Rainer on Leadership

In this episode, Josh and Sam explore a subtle but damaging leadership style in the church: the amiable autocrat. These are leaders who are friendly, well-liked, and often effective on the surface, yet they lead primarily through positional authority and leave their teams frustrated. We unpack the paradox of the “nice dictator” and why this leadership style can produce visible ministry success whi...

In this episode, Thom and Sam tackle a growing challenge for churches across the country: finding qualified staff. What once seemed routine—posting a position and waiting for candidates—has become far more difficult. This conversation explores why the staffing pipeline has narrowed, how outdated assumptions are exacerbating the problem, and why churches that rethink staffing models and develop lea...

Happy 250th America! Josh and Sam get political on this episode. The post Why Can’t Pastors Talk About Politics? appeared first on Church Answers .

In this episode, Ryan Burge and Sam explore the rise of non-denominational Christianity and ask a provocative question: are non-denoms essentially just Southern Baptists without the label? Drawing on recent survey data, this conversation examines how non-denominational Christians compare to America’s largest Christian traditions in age, racial diversity, church attendance, and views of the Bible....

Many churches are asking the same question: “Where have all the student pastors gone?” In this episode, Josh and Sam explore the ongoing shortage of youth ministers and the structural reasons behind it. The post The Ongoing Shortage of Student Pastors (Where Did They Go?) appeared first on Church Answers .

Many pastors feel it every year: “I hate summer attendance!” In this episode, Thom and Sam unpack real-world insights gathered from conversations with pastors across the country about the predictable, and sometimes preventable, summer slump. The post The Church Summer Slump: What Every Pastor Should Know appeared first on Church Answers .

Every church has them—the Sundays when attendance predictably drops. Drawing from feedback from over 400 church leaders, Josh and Sam break down the most common low-attendance days and why they occur. The post The Top Ten Most Common Low Attendance Days in Churches appeared first on Church Answers .

Sam welcomes Dr. Nijay Gupta to the Rainer on Leadership podcast. He is a senior translator for the New Living Translation, a Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, and the author of several academic books including most recently A Beginner's Guide to New Testament Studies and Tell Her Story. He has a PhD in New Testament from the University of Durham, and co-hosts the Slow Theology podc...

Summer often exposes a quiet reality in many churches: some members begin shopping for a new congregation. In this episode, Josh and Sam address why this happens and how leaders should respond. If you’ve faced it, you are not alone. Every long-tenured pastor has. The post The Reality of Church Hoppers: A Pastor’s Honest Perspective appeared first on Church Answers .

In this episode, Thom and Sam explore one of the most sobering questions church leaders face: Why do formerly active members quietly disappear for good? After years of research with people who once attended faithfully but haven’t returned to any church for at least two years, clear patterns emerge. Most departures aren’t dramatic or theological. They’re gradual. The post Why Members Leave Their Ch...

In this episode, Josh and Sam explore what sets apart pastors who stay at one church for ten, twenty, or even thirty years and still lead with energy and joy. Long-tenured pastors aren’t just “hanging on.” They’ve built habits that sustain both their soul and their ministry. They’ve weathered criticism, resisted the lure of greener grass, and chosen faithfulness over constant movement. The post Wh...

Sam interviews Todd Brown and Isaac Brown of Brown Church Development Group. A growing number of church leaders, architects, and donors are reconsidering what sacred space should look like. In this episode, we explore the rise of the hyper-traditionalist movement in church architecture—a revival of classical, Gothic, Romanesque, Byzantine, and other historic styles that aim to communicate permanen...

In this episode, Josh and Sam use a striking metaphor to talk about church health: fault lines and tsunamis. Just like unseen shifts beneath the ocean floor can trigger devastating waves, hidden weaknesses inside a church can quietly build until the damage is sudden and overwhelming. The good news? Fault lines can be repaired before disaster strikes. The call for leaders is simple: face reality no...

In this episode, we break down Ryan Burge’s demographic analysis of American Protestant churches and the uncomfortable math behind membership decline. Using age-distribution data across major denominations, Burge argues many churches aren’t stable—they’re simply being “buoyed by the Baby Boomers.” With modal ages in the late 60s, shrinking numbers of young adults, and fewer children in the pipelin...

In this episode, Josh and Sam address a widespread reality in many churches: bloated membership rolls and shrinking attendance. Across North America, millions of names remain on church rolls even though those people haven’t attended in months... or years. In some cases, membership lists are four or five times larger than actual weekly worship attendance. The result? Confusion, unhealthy metrics, a...

For decades, 11:00 a.m. was the “sacred hour” of church life—the assumed, unquestioned start time for Sunday worship. But that era is fading fast. In this episode, Thom and Sam unpack the data and on-the-ground observations showing how churches are rethinking when they gather. From earlier services to multiple options to non-Sunday gatherings, flexibility is replacing tradition. What once served a...

When a crisis hits a church, the first few hours can either build trust or break it. In this episode, Sam interviews crisis communication expert Amy Whitfield and walks through what to say (and not say) immediately after a church crisis. We talk about the first statement, the first 24 hours, and the common missteps that unintentionally escalate confusion, fear, or anger. Amy offers practical langu...

Churches that are laser-focused on these five commitments tend to experience a continuous cycle of healthy church growth, while churches that allow the urgency of the moment to distract them from these commitments tend to experience decline. Thom and Sam discuss the new book, "Crucial Commitments." The post Crucial Commitments: 5 Simple Decisions That Members of Healthy and Growing Churches Make a...

Josh and Sam discuss what makes an ideal church member from the pastor's perspective. They pull some descriptions from some of their favorite members and talk about what they love about them. The post How to Become Your Pastor’s Favorite Church Member appeared first on Church Answers .

While some church power struggles stem from bad actors, a more common cause is blurred lines. In this episode, Thom and Sam tackle one of the most common sources of church dysfunction: confusion between what the board should do and what the staff should do. The post The Best Board and Trustee Structure for Churches appeared first on Church Answers .

Josh and Sam have a little fun and pull back the curtain on some personal quirks of pastors. The post Seven Things Pastors Do You Probably Don’t Know About appeared first on Church Answers .

Institutional trust has collapsed nationwide across all age groups, but Gen Z is entering adulthood at historically low levels of trust toward institutions and toward other people. Yet there is a surprising glimmer of hope when it comes to religious institutions. Compared to Millennials, Gen Z shows slightly more openness to trusting the church, suggesting the story is not over. On this edition of...

Many Christians feel uneasy simply throwing away a damaged or worn Bible. While there are no official rules, Josh and Sam discuss several thoughtful and reverent ways to handle a copy of Scripture that has served its purpose. The post How to Discard a Worn-Out Bible Properly appeared first on Church Answers .

Ministry today and in the future will necessitate more co-vocational pastors and church leaders. What about full-time pastors who need to supplement their income? A side job may relieve financial pressure, expand skills, and create meaningful community connections outside the church. However, it can also be a distraction and create divided attention. The post Should Full-Time Pastors Have a Side H...

On this episode, Josh and Sam discuss some critical functions of their work as pastors that are not included in the typical church job description. The post The Critical Functions of a Pastor Rarely Found in a Church Job Description appeared first on Church Answers .