DR. THOM RAINER President and Chief Executive Officer LifeWay Christian Resources

Thom S. Rainer is the ninth president of LifeWay Christian Resources and is responsible for leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention’s education, church programs and publishing agency. Rainer assumed his position at LifeWay on Feb. 1, 2006.

Birth - July 16, 1955, in Union Springs, Ala.

Education • Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1988. Major: evangelism. Minors: Christian missions and preaching • M.Div., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1985. Major concentration: evangelism • B.S., University of Alabama, 1977. Major: corporate finance. Minors: economics and statistics

Marriage - Nellie Jo King, 1977

Children (Three sons) • Sam Rainer • Art Rainer • Jess Rainer

Previous Positions (Pastoral experience) • Interim Pastor, First Baptist Church, Kettering, Ohio, 2003-04 • Interim Pastor, First Baptist Church, Mount Washington, Kentucky, 2002-03 • Interim Pastor, Northside Baptist Church, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2001-02 • Interim Pastor, Lakewood Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky, 2000-01 • Interim Pastor, Bedford Baptist Church, Bedford, Kentucky, 1999-00 • Interim Pastor, Far Hills Baptist Church, Dayton, Ohio, 1997-99 • Interim Pastor, Carlisle Avenue Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky, 1996-97 • Interim Pastor, Highview Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky, 1995-96 • Senior Pastor, Green Valley Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama, 1990-94 • Senior Pastor, Azalea Baptist Church, St. Petersburg, Florida, 1988-90 • Senior Pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky, 1986-88 • Senior Pastor, Hopewell Baptist Church, Madison, Indiana, 1984-86

Previous Positions (Academic ministry) • Dean, The Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1994-2005 • Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. 1994-2005 • Adjunct Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, 1990-94 • Associate Professor of Evangelism, Tampa Bay Theological Seminary (branch of Dallas Theological Seminary), 1988-90

Previous Positions (Corporate experience) • Vice President, Pinnacle Publishers, Inc., 2001-05 • President and CEO, The Rainer Group, Inc., 1988-05 • Chairman, Rainer Research, a division of The Rainer Group, 1999-05 • President, Church Central Associates, Inc., 2001-05 • Vice President, Corporate Lending, SouthTrust Bank, Alabama, 1980-83 • Cash Management Officer, Trust Company of Georgia (now SunTrust), 1977-80

Organizational Activities • Former president, American Association of Church Consultants, a North American society for church consultants • Member, Society for Advancement of Consulting (a secular organization in which he served as the only member providing church and denominational consultations) • Member, American Consultants League (a secular organization in which he served as the only member providing church and denominational consultations) • Former board member, Romanian-American Missions • Former board member, Ephesians 4 Ministries • Former board member, Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board)

Books • Raising Dad (co-author) (2007, Broadman & Holman) • Simple Church (co-author) (2006, Broadman & Holman) • The Unexpected Journey (2005, Zondervan) • Breakout Churches (2005, Zondervan) • The Unchurched Next Door (2003, Zondervan) • Surprising Insights from the Unchurched (2001, Zondervan) • High Expectation Churches (1999, Broadman & Holman) • The Every Church Guide to Growth (co-author) (1998, Broadman & Holman) • The Bridger Generation (1997, Broadman & Holman) • Encyclopedia of Evangelism and Church Growth (co-editor) (1997, Regal) • Effective Evangelistic Churches (1996, Broadman & Holman) • Biblical Affirmations for Evangelism (co-author) (1996, Worldwide) • Giant Awakenings (1995, Broadman & Holman) • Eating the Elephant (1994, Broadman & Holman) • The Book of Church Growth (1993, Broadman & Holman) • Evangelism in the Twenty-first Century (editor) (1989, Shaw)

Other Activities • Featured columnist, Outreach magazine • Gold Medallion finalist for two books • Former publisher of Church Health Today, a bi-weekly church health newsletter • Recipient of over a dozen awards related to work in church health and church growth • Provided consultation to numerous periodicals including USA Today, Time, Associated Press, Religious News Service, and others