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

The money struggles are real! Mike Stadelmayer joins Josh and Sam to discuss church finances and how pastors can lead their churches in the area of generosity. Mike is the president of Church Growth Services (churchgrowthservices.com) and helps churches understand the connection between stewardship, generosity, and discipleship. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds str...

Defining your top priorities may seem like a simple task, but the tyranny of the urgent often takes over. Josh and Sam talk about the ways they stay focused on their most important ministry priorities. They cover how to be more proactive, how to schedule a to-do list, and how to determine the difference between a true crisis and a manufactured crisis. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theologi...

Most of us have unfounded fears--these irrational thoughts that cause us anxiety. Worst-case scenarios are rare. Why do we focus on them? Josh and Sam discuss some of their ministry nightmares and how they cope. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundations for men and women to fulfill God’s calling. They have trained and commissioned more than 46...

Ministry is a huge blessing! But not everything about ministry is enjoyable. Josh and Sam talk about some of their least favorite things as pastors. Many jobs are difficult, and ministry can be tough. What are some ways to deal with the more unenjoyable parts of the job? Listen all the way to the end. There is a big giveaway! Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong...

Do you remember the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009? It was tough! On this episode, Josh and Sam talk about ways you can prepare your church for another potential recession. They discuss zero-based budgeting, cash flow projections, and managing expenses. Listen all the way to the end. There is a big giveaway! Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological fou...

Pastors are often stuck in the middle of heated debates. They can take heat from both sides. How do you respond? Josh and Sam talk about how to be diplomatic. They cover the polarization of politics, theology, and local rivalries. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundations for men and women to fulfill God’s calling. They have trained and commis...

How can you be both ambitious and humble? Josh and Sam discuss how pastors can practice the spiritual discipline of humility. They cover the problems of wanting attention, weaponizing knowledge, and grabbing power. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundations for men and women to fulfill God’s calling. They have trained and commissioned more than...

Every summer, churches all over the world offer Vacation Bible Schools. Every program has a life cycle. Has VBS run its course? No! Josh and Sam discuss the importance of this ministry and why churches should continue to offer VBS to the community. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundations for men and women to fulfill God’s calling. They have...

In most traditions, baptism is an important part of church life. Some churches have beach baptisms, spontaneous baptisms, and special baptism services. Other churches have celebrations attractive to children when young people are baptized. Where is the line? Josh and Sam discuss the ordinance of baptism and whether or not it can ever become gimmicky. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theologic...

Pastors and church leaders must be careful when promising confidentiality. Josh and Sam discuss the particulars of clergy privilege. Breaking confidence is sometimes necessary, and they discuss some specific examples on this episode. Also, what should you tell your spouse regarding sensitive church matters? They offer two different perspectives. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Se...

Not every meeting is created equal. Josh and Sam discuss when standing meetings are appropriate and when you need to shake things up. They give some advice on the best principles and practices of leading effective meetings. You can change the culture of your church through some easy shifts in your meetings. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological founda...

Pastors are notoriously bad at nurturing relationships with each other, especially if you are in the same community. Jealousy, skepticism, and the transient nature of ministry contribute to these less-than-ideal relationships. Josh and Sam talk about how pastors can improve these relationships and why it is important. They share stories from personal experiences and some tips they have seen work....

Church culture changes with church size. How are smaller and larger churches different? Josh and Sam discuss a variety of issues concerning church culture and church size: expectations from the church, systems within the church, and management of the church. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundations for men and women to fulfill God’s calling....

Christmas and Easter are two prominent church holidays. Should a church celebrate with a normal Sunday or with an over-the-top special service? Josh and Sam discuss their thoughts about going big for church holidays. They also talk about July 4th services and where to draw the line with patriotism in the church. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological f...

Is every place so different? Do approaches to ministry need to be radically different from each other across the nation? Josh and Sam give their hot take. Perhaps your context is not so different as you might think. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundations for men and women to fulfill God’s calling. They have trained and commissioned more tha...

Cliff Lea joins Sam and Josh on the show to discuss entertainment and media. Should the church engage in secular entertainment? If so, how? And is the "Christian" genre of movies and music a good idea? Check out the movie "No Vacancy," which releases on May 9th. You can learn more at NoVacancyMovie.com. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundation...

Churches are often so busy they miss the biggest needs in front of them. Dr. Jerry Haag joins the show to discuss how the church can serve vulnerable children and families. Jerry and Sam discuss some practical ways your church can help. Check out onemorechild.org and shelovesoutloud.org for more information. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological found...

Baby dedications are important markers in the spiritual journey of a family. What is the right way to do them? And how can you make the most of these dedications? Josh and Sam discuss how to use them to benefit the entire church. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundations for men and women to fulfill God’s calling. They have trained and commiss...

What happens when a pastor has a mid-life crisis? Josh and Sam discuss their own journeys. Many people have a mid-life reckoning (not necessarily a crisis), pastors included. It's good to have a comprehensive check-up every few years. This episode covers how to be productive during these seasons. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundations for m...

Leading the church is more than an exercise in being a good expositor of Scripture. Josh and Sam discuss the benefits and limitations of business principles in the church. They cover issues of communication, finance, marketing, management, hospitality, counseling, and politics. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary builds strong theological foundations for men and women to ful...

Pastors can struggle with harmonizing the ministry of the home with the work of the church. It is possible to be both a good dad and a good pastor. Shannon Eads joins the show with Josh and Sam to discuss some mistakes pastors make along with best practices. Check out Shannon's book, Winning the Fatherhood Game. It's an excellent resource for any dad. Episode Sponsor: Southwestern Baptist Theologi...

Most of us have come to the moment of losing our cool. Often it is problem church members that get to us. On this episode, Josh and Sam talk about ways to keep your cool and deal with problem church members in a way that is helpful. Episode Sponsor: On March 22-24, experienced ministry leaders from around the country will gather on the campus of Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, to explo...

Pastor guilt can occur when you feel like you're not spending enough time with church members. On this episode, Josh and Sam discuss strategies for spending one-on-one time with church members without sacrificing other areas. They give practical tips for scheduling and how to take the initiative. With some simple steps, you can spend more time with church members and be a better shepherd. Episode...

Joy is a better pursuit than happiness. The former is given by the Holy Spirit while the latter is often determined by external factors. But God does not desire for His children to be unhappy. Josh and Sam discuss things that make them happy, and unhappy, as pastors. Sometimes it's the little things that make the difference. Episode Sponsor: On March 22-24, experienced ministry leaders from around...

The command to make disciples is clear in Scripture. But who makes disciples? Do individuals make disciples or does the church make disciples? Josh and Sam discuss this philosophical question and the practical implications of how you answer. Episode Sponsor: On March 22-24, experienced ministry leaders from around the country will gather on the campus of Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas,...