Rainer on Leadership

By Thom Rainer

What's Rainer on Leadership about?

Your online home for leadership lessons for both the church and the workplace.

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Five Reasons Why Churches A...

05.23.2023

https://youtu.be/4iPGDbTT9qk One of the more concerning trends in North American churches is the increasing length of time it takes churches to call a pastor. Thom and Sam give both cultural and demographic realities for this trend. 1. Few churches are ...

Rainer on Leadership episodes:

05.23.2023 Five Reasons Why Churches Are Taking Longer to Find Pastors (Update) https://youtu.be/4iPGDbTT9qk One of the more concerning trends in North American churches is the increasing length of time it takes churches to call a pastor. Thom and Sam give both cultural and demographic realities for this trend. 1. Few churches are ...
05.16.2023 Five Current Trends in Churches Fostering Churches https://youtu.be/3yLG7JXRzs8 Church fostering is one church helping another church for a specified period of time. There has been a lot of interest in the topic, so Thom and Sam explore where the church-fostering movement is headed. 1. The interest in ...
05.09.2023 The New Fight for Life: An Interview with Benjamin Watson https://youtu.be/gy0jMa0CvwM Thom and Sam welcome Benjamin Watson, author of the upcoming book, “The New Fight for Life: Roe, Race, and a Pro-Life Commitment to Justice.” Benjamin is a former NFL player who now serves as VP of strategic relationships with ...
05.02.2023 How Involved Should the Lead Pastor Be When Hiring New Church Staff? https://youtu.be/NMJmqC6fF6w In most cases, the lead pastor has oversight of church staff. How much authority should the lead pastor have when hiring new church staff? This question recently came up in Church Answers Central from one of our members (Thanks ...
04.25.2023 The Best Personality for Pastoral Leadership https://youtu.be/0G6YZTRBJtQ Every church is different. Pastors have their own personalities. With church leadership, should the personality of the pastor fit the congregation? Personality is not the only factor in determining the fit, but it is one to consider. Personalities can ...
04.18.2023 Should Christians Give to the Homeless Man on the Street Corner? Money and Ethics: An Interview with Dr. Art Rainer and Dr. Dave Jones https://youtu.be/fzficb_HGgc Thom and Sam welcome two special guests to the show: Dr. Art Rainer, host of the More Than Money podcast, and Dr. David W. Jones, Professor of Christian Ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. 1. Define ethics for our ...
04.11.2023 Millennials Are the Least Mobile Generation (Your Church Can Reach and Keep Them) https://youtu.be/XHX0U8vJwX8 Millennials are the least mobile of the last four generations. They don’t move nearly as much as their parents and grandparents. You might find this stat surprising. What’s going on? Thom and Sam discuss on this week's episode. The ...
04.04.2023 Church Members Are Getting Much Older (The Real Stat and What It Means) https://youtu.be/3OqminesYpU Most churches are aging. But how much? Is there a looming generational crisis? Thom and Sam tackle this topic in this week's episode. Is the median age of a church member higher or lower than the median age in ...
03.28.2023 The Giving Crisis: An Interview with Andrew McNair https://youtu.be/Z1CqdHjym64 Andrew McNair is the host of the Rich Young Powerful podcast, a financial commentator, author of “The Giving Crisis”, 9-figure wealth manager, and philanthropist. You can reach him at https://richyoungpowerful.com. 1. Tell us how you got involved in doing ...
03.21.2023 Is a Call to Vocational Ministry Irrevocable? Three Perspectives https://youtu.be/d8tx4dGtyqE You will often hear a pastor or some other church staff person talk about their "call to ministry." Many of these ministers remember specific times and dates of their call, while others speak more of a growing awareness of ...
03.14.2023 The New Rules for Church Facilities We Didn’t See Coming https://youtu.be/uAR_4O5_QOM History gives us some insight into how a return to normal occurs following a pandemic. After the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, it took about two years for people to resettle into their typical patterns again. We're entering into this ...
03.07.2023 Four Reasons Why Evangelism Died in Many Churches (and How to Reverse the Trend) https://youtu.be/Tfjwono7QQk Church Answers has documented on several occasions the anemic state of evangelism in many American churches. In this podcast, Thom and Sam examine the reasons behind this struggle, while offering positive and proactive responses. 1. The move away from ...
02.28.2023 Why Millennials Need Boomers More Than Ever in Their Churches https://youtu.be/tI_4W_mp3Pk Generational conflicts are so common they're cliche. Churches are notorious for infighting among generations, but many churches are doing multi-generational ministry well. Thom and Sam discuss how Millennials and Boomers can thrive together in the same church. 1. Boomers ...
02.21.2023 Five Updates on Pastoral Tenure https://youtu.be/0nqhP2up2kM Five Updates on Pastoral Tenure: 1. Overall tenure is increasing. 2. But a significant number of pastors left during or shortly after the pandemic. 3. Bivocational pastors have longer tenures. 4. The paucity of available pastors will affect tenure. ...
02.14.2023 Getting Men in Your Church to Make a Difference: Interview with Kyle Thompson https://youtu.be/j-mEwf4Ox4g Kyle Thompson is the host of the Undaunted Life podcast, created specifically for men seeking to push back spiritual and cultural darkness. The Undaunted Life podcast is in the top six percent of all podcasts and growing daily. You ...
02.07.2023 Five Trends We See in Churches Under 250 in Attendance https://youtu.be/8Eoeh1VwZPk Thom and Sam discuss five trends they see in churches with under 250 in attendance. 1. More church leaders are seeking conversion growth. 2. Discouragement is still pervasive. 3. Demographics are moving in favor of many of these churches. ...
01.31.2023 When Is It Time to Fight in a Church? https://youtu.be/xR7lypxfXXU While we encourage church leaders to be peacemakers, if at all possible, there are times when a battle is necessary. Thom and Sam look at five of those scenarios. 1. When essential doctrines are being compromised. 2. When abuse ...
01.27.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services: Changes in Church Finances Every Leader Needs to Know – Part 3: Increasing Capital Giving in a Challenging Environment Thom and Sam are joined by Mike Stadelmayer, president of Church Growth Services, to discuss how church finances are changing, especially in light of the pandemic of recent years. In this third episode, the three men address the issue of ...
01.27.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services: Changes in Church Finances Every Leader Needs to Know – Part 2: How to Increase Budget Giving in a Challenging Environment Thom and Sam are joined by Mike Stadelmayer, president of Church Growth Services, to discuss how church finances are changing, especially in light of the pandemic of recent years. In this second episode, Mike shares with Sam and Thom how ...
01.27.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services: Changes in Church Finances Every Leader Needs to Know – Part 1: Post-Quarantine Church Finances Thom and Sam are joined by Mike Stadelmayer, president of Church Growth Services, to discuss how church finances are changing, especially in light of the pandemic of recent years. In this first episode, the three men specifically address the impact ...
01.24.2023 Six Things We Would Tell Our Younger Selves about Pastoring https://youtu.be/id8WmvySvj0 Thom and Sam take a trip to the past and share about their early victories and mistakes when they first became pastors. From this venture, they share six things they would like to tell their younger selves. Love the ...
01.17.2023 New Data Reveals Big Gains for Non-Denominational Churches https://youtu.be/rW0BmIdJ3Zo A recent Christianity Today article reported on data from the 2020 Religion Census. According to the report, every Protestant denomination has declined while those congregations claiming to be non-denominational gained millions of people. Thom and Sam discuss their thoughts ...
01.10.2023 When the Pastor’s Spouse Wants to Leave the Church https://youtu.be/1f3f4t4YJoE We hear more frequently from pastors whose spouses feel strongly that they want to leave the church. These pastors ask us the tough question, "What do I do?" Sam and Thom respond to the question in this podcast. The ...
01.03.2023 What Changes with a Move from a Church of 50 to a Church of 150 https://youtu.be/i1gB_KI3OjA All churches have leadership challenges, regardless of size. Small churches are not easier to lead than large churches. Large churches are not easier to grow than small churches. But they are different. When pastors move from one size of ...
12.27.2022 What Is a Smaller Church? What Is a Larger Church? Part 2: The Implications of this New Data https://youtu.be/HSsbHquxU8I Thom looks at new data from Lifeway Research that powerfully depicts the changing landscape of American congregations, particularly in terms of size. In part 2, he looks at the implications of this surprising new data. Smaller budgets More church ...
12.20.2022 What Is a Smaller Church? What Is a Larger Church? Part 1: The Surprise (Shock?) of this New Data https://youtu.be/BgcTHg5lRjY Thom looks at new data from Lifeway Research that powerfully depicts the changing landscape of American congregations, particularly in terms of size. In part 1, he tries to grasp the meaning of these new categories. The new smaller church: ...
12.13.2022 Exactly What Is Women’s Ministry in the Church? An Interview with Jacki King https://youtu.be/QfvhOQKy1Zw Jacki C. King is a respected and popular Bible teacher, conference speaker, and ministry leader. She has a passion for seeing women fall in love with Jesus and His Word while challenging them to be on mission in their ...
12.06.2022 Do We Have a Clear Picture of Spiritual Gifts Today? https://youtu.be/zkbgtNwQgJ4 For a good part of the last half of the twentieth century, spiritual gifts were a topic of intense interest in churches. Now it seems as if that interest has faded. Thom and Sam examine why the emphasis faded ...
11.29.2022 Do You Have to Be Committed to a Local Church to Be a Christian? https://youtu.be/O9_IA2HdOi0 The importance of the local church in the life of a Christian is powerfully clear and obvious in the New Testament. Today, however, many Christians minimize the role of local congregations. Sam asks Thom several questions about this issue ...
11.22.2022 Why Many Churches Are Becoming Mini-Seminaries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qdAMAdGmfk More churches are providing ministry and theological training for their staff and lay leaders. Thom and Sam look at the reasons for this major development. They also interview two pastors, Tyrone Barnette and Matt McCraw, who have built ministry ...
11.15.2022 How a Financial Champion Can Significantly Increase Giving in Your Church https://youtu.be/KC1LGWyhrUI Money issues can be the source of stress, marital problems, job problems, and anemic giving in your church. Thom and Sam interview Art Rainer to discuss the concept of a financial champion in your church, and how that person, ...
11.11.2022 A Special Four-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Increase Attendance and Align Ministries with Your Church Facility – Part 4: You MUST Listen to This Podcast Before Moving into a Here is the complete guide for taking your church facilities from worn and patchwork to exciting and ministry aligned. In just four short podcasts, you will likely learn more about church facilities than you have in years. Todd Brown of ...
11.11.2022 A Special Four-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Increase Attendance and Align Ministries with Your Church Facility – Part 3: Making Your Facilities Guest Friendly and Ministry A Here is the complete guide for taking your church facilities from worn and patchwork to exciting and ministry aligned. In just four short podcasts, you will likely learn more about church facilities than you have in years. Todd Brown of ...
11.11.2022 A Special Four-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Increase Attendance and Align Ministries with Your Church Facility – Part 2: Dealing with Patchwork and Worn-Out Facilities Here is the complete guide for taking your church facilities from worn and patchwork to exciting and ministry aligned. In just four short podcasts, you will likely learn more about church facilities than you have in years. Todd Brown of ...
11.11.2022 A Special Four-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Increase Attendance and Align Ministries with Your Church Facility – Part 1: Turning Your Facilities into Exciting Relational Sp Here is the complete guide for taking your church facilities from worn and patchwork to exciting and ministry aligned. In just four short podcasts, you will likely learn more about church facilities than you have in years. Todd Brown of ...
11.08.2022 The Serious Inflationary Warning for Churches https://youtu.be/jG2s_yaStD4 Inflation will become a more serious challenge than most church leaders realize. In fact, inflationary pressures could very well be a once-in-a-generation challenge. Thom and Sam examine the "why" behind the new inflationary pressures, and the "what" our response ...
11.01.2022 Six Ways to Make Certain Evangelism Does Not Die in Your Church https://youtu.be/V22HDnU91WE Evangelism is dead in approximately 9 out of 10 churches in America. The Great Commission has become the Great Omission. In this episode, Thom and Sam look at six practical ways evangelism can return as a priority in your ...
10.25.2022 How Streaming Has Changed Preaching https://youtu.be/wMQhDYgGIo0 Streaming is the ability to upload and receive video and audio over a computer device. Fifteen years ago, streaming was not widely available. Today, almost everyone streams. Thom and Sam discuss what this next phase of the digital revolution ...
10.18.2022 Is It Wise to Bring Family Members on Church Staff? https://youtu.be/SjkzPdOdXNI Thom and Sam look at the different perspectives of bringing family members on staff. As you would expect, it is not a clear-cut issue. It depends. Why it has succeeded Why it has failed Clear boundaries and guidelines What ...
10.11.2022 The New Rules for Staff Office Hours at Church https://youtu.be/27QDgjCZK2U Can a church staff work entirely from home? Should the church maintain consistent office hours where staff are at their desks? Thom and Sam discuss the new rules for staff office hours. While there is more flexibility today, office ...
10.04.2022 An Update on Church Health Post-COVID Heading into 2023 https://youtu.be/eq1g0s3wxKk So many changes took place in congregational life in 2022. Thom and Sam look at those changes and the implications for churches as we move into 2023. The co-vocational movement grew both out of necessity and out of desire. ...
09.27.2022 How Churches on the Edge of Death Survived https://youtu.be/YbRDDEj1R88 Their stories are rare, but they are worth telling. Some churches that were expected to close did not. Many of these churches seem to have everything going against them. Thom and Sam explain what took place in these churches. ...
09.20.2022 Why Revitalization May Not Be Working in Your Church https://youtu.be/A94ikruPpA8 Many pastors are leading churches that need revitalization. But a number of those leaders are discouraged that the process is not working or that it's working minimally. Sam and Thom discuss some reasons why revitalization may not be working ...
09.13.2022 How to Bring Evangelism Back into the Rhythms of Your Church https://youtu.be/JdpyeXkovow Evangelism is dead or nearly dead in most churches. Thom and Sam discuss why this sad situation developed, and what your church can do to see evangelism renewed among the members. Conversion growth is woefully lacking in most churches. ...
09.09.2022 Special Series: What You Are Likely Missing with Family Discipleship in the Church – An Interview with Matt Markins, President and CEO of Awana Thom and Sam welcome on the show Matt Markins, president and CEO of AWANA. Matt is a global leader and researcher in child discipleship. On this special episode, Thom, Sam, and Matt discuss what you are likely missing with family ...
09.09.2022 Special Series: How the Pandemic Has Changed Children’s Ministry (For the Better) – An Interview with Matt Markins, President and CEO of Awana Thom and Sam welcome on the show Matt Markins, president and CEO of AWANA. Matt is a global leader and researcher in child discipleship. On this special episode, Thom, Sam, and Matt discuss the current environment for children's ministry. Much ...
09.06.2022 Why You Should Teach Your Church Members to Understand the Bible as a Whole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3-zhBzX-uU Your church may be lagging in health because your members do not understand the Bible well. Sam and Thom explain why most church members need to grasp the Bible as a whole before they can understand its parts. The ...
08.30.2022 How Church Guests Are Different Now Compared to Ten Years Ago https://youtu.be/1CZfrAowK1I Most churches have more guests than they realize. About 2% to 5% of those who worship on Sunday will identify as guests. How has this group changed in the last ten years? Thom and Sam discuss what is different ...
08.23.2022 The Four Ways Almost Every Growing Church Does It https://youtu.be/nCrwT2UUYw8 Every person who joins your church is a unique story of God’s grace. These individual stories are important and should be celebrated. From a statistical standpoint, however, there are four main ways churches grow. Thom and Sam discuss how ...
08.16.2022 The Changing Landscape of Ministry Education and Training https://youtu.be/44uJZp4vLM0 Like so much in the world and in churches, change is constant. Thom and Sam look at the fascinating changes in ministry training and education. These shifts will have a profound impact on local churches. The early winds of ...

Older episodes

Rainer on Leadership

What's Rainer on Leadership about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Rainer on Leadership episodes:

Five Reasons Why Churches Are Taking Longer to Find Pastors (Update)

Five Current Trends in Churches Fostering Churches

The New Fight for Life: An Interview with Benjamin Watson

How Involved Should the Lead Pastor Be When Hiring New Church Staff?

The Best Personality for Pastoral Leadership

Should Christians Give to the Homeless Man on the Street Corner? Money and Ethics: An Interview with Dr. Art Rainer and Dr. Dave Jones

Millennials Are the Least Mobile Generation (Your Church Can Reach and Keep Them)

Church Members Are Getting Much Older (The Real Stat and What It Means)

The Giving Crisis: An Interview with Andrew McNair

Is a Call to Vocational Ministry Irrevocable? Three Perspectives

The New Rules for Church Facilities We Didn’t See Coming

Four Reasons Why Evangelism Died in Many Churches (and How to Reverse the Trend)

Why Millennials Need Boomers More Than Ever in Their Churches

Five Updates on Pastoral Tenure

Getting Men in Your Church to Make a Difference: Interview with Kyle Thompson

Five Trends We See in Churches Under 250 in Attendance

When Is It Time to Fight in a Church?

A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services: Changes in Church Finances Every Leader Needs to Know – Part 3: Increasing Capital Giving in a Challenging Environment

A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services: Changes in Church Finances Every Leader Needs to Know – Part 2: How to Increase Budget Giving in a Challenging Environment

A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services: Changes in Church Finances Every Leader Needs to Know – Part 1: Post-Quarantine Church Finances

Six Things We Would Tell Our Younger Selves about Pastoring

New Data Reveals Big Gains for Non-Denominational Churches

When the Pastor’s Spouse Wants to Leave the Church

What Changes with a Move from a Church of 50 to a Church of 150

What Is a Smaller Church? What Is a Larger Church? Part 2: The Implications of this New Data

What Is a Smaller Church? What Is a Larger Church? Part 1: The Surprise (Shock?) of this New Data

Exactly What Is Women’s Ministry in the Church? An Interview with Jacki King

Do We Have a Clear Picture of Spiritual Gifts Today?

Do You Have to Be Committed to a Local Church to Be a Christian?

Why Many Churches Are Becoming Mini-Seminaries

How a Financial Champion Can Significantly Increase Giving in Your Church

A Special Four-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Increase Attendance and Align Ministries with Your Church Facility – Part 4: You MUST Listen to This Podcast Before Moving into a

A Special Four-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Increase Attendance and Align Ministries with Your Church Facility – Part 3: Making Your Facilities Guest Friendly and Ministry A

A Special Four-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Increase Attendance and Align Ministries with Your Church Facility – Part 2: Dealing with Patchwork and Worn-Out Facilities

A Special Four-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Increase Attendance and Align Ministries with Your Church Facility – Part 1: Turning Your Facilities into Exciting Relational Sp

The Serious Inflationary Warning for Churches

Six Ways to Make Certain Evangelism Does Not Die in Your Church

How Streaming Has Changed Preaching

Is It Wise to Bring Family Members on Church Staff?

The New Rules for Staff Office Hours at Church

An Update on Church Health Post-COVID Heading into 2023

How Churches on the Edge of Death Survived

Why Revitalization May Not Be Working in Your Church

How to Bring Evangelism Back into the Rhythms of Your Church

Special Series: What You Are Likely Missing with Family Discipleship in the Church – An Interview with Matt Markins, President and CEO of Awana

Special Series: How the Pandemic Has Changed Children’s Ministry (For the Better) – An Interview with Matt Markins, President and CEO of Awana

Why You Should Teach Your Church Members to Understand the Bible as a Whole

How Church Guests Are Different Now Compared to Ten Years Ago

The Four Ways Almost Every Growing Church Does It

The Changing Landscape of Ministry Education and Training