EST. - For the Established Church with Sam Rainer and Josh King

The advice is almost cliche. Pastors should lead by example. But how? On this episode, Josh and Sam tackle several categories. They discuss spiritual health, physical health, emotional health, financial health, and relational health. Pastors can, and should, lead by example in these areas. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduli...

Amazingly, 82% of congregants have an optimistic perspective about their churches, while only 16% have a pessimistic outlook. Josh and Sam break down the reasons why this optimism exists. The positive view of a specific local church can be detached from an overall negative view of churches. Additionally, many churches lost people on the periphery in the last three years, but those in the core who...

Some pastors love meetings. Others hate them. Josh and Sam discuss why. Fatigue starts when meetings become unproductive. Listen to this episode to maximize the meetings you need and reduce the ones you do not need. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under...

For the July 4th episode of Est. Church, Josh and Sam discuss patriotic services, whether or not pastors should tell their congregation how to vote, and how involved the church should be in local politics. Grab a hot dog, roast a marshmallow, and listen to this week's discussion on the church and politics. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, members...

Churches are not typically early adopters of technology. Boyd Pelley from Church Teams joins Josh and Sam to discuss how your church can get ahead of the tech curve. The co-hosts also discuss privacy concerns with church management software and what your church can do for security. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Chur...

Accountability is the acceptance of responsibility for your actions. But what does this acceptance look like with paid church staff? In any work environment, including the church, you must codify expectations. These formal guidelines should be consistent, ethical, and reasonable. How should lead pastors hold staff accountable? Josh and Sam discuss some best practices, including five essential stan...

Summer is in full swing, which means VBS, church picnics, camps, and mission trips. Josh and Sam discuss some good strategies for keeping your church engaged during the summer months. You don't need to break your rhythms! Summer can be a good time to focus on equipping existing members, reaching new residents, and training volunteers. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for chu...

Are sabbaticals for pastors a solution in search of a problem? Or are they helpful tools to refresh your ministry? Josh and Sam have very different takes on this subject. They discuss the difference between sabbaticals and vacations, as well as the suggested length and purpose of sabbaticals. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and sched...

Levity is a powerful tool. Using humor in your sermons can disarm people and help communicate difficult topics in a way that resonates with people. But how much is too much? And when should you use humor? Tim Boyd joins the show with Josh and Sam to discuss the use of humor in sermons. Tim is a comedian and a pastor. You can find him at TimBoydComedy.com. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple...

Worship attendance is still the metric of success in churches. Josh and Sam cover why churches count, and they offer practical advice on how to make the practice beneficial to the spiritual health of the congregation. Included in this episode is a discussion about the connection between small groups and congregants attending worship more often. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applicatio...

Are church members requesting more counseling from their pastors? Yes! Josh and Sam talk about some of the reasons and how pastors can handle these requests. They cover the difference between spiritual shepherding and professional counseling. In addition, the co-hosts discuss some ways pastors can give people hard advice in a loving way. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for...

We're removed from the crisis moment of the pandemic, but some of the effects still linger. Has trust with pastors broken down? Josh and Sam discuss their perspectives on what's happening in the church. More reshuffling of pastors is likely to occur in the near future. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was b...

Rob Paul from Huffman Baptist joins the show with Josh and Sam to discuss an amazing turnaround story. How do you lead an established church out of a death spiral? Rob shares how Huffman's campus shifted from albatross to asset while also becoming a multi-ethnic congregation. You can connect with him at RobPaul.net . Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, givi...

Boyd Pelley joins the show with Sam to discuss how churches can help older members adopt new technology. Churches should value generational diversity, and technology can actually build a bridge between generations. This show covers the difference between digital natives and digital immigrants. If you had to select one technology tool to help your older members adopt, what would it be? Boyd shares...

According to a recent Barna study, job satisfaction among pastors is down 20 percentage points. Why? Josh and Sam give their reasons why they think the drop is occurring. Church growth is harder now than in the past. People can be hyper-critical while at the same time being hyper-connected. The pastoral job description has greatly expanded. Networks and denominations are weaker than they used to b...

Barnabas Piper joins Sam and Josh on the show. They discuss the different ways churches utilize deacons. Should you rotate deacons or not? What should smaller churches with one or two deacons do? Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with be...

Josh and Sam comment on a study from Lifeway Research. What are the best ways to make guests feel at home? The study revealed how churches welcome guests: Meet the pastor (96%) Greeters at entrances (95%) Guest cards (83%) Centrally located information desk (78%) Meet and greet during the services (69%) Info session about the church (65%) Gifts for guests (42%) Ask guests to stand in the service (...

Nine out of ten churches in North America are 250 people and under. How can a normal-sized church do a pastoral transition in a healthy way? Josh and Sam talk about the role of search teams and personnel teams. Move quickly, not slowly. Communicate well with both the church and the candidates. Don't hold a beauty contest! You don't need to be unanimous to make a decision. Episode Sponsor: Are you...

What steps can you take to cultivate your child’s spiritual growth and provide them with tools to develop a deep and meaningful relationship with God? In this episode, Josh and Sam discuss what needs to happen after your child accepts Christ. You can get free resources at salvation.churchanswers.com . 1. Purchase a Bible . 2. Record a video of your child's testimony. 3. Write a handwritten note to...

Born between 1965 and 1979, Gex X does not get the attention of the Boomers and Millennials. But this generation is important to the church. Josh and Sam talk about the reasons why they love Gen X church members. They don't complain, work hard, and tend to be laid back. They were also the first to embrace contemporary church models. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for churc...

Is your church guest-friendly? Josh and Sam get back to the basics with first impressions and talk about some ways churches might drive away guests. 1. Confusion in the parking lot 2. Unfriendliness in the foyer 3. Dirty kids' areas 4. Bad website 5. Boring, bad, or dated sermons 6. Sitting alone 7. Ineffective follow-up Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in,...

You can't reach your community unless you know your community. Josh and Sam cover some key demographics most church leaders miss. Your church address is not an accident. God sovereignly placed your church in its location to reach the people around you. Do you know them? Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was...

Succession planning in churches is not working well. While there are some good examples out there, many of these efforts fail. Josh and Sam give their thoughts on how succession planning can go better--from the perspectives of the exiting pastor, new pastor, and church. Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was...

Hospitality is one of the most underrated spiritual gifts. People learn God's Word better when they are in hospitable environments. Kendall Vanderslice joins the show with Josh and Sam to discuss how churches can utilize meals and times of fellowship to make better disciples. Check out her latest book, By Bread Alone , and additional resources at the Edible Theology Project . Episode Sponsor: Are...

Established church pastors do a lot of funerals. Josh and Sam discuss how funerals are better now and why. They give some tips for scheduling, ministering to the family, and preaching the service. They also answer one of the top theological questions church members ask: Is cremation ok? Episode Sponsor: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling?...