, 2018Gabrielchaves26 rated it it was amazing
Great eye-opening book on the state of most of today's churches. A must read for Church leaders and members.
Welp, that's sobering.
Apr 30, 2019Misty Althouse rated it it was amazing
Great book! First book I’ve actually completed in years.?
All church members should read this book. Took me less than 2 hours to read, you CAN fit this in your busy schedule.
Jan 18, 2019Joshua Rodriguez rated it it was amazing
Concise, informational, and practical. Somewhat of a sober read.
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 loo..more
As individuals we all tend to struggle with being honest with ourselves and our failure to acknowledge the warning signs of spiritual decline. This is true of us as individuals, but also true of churches, their leaders and the congregation. Rainer does an excellent job of outlining the symptoms that lead to church decline and in some cases 'death' of a local assembly. I believe this book is both a necessary and a timely read for every church member. The chapters are short and end with discussion..more
Absolutely loved the start to this book..what a powerful word picture the author uses to describe what the reader comes to know as a dying church!
You say, 'Why in the world would I want to read about dying churches?' This book is not so much about dying churches, but observations from the 'autopsies' of fourteen churches who had died. Rainer describes the thought of an autopsy as disconcerting and one that no one enjoys. However, in his introduction, he makes a very poignant statement. 'The tra..more
Jun 16, 2014Steven Hinkle rated it liked it
This precise and easy-to-read exposé on how churches die provides simple insights on how to detect slow erosion. After studying similar “common threads,” Thom S. Rainer concludes that many of the churches are (to name a few) holding on to the past (the good old days) too tightly, not looking like their community, controlling an inward focused budget, forgetting about outreach, and rarely praying together. May 28, 2014Julie D. rated it it was amazing
Many of these churches seemed to face a slow death because of a lack of vision and the missi..more
Recommends it for: Pastors, Elders, Deacons and church members
This book is a sobering look at what is happening in the churches today - especially, I'm afraid, of the American churches. It's a short little book packed with tons of information. I really liked that at the end of each chapter there are questions we can ask ourselves about our church and our role in it.
He starts out by sharing his diagnosis of some churches that he had tried to help and the resistance he came up against. The biggest challenge is that people don't want their church to change -..more
Jun 20, 2014Rob O'Lynn rated it it was amazing
This is a vital book that all Christian leaders should read RIGHT NOW. Rainer has discovered about 10 symptoms of dying congregations in 14 congregations that he consulted with that eventually closed their doors permanently. In response, Rainer offers 12 tactics that congregations in various stages of health (or decline, depending on your perspective) can implement in order to stay open or make a positive transition into ecclesiastical death.
It is a quick read, a couple of days at the most. How..more
May 29, 2014Keith Beasley-Topliffe rated it really liked it
A discussion of ten trouble signs that a church is critically ill, based on Rainer's work as a consultant with many churches. As pastor of a church that is about to close, I can agree with all these indicators and the difficulty of changing the behavior that causes them. I would recommend it for the pastors of churches in decline, not only to read but also to give to leaders who would like their church to choose life. I particularly appreciated his emphasis on encouraging readers to pray first f..more
May 14, 2014Melissa Andrews rated it liked it
Shelves: non-fiction, i-own-it, religious, kindle-version
Why do churches die? Pastor Rainier lays out se points he pulled together after analyzing and doing research on 14 churches that no longer exist. The reasons are very simple. The reality that your church might be dying and you not know it is sobering. Fortunately - checking yourself against Rainier's 'symptoms' may help you before you become terminal, assuming you're not already there. I'd say this book should probably be read more by members than leaders, because the actions and attitudes of a..more
Once again Dr. Rainer delivers a short and powerful book that serves churches of all ages and sizes well. While we are just getting started in the church planting world, books like this are invaluable to read early on to help provide signposts and warnings that pastors and leadership need to know to look for to avoid the slow death march.
The mark of a deceased church that struck me most profoundly was the lack of prayer together in the church body. It was a needed reminder at this stage of churc..more
A depressing book about churches so dysfunctional that they die.
A family member asked me to review it - I hadn't heard of it before. The premise is not very attractive or marketable, but as a pastor of 13 years there is plenty of experiential truth in here. Rainer’s main theme seems to be the need for the church to serve and to look like the community around it. The dying church serves its own members instead of those outside who need to hear the gospel for the first time. An assumption made throug..more Autopsy Of A Deceased Church Free Download
Aug 24, 2018Jeff rated it liked it
In Autopsy of a Deceased Church, Rainer and team interviewed former members and leaders in churches that have closed in order to understand what happened so that they can offer strategies for churches in trouble. Rainer believes that 90% of the churches in America are showing symptoms of sickness (that’s right, he only believes 10% are actually healthy). Of those with symptoms, he divides these into three groups. 40% of the churches are showing symptoms of illness, 40% are very sick, and 10% are..more
Nov 26, 2018Bette rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Brevity is the soul of wit
I liked how this book got to the brass tacks ( no pun intended) of why churches are dying. This book is written in a way where everyone can understand and know where their congregation stands. The truth is, the reasons churches are dying aren’t complex. I’m actually reading this book for a Bible Study in my church. While our church isn’t dead or dying at this time I appreciate the unflinching forward thinking of our pastor and deacons to take this step to make meaningfu..more
Jun 12, 2018Cheryl Willoughby rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A first reading touched my heart. I do feel that I need to reread this book and truly reflect on its points and questions it asks. It is a fast read but should be reread much slower with time to contemplate what you have read. Every person who is a member in a church should read this, in order gauge not only where your church is, but where you are in your personal journey in your relationship with God. I enjoyed the Biblical references he used to make his points. He looks at a healthy church as..more
Sep 11, 2017James rated it liked it
Shelves: challies-challenge-2017, church-practice
This is a book that is made to be read with a group. As an individual, I could read it and say, 'Hmmm.. Interesting.' But a group reading it together could say 'This is revolutionary.' Or 'This is scary.' Or, most importantly, 'This is us, and here's what we need to do about it.' Dr. Rainer is a qualified 'forensic pathologist' when it comes to churches. He has seen enough churches in various stages of decline to be able to speak with authority on when a church is in the death spiral. If you ar..more
Jan 01, 2018John Dobbs rated it really liked it
There may not be anyone more in touch with the state of the church in America than Thom Rainer. His podcasts, articles, and books keep urging the church toward her mission. This book, honestly, is a bit depressing. That's something he admits in the book. The information presented that clues leaders in on the symptoms that are present in dying churches - and churches that have already died. It is a very short book. There isn't enough space devoted to helping churches escape the situations that ar..more
Jan 09, 2017Anne rated it liked it
The author makes some excellent points, and I got more out of it as a member (rather than pastor or leader of some kind) than I thought I would. His insight was worth the time.
However, I had a harder time getting past the style and tone of the book. It's almost like it was just dictated in a very conversational tone, and never quite fully edited. I found it distracting. I also feel like this book merely scratches the surface of this topic, and could easily have been three times as long. It woul..more
Much of what Mr. Rainer mentioned could describe the church in which I grew up. We had a rotating pastoral tenure (longest was around five years), and little ministry in the community (of course two church splits likely destroyed any chance of that really happening).
When I explained the situation to the last pastor there, he accused me and my parents of being the church troublemakers. Eventually we got tired of his lies about us and we left. (He later had the nerve, when my mother was terminally..more
Mar 17, 2019Kenny Haggard rated it it was ok · review of another edition
Not worth the price
The book although it seems more like a pamphlet is ok. The topic of a church dying is worth studying and the idea of an autopsy good but to carry the metaphor, the report after an autopsy is detailed, fact and evidence based. This comes off like a brief overview of a few conversations (14) and broad strokes. I was expectkng a detailed and specific analysis and more fact based approach based on the title. The sample provided by kindle was not nearly enough to get a good idea of..more
May 20, 2017diana haines walton rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A must read for congregations particularly african American congregations striving to remain relevant..GOD is still speaking..
If your church seems to be at a crossroads and you there is widespread anxiety about your church's future, this book is a helpful tool to start the conversation about how to shape your church for the next generation. It raises hard truths that if prayerfully considered by the church an place you on a path to wholeness. Recommend reading the book in small groups followed..more
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 readin..more
Dec 19, 2017Jim rated it really liked it
Thom Rainer has written a short winner here. He has looked at 14 churches that have closed and looked for patterns. He found churches that:
1. Stopped praying 2. Stopped being outward (out of the doors) focused. 3. Stopped being vision driven 4. Stopped putting money into mission and ministry for others And more. The chapter 'The Church Obsessed Over the Facilities' struck so many chords for this pastor. The fights people will have over pulpits, music, paint color, carpet, is unreal and so destructiv..more Autopsy Of A Deceased Church Chapter Summary
May 06, 2019Josh Sieders rated it liked it
I was excited to read this because I thought the approach and content would be really helpful. It was, but the book was based off a popular blog post and I think the content was stretched too far. I have no doubt the author has a lot of expertise in this area, but even as a short book (I read in a day) it was very repetitive. So, good content, but not book length worthy. Nevertheless, it's a quick read so might still be helpful. Reading it with 9 Marks of a Healthy Church and/or Outgrowing the I..more
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Thom Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Prior to LifeWay, he served at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for twelve years where he was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism. He is a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama and earned his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
In a..more
“The churches were purposeless. They were engaged in an activity called, “This is the way we’ve always done it.”
Autopsy Of A Dead Church Free Download
“Thriving churches have the Great Commission as the centerpiece of their vision, while dying churches have forgotten the clear command of Christ.”
Autopsy Of A Dead Church PdfMore quotes…Comments are closed.
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