The Church Answers Podcast

What if a first-time guest experienced your church the way a customer experiences Amazon? No confusion. No friction. No wasted steps. Just clarity, care, and consistency. This episode is not about turning the church into a corporation. It’s about learning from an organization that obsesses over people, removes barriers relentlessly, and improves every system on purpose. Today, Thom and Jess ask a...

Thom and Jess welcome John Wentz, the president of Alpha USA, to The Church Answers Podcast.

Thom and Jess look at seven key traits of long-term pastors.

Jess and Thom share the top seven reasons pastors told us they felt led to leave a church.

Jess and Thom share the top seven reasons pastors choose to go to a church.

The Enemy seeks to destroy. He loathes evangelism and will do anything he can to hinder church members from sharing the gospel. Jess and Thom share five of his most common tactics.

Thom knows this person well, because he is one. He and Jess dive into how church leaders can best understand and utilize introverts in the church.

Thom and Jess continue to examine the largest unchurched group in America, the U3s. In this episode, the Rainers provide some highly practical ways to reach them.

There are 30 to 35 million unchurched people in the United States, whom we call “the U3s.” Thom and Jess describe this unreached field and examine its key traits.

The Rainer Scale helps churches understand how open an unchurched person is to the gospel, to spiritual conversation, and to attending church. It is not a judgment of spiritual worth, but a practical tool for identifying likely openness.

Thom and Jess conclude the “Future Church” series with an episode that puts church size into perspective. In an age when many pastors feel pressure to grow larger, the reality is that most congregations are small—and that’s not a problem. This episode explores what the data actually reveals about church attendance, why most churches are smaller than we think, and how leaders can find encouragement...

Thom and Jess continue the “Future Church” series with an episode on how church staffing is changing in this new era of ministry. Churches are smaller, leaner, and more focused than ever. Budgets are tighter, but opportunities for mission are wider. The result is a new kind of church staff—leaders who serve both inside and outside the church, combining pastoral calling with marketplace skills. In...

The Rainers continue the 6-part series called “The Future Church.” Over the next episodes, we’ll explore how the landscape of ministry is changing—and how leaders can prepare with wisdom, courage, and hope. Thom and Jess discuss how churches are making evangelism more than a slogan or a sermon topic—how to make it visible, tangible, and celebrated in the life of the congregation. Most believers ge...

Thom and Jess continue the “Future Church” series with an episode focused on one of the most important—and most misunderstood—topics in today’s congregations: evangelism. The way people come to faith is changing, and so are the methods churches use to share the gospel. Attendance patterns are different. Communities are more skeptical of institutions. And more often than not, the first place someon...

Welcome back to The Church Answers Podcast and to our ongoing series called “The Future Church.” In each episode, Thom and Jess Rainer unpack the shifts shaping tomorrow’s congregations—and how pastors and leaders can prepare today. In this episode, we’re looking at a subject every church feels: money. The financial landscape of ministry is changing rapidly. Attendance patterns have shifted, givin...

Welcome to a brand-new series on The Church Answers Podcast called “The Future Church.” Over the next six episodes, we’ll explore how the landscape of ministry is changing—and how leaders can prepare with wisdom, courage, and hope. In this first episode, Thom and Jess begin by looking at one of the most intriguing movements shaping the future: the rise of the microchurch. This small, mission-drive...

Jess interviews Thom in this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Church Answers. They examine the evolution of resources from the company's inception to the present day.

Jess interviews Thom in this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Church Answers. How did Church Answers begin? What is its primary thrust? Who is a part of Church Answers?

It would not be a surprise if over one-half of your church members need personal financial counseling. Jess and Thom interview Art Rainer, president of Christian Money Solutions, to find out how you can help those church members.

How can I lead my church toward greater generosity? We hear that question often. Thom and Jess interview Art Rainer, president of Christian Money Solutions, to get some highly practical advice.

In this conversation, Jess and Thom discuss the fleeting nature of digital influence. Algorithms shift, platforms fade, and online visibility is temporary. What happens when your church—or your ministry—disappears from the feed? This episode explores how to build something lasting in a world designed to forget.

Thom and Jess tackle the growing challenge of polarization inside and outside the church. As cultural extremes grow louder, pastors often find themselves without a safe “middle ground.” How can church leaders stay faithful, gracious, and clear in such an environment?

Keith and Kristyn Getty recently released "The Sing! Hymnal." This publication is a major development in worship music and hymnody. Jess and Thom speak with Keith Getty about its creation and importance. Here are some of the questions they asked him.

Keith and Kristyn Getty recently released "The Sing! Hymnal." This publication is a major development in worship music and hymnody. Jess and Thom speak with Keith Getty about its creation and importance. Here are some of the questions they asked him.

Jess and Thom explore how the humble farmers market might hold surprising lessons for church life. In a world drawn to authenticity and community, what if the local church functioned more like a neighborhood market — relational, participatory, and grounded in place?