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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Why Revitalization May Not ...

09.20.2022

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 ...

Rainer on Leadership episodes:

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 ...
08.09.2022 Helping Your Church Members Understand How Their Story is Intertwined with God’s Story: An Interview with The Chronological Bible Teaching Team https://youtu.be/ZnBqXAxhV74 Most Americans today read, but consume information via media and through storytelling. What does this mean for Bible reading and engagement? The Bible tells a story filled with themes and threads that connect us to God’s love and truth, ...
08.02.2022 What the Overturning of Roe v. Wade Means for the Church https://youtu.be/RHBUlfnUuH4 On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion after ruling on a new court case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Thom and Sam discuss the implications of this ...
07.26.2022 Six Prudent Practices to Prepare Your Church Budget for a Potential Economic Recession https://youtu.be/YW_hqAPlPaE Interest rates are on the rise. The stock market recently entered into bear territory. How will a potential recession affect your church? Thom and Sam discuss six ways you can help prepare your church for an economic downturn. Discipleship ...
07.19.2022 Should School and Similar Ministries Tied to a Church Be Self-Supporting? Six Key Thoughts https://youtu.be/J9AQXr-pzT8 Many churches have Christian schools, preschools, mom's day out, and other similar ministries. Should these ministries be financially self-supporting? The answer is not always clear. Thom and Sam discuss six key thoughts about this issue. There are a number ...
07.15.2022 15 Digital Tools Every Church Needs: A Special Three-Part Series – Part 3: The Newer Thom and Sam take the listeners through a three-part series detailing essential digital tools for the church. Some will be expected; others may not be. In each of the 15 categories, Thom and Sam are likely to provide you with ...
07.15.2022 15 Digital Tools Every Church Needs: A Special Three-Part Series – Part 2: The Helpful Thom and Sam take the listeners through a three-part series detailing essential digital tools for the church. Some will be expected; others may not be. In each of the 15 categories, Thom and Sam are likely to provide you with ...
07.15.2022 15 Digital Tools Every Church Needs: A Special Three-Part Series – Part 1: The Basics Thom and Sam take the listeners through a three-part series detailing essential digital tools for the church. Some will be expected; others may not be. In each of the 15 categories, Thom and Sam are likely to provide you with ...
07.12.2022 The Rise in Popularity of the New Living Translation: An Interview with Tremper Longman, III https://youtu.be/ohpi8S8gDLY Over the last few years, the New Living Translation has seen significant growth in popularity, even moving into the #2 spot for several months in a row. Still, some pastors are hesitant to use it as their main translation. ...
07.05.2022 Four Glaring Church Leadership Deficiencies You Can Correct Immediately https://youtu.be/5RfRdlMqgc0 Romans 12:18 makes clear believers are to do all they can to live at peace with everyone. This same sentiment is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, in which Paul instructs the church to live a quiet life and mind ...
06.28.2022 Why Younger Generations Are Leaving the Church and How to Reengage Them: An Interview with Streetlights Ministry https://youtu.be/BeJO6JjFXJ8 Pastors often ask us what they need to do to reach Millennials, Gen Z, and younger generations. On today's episode, Thom and Sam talk to Esteban Shedd and Loren La Luz from Streetlights about the Streetlights New Testament and ...
06.21.2022 How to Handle a Toxic Church Member https://youtu.be/VCQasIkc5wg At some point in ministry, most church leaders will face the reality of one or more toxic church members. Thom and Sam examine this challenge and offer tough but challenging steps to deal with this problem. Remember the power ...
06.14.2022 Your Church Members Won’t Always Agree with You And Why That’s Ok https://youtu.be/QeSgeMoobSE It’s unreasonable to expect everyone to agree with everything you say. In fact, if you’re doing your job well as a pastor, taking firm stances and having a clear vision, then you will likely have dissent. In most cases, ...
06.07.2022 Your Call to Pray for the Persecuted: An Interview with Todd Nettleton from the Voice of the Martyrs https://youtu.be/DWSR4trSeQM The Bible tells us to remember the prisoners as if we were in prison with them (Heb. 13:3), and the first request of persecuted Christians is that we PRAY for them. In today's episode, Thom and Sam talk to ...
05.31.2022 The Early Warning Signs Preceding a Decline in Church Health https://youtu.be/yW0CAuXn1Wg I have yet to see a church drift towards greater health. The current of apathy always pulls away. But what causes this drift? What are some early warning signs of an unraveling in a congregation? Thom and Sam discuss ...
05.24.2022 What Transparent Church Leaders Gain and What Secretive Church Leaders Lose https://youtu.be/qgF1ZgVxcJs Unless you work for an organization like the CIA, then transparency is often among the top characteristics requested of leaders. Of course, even organizations built on the foundation of secrecy have gotten into trouble for a lack of transparency. ...
05.17.2022 Things Believers Do that Make the Unchurched Bristle https://youtu.be/IPirUlLi_Lg Through our research, we’ve heard from the unchurched about things believers do that make them bristle the most. On this episode, Thom and Sam discuss a few of the most abrasive turn-offs. Confuse me with gossip and bad behavior. ...
05.10.2022 The Lifecycle of a Pastor https://youtu.be/cOaY_GMMaNg Pastors typically go through five major tenure stages at a church. Sam and Thom look at the implications of each stage. 1. Honeymoon: Years 0 - 1 2. Trials and Crisis: Years 1 - 3 3. Realignment: Years 3 ...
05.03.2022 Moving Your Congregation to Greater Bible Reading and Literacy: An interview with Glenn Paauw from the Institute for Bible Reading https://youtu.be/Wgfk1oOL5NM The Bible is more accessible than ever, yet Bible reading and Bible literacy are on the decline. Many Christians struggle to read Scripture, often ending up confused, bored, and full of unmet expectations. What has gone wrong? How can ...
04.26.2022 Four Key Safeguards to Make Sure Your Church’s Finances Stand Up Under Scrutiny https://youtu.be/-plZvOOq9Dw Money is one of the most sensitive subjects in the church. It’s also one of the most visible. Churches can struggle with the right amount of financial oversight. On this episode, Thom and Sam discuss four key safeguards for ...
04.19.2022 Ten Things Pastors Don’t Like about Pastoring https://youtu.be/MhJeE4juaaw There are certain aspects of pastoral ministry that pastors simply do not like. While every pastor is different, our survey found the top ten facets of pastoral ministry like the least. Sam and Thom look at a survey we ...
04.12.2022 The Difference Between a “Can Do” Church and a “Can’t Do” Church https://youtu.be/ph-M6CSAbzg Every church has an organizational culture. Some churches have a culture of optimism. You can feel the energy in worship. Others are pessimistic. You can sense the deadness when you walk into the sanctuary. What is the difference between ...
04.05.2022 Healing Our Racial Divide – An Interview with Dr. Derwin Gray Why must everything be so black and white? Like many of us, Derwin Gray is weary of the racial divide in our society. He longs to see hurts healed, wrongs corrected, and trust replace distrust. In today’s episode, Thom and ...
03.29.2022 The Three Big Reasons Great Churches Fall https://youtu.be/pJuEMcYqc4w Can you think of a church that once had a great reputation that is now hardly ever mentioned? Even worse, if it is mentioned, it is done so negatively. There are three big reasons great churches fail. Sam and ...
03.22.2022 Keeping Tabs on How the News Media Influences Your Church https://youtu.be/guDMYqZYYM0 Part of shepherding your church is understanding the major cultural influences impacting people in your congregation. News media can have a big effect on the perspectives of your members. How can you be proactive to prevent as much polarization ...
03.15.2022 The Great Reshuffling of Pastors and the Future for the Church https://youtu.be/-6k-QTn0iMk Millions of people are quitting their jobs every month in what many are calling "The Great Resignation." Pastors are not immune from this trend. Thom and Sam discuss how pastors, staff, and church leaders are undergoing a "Great Reshuffling," ...
03.08.2022 Five Ways a Pastor Can Use Monday to Recover from Sunday https://youtu.be/Sk2RinLJZMk Many pastors get the Monday blues. Sundays can be emotionally draining and physically exhausting. Making Monday a day full of meetings is not wise for most pastors. Thom and Sam discuss five ways you can be strategic about making ...
03.01.2022 Counting the Cost of Staying in a Church https://youtu.be/-n7AUYcxqB4 Thom and Sam consistently advocate long pastoral tenure. Every church will have its critics and its problems. We usually urge pastors to stick it out. But there are times pastors need to count the cost and ask if it's ...
02.22.2022 The Silent Epidemic and the Church: Ministering in the Midst of the Opioid Crisis – An Interview with Steve Arterburn https://youtu.be/etSDqc0gtkA A crisis that can get overshadowed by COVID, but is plaguing our communities is the opioid epidemic. Opioids and other addictions are destroying individuals, families, and communities. What role does the church play in bringing help and hope amidst ...
02.15.2022 What Should You Do About Toxic Social Media Posts? https://youtu.be/vf2SxRI0Bzo Social media is an unavoidable method of communication. Ignoring social media completely is a mistake. You must shepherd people online as well as in person. Much of social media is benign, but some of it can become toxic. How ...
02.08.2022 How to Handle a Church Staff Person’s Moral Failure https://youtu.be/XUWCb6wV37U Few models exist on how to handle the moral failure of a staff person. Indeed, there is little consensus among pastors about what to do, even with something as explicit as adultery. On this episode, Thom and Sam discuss ...
02.01.2022 Preaching When You Don’t Feel Like It https://youtu.be/XAr1VqcDT6I Even when you're feeling your best, preaching is an exhausting endeavor. But sometimes you get sick. Pastors can also struggle with their emotions or mental health issues. Then there are the Sundays when you're just grumpy. On this episode, ...
01.25.2022 Equipping More People in Your Church to Give Sacrificially https://youtu.be/zUU2IxGDWao The subject of giving is one that can be tense in the church. Many pastors and church leaders struggle to equip their congregations to give sacrificially. What is sacrificial giving? How can your church encourage a culture of generosity? ...
01.18.2022 The Sting of Betrayal in the Church https://youtu.be/m30xiB34d58 You will experience betrayal at some point. For those with a long tenure in ministry, you've likely gone through a difficult season because of betrayal. The sting of betrayal hurts. How can we manage the pain while at the ...
01.14.2022 How Churches Are Getting People to Return to In-Person Worship Services – A Special Three-Part In-Depth Series – Part 3: 6 Lessons to Apply for Getting People to Return to In-Person Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXk2PQtJs2E In this special three-part series, Thom looks at how some churches are successfully getting people to return to in-person services. This special project looks deeply at data and information from research and case studies. In part 3, they offer ...
01.14.2022 How Churches Are Getting People to Return to In-Person Worship Services – A Special Three-Part In-Depth Series – Part 2: How Some Churches Are Defying the Negative Trends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-W_TjyUtkM In this special three-part series, Thom looks at how some churches are successfully getting people to return to in-person services. This special project looks deeply at data and information from research and case studies. In part 2, they note ...
01.14.2022 How Churches Are Getting People to Return to In-Person Worship Services – A Special Three-Part In-Depth Series – Part 1: Understanding the Underpinnings of Declining In-Person Attendance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=860nG93CLZo In this special three-part series, Thom looks at how some churches are successfully getting people to return to in-person services. This special project looks deeply at data and information from research and case studies. In part 1, Thom explains ...
01.11.2022 The Church Revitalization Checklist: A Three-Part Series – Part Three of Three: Bad Dreams and Pessimism Kill Revitalization https://youtu.be/STOh5l3J1uM Thom and Sam take the listeners on an exciting three-part journey about major moves that should be made in any and every revitalization. They are part of a larger "checklist" revitalization leaders need to follow. In this third of ...
01.04.2022 The Church Revitalization Checklist: A Three-Part Series – Part Two of Three: Tending to What Is Most Important in Church Revitalization https://youtu.be/OEvW_Aw6Scg Thom and Sam take the listeners on an exciting three-part journey about major moves that should be made in any and every revitalization. They are part of a larger "checklist" revitalization leaders need to follow. In this second of ...
12.28.2021 The Church Revitalization Checklist: A Three-Part Series – Part One of Three: Hit the Reset Button, Not Pause https://youtu.be/V76V2c5YkTc Thom and Sam take the listeners on an exciting three-part journey about major moves that should be made in any and every revitalization. They are part of a larger "checklist" revitalization leaders need to follow. In this first of ...
12.21.2021 Monkeys and Military Bibles – An Amazing Interview with Jeff Hilliard https://youtu.be/Tw0dwfa0Dc0 The Bible changes lives and getting it into the hands of those in need is mission-critical. On today’s episode of Rainer on Leadership Thom and Sam talk with Jeff Hilliard about answering the call to send hope to troops. ...
12.14.2021 Believing is Seeing: An Interview with Dr. Michael Guillen https://youtu.be/r9nxMu_0cVQ For many Christians, the Christmas season is a time of spiritual reflection on the important foundations of the Christian faith. On today’s episode, Thom and Sam talk to former Harvard physics instructor, Dr. Michael Guillen, about his journey from ...
12.07.2021 Getting the Help You Need Right Now https://youtu.be/SHBYNTRMwGw We are alarmed at the number of pastors and church leaders who are struggling right now. If you feel like you are at a crossroads, you are not alone. Don't give up. You can get the help you need, ...

Older episodes

Rainer on Leadership

What's Rainer on Leadership about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Rainer on Leadership episodes:

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

Helping Your Church Members Understand How Their Story is Intertwined with God’s Story: An Interview with The Chronological Bible Teaching Team

What the Overturning of Roe v. Wade Means for the Church

Six Prudent Practices to Prepare Your Church Budget for a Potential Economic Recession

Should School and Similar Ministries Tied to a Church Be Self-Supporting? Six Key Thoughts

15 Digital Tools Every Church Needs: A Special Three-Part Series – Part 3: The Newer

15 Digital Tools Every Church Needs: A Special Three-Part Series – Part 2: The Helpful

15 Digital Tools Every Church Needs: A Special Three-Part Series – Part 1: The Basics

The Rise in Popularity of the New Living Translation: An Interview with Tremper Longman, III

Four Glaring Church Leadership Deficiencies You Can Correct Immediately

Why Younger Generations Are Leaving the Church and How to Reengage Them: An Interview with Streetlights Ministry

How to Handle a Toxic Church Member

Your Church Members Won’t Always Agree with You And Why That’s Ok

Your Call to Pray for the Persecuted: An Interview with Todd Nettleton from the Voice of the Martyrs

The Early Warning Signs Preceding a Decline in Church Health

What Transparent Church Leaders Gain and What Secretive Church Leaders Lose

Things Believers Do that Make the Unchurched Bristle

The Lifecycle of a Pastor

Moving Your Congregation to Greater Bible Reading and Literacy: An interview with Glenn Paauw from the Institute for Bible Reading

Four Key Safeguards to Make Sure Your Church’s Finances Stand Up Under Scrutiny

Ten Things Pastors Don’t Like about Pastoring

The Difference Between a “Can Do” Church and a “Can’t Do” Church

Healing Our Racial Divide – An Interview with Dr. Derwin Gray

The Three Big Reasons Great Churches Fall

Keeping Tabs on How the News Media Influences Your Church

The Great Reshuffling of Pastors and the Future for the Church

Five Ways a Pastor Can Use Monday to Recover from Sunday

Counting the Cost of Staying in a Church

The Silent Epidemic and the Church: Ministering in the Midst of the Opioid Crisis – An Interview with Steve Arterburn

What Should You Do About Toxic Social Media Posts?

How to Handle a Church Staff Person’s Moral Failure

Preaching When You Don’t Feel Like It

Equipping More People in Your Church to Give Sacrificially

The Sting of Betrayal in the Church

How Churches Are Getting People to Return to In-Person Worship Services – A Special Three-Part In-Depth Series – Part 3: 6 Lessons to Apply for Getting People to Return to In-Person Worship

How Churches Are Getting People to Return to In-Person Worship Services – A Special Three-Part In-Depth Series – Part 2: How Some Churches Are Defying the Negative Trends

How Churches Are Getting People to Return to In-Person Worship Services – A Special Three-Part In-Depth Series – Part 1: Understanding the Underpinnings of Declining In-Person Attendance

The Church Revitalization Checklist: A Three-Part Series – Part Three of Three: Bad Dreams and Pessimism Kill Revitalization

The Church Revitalization Checklist: A Three-Part Series – Part Two of Three: Tending to What Is Most Important in Church Revitalization

The Church Revitalization Checklist: A Three-Part Series – Part One of Three: Hit the Reset Button, Not Pause

Monkeys and Military Bibles – An Amazing Interview with Jeff Hilliard

Believing is Seeing: An Interview with Dr. Michael Guillen

Getting the Help You Need Right Now