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

By EST.church

Business Religion & Spirituality Christianity

What's EST. - For the Established Church with Sam Rainer and Josh King about?

A weekly discussion for the established church about the challenges and issues church leaders face. Hosted by Sam Rainer (West Bradenton Baptist Church, Bradenton FL) and Josh King (2ND Baptist, Conway AR). The show is produced by Jay Allen (facebook.com/jayallenlive/) in Dallas TX.

Download our free app to listen on your phone

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

05.03.2024
Special Two-Part Series: The Secret Sauce For Creating A Thriving Church Culture — An Interview with Dr. Justin Irving
Can you shape church culture for the better? Yes! Dr. Justin Irving, a professor of leadership at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, joins Josh and Sam for a special two-part episode and shares how churches can have a thriving culture....
05.03.2024
Special Two-Part Series: How To Be A Healthy Pastor In A Toxic Church — An Interview with Dr. Justin Irving
What should you do if you inherit a toxic church situation? How can you remain healthy as a pastor? Dr. Justin Irving, a professor of leadership at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, joins Josh and Sam for a special two-part...
05.03.2024
Established Church Lingo that Hinders Growth (Ep. 388)
Words can help establish church culture. Be careful with your vocabulary! Josh and Sam discuss the impact of leadership lingo and how pastors can use language to guide the congregation. Language is an important way to set expectations in the...
04.26.2024
Is the Traditional Church Campus a Hurdle for Guests? (Ep. 387)
Many traditional churches have a "look" to the campus. Josh and Sam discuss whether or not it's a hindrance for guests. Do big columns and a steeple have any impact on the perceptions of people in the neighborhood? They do,...
04.19.2024
Good Reasons Why Your Church Should Accept Transfer Growth (Ep. 386)
Not all transfer growth is bad. Not every person is a church hopper, looking for the next best thing. In fact, there are good reasons to transfer to another church, even one right down the road. Josh and Sam unpack five reasons...
04.12.2024
Does Live Streaming Help or Hurt the Church? (Ep. 385)
Just about every church started live streaming during the pandemic, but views have been down significantly since then. Is live streaming a relic of the pandemic? Is it still worth the time? Josh and Sam talk about their perspectives on the pros and...
04.05.2024
What Do Pastors Really Tell Their Kids about the Church? (Ep. 384)
Should pastors share the inner workings of the church with their children? Josh and Sam discuss what they do in their homes. As fathers, they want what is best for their children. What should pastors share with their children about...
03.29.2024
How to Lead a Whiteboard Session with Church Leadership (Ep. 383)
What is a whiteboard session and how can you lead one with your church? Josh and Sam discuss some best practices. The term refers to a meeting in which a group of people collaborates with an open mind. The whiteboard...
03.22.2024
The Top Three Things NOT to Do as a New Pastor (Ep. 382)
Josh and Sam share some of the lessons learned from being new pastors at a church. What are three things you don't want to do? Don't attempt to change everything. Don't start with a heavy or gimmicky sermon series. And...
03.15.2024
What Happened to All the Celebrity Preachers? (Ep. 381)
For a season, it seemed like the Christian evangelical world was dominated by celebrity preachers. What happened to this movement? Josh and Sam discuss some reasons why there is less of an emphasis on big names with big platforms. The...
03.08.2024
When You're a Younger Pastor of an Older Church (Ep. 380)
You've likely heard the horror stories of what can happen when a younger pastor goes to an older church. But it doesn't have to be this way. On this episode, Josh and Sam discuss ways this arrangement can work well....
03.01.2024
The Real Momentum Driving Comeback Churches (Ep. 379)
What gets the process of revitalization started? Momentum has to be built somehow. Josh and Sam talk about comeback churches and what you can do to start making progress. While challenging, there are certain practical steps you can take to...
02.23.2024
Should Churches Offer Bonuses to Paid Staff? The Pros and Cons (Ep. 378)
Bonuses can be a positive motivator for church staff. Done poorly, they can be detrimental. Whether you offer merit-based bonuses is a key decision. Josh and Sam discuss the good and bad of offering bonuses and best practices for churches....
02.16.2024
Seven Styles of Preaching to Avoid (Ep. 377)
Preachers have different personalities and should develop their own voices. However, some styles of preaching are not beneficial. Josh and Sam discuss seven styles of preaching to avoid. They discuss styles like the "look at me" preacher and the "aimless...
02.09.2024
Seven Handwritten Cards Every Pastor Needs to Write (Ep. 376)
Some old-school habits are worth keeping. Handwritten notes are a quick way to make a significant impact on your congregation. But when should you write these notes? And to whom? Josh and Sam discuss seven opportunities to handwrite a note....
02.02.2024
Are Wednesday Nights Dead or Your Biggest Opportunity? (Ep. 375)
The midweek gathering was once a big part of the church calendar. Josh and Sam discuss what happened to Wednesday nights and whether churches should continue using the timeslot as part of the overall strategy. Perhaps it's dead in your...
01.26.2024
Why Pastoring a Church Is One of the Weirdest Jobs (Ep. 374)
We all have our quirks, but churches can be especially weird. Josh and Sam delve into these eccentricities with some humor. Sharing some of their most amusing anecdotes, they embrace and celebrate the unique, often awkward, aspects of ministry.Episode Sponsors:Churchteams:Are...
01.19.2024
How to Kill Programs and Events without Hurting Your Church (Ep. 373)
Every season has its end, and this includes church programs and events. When the moment arrives for them to go, the question arises. How should a pastor gracefully navigate ending them? Terminating a program or event is not always straightforward...
01.12.2024
How to Leave a Church without Burning It Down (Ep. 372)
When you leave a church, what should you say as you exit? There is a time to speak up. And there is a time to shut up. But how can you discern? Josh and Sam discuss the ways you can...
01.05.2024
The Future of KidMin for Small and Mid-Size Churches (Ep. 371)
Children's ministry has changed rapidly in the last few years, especially at small and mid-size churches. Curriculum choices are becoming more important. Volunteer needs are creating new stress points. Anxiety among children is on the rise. And hiring is shifting...
12.29.2023
How Your Church Can Use Sports Outreach to Invite Families In (Ep. 370)
Almost every church wants to focus more on outreach. Recreation ministry is a great way to connect with the neighborhood around your church. Unfortunately, many churches overlook the power of sports, even though the popularity of sports is overwhelming. Josh...
12.22.2023
Who Should Know What about Top Church Givers? (Ep. 369)
Most every church has expectations with giving records. Who can know what and when? Smaller churches can be even more challenging, especially if a couple of families are giving the majority of funds. What should you do if you are...
12.15.2023
What We Expect to Happen in Churches in 2024 (Ep. 368)
The upcoming year could prove pivotal for many churches. Josh and Sam discuss what they expect to happen in churches in 2024. Trends in giving are changing. The roles of women in leadership could reach a boiling point in some...
12.08.2023
Why Now Is the Time Every Church Should Consider Recreation Ministry (Ep. 367)
Recreation ministry is one of the biggest opportunities for churches right now. It's a great way to connect spiritual health with physical health. Josh and Sam interview Drew Provence, the Director of Partner Engagement at Upward Sports. The three of...
12.01.2023
Making the Most of a Very Busy December (Ep. 366)
The month of December is a chaotic mess of busyness for most pastors. Josh and Sam discuss why in this episode. The co-hosts give some practical tips on how to manage the stress of December and have a little fun....
11.24.2023
Why Pastors Consider Leaving Churches for a Marketplace Job (Ep. 365)
There is a growing trend of pastors seeking a marketplace job outside of ministry. What's happening? Eric Hoke joins Josh and Sam to discuss the implications. More pastors are finding it difficult to make ends meet financially, while at the...
11.17.2023
Should Pastors Care About Making More Money? (Ep. 364)
Does a pastor's salary matter? If so, to what degree? Art Rainer, president of Christian Money Solutions, joins Sam on this week's episode. They discuss the sensitive subject of money. Ministry can be tough for a variety of reasons, but...
11.10.2023
The Best Technology to Encourage Church Communication (Ep. 363)
What's the best way to use technology to communicate with your church? Boyd Pelley, co-founder of Churchteams, joins Sam on the show to discuss how churches use different system to communicate with people throughout the assimilation process. When should you...
11.03.2023
Should Every Church Staff Person Get a Computer, Cell Phone, and Other Tech Needs? (Ep. 362)
Churches should provide basic tools for pastors and staff to accomplish their jobs. Josh and Sam discuss the best practices for providing church staff with technology needs. They share how to set up the budget and what accountability should be...
10.27.2023
The Debate Over Ad Hoc Committees vs. Standing Committees (Ep. 361)
On this episode, Josh proposes what he believes is a secret weapon for church leaders. Ad Hoc committees are used to make specific decisions within a determined timeframe. Sam counters with why he believes standing committees are also important. When...
10.20.2023
Should Pastors Office Onsite or Offsite? (Ep. 360)
Sam moved his office to the third floor of the church's education building. Josh moved his entire team to an offsite office building two miles from the church campus. Who made the best move and why? On this episode, the...
10.13.2023
Is the Bulletin and Print Communication Finally Dead in Churches? (Ep. 359)
Many churches killed their worship bulletins during the pandemic. Are they totally dead? No, and they are beginning to make a comeback. Josh and Sam discuss their perspective on how churches can use print media in strategic ways. What should...
10.06.2023
What's Really Happening Now at U.S. Megachurches? (Ep. 358)
Current and accurate megachurch stats are hard to find. While there are still many megachurches in the United States, the movement is beginning to wane. What was a Baby Boomer movement is not energizing younger generations in the same way....
09.29.2023
How Encouragement from Lay People Helps Keep Pastors in a Safe Place (Ep. 357)
Talk is cheap, but encouragement is worth its weight in gold. Why do pastors need encouragement? And how can lay people in the church help pastors by being more encouraging? Josh and Sam interview Joe Humphries of jhgroup.pro. Joe is...
09.22.2023
Recovering from Ministry Trauma and Church Hurt (Ep. 356)
Every church leader should work to minimize hurt and maximize unity among the congregation. Sometimes the church hurts the pastor. Sometimes the pastor hurts the church. Josh and Sam discuss the difference between trauma and church hurt. On this episode,...
09.15.2023
Our A/C Blew Up and Now It Costs $2M to Fix It (Ep. 355)
There is a looming deferred maintenance crisis coming for churches. Big facility costs can be challenging. Josh and Sam talk about the situation at West Bradenton with the failing air conditioning system. What can churches do to minimize the risk...
09.08.2023
Why Every Church's Demographics Are Shifting (And What You Must Do) (Ep. 354)
Guess what? Your community is changing whether you realize it or not. Demographics are shifting just about everywhere in the United States. What should the church do? Josh and Sam get feisty in this episode with some differing views. They...
09.01.2023
Taking a Big Risk When Making a Ministry Transition (Ep. 353)
You will not lead a comfortable life when you do ministry with conviction. What constitutes a "big risk" in ministry? Josh and Sam interview Scott Pattison of the Global Methodist Church. Scott took a significant risk later in his ministry...
08.25.2023
Why The Church Search Process Is Getting Weird (Ep. 352)
Search committees can be strange creatures. Josh and Sam talk about the church search process from the perspective of the pastor. It seems there are few standards among search committees. They all act differently. Additionally, many churches are searching for...
08.18.2023
What We're Hearing at Ground Level from 30-Something and 40-Something Pastors (Ep. 351)
What are pastors in their 30s and 40s saying right now? Josh and Sam discuss a few items they are hearing at ground level. With the average age of a pastor being around 60 years old, there are far fewer...
08.11.2023
Why Bigger Is Not Better (Going to a Smaller Church) (Ep. 350)
For decades, the pattern for most pastors was to "climb the ladder" from a small church to a mid-size church, then land at a large church. What if bigger is not better? Josh and Sam discuss why some pastors may...
08.04.2023
Corporate Prayer Has Left the Church Building (Ep. 349)
Josh and Sam discuss a recent survey that reveals where people pray. Far fewer people pray in the church building than they thought. How can congregations teach corporate prayer and encourage people to pray more? This episode covers best practices...
07.28.2023
What Does Leading by Example Really Look Like? (Ep. 348)
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...
07.21.2023
The Surprise Optimism in American Churches (Ep. 347)
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...
07.14.2023
Meeting Fatigue and Death by Committee (Ep. 346)
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...
07.07.2023
Patriotism, Elections, and All the Controversial Political Stuff (Ep. 345)
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...
06.30.2023
Why Churches Lag Behind with Technology (and How You Can Get Ahead) (Ep. 344)
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...
06.23.2023
Best Practices for Holding Church Staff Accountable (Ep. 343)
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....
06.16.2023
What Should Churches Do in the Dog Days of Summer? (Ep. 342)
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...
06.09.2023
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Ministry Sabbaticals for Pastors (Ep. 341)
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...

What's EST. - For the Established Church with Sam Rainer and Josh King about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

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

Special Two-Part Series: The Secret Sauce For Creating A Thriving Church Culture — An Interview with Dr. Justin Irving

Special Two-Part Series: How To Be A Healthy Pastor In A Toxic Church — An Interview with Dr. Justin Irving

Established Church Lingo that Hinders Growth (Ep. 388)

Is the Traditional Church Campus a Hurdle for Guests? (Ep. 387)

Good Reasons Why Your Church Should Accept Transfer Growth (Ep. 386)

Does Live Streaming Help or Hurt the Church? (Ep. 385)

What Do Pastors Really Tell Their Kids about the Church? (Ep. 384)

How to Lead a Whiteboard Session with Church Leadership (Ep. 383)

The Top Three Things NOT to Do as a New Pastor (Ep. 382)

What Happened to All the Celebrity Preachers? (Ep. 381)

When You're a Younger Pastor of an Older Church (Ep. 380)

The Real Momentum Driving Comeback Churches (Ep. 379)

Should Churches Offer Bonuses to Paid Staff? The Pros and Cons (Ep. 378)

Seven Styles of Preaching to Avoid (Ep. 377)

Seven Handwritten Cards Every Pastor Needs to Write (Ep. 376)

Are Wednesday Nights Dead or Your Biggest Opportunity? (Ep. 375)

Why Pastoring a Church Is One of the Weirdest Jobs (Ep. 374)

How to Kill Programs and Events without Hurting Your Church (Ep. 373)

How to Leave a Church without Burning It Down (Ep. 372)

The Future of KidMin for Small and Mid-Size Churches (Ep. 371)

How Your Church Can Use Sports Outreach to Invite Families In (Ep. 370)

Who Should Know What about Top Church Givers? (Ep. 369)

What We Expect to Happen in Churches in 2024 (Ep. 368)

Why Now Is the Time Every Church Should Consider Recreation Ministry (Ep. 367)

Making the Most of a Very Busy December (Ep. 366)

Why Pastors Consider Leaving Churches for a Marketplace Job (Ep. 365)

Should Pastors Care About Making More Money? (Ep. 364)

The Best Technology to Encourage Church Communication (Ep. 363)

Should Every Church Staff Person Get a Computer, Cell Phone, and Other Tech Needs? (Ep. 362)

The Debate Over Ad Hoc Committees vs. Standing Committees (Ep. 361)

Should Pastors Office Onsite or Offsite? (Ep. 360)

Is the Bulletin and Print Communication Finally Dead in Churches? (Ep. 359)

What's Really Happening Now at U.S. Megachurches? (Ep. 358)

How Encouragement from Lay People Helps Keep Pastors in a Safe Place (Ep. 357)

Recovering from Ministry Trauma and Church Hurt (Ep. 356)

Our A/C Blew Up and Now It Costs $2M to Fix It (Ep. 355)

Why Every Church's Demographics Are Shifting (And What You Must Do) (Ep. 354)

Taking a Big Risk When Making a Ministry Transition (Ep. 353)

Why The Church Search Process Is Getting Weird (Ep. 352)

What We're Hearing at Ground Level from 30-Something and 40-Something Pastors (Ep. 351)

Why Bigger Is Not Better (Going to a Smaller Church) (Ep. 350)

Corporate Prayer Has Left the Church Building (Ep. 349)

What Does Leading by Example Really Look Like? (Ep. 348)

The Surprise Optimism in American Churches (Ep. 347)

Meeting Fatigue and Death by Committee (Ep. 346)

Patriotism, Elections, and All the Controversial Political Stuff (Ep. 345)

Why Churches Lag Behind with Technology (and How You Can Get Ahead) (Ep. 344)

Best Practices for Holding Church Staff Accountable (Ep. 343)

What Should Churches Do in the Dog Days of Summer? (Ep. 342)

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Ministry Sabbaticals for Pastors (Ep. 341)