Since 2010, depression among teens is up 145% in girls and 161% in boys. During the same time period, anxiety is up 139% in those between the ages of 18 and 25. Josh and Sam discuss the findings from the book The Anxious Generation. Much of the problem stems from the widespread adoption of smartphones. What is the impact on student ministries in churches?

The post Are Smart Phones Killing Student Ministries in Churches? appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom interviews Sam about safe churches. This podcast has vital information about your church. You need to find out if your church is really a safe place.

The post Why Some of Our Churches Are Not Safe Places appeared first on Church Answers.

Many Christian denominations and networks believe that divorce can affect a person’s eligibility for ministry, particularly key roles such as lead pastor. This perspective is rooted in passages such as 1 Timothy 3:2, which states that an overseer must be “above reproach” and “the husband of one wife.” Some interpret this as disqualifying individuals with prior divorces. Josh and Sam discuss their views.

The post Does Divorce Disqualify a Pastor from Ministry? appeared first on Church Answers.

Social capital refers to the unseen connections that unite individuals within a local community. It inspires people to support the local school system even if they don’t have children or to volunteer for a city park cleanup even if they rarely visit it. It’s the cohesive force that strengthens society and sustains a thriving democracy. Ryan Burge joins the show to discuss the connection between social capital and church attendance and how being active in church makes you a better person for your community and nation.

Dive into a deeper, more enriching Bible study experience with the Filament Bible app. Seamlessly connect every page of your Filament-enabled Bible to a treasure trove of resources.

The post The Burge Report: How Church Attendance Makes You a Better American appeared first on Church Answers.

What is the proper protocol for celebrating staff birthdays, work anniversaries, and major milestones? Josh and Sam discuss some ideas on encouraging church staff without going overboard. The co-hosts give guidelines on best practices and what is reasonable.

The post How to Celebrate Church Staff Birthdays, Work Anniversaries, and Major Milestones appeared first on Church Answers.

It’s an exciting thought to have a friend serve alongside you. Ministry is challenging, but it also can be fun, especially if we enjoy the people with whom we work. But hiring a friend does not often end well. In fact, we hear from pastors regularly about the downside of hiring a friend. In this episode, Thom and Sam look at the causes of this failure.

Dive into a deeper, more enriching Bible study experience with the Filament Bible app. Seamlessly connect every page of your Filament-enabled Bible to a treasure trove of resources.

The post Why Hiring Friends Usually Ends in Disaster appeared first on Church Answers.

Churches are not typically early adopters of technology. Boyd Pelley from Church Teams joins Josh and Sam to discuss why churches should embrace new technology sooner. The co-hosts talk about how pastors can become more proficient in the technology space.

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Does your church have clear expectations of church leaders? What positions are considered leadership positions in the church? What areas are your leaders held accountable? Thom and Sam discuss this important but often neglected issue in churches.

Dive into a deeper, more enriching Bible study experience with the Filament Bible app. Seamlessly connect every page of your Filament-enabled Bible to a treasure trove of resources.

The post The Right Expectations Churches Should Have of Pastors appeared first on Church Answers.

Josh and Sam must deal with the reality of being both pastors and dads. We’ve all heard horror stories about pastors’ kids. Are they true? Are pastors’ kids different now than in the past? The co-hosts give their take on the current environment of raising children while also leading a church.

The post What’s Different about Pastor’s Kids These Days? appeared first on Church Answers.

Typically, the first step in making necessary changes is acceptance of the current reality. A church cannot change unless its members and leaders know that the status quo will lead to death. Sam and Thom review five situations where dying churches get stuck and, as a consequence, continue on the path toward death.

Dive into a deeper, more enriching Bible study experience with the Filament Bible app. Seamlessly connect every page of your Filament-enabled Bible to a treasure trove of resources.

The post Do Dying Churches Really Know They Are Dying? appeared first on Church Answers.