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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LAST EPISODE

An Unexpected Comeback: The...

11.28.2023

https://youtu.be/bgEY8Fr2pAw For years, we have dismissed the potential for a significant move of God in neighborhood churches. At Church Answers, we believe they are primed for a comeback. They are numerous, and they are located in the heart of places ...

Rainer on Leadership episodes:

11.28.2023 An Unexpected Comeback: The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church https://youtu.be/bgEY8Fr2pAw For years, we have dismissed the potential for a significant move of God in neighborhood churches. At Church Answers, we believe they are primed for a comeback. They are numerous, and they are located in the heart of places ...
11.21.2023 Connecting Our Christian Faith to Its Jewish Roots: An Interview with Susan Perlman https://youtu.be/yU8t8lw3qPQ Thom welcomes Susan Perlman, Chief Partnership Officer and one of the founders of Jews for Jesus. In this episode, they discuss how The Chronological Life Application Study Bible, created in partnership with Jews for Jesus, helps connect our Christian ...
11.14.2023 To Be a Unicorn: An Interview with William Vanderbloemen https://youtu.be/EtmdjYvXqcM Thom welcomes William Vanderbloemen, CEO and Founder of top executive search firm Vanderbloemen Search Group. In this episode, Thom interviews William about his book, “Be The Unicorn,” in which he reveals the 12 teachable traits and explains why hiring ...
11.07.2023 What Does It Really Mean for Pastors to Be Above Reproach: An Interview with Matt McCraw https://youtu.be/6sPYwNZSWvQ Every believer is called to Christlikeness. Pastors, however, have a calling to be above reproach. What does this calling mean? On this episode, Sam interviews Matt McCraw. Together, they cover the universal standards for all pastors and what special ...
10.31.2023 What Happens in the Church When Women Thrive in Ministry: An Interview with Jacki C. King https://youtu.be/_XE_xQ5Mzf0 Women account for six out of ten churchgoers. Frankly, the church cannot thrive if women are not thriving. In this episode, Sam interviews Jacki C. King to discuss some practical insights about women in ministry. A church of any ...
10.24.2023 How You Can Get Your Church Members Reading the Bible Regularly: An Interview with Alex Goodwin https://youtu.be/PYfnjHXglAw Thom welcomes Alex Goodwin, co-founder of the Institute for Bible Reading and co-creator of “Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience” and “Immerse: The Reading Bible,” winner of the 2022 ECPA Bible of the Year award. He counts himself as one ...
10.17.2023 When Difficult People Want to Come Back to Church After Leaving https://youtu.be/ehif-qgoYHM You've likely heard the phrase "blessed subtraction" referring to divisive church members who leave for another congregation. On occasion, they will return. What should you do? Thom and Sam give some tips to church leaders. How long has it ...
10.10.2023 How to Encourage Church Members Who Serve Behind the Scenes https://youtu.be/4cEJiQrd6M8 Thom and Sam received a question from a regular listener. Henry from Ontario wanted to know how pastors can best recognize faithful members serving in areas of the church that are often unnoticed. For example, the only time the ...
10.03.2023 Getting Your Church Leaders and Members Really Reading the Bible: An Interview with Ann White https://youtu.be/kaREMoc89xE Sam welcomes Ann White, an internationally known author, speaker, Christian TV Host, passionate Bible teacher, Founder and CEO of Courage For Life. Her passion is to equip and encourage people from all walks of life to embrace their God-given ...
09.26.2023 The Community Demographics and Psychographics Churches Most Often Miss https://youtu.be/8AlPE5WjvvY You can't reach your community unless you know your community. On this week's episode, Thom and Sam discuss the most often missed community demographics and why they are important. Your church address is not an accident. Perceived demographics are ...
09.19.2023 Pivot: An Interview with Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer https://youtu.be/6MbROUU1_LE Sam welcomes father-daughter duo and theologians Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer. In their book “Pivot,” Scot and Laura help churches to implement practices, establish priorities, and cultivate gospel-centered qualities that form goodness cultures. Scot is professor of New Testament ...
09.12.2023 How Much Vacation Should Pastors Take? https://youtu.be/ZGONXr6OsoI Every pastor should take a vacation. But pastors can struggle with knowing how much vacation they should take and how long they should be away. Thom discusses best practices with vacation time. Churches should provide paid time away for ...
09.05.2023 Does a New Mover Ministry Really Work? An Early Analysis https://youtu.be/zws5wEc-K04 How effective are new mover ministries, particularly those where a card is mailed to every new mover in a specified area? Thom and Sam look at some early results they gleaned. Understanding the principles of this ministry. Understanding the ...
09.01.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Upward: Episode #3 – What the Future of Church Recreation Ministry Looks Like (Start Now) In the conclusion of this special series on recreation ministry, Thom and Sam talk about the future of recreation ministries in churches. More churches will restart their sports programs. Now is the time to begin. The future is bright! Americans ...
09.01.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Upward: Episode #2 – How to Make Sports Work for Your Church and Not Against You Thom and Sam continue their special series on recreation ministry. Many church leaders bemoan how sports can pull people away from the church. But what if sports can be used to draw people into the body of Christ? Sports can ...
09.01.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Upward: Episode #1 – Why We Need a Church Recreation Ministry Comeback More Than Ever In this special episode, Thom and Sam discuss the history of recreation ministry in churches and why it’s poised for a comeback. Sports are massively popular in culture right now. Churches can use this popularity as a big ministry opportunity. ...
08.29.2023 The Pastor’s Sunday Attire: Dress Up or Blend In? https://youtu.be/U__vJHSOI7w How a pastor dresses is ultimately much less important than teaching sound doctrine and caring for the congregation. But people do notice what you wear. Should pastors dress up on Sunday since they are leaders? Or should they try ...
08.22.2023 The Story of the Neighborhood Church That Could: An Interview with Sam Rainer https://youtu.be/gVXcu4ZBtGk Sam Rainer takes a different role in this podcast as Thom interviews him about the remarkable story of West Bradenton Baptist Church, a neighborhood church that is making a big difference in its community. How did you end up ...
08.15.2023 What Happens When a Church Exhausts Itself on Fighting https://youtu.be/TQA9ThA18OU Some churches have the uncanny ability to prolong infighting for decades. Other congregations get to a point where the fighting creates collective exhaustion. Thom and Sam discuss what happens when a church stops fighting because everyone is tired. When ...
08.08.2023 A New England Church Comeback Story Everyone Needs to Know: An Interview with Gary Moritz https://youtu.be/T6FiUNUUaRw At Church Answers we love a good turnaround story, especially when a struggling church gets healthy and begins to thrive. In this episode, Thom and Sam interview Gary Moritz of City United Church in Lunenburg, MA. This comeback story ...
08.04.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services – Episode #3 – Churches Are Getting Less of Total Charitable Giving Every Year—What’s Going On?: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer Charitable giving is up—a near record of $485 billion in 2021, despite surging inflation. However, giving to churches has dropped even though giving to non-profits is up by 4%. In the early 1980s, churches received over half of all charitable ...
08.04.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services – Episode #2 – The Implications of Churches Holding More Debt for Longer Periods of Time: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer Interest rates are rising, and some churches are experiencing an increase in debt service payments. Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services joins Sam for a special series on generosity. In this episode they discuss the controversial topic of debt and ...
08.04.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services – Episode #1 – Three Generosity Megatrends Your Church Cannot Afford to Ignore: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer How strong is the financial foundation of churches today? Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services joins Sam for a special series on generosity. In this important interview, Mike shares three megatrends affecting every church. How is inflation a “silent killer” ...
08.01.2023 God With Us: An Interview with Jeff Gissing https://youtu.be/bmod5k-dEl4 Thom and Sam welcome Jeff Gissing, Acquisitions Director for Tyndale Bibles, to discuss a unique and powerful telling of the gospel, “God With Us.” An ordained Presbyterian Pastor, he enjoys teaching High Sunday School and leading a small group ...
07.25.2023 Five Reasons a Healthy Growing Church Must Teach the Essentials of Christianity https://youtu.be/dTtnPvxlTW4 One of the key reasons many churches are not growing today is that many of their church members do not know the essentials of the Christian faith. Thom and Sam examine this phenomenon and offer key steps for the ...
07.18.2023 How to Get Your Church Members to Become Prayer Warriors https://youtu.be/3rZLmZV4rrI It seems that every church that has a renewed emphasis on prayer sees greater health in all areas of the church. Thom and Sam share how effective praying churches have motivated and equipped members for more powerful prayer. Prayer ...
07.11.2023 The Break-Even Dilemma: Why Your Church Has to Replace a Third of Attendance to Stay Even Each Year https://youtu.be/Eno9uI8DonI On this week's episode, Thom and Sam discuss why the typical church must replace a third of its congregation every year to maintain the same number of attendees. Most pastors feel this problem, but the Church Answers team has ...
07.07.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: What You Really Need to Know about a Church Master Plan: An Interview with Todd Brown 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 the components of a church master plan. We will also get a high-level overview of the ...
07.07.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Right-Size Your Church’s Facilities: An Interview with Todd Brown 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 the components of a church master plan. We will also get a high-level overview of the ...
07.07.2023 A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: Why Any Size Church Should Have a “Path” for Guests (and Members Too): An Interview with Todd Brown 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 the components of a church master plan. We will also get a high-level overview of the ...
07.04.2023 Why Pastors Above the Age of 70 Will Become Increasingly Common https://youtu.be/HbMTrdBZL30 Thom and Sam share five reasons why pastors above the age of 70 will become increasingly common. Definitions and perceptions about old age are shifting. There are fewer replacements. Many older pastors will become bi-vocational and interim. Many older ...
06.27.2023 The Next Wave of Departures in Churches (and What Your Church Can Do to Prevent It) https://youtu.be/nfCfSdwPu5E There are essentially three groups of people who attend churches: the committed Christians; the casual Christians, and the cultural Christians. Thom and Sam look at each of these groups and offer a sobering prediction: the casual Christians will be ...
06.20.2023 Our Thoughts on the State of Church Consulting (and What to Expect in the Future) https://youtu.be/V8r4GZu2Cus More churches need help today than ever before. But there are not enough church consultants available to assist these churches. Thom and Sam discuss the current state of church consulting and where it will likely go in the future. ...
06.13.2023 How Pastors Can Use Feelings of Restlessness in a Positive Way for Their Churches https://youtu.be/UMOjgsEFw5I Most pastors and church leaders will have at least one season of restlessness. It’s the nagging question that keeps you thinking . . . what’s next? In the case of the church, this question can be corporate, meaning you’re ...
06.06.2023 Leading Your Church without Losing Your Children https://youtu.be/gKbvxYyQ1sE You can be a good parent and a good pastor. Leading a church does not mean losing your children. Thom and Sam talk about raising preacher's kids and some potential pitfalls to avoid when parenting as a church leader. ...
05.30.2023 Seven Recommendations for When a Child in Your Church Accepts Christ https://youtu.be/kc8TmmbWwMU A child in your church decides to follow Christ. There is no greater decision! Now what? Thom and Sam recently created a helpful checklist for pastors and church leaders to share with families. 1. Celebrate with gusto! 2. Purchase ...
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. ...

Older episodes

Rainer on Leadership

What's Rainer on Leadership about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Rainer on Leadership episodes:

An Unexpected Comeback: The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church

Connecting Our Christian Faith to Its Jewish Roots: An Interview with Susan Perlman

To Be a Unicorn: An Interview with William Vanderbloemen

What Does It Really Mean for Pastors to Be Above Reproach: An Interview with Matt McCraw

What Happens in the Church When Women Thrive in Ministry: An Interview with Jacki C. King

How You Can Get Your Church Members Reading the Bible Regularly: An Interview with Alex Goodwin

When Difficult People Want to Come Back to Church After Leaving

How to Encourage Church Members Who Serve Behind the Scenes

Getting Your Church Leaders and Members Really Reading the Bible: An Interview with Ann White

The Community Demographics and Psychographics Churches Most Often Miss

Pivot: An Interview with Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer

How Much Vacation Should Pastors Take?

Does a New Mover Ministry Really Work? An Early Analysis

A Special Three-Part Series with Upward: Episode #3 – What the Future of Church Recreation Ministry Looks Like (Start Now)

A Special Three-Part Series with Upward: Episode #2 – How to Make Sports Work for Your Church and Not Against You

A Special Three-Part Series with Upward: Episode #1 – Why We Need a Church Recreation Ministry Comeback More Than Ever

The Pastor’s Sunday Attire: Dress Up or Blend In?

The Story of the Neighborhood Church That Could: An Interview with Sam Rainer

What Happens When a Church Exhausts Itself on Fighting

A New England Church Comeback Story Everyone Needs to Know: An Interview with Gary Moritz

A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services – Episode #3 – Churches Are Getting Less of Total Charitable Giving Every Year—What’s Going On?: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer

A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services – Episode #2 – The Implications of Churches Holding More Debt for Longer Periods of Time: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer

A Special Three-Part Series with Church Growth Services – Episode #1 – Three Generosity Megatrends Your Church Cannot Afford to Ignore: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer

God With Us: An Interview with Jeff Gissing

Five Reasons a Healthy Growing Church Must Teach the Essentials of Christianity

How to Get Your Church Members to Become Prayer Warriors

The Break-Even Dilemma: Why Your Church Has to Replace a Third of Attendance to Stay Even Each Year

A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: What You Really Need to Know about a Church Master Plan: An Interview with Todd Brown

A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Right-Size Your Church’s Facilities: An Interview with Todd Brown

A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: Why Any Size Church Should Have a “Path” for Guests (and Members Too): An Interview with Todd Brown

Why Pastors Above the Age of 70 Will Become Increasingly Common

The Next Wave of Departures in Churches (and What Your Church Can Do to Prevent It)

Our Thoughts on the State of Church Consulting (and What to Expect in the Future)

How Pastors Can Use Feelings of Restlessness in a Positive Way for Their Churches

Leading Your Church without Losing Your Children

Seven Recommendations for When a Child in Your Church Accepts Christ

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