Rainer on Leadership

There are good reasons and bad reasons to move from church to church. As leaders, it is important to understand healthy practices for when members of another church visit your church. Highlights: * Listen to them. * Refuse to listen to them bash another pastor or church. * If necessary, suggest they reconcile with the pastor, staff, or members of their church. * In some cases, contact the pastor o...

The welcoming ministry at your church is incredibly vital to the growth of your church. Thom and Sam celebrate the progress being made and discuss how churches can continue to strengthen this ministry. Highlights: Celebrating the progress! * The forgotten role of outside greeters * Bring the tents back! * Signage, signage, signage * Still needed: sanctuary/worship service greeters Other highlights...

Nations on the verge of war use it. A group of children on the playground may even physically draw it. Regardless of who evokes it, the metaphor of a line in the sand is strong. Thom and Sam discuss the four occasions when a pastor should draw a line in the sand. Highlights: When there is a threat to core and foundational biblical issues. * When the pastor's family is being attacked. * When there...

What is the difference between church adoption, church fostering, and church revitalization? Thom and Sam have a helpful and interesting discussion on new trends taking place in North American congregations. Highlights: Church adoption: a church comes into the family. * Church fostering: a church is brought into the family for the short term. * Church revitalization: a church regains health intern...

We hear more and more about attendance frequency becoming a pain point for many churches. After over a decade of having this conversation, Thom and Sam discuss the one key reason many churches are still fighting attendance declines. Highlights: Revisiting the Concept of Attendance Frequency * The Priority/Expectations Factor * The Weekend Worker Demographic * The Focus on Us Instead of Them * Grou...

Thom and Sam spend today’s episode discussing seven fiercely defended traditions in the church, why these particular traditions are so sensitive to many, and how you can help leaders be agents of positive change within your congregations. Highlights: Worship Style * Role of pastor * Worship Time * Specific rooms in the church facility * Order of Worship * One site only * Business and committee str...

What in the world is a Berry Bucket? If you don’t think this is a relevant topic for your church join Thom and Sam as they discuss the Berry Bucket and how it is often the source of church conflict. Highlights: Understanding the Concept of the Berry Bucket Why Years Two and Three Are the Most Common Berry Bucket Conflict Years The Communication Issues with the Berry Bucket Surviving the Berry Buck...

Wouldn’t you like to know what the future holds for your church? Special guest Dave Travis from Generis joins Thom and Sam as they jump in their time machine and discuss issues and trends church leaders must know for 2020. Highlights: What are some demographic issues facing churches in 2020? * Does church attendance matter? * What is meant by "more compact facilities"? * What is the future of smal...

In today’s episode, Thom and Sam discuss an incredibly common topic and major pain point for many churches: change and why resistance to change exists. Highlights: The hunger for stability in a rapidly changing culture. Church members confusing desires with doctrine. The issues surrounding slow pace of change in most churches. The large gap between leadership pace and congregational pace. Other hi...

Today Thom and Sam discuss the purpose of the local church as a key instrument of the Great Commission. Discipleship is the primary tool the church uses to fulfill the Great Commission. The conversation today covers the importance of making disciples and characteristics of discipleship. The difference between decisions and disciples The biblical path of the early Church Accountability is difficult...

Are you following a long-term pastor? Did a long-tenured pastor return to your church as a member? Thom and Sam discuss five considerations when following a long-tenured pastor. This is a great episode about leading well and honoring those who have come before you. Honor your predecessor. No disparaging comments. For a season, let your predecessor know about major changes. Consider taking your pre...

Church practices change with cultural norms. The norm in the church used to be everyone gathering at one time in one place. Today, Thom and Sam discuss changing church practices and five ways to address an oversized sanctuary.  5 Ways to Address the Oversized Sanctuary: Understand the "why" behind the trends. * Use curtains or ropes. * Close off the balcony. * Remodel the facility. * Focus on a la...

Many churches are in the midst of their annual budgeting. Thom and Sam discuss five ways your church budget might be broken. Included in this episode are topics like processes, facility costs, personnel costs, and resourcing outward-focused ministry. * The budgeting process is old and stale. The church has not seriously examined its facility costs. The church has not seriously examined its personn...

From church idols to church busyness, Thom and Sam discuss the major reasons why your church might be stuck. Sometimes the reason a church is stuck is that there is a fear of change, other times because of a bully. Listen in as Thom and Sam talk about the issues and potential solutions. Reasons a church might be stuck: * There is an idolatry of the past. * Critics and bullies are holding the churc...

Today Thom and Sam discuss five problems of having too many “main things.” As the frequency of church attenders decreases you will depend on fewer people more frequently. Leaders will burn out those most committed to the church. * Church members cannot focus on more than one or two priorities. There is a challenge with infrequent attenders A leader cannot emphasize multiple main things well. One o...

In today’s episode, Thom interviews Sam about four things your church should know about fostering another church. There are neighboring churches in your community struggling and need your church’s love. Listen in as the discussion covers leadership tips and boundaries for fostering churches. * The motive has to be pure. * Most fostering will not become adoptions. * The leadership factor still rema...

Today Thom and Sam welcome Joel Wayne, lead pastor for Chapel Pointe in Hudsonville, Michigan, and author of Steer: Eight Practices to Drive Leadership. In this episode, Joel discusses four neglected practices of leaders trying to shape culture. Key learning is to address splinters before they become infectious.  Four Often Neglected Practices of Most Leaders * Shaping (Shifting) Culture * Maintai...

Thom and Sam are joined by Dr. Chuck Lawless from Southeastern Seminary. Today’s discussion is on six shifts in church health and revitalization. The six shifts: * The local church emphasis in church revitalization * The institutional emphasis in church revitalization * The micro-movement * The return to resource-led revitalization  * The neighborhood church movement * The facility adjustment issu...

Does your welcoming ministry feel stale and stagnant? In today’s episode, Thom and Sam discuss four reasons why churches become less welcoming. Every ministry can get in a rut or routine. Listen in on how you can become a more welcoming church. * Leaders in your welcoming ministry are not getting constant reminders. * New members of your welcoming ministry have not been trained. * Pastors are fail...

In this episode, Thom and Sam discuss a key barrier to church growth, parking. If you are leading a healthy and growing church parking will be an issue. Listen in as the discussion focuses on six ways churches are dealing with parking shortages. The six questions from today’s podcast: Ask key church leaders to park in remote places. Some churches use shuttle parking, at least for a season. More ch...

Today’s episode is an important topic in the life of the church leader. Anxiety could come from a number of sources including staff, congregational members, elders, or other church expectations. Thom and Sam take this episode to give some tips on how to find help and stay healthy.

Thom and Sam discuss the possible scenarios in which an internal candidate can transition into a lead pastor role. The discussion considers several perspectives including the internal candidate, external candidate, and potential impact on the church.

Eric Roberts joins the podcast today to discuss how to build a worship ministry. Eric has created over 300 free videos to help churches raise up skilled worship leaders. Training through Eric’s ministry, worshiptheking.com, includes training on guitars, drums, sound, and much more.

Every church has varying membership requirements. In today's podcast Thom and Sam discuss membership classes and the strengths and weaknesses of church expectations.

The local church is responsible for engaging the community. Many churches today are declining because they are too inward focused. In today's episode Thom and Sam discuss the basics of engaging the community and neighborhoods around the church.