Rainer on Leadership

Almost 25 years ago, we completed a research project that yielded the book “Surprising Insights from the Unchurched.” The study was a breakthrough in many ways, shattering long-held myths about how the unchurched felt about the church. What about now? Do the unchurched today have feelings similar to those of a generation ago? Thom and Sam reveal their new research.

Thom and Sam are delighted to welcome Iva May to the Rainer on Leadership podcast. Iva is the founder and director of Chronological Bible Teaching where she directs its day-to-day operations. Her 20 years working in creating the story concept of the Bible as a discipleship tool was integral in creating “The One Year Chronological Study Bible” as well as other Bible literacy resources used to teach...

The election season is probably not the primary catalyst for negativity in your church, but it can exacerbate the negativity already present. Pastors can feed the negativity by not acting with diplomacy and grace. Thom and Sam discuss these issues and what pastors can do to shepherd their congregations when tensions are high.

The data may surprise you. Multiple studies confirm there is a positive correlation between higher education and church attendance. In other words, the more education you receive, the greater the likelihood you attend regularly in a church. Thom and Sam interview Ryan Burge to get the details about this phenomenon in American religion.

When Gen Xers and Millennials were children, many churches shunned trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. Families were told Halloween events were evil and to be avoided. Around the same time, some churches started offering alternative events for neighborhood families. Today, churches have become the place to be on Halloween in many communities. Thom and Sam examine what happened and reminisce abo...

A time is coming when the Baby Boomer generation will no longer be present in churches. Our research writer, Ryan Burge, calls it the “Silver Tsunami.”  Thom and Sam talk about what church leaders should expect when this generational shift occurs.

These five financial mistakes are common in churches of every size. Thom and Sam discuss five “don'ts” of church finance. Correcting these mistakes often yields immediate and measurable results in the financial health of the congregation.

The multisite church movement continues to grow. Today, more small churches start new sites than larger churches. Thom Rainer talks with Jess Rainer about the very practical steps of starting a new site. Jess has started three churches himself.

White evangelicals are among the largest voting groups in America. They tend to vote Republican. Has this tendency always been the case? And what about white evangelical Democrats? Ryan Burge joins Thom and Sam on an election season special to discuss evangelical voting trends.

Thom Rainer and Art Rainer share a “secret” that very few church leaders know. Acting upon this information, the church is almost certain to increase its giving by 20% more.

Most pastors and other ministers understand the tax benefits of housing and the ability to take certain deductions, but many are unaware of these three tax benefits. Thom examines all three.

Ryan Burge and others offer fascinating research about the growth of non-denominational churches, especially compared to denominational churches. Sam and special guest Matt McCraw look at five of the implications of this movement.

In this NOW series, we delve into three different ways churches can raise money effectively through unique revenue streams. For each of the streams, Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services answers three questions.

In this NOW series, we delve into three different ways churches can raise money effectively through unique revenue streams. For each of the streams, Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services answers three questions.

In this NOW series, we delve into three different ways churches can raise money effectively through unique revenue streams. For each of the streams, Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services answers three questions.

Sam is delighted to welcome Amanda Jass to the Rainer on Leadership podcast. Amanda is the general editor of the Go Bible with Tyndale Kids. She loves helping families bring fun and faith into the everyday through her work as a children’s writer, editor, and illustrator. She worked as a kids ministry curriculum developer for several years, and she continues to grow in her passion for teaching kids...

Shepherding a church is a difficult assignment. The spiritual attacks are real, and growing a church is far more challenging now than in the past. However, there are some great benefits of being in ministry. Thom and Sam share five perks that most pastors enjoy.

How bad is the job dissatisfaction level of pastors? More than half of pastors have considered leaving their jobs. What are the leading causes? Stress, isolation, and political division top the list. However, 71% of pastors moderately or completely agree that their lives are close to ideal. What's going on here? Ryan Burge joins Thom and Sam to discuss the true misery level of pastors.

Though counterintuitive, some declining churches start to appreciate their pastors more. This dynamic is usually unhealthy, but not always. Thom and Sam discuss what they see in these situations. What was once unheard of has not become more common.

The annual cost of family health insurance coverage at work is now around $24,000, up about 7% this year. While there are some ways to mitigate these expenses, healthcare costs are up much relative to other goods and services. Since 2000, the cost of medical care has surged by 119%. In comparison, the prices for all consumer goods and services have increased by 85% over the same timeframe. How sho...

Motivation is what prompts someone to act or behave in a certain way. A church must have the right motivation to do outreach. On this week's episode, Thom and Sam talk about the outreach motivators that have staying power in churches.

Don't finish summer without a plan to engage your church and community with a big fall programming launch. Thom and Sam discuss some ways to lift fall attendance in your church through simple communication channels. Any size church can have a great start to the fall season!

A time existed when both Thom and Sam wondered if the mid-size church would dwindle as people transferred into megachurches and planted new churches. Today, mid-size churches have distinct advantages. The co-hosts cover several reasons why mid-size churches have new opportunities to thrive.

Thom and Sam welcome Marc Estes, co-founder of VisitorReach. Marc has a passion for equipping leaders, strengthening churches, and empowering outreach through kingdom innovation. They talk about new trends and opportunities to get people to visit churches in a post-pandemic world.

Presidential election years can be especially contentious, and this year will be no exception. Thom and Sam discuss how church leaders can manage the tension in ways that are helpful to the church body.