Rainer on Leadership

Your church may be lagging in health because your members do not understand the Bible well. Sam and Thom explain why most church members need to grasp the Bible as a whole before they can understand its parts. The results could revolutionize your congregation.

Most churches have more guests than they realize. About 2% to 5% of those who worship on Sunday will identify as guests. How has this group changed in the last ten years? Thom and Sam discuss what is different now than in the past.

Every person who joins your church is a unique story of God’s grace. These individual stories are important and should be celebrated. From a statistical standpoint, however, there are four main ways churches grow. Thom and Sam discuss how most church growth occurs through conversion growth, transfer growth, biological growth, or demographic growth.

Like so much in the world and in churches, change is constant. Thom and Sam look at the fascinating changes in ministry training and education. These shifts will have a profound impact on local churches.

Most Americans today read, but consume information via media and through storytelling. What does this mean for Bible reading and engagement? The Bible tells a story filled with themes and threads that connect us to God’s love and truth, but they can be hard to see for many reasons. The fact that most people have never read the Bible chronologically doesn’t help. On today’s episode, Thom and Sam ar...

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion after ruling on a new court case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Thom and Sam discuss the implications of this decision. This historical decision will have a lasting impact on the culture, and the church must be ready to serve.

Interest rates are on the rise. The stock market recently entered into bear territory. How will a potential recession affect your church? Thom and Sam discuss six ways you can help prepare your church for an economic downturn. Discipleship cannot happen without stewardship, and your budget is a major way to steward the resources of the church.

Many churches have Christian schools, preschools, mom's day out, and other similar ministries. Should these ministries be financially self-supporting? The answer is not always clear. Thom and Sam discuss six key thoughts about this issue.

Thom and Sam take the listeners through a three-part series detailing essential digital tools for the church. Some will be expected; others may not be. In each of the 15 categories, Thom and Sam are likely to provide you with insights you have not heard before. In this second part of the series, they look at 5 tools that will prove very helpful for most church leaders.

Thom and Sam take the listeners through a three-part series detailing essential digital tools for the church. Some will be expected; others may not be. In each of the 15 categories, Thom and Sam are likely to provide you with insights you have not heard before. In this first part of the series, they look at 5 basic tools every church needs.

Thom and Sam take the listeners through a three-part series detailing essential digital tools for the church. Some will be expected; others may not be. In each of the 15 categories, Thom and Sam are likely to provide you with insights you have not heard before. In this third part of the series, they look at 5 tools that are relatively new. Even if they have been around a while, they are new to mos...

Over the last few years, the New Living Translation has seen significant growth in popularity, even moving into the #2 spot for several months in a row. Still, some pastors are hesitant to use it as their main translation. Why is this translation gaining in popularity and what about the translation process and model can help pastors feel more confident in using it as their main translation? What i...

Romans 12:18 makes clear believers are to do all they can to live at peace with everyone. This same sentiment is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, in which Paul instructs the church to live a quiet life and mind your own business. Unfortunately, these instructions go largely ignored by many church leaders. We seem to be more at war than we are at peace. What can we do to regain this theme in our live...

Pastors often ask us what they need to do to reach Millennials, Gen Z, and younger generations. On today's episode, Thom and Sam talk to Esteban Shedd and Loren La Luz from Streetlights about the Streetlights New Testament and why it’s important to find new ways to help the younger generation connect to God’s Word and the Church.

At some point in ministry, most church leaders will face the reality of one or more toxic church members. Thom and Sam examine this challenge and offer tough but challenging steps to deal with this problem.

It’s unreasonable to expect everyone to agree with everything you say. In fact, if you’re doing your job well as a pastor, taking firm stances and having a clear vision, then you will likely have dissent. In most cases, this dissent is not an omen of malevolence, but rather a sign of trust. Thom and Sam discuss why it's not a bad thing that everyone doesn't always agree with you.

The Bible tells us to remember the prisoners as if we were in prison with them (Heb. 13:3), and the first request of persecuted Christians is that we PRAY for them. In today's episode, Thom and Sam talk to Todd Nettleton, Chief of Media Relations and Message Integration for the Voice of the Martyrs–USA about a wonderful tool to help Christians answer the first request of our persecuted family by h...

I have yet to see a church drift towards greater health. The current of apathy always pulls away. But what causes this drift? What are some early warning signs of an unraveling in a congregation? Thom and Sam discuss some key indicators often preceding a decline in church health.

Unless you work for an organization like the CIA, then transparency is often among the top characteristics requested of leaders. Of course, even organizations built on the foundation of secrecy have gotten into trouble for a lack of transparency. Transparency is a healthy leadership characteristic. But why? In the context of a local church, what does a transparent pastor encourage, as opposed to o...

Through our research, we’ve heard from the unchurched about things believers do that make them bristle the most. On this episode, Thom and Sam discuss a few of the most abrasive turn-offs.

Pastors typically go through five major tenure stages at a church. Sam and Thom look at the implications of each stage.

The Bible is more accessible than ever, yet Bible reading and Bible literacy are on the decline. Many Christians struggle to read Scripture, often ending up confused, bored, and full of unmet expectations. What has gone wrong? How can we change this dynamic? In today’s episode, Thom and Sam talk to Glenn Paauw, Senior Director of Content for the Institute for Bible Reading about how church leaders...

Money is one of the most sensitive subjects in the church. It’s also one of the most visible. Churches can struggle with the right amount of financial oversight. On this episode, Thom and Sam discuss four key safeguards for better financial oversight in the church.

There are certain aspects of pastoral ministry that pastors simply do not like. While every pastor is different, our survey found the top ten facets of pastoral ministry like the least. Sam and Thom look at a survey we did ten years ago, and compare it to a recent survey.

Every church has an organizational culture. Some churches have a culture of optimism. You can feel the energy in worship. Others are pessimistic. You can sense the deadness when you walk into the sanctuary. What is the difference between churches that approach obstacles with a “can do” attitude over others that have a “can’t do” attitude? What makes a church have a lively optimism over a dead pess...