Rainer on Leadership

More churches need help today than ever before. But there are not enough church consultants available to assist these churches. Thom and Sam discuss the current state of church consulting and where it will likely go in the future.

Most pastors and church leaders will have at least one season of restlessness. It’s the nagging question that keeps you thinking . . . what’s next? In the case of the church, this question can be corporate, meaning you’re thinking what’s next? for the entire congregation. This question can also be personal, meaning what’s next? for me individually. Thom and Sam discuss how pastors can use feelings...

You can be a good parent and a good pastor. Leading a church does not mean losing your children. Thom and Sam talk about raising preacher's kids and some potential pitfalls to avoid when parenting as a church leader.

A child in your church decides to follow Christ. There is no greater decision! Now what? Thom and Sam recently created a helpful checklist for pastors and church leaders to share with families.

One of the more concerning trends in North American churches is the increasing length of time it takes churches to call a pastor. Thom and Sam give both cultural and demographic realities for this trend.

Church fostering is one church helping another church for a specified period of time. There has been a lot of interest in the topic, so Thom and Sam explore where the church-fostering movement is headed.

Thom and Sam welcome Benjamin Watson, author of the upcoming book, “The New Fight for Life: Roe, Race, and a Pro-Life Commitment to Justice.” Benjamin is a former NFL player who now serves as VP of strategic relationships with Human Coalition, a pro-life organization based in Dallas.

In most cases, the lead pastor has oversight of church staff. How much authority should the lead pastor have when hiring new church staff? This question recently came up in Church Answers Central from one of our members (Thanks Deek!). Thom and Sam tackle this subject on this week's episode.

Every church is different. Pastors have their own personalities. With church leadership, should the personality of the pastor fit the congregation? Personality is not the only factor in determining fit, but it is one to consider. Personalities can change over time and so can your calling. Even when the fit is not ideal, both church and pastor can learn to love each other.

Thom and Sam welcome two special guests to the show: Dr. Art Rainer, host of the More Than Money podcast, and Dr. David W. Jones, Professor of Christian Ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Millennials are the least mobile of the last four generations. They don’t move nearly as much as their parents and grandparents. You might find this stat surprising. What’s going on? Thom and Sam discuss on this week's episode.

Most churches are aging. But how much? Is there a looming generational crisis? Thom and Sam tackle this topic in this week's episode.

Andrew McNair is the host of the Rich Young Powerful podcast, a financial commentator, author of “The Giving Crisis”, 9-figure wealth manager, and philanthropist. You can reach him at https://richyoungpowerful.com/ .

You will often hear a pastor or some other church staff person talk about their "call to ministry." Many of these ministers remember specific times and dates of their call, while others speak more of a growing awareness of a call to vocational ministry. But can (or will) God revoke or end a call to ministry? Thom and Sam look at three perspectives.

History gives us some insight into how a return to normal occurs following a pandemic. After the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, it took about two years for people to resettle into their typical patterns again. We're entering into this phase with Covid, but some things in the church will not return to pre-Covid activity. In this episode, Thom and Sam discuss how the pandemic has forever changed the way...

Church Answers has documented on several occasions the anemic state of evangelism in many American churches. In this podcast, Thom and Sam examine the reasons behind this struggle, while offering positive and proactive responses.

Generational conflicts are so common they're cliche. Churches are notorious for infighting among generations, but many churches are doing multi-generational ministry well. Thom and Sam discuss how Millennials and Boomers can thrive together in the same church.

Five Updates on Pastoral Tenure Overall tenure is increasing. But a significant number of pastors left during or shortly after the pandemic. Bivocational pastors have longer tenures. The paucity of available pastors will affect tenure. The "five-year-test" may become the "seven-year test."

Kyle Thompson is the host of the Undaunted Life podcast, created specifically for men seeking to push back spiritual and cultural darkness. The Undaunted Life podcast is in the top six percent of all podcasts and growing daily. You can reach him and see more about his ministry at www.undaunted.life.

Thom and Sam discuss five trends they see in churches with under 250 in attendance.

While we encourage church leaders to be peacemakers If at all possible, there are times when a battle is necessary. Thom and Sam look at five of those scenarios.

Thom and Sam are joined by Mike Stadelmayer, president of Church Growth Services, to discuss how church finances are changing, especially in light of the pandemic of recent years. In this third episode, the three men address the issue of capital giving with limited resources.

Thom and Sam are joined by Mike Stadelmayer, president of Church Growth Services, to discuss how church finances are changing, especially in light of the pandemic of recent years. In this second episode, Mike shares with Sam and Thom how churches can increase budget giving in the midst of several challenges.

Thom and Sam are joined by Mike Stadelmayer, president of Church Growth Services, to discuss how church finances are changing, especially in light of the pandemic of recent years. In this first episode, the three men specifically address the impact of the pandemic.

Thom and Sam take a trip to the past and share about their early victories and mistakes when they first became pastors. From this venture, they share six things they would like to tell their younger selves.