Rainer On Leadership

Thom and Sam are delighted to welcome Brady Shearer to the Rainer on Leadership podcast. Brady is the CEO of Pro Church Tools. His work helps churches navigate what he calls "the single biggest communication shift we've seen in the last 500 years." The post Three Major Future Shifts for Churches You May Not Expect: An Interview with Brady Shearer appeared first on Church Answers.

The Southern Baptist Convention is experiencing a decline in the scope and scale that is unprecedented in American church history. As the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., the declines in the SBC are noteworthy for many reasons. Ryan Burge joins Thom and Sam on this special episode to discuss what's happening and what the future may hold for the SBC. The post The Burge Report: A Deep Dive into the Decline of the Southern Baptist Convention appeared first on Church Answers.

It is fascinating to engage church leaders and members about their understanding of discipleship. Frankly, it means different things to different people. Sam and Thom discuss the importance of getting clarity about discipleship in a local church. The post The Confusion about the Word “Discipleship” appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom welcomes Dr. Naomi Cramer Overton and Misty Arterburn. The Every Woman’s Bible by Tyndale House Publishers is a study Bible for the heart and mind. The relevant and timely features in this Bible focus on what hundreds of women say they desire from a Bible. Over one hundred scholars, writers, and contributors—all women—from around the world invite readers into serious study and deep reflection through this Bible and to connection in the global community. The post Why Every Woman in Your Church Needs This Bible: An Interview with Naomi Cramer Overton and Misty Arterburn appeared first on Church Answers.

As the median size of a church gets smaller, more are in the predicament of being supported by a handful of key donors. Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services joins Thom and Sam to discuss what these churches can do. Not every case is dire, but the long-term viability of a congregation is at stake when one or two key donors are responsible for most of the budget. The post A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services: Episode #3 – What Should You Do When a Handful of Key Donors Support the Church – An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer appeared first on Church Answers.

Most gifts to churches are given without designating how the funds should be spent. However, there are cases when donors restrict their donations or give to a designated account. While every donation helps kingdom work, designated gifts can be tricky. Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services joins Thom and Sam, and they discuss some of the nuances around restricted giving. The post A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services: Episode #2 – The Upside and Downside of Designated Giving in Churches – An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer appeared first on Church Answers.

Talking to key givers in the church does not have to be awkward. Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services joins Thom and Sam to discuss how pastors can make the ask without feeling icky. They discuss some best practices that any pastor can follow. The post A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services: Episode #1 – Making the Ask: How Pastors Should Approach Key Church Donors – An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer appeared first on Church Answers.

There have been steady but subtle shifts in how churches hire staff and call ministers for years. Many of those shifts have accelerated since COVID. Sam and Thom look at four of the most significant shifts. The post Four Major Shifts in Church Staffing appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom welcomes Scott Beck, co-founder and CEO of Gloo, a technology platform that releases the collective might of the faith ecosystem. After starting and scaling successful businesses including Blockbuster Video, Einstein's Bagel, Boston Market, and Angie’s List (now Angi), Scott turned his expertise to helping ministry leaders scale their impact through tech. Gloo helps 60,000 church leaders in using tech to engage their people and reach local communities. The post Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Overcoming Failure: An Interview with Scott Beck appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Sam examine long-term trends in corporate worship services. Some of the data surprised them. You might be surprised too. The post Speaking in Tongues and Other Trending Worship Issues appeared first on Church Answers.

America is not yet a godless nation, but we are becoming a less churched nation. While people say they believe in God, fewer are attending a house of worship. Ryan Burge joins the show with Thom and Sam to discuss the data driving these trends. But not all the trends are negative. In fact, one group is seeing more people attend church now than in the past: conservative evangelicals. The post Who Is Attending Church MORE Frequently Now Than in the Past? appeared first on Church Answers.

Does the doctrine of the church affect the potential for growth? It depends. Thom and Sam analyze historical macro trends in church growth. Growing churches tend to be more conservative, and liberal churches tend to decline. But doctrine alone is not the entire story. The co-hosts discuss recent church history, doctrine, and the growth of churches. The post The Impact of Doctrine on Church Growth appeared first on Church Answers.

Members will inevitably attach themselves to certain leaders in the church. In multiple-staff churches, this attachment is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, you should expect church members to get close to some of the staff, especially if they serve in their ministries. On the other hand, these constituencies can become problematic when used as leverage to influence the direction of the church. The post The Good and Bad of Church Staff Having their Own Constituencies appeared first on Church Answers.

Pastors do not have unlimited hours and resources to write sermons. Additionally, pastors have workweeks much longer than church members realize because of the invisible nature of sermon preparation. But how long should it take to write a typical sermon? Well, it depends. Thom and Sam discuss what's normal in ministry and how you can become more efficient. The post How Much Time Should a Pastor Spend Preparing Sermons Each Week? appeared first on Church Answers.

Elections are contentious. They have been for most of our nation’s history. The tensions surrounding this year’s coming election season should not be a surprise. To what degree should pastors be involved in the political process? Thom and Sam discuss this hot-button issue on today's episode. The post Should Pastors Endorse Political Candidates? appeared first on Church Answers.

Sadly, Church Answers is getting an increasing number of consultation requests from churches wanting to deal with the issue of possibly closing their churches. Thom and Sam look at the five issues churches should consider before making such a dramatic move. The post Should We Close Our Church? Five Issues to Consider appeared first on Church Answers.

Todd Brown is the CEO of Brown Church Development Group, a national church design/build firm. In this three-part podcast series, we will look at ministry focused design. In this third part, we talk with Todd about the ways in which church design impacts the culture of a church. The post A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: Episode #3 – How Does Church Design Impact the Culture of a Church? With Todd Brown appeared first on Church Answers.

Todd Brown is the CEO of Brown Church Development Group, a national church design/build firm. In this three-part podcast series, we will look at ministry-focused design. In this second part, we talk with Todd about what it means to balance a facility, focusing on groups. The post A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: Episode #2 – How Do Groups Change a Facility? With Todd Brown appeared first on Church Answers.

Todd Brown is the CEO of Brown Church Development Group, a national church design/build firm. In this three-part podcast series, we will look at ministry focused design. In this first part, we talk with Todd about how to build ministry value in a facility design.  The post A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: Episode #1 – How Do You Build a Church Facility Design for Ministry? With Todd Brown appeared first on Church Answers.

The median age of pastors continues to get older. At Church Answers, we often speak with pastors who are contemplating retirement. Sam and Thom address the five most common questions we ask these pastors so that we can help them in their decision-making process. The post Should I Plan to Retire from My Church? Five Questions appeared first on Church Answers.