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The All-Important Partiality Clause

August 18, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

“…an overseer must be above reproach…”  From I Timothy 3:2 (ESV)  “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.  Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of…

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Filed Under: Church Boards And Staffs, Healthy Pastors, Leadership, Seriously Troubled Churches

How To Keep A Good Pastor, Part Three

August 12, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

I keep hearing these disturbing stories: good pastors who have been greatly used in their churches to bring about significant, God-honoring change, burning out and ending up in other occupations.  I’ve seen more of this disturbing trend since writing Seven Reasons Why Pastors Are Dropping Out, just a few weeks ago. Why is this happening?…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Healthy Pastors

How To Keep A Good Pastor, Part Two

August 4, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

Recently, I wrote about why good pastors are leaving their ministries (Seven Reasons Why Pastors Are Dropping Out): The pastoral “call” isn’t what it used to be. The home church isn’t what it used to be. Pastors are rethinking the current pastor paradigm [the full-time superhero trying to excel at every task that God assigned…

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Filed Under: Church Boards And Staffs, Church Health/Revitalization, Healthy Pastors, Leadership

How To Keep A Good Pastor, Part One

July 28, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

Last week I wrote about seven reasons why pastors are leaving their ministries: The pastoral “call” isn’t what it used to be. The home church isn’t what it used to be. Pastors are rethinking the pastor paradigm [the full-time superhero trying to excel at every task that God assigned to elders]. A hard-to-live-with performance value…

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Filed Under: Church Boards And Staffs, Church Health/Revitalization, Leadership

Seven Reasons Why Pastors Are Dropping Out

July 22, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus…”  F/I Timothy 1:3 “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.”  I Timothy 4:14 You may have heard about the young man who told his mother that…

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Filed Under: Healthy Pastors

An Apostle’s Counsel To An Introverted Pastor

July 15, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

Introverted pastors have been around at least as long as the Apostle Paul’s young protégé, Timothy. It didn’t help that his father was an unbeliever (Acts 16:1).  While his mother and grandmother were Christ-followers (II Timothy 1:5), there are encouraging words which introverted sons need to hear from their fathers, and Timothy probably didn’t hear…

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Filed Under: Healthy Pastors, Leadership

The Introverted Pastor’s Survival Guide, Part Three

July 1, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

I’ve mentioned, in two previous posts on this subject, that many pastors are “introverts in an extrovert’s job.” By an “extrovert’s job,” I mean that the general population, widely believed to be more extroverted than introverted, carves the pastoral model in its own image.  Here’s what I mean: While I’ve had people compliment me for…

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Filed Under: Healthy Pastors, Leadership

The Introverted Pastor’s Survival Guide, Part Two

June 17, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

A few years ago I came upon a delightfully different title in a bookstore’s psychology section: Quiet: The Power of Introverts In A World That Can’t Stop Talking.  I wonder if anybody heard me saying “Amen!” as I paged through the book.  Author Susan Cain argued that modern western culture is biased against introverts, noting…

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Filed Under: Healthy Pastors, Leadership

The Introverted Pastor’s Survival Guide, Part One

June 9, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

Many people are surprised to hear that a lot of pastors are introverts.  More specifically, they are – in my opinion – introverts in an extrovert’s job. For the record, the basic differences are as follows: Introverts are less outgoing, talkative, enthusiastic and energetic, than their extroverted cousins. Introverts are more oriented to the world…

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Filed Under: Healthy Pastors, Leadership

The Small Church, Post-Pandemic, Survival Guide

June 2, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

Everybody knows that churches were hit hard by the COVID pandemic shutdowns: Theologically liberal churches lost large percentages of their attendees who don’t seem to be returning. Many of these congregations are closing their doors.  May these buildings be re-occupied by gospel proclaiming “re-start” churches soon, for the glory of God! Larger evangelical churches lost…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Consulting Help, Seriously Troubled Churches

The Only Cure For Pastoral Insecurity

May 27, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

“Insecure pastors! They drive me crazy!” Such was the rant of a mentor of mine who served for a number of years as the leader of a state-wide church association. He didn’t say it contemptuously, but he was often frustrated with the many pastoral and congregational dysfunctions which find their source in pastoral insecurity. As…

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Filed Under: Healthy Pastors

How Your Church Can Get A Great Preacher

May 20, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

Most church-going people want their congregation to have a great preacher.  Good for them. Why would we want anything less? The wrong way to make this happen is to get rid of your current preacher and go find one who is already great. There are all sorts of problems with this approach which we won’t…

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

Why We Must Get Disciple-Making Back Into The Christian Life

May 5, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

Here’s what I’m concerned about… In the New Testament, sharing one’s faith, personal efforts to make disciples by individual disciples, is the norm: Jesus wasted no time in sending the twelve, and then the seventy, into Judea and Galilee. As busy as he was, Jesus regularly modeled personal disciple-making for his 12 men-in- training (John…

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Filed Under: Disciple Making, Healthy Pastors, Leadership

Experiencing God’s Leadership

April 26, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

“In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers…While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”  From Acts 13:1-2 After many years of believing that church leaders were pretty much “on their own” with…

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Filed Under: Church Boards And Staffs, Church Health/Revitalization, Leadership, Pastoral Search Teams

Christian Hedonism: Three Timeless Truths

April 14, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

“In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.” Afro-American Spiritual  “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  Psalm 73:25,26  “For me, to life is Christ, and to die…

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Filed Under: Healthy Pastors, Theology

Maximize Your Church’s Joy!

April 7, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

My Grandpa Thorstad was a wise guy and a tease. He usually had a twinkle in his eye and a trick up his sleave.  After his daughter, my Aunt Evelyn, moved to California, she praised her newfound “land of milk and honey” ad nauseum. My gardening-fanatic grandfather was constantly beguiled with stories of California’s bounty….

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Uncategorized

Eight Ways Churches Practice Ongoing Revitalization

March 31, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

In a recent post I shared Seven Reasons Why All Churches Need Ongoing Revitalization. Without thoughtful, intentional effort, even the most vibrant congregation will slip, almost imperceptibly, off the peak of the church life-cycle mountain. It’s much more pleasant to stay on top than to try to stop a congregation which is on a downward…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization

Seven Reasons Why All Churches Need Ongoing Revitalization

March 25, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

I’m no science guy but I know how to Google, and I discovered this morning that 50-70 billion cells in the human body die – and are replaced with new ones – every day. Cell types that experience the greatest turnover are skin cells, blood cells and some of the cells that line structures like…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization

Three Ways Revitalizing Your Church Is Like Remodeling Your Home

March 17, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

“Revitalizing your church is like remodeling your house: It will take more time, cost more money and create a bigger mess than you ever could have imagined.                 But in the end, it’s worth it.” Anonymous   I have loved that observation for a long time now, and…

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Filed Under: Church Health/Revitalization, Consulting Help

Eight More Reasons To Expect Persecution

March 10, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

An old friend who is a keen student of Church history has been telling me for thirty years that “The only hope for the American Church is persecution.” I fear that he’s right, and as much as I’d love to see a vibrant Church in my country, I can’t say that I’m embracing persecution. But…

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Filed Under: Theology

What In The World Did We Expect?

March 3, 2021 By Brian Thorstad

Having the right expectations really matters.  Just think about the expectations with which you entered into: High School College Marriage Your spouse’s extended family Your first full-time job Many American Christians are reeling right now because of their expectations.  They thought that the unusual (from a historical perspective) conditions which we had in America for…

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Filed Under: Theology, Uncategorized

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Testimonials

Pastor Trey Turner "Brian is an experienced and insightful investigator of church systems.  He has real skill in looking at and diagnosing some areas needing attention.  I benefited greatly from his insight.  As a result, our church is benefiting greatly.  The process Brian took us through gave it the encouragement it needed to begin coming out of the 2020 difficulties.  We will work on the insights Brian provided as a roadmap back to better health."
Pastor Trey Turner
Pastor Greg Lund I've appreciated so much Brian's very practical coaching as he's guided me and the leadership of our church as we've sought to become more effective for God's kingdom. His extensive experience in assisting churches navigate a variety of issues makes him highly qualified to help lead churches through congregational change.
Pastor Greg Lund
Pastor Bruce Jahnke
"Our church is extremely grateful for the insight, adaptability and wisdom Brian so graciously contributed to our needs as we transitioned.  Our pastor transition was from Father to Son, which is by definition, difficult.  Yet Brian was able to foresee issues, feelings and responses with high accuracy.  Brian is personable, yet can direct when he needs to help us be reasonable and vision-oriented."

Pastor Bruce Jahnke
Andy Shanholtz I had the privilege of co leading a pastor’s training group with Brian. Brian’s wealth of knowledge and practical experience was an asset to all of us. The interaction with the group and the relationships built was a great value. I highly recommend having Brian facilitate a group to provide invaluable resources and practical knowledge.
Andy Shanholtz
Pastor Jed Manders
Leadership development within cohorts and peer groups has become increasingly popular, and rightfully so. Being involved in Brian’s leadership training group allowed me the opportunity to work through challenges, develop strengths and learn from both reading and peer development.


Pastor Jed Manders
Pastor Mark Pitroff "I have been so privileged and encouraged to be ministered to by Brian Thorstad as I have served as an Interim Pastor here in central Wisconsin.  He has been such a help and encouragement to me and especially, to this church I have served - Faith Community Church of Waupaca.  His leadership in helping us develop the “Journey Wall” enabled us to look back on the church’s history, the high points as well as the difficulties faced, especially in recent years.   Brian has helped FCC recover from a very difficult time…  Brian was such an encouragement to us, especially in the early months of recovery and preparation."
Pastor Mark Pitroff
Pastor Dan Norman “I enjoyed getting to know the guys in the group [and] I appreciated the thought, mind and spiritual challenges presented… I found many things that I was able to immediately apply, and I am still developing next steps that much of the discussion and training of this class helped to build a foundation for. [The handouts on strategic planning] will continue to be helpful in trying to guide our church to being more intentional. This [was] exactly what I was looking for at exactly the time I needed it.”
Pastor Dan Norman
Pastor Steven Boyd  "This course showed me that I, as a solo pastor, have to do things that don’t come naturally to me and has given me some tools to do the hard things.”
Pastor Steven Boyd 
Pastor Brian Schley “I found value in our meetings and am grateful you invited me to be part of it as a ‘future senior pastor.’ I enjoyed being able to be part of the conversations and glean from those beyond me. Thanks for your leadership with the group and your heart for pastors!”
Pastor Brian Schley
Pastor Todd Sauve "It was a privilege to have been a part of a pastors group led by Brian Thorstad. It's always great to learn from other pastors, and someone needs to provide leadership to make that happen. I'm thankful that Brian was willing to do that, and to share from both his successes and failures in ministry. He's honest, humble, and cares about people."
Pastor Todd Sauve

Brian A. Thorstad

Call: 651-319-1953

Email: churchwhisperer@gmail.com

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Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494

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