EST. - For the Established Church with Sam Rainer and Josh King

The church will worship only to the level of the lead pastor. If a lead pastor is not a worshiper, then the church will struggle to worship. First Baptist Concord Pastor, John Mark Harrison, joins us on the show. The relationship between worship pastor and lead pastor is critical for the health of the church. John Mark, Josh, and Sam share their perspectives on how to lead a church towards healthy...

Many pastors inherit broken churches. The prospect of shepherding there for the long-haul can be mentally draining. In this episode, Sam and Josh interview Clint Pressley, Senior Pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. Preparing for a long-term pastorate means maintaining the discipline of balance, especially at the beginning and end of your day. Give yourself time to breathe and...

We're all busy. Pastors especially have full calendars, but not every pastor has an assistant. How can you manage your schedule when you don't have an assistant? Josh and Sam share some everyday tools they use. As a pastor, you should be accessible to your congregation but always being available will crush you. In this episode, we share how to prioritize God and family with some practical scheduli...

How do you measure church health in a pandemic? What do the numbers even mean right now? With church attendance at 25% to 50% for most churches, it's more difficult to get a feel for the room. Ronnie Parrott joins Sam and Josh on this episode to discuss how they are tracking church health. Focus on four key areas of church health: Stewardship, leadership, membership, and discipleship. The best way...

When pastors and deacons work together, the ministry of the church thrives. When they are at odds, ministry struggles. Deacons are called to be unifiers in the church. Pastors should treat deacons positively and with respect. When hostility exists between pastors and deacons, the church will drift away from the mission. Too often deacons are forced into roles they are not passionate about. You can...

On this episode, we discuss our personality types and how they influence our leadership. We discuss different tests like the Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, and the DiSC. Your personality will play into how you lead, and portions of your personality will rise up depending on the situation. Are these kinds of tests helpful? Or are they a bunch of bunk? Personality tests are helpful when having a discussio...

As a pastor, you are part of the body of Christ. Within the body, friendship is important, even for pastors. Pastors should have friends in the church and model friendship for the church. Friendship takes time, and the expectation of instant friendship in the church is not healthy. The lead pastor should be friendly with staff, but being a friend to subordinates is challenging. The staff needs you...

Micah and Josh hosted a discussion about the factors to consider when relaunching in the fall. Heavy consideration is given to not only the decisions being enforced by the school districts and public officials but also the mentality and politics behind those decisions. The encouragement is for church leaders to accept that the church schedule will not be going back to normal by Christmas and certa...

How deep is too deep for pastoral involvement in social media? In this episode, we discuss how pastors can lead through social media. Twitter and other places can be a cesspool, so dive in with caution. Do not use your children as a platform builder online. Be a kingdom builder online. Focus more on encouragement than anything else. Watch out for things that get on your nerves but are not sin issu...

Every pastor experiences a season of weariness and being tired. On this episode, we discuss how pastors can lead while tired. When you're tired as a church leader, it is important to know what to share with your spouse. When you're tired as a pastor, you must lead from a place of optimism and not negativity. Isolation is never good when you're tired as a church leader. Develop friends who can help...

Humor is an underrated leadership tool. Pastors can diffuse tension with winsomeness and wit. Preaching should include humor but be careful with how you use jokes in the pulpit. Practical jokes are one way to build camaraderie with church staff. In this episode, Sam and Micah discuss the ways in which pastors can lead through humor. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Init...

You are what you wear. Sorta. What should you wear when preaching? Culture, geographic region, and church tradition all influence the decision. In this episode, Micah, Josh, and Sam talk about what they wear and why. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members t...

Preaching is not the same as shepherding. The transition from preaching to pastoring involves building credibility through relationships. Pastors should be accessible to their congregation. Create a "GIP" list to start building relationships. The GIP list includes the top givers, influencers, and problem makers. When you meet with church members, ask them two questions. How did you come to know Je...

We feel there is an ever looming shuffle of lead pastoral positions. With that in mind many of our listeners will find themselves interacting with the "former pastor". It is an inevitable reality of leading an already established church. In this episode Josh and Sam tackle some of the hardships that come from interacting with your predecessor and some of the ways in which you can make that relatio...

The question new candidates and new pastors need to ask is "who is this church?" The guys spend this episode talking through the details and issues you need to think through when considering the particulars of your church. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church mem...

Micah and Sam share some thoughts about what has been lost during this time of quarantine. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s not on your plate. Pastors are saying these are among the easiest, most effective ministries...

Josh, Micah and Sam discuss the factors we should consider as we lead our churches back to in person meetings. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s not on your plate. Pastors are saying these are among the easiest, most...

What should a church do about their bylaws during a COVID like situation? The guys weigh in and share what their churches are doing and what you may need to do in the future. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s not on y...

One of the big questions today is whether or not the church should partake in the Lord's Supper and Baptism while we are unable to gather. In this episode, Micah, Sam, and Josh all weigh in and offer some level headed and respectful perspective. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. The...

Sam and Josh discuss just how 2020 started despite any of our previous predictions and what they think may lay in store for Established Churches. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s not on your plate. Pastors are saying...

The guys share the ways they and others are keeping their sanity during the COVID-19 Pandemic. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s not on your plate. Pastors are saying these are among the easiest, most effective minist...

Sam and Josh are talking about church furniture and what that might (or might not) mean about church ministry. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s not on your plate. Pastors are saying these are among the easiest, most...

Micah and Sam (Josh was sick) share insights to shepherding the established church during a time of crisis and turmoil. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program started—so it’s not on your plate. Pastors are saying these are among the easie...

This is the second part of a two-part series looking at the challenges ministering in an online world. In this episode the EST Host share insights concerning online giving, keeping the children engaged and more. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get...

In this special release episode, the EST Hosts share some helpful thoughts regarding online services, pastoral care, and other choices we are making as we learn to minister in an online world. You need to learn more about two great resources from Church Initiative. The makers of GriefShare and DivorceCare offer a team of experienced coaches. They equip your church members to get the program starte...