Rainer on Leadership

By Thom RainerBusiness Religion & Spirituality Christianity Education Courses Management

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Rainer on Leadership episodes

September 01, 2023A 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.
The rise (1960s – 1990s), fall (2000s), and needed comeback of church recreation ministries.
What started with bowling alleys and roller skating has expanded into a variety of sports.
The appeal of sports is broad, reaching across multiple demographics.
Almost no one in the community will find recreation ministry controversial.
Recreation ministry is a unique combination of fun, physical health, and mental health.
Too many churches abandoned recreation ministry, and there is a void for faith-based leagues.
With the right ministry partner, any church of any size can have a recreation ministry.
How Upward is at the forefront of this comeback.
Resources:
Upward
Episode #2 – How to Make Sports Work for Your Church and Not Against You
Episode #3 – What the Future of Church Recreation Ministry Looks Like (Start Now)
Episode Sponsor:
Is your church looking to reach the community? As a pastor or leader, is your desire to reach new families? Use sports as your bridge into the community. As the World’s largest Christian youth sports organization, Upward Sports desires to come alongside your church to advance your mission and promotes Jesus by using sports as your ministry tool. Imagine … families coming to your church, field, local school, parking lot, with their child each week to play in your league. This is where connections are made, relationships are formed, the Gospel is shared, and lives are changed.
By partnering with Upward Sports, your church will customize your unique player package, choose the sport you want to offer, access ministry resources, devotions, coach resources, and gospel materials.
As a self-sustaining ministry, sports outreach fits any church of any size… that is looking to reach their community.
Now is a great time to offer a winter league to prepare for a spring 2024 league.
The post A Special Three-Part Series with Upward: Episode #1 – Why We Need a Church Recreation Ministry Comeback More Than Ever appeared first on Church Answers.
22 min
August 29, 2023The Pastor’s Sunday Attire: Dress Up or Blend In?
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 to blend in with the congregation and be more relatable? Thom and Sam discuss these questions on this episode.
Dressing up means being more dressy than the typical church member.
Blending in means dressing similarly to the typical church member.
Dressing up signals discipline, preparedness, and respect.
Blending in signals relatability and approachability.
Age plays a key part. Don’t be the person who tries too hard to look youthful.
Personality is also important. Dress in a way that fits who you are.
Casual attire can be viewed as high status (e.g. sneakers).
Dressy attire can be viewed as timeless.
Be wise in how you dress, but don’t be consumed with fashion.
Resources
California Baptist University Pre-College Credit
“Extraordinary Hearing: Preparing Your Soul to Hear from God” by Greg Pruett
Tyndale House Publishers
“Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike” by Phil Knight
The Hope Initiative
Get your FREE tool! Attendance Growth Projector
Check out the Church Answers Christian bookstore! Shop curated, trusted resources for Christian life and ministry.
Episode Sponsors:
Eligible high schoolers can earn college credit online, the first class is free (not including books and course materials), and they get a significant discount ($166 per credit vs. $613 per credit) for every subsequent class. They can choose from more than 30 available courses. Here are just a few additional details not included on the flier:
This program is open to third-culture kids, homeschool students, private and public school students, etc.
Students can start during any eight-week session – summer, fall, spring, each semester has two sessions as indicated on the flier
The first-class free offer is limited. I do not yet know for how long, but we should market it as temporary for now.
Many students have successfully completed courses during their normal school year. Classes are asynchronous, so they can access course materials at their convenience.
Sometimes universities have similar programs and they make classes specific for high school students – HS students sitting with other HS students. In our program, participants sit in on real college courses, with actual college student peers. They get the real deal through our experience.
Extraordinary Hearing: Preparing Your Soul to Hear from God by Greg Pruett
“Greg Pruett is a man of absolute integrity and faith; a modern-day Elijah. . . . His passion is contagious. You will love his heart, his words, and his wisdom.”—Max Lucado

What if you could hear God speaking? What diﬀerence would that make in your life?

You don’t have to wonder if God still speaks. He reveals Himself to everyone, without exception. The difference between God’s people and all other people scattered over the face of the earth is this: When God speaks, His people listen.

Join Greg Pruett as he teaches you how to develop extraordinary hearing—discernible guidance from God in your day-to-day life, based on the leading of the Holy Spirit within you. He’ll offer answers to your questions about prayer and discernment, such as:
How can I tell if it’s really God speaking?
Does God still communicate with us the way He did with people in the Bible?
How can I hear Him more clearly when I pray? What can I do to learn to listen?
Extraordinary Hearing gives practical, biblical insights on how to pray and how to hear from God that will help unleash the power of prayer in your life.
The post The Pastor’s Sunday Attire: Dress Up or Blend In? appeared first on Church Answers.
25 min
August 22, 2023The Story of the Neighborhood Church That Could: An Interview with Sam Rainer
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 in Bradenton, Florida?
What has kept you at the church even as other churches came calling?
Why do you call the church, “A Neighborhood Church for the Nations”?
You have demonstrated incredible tactical patience at West B. Have you had periods of discouragement or frustration?
Tell us about the relationship between pastoral tenure and victories at West B.
Resources
“Extraordinary Hearing: Preparing Your Soul to Hear from God” by Greg Pruett
Tyndale House Publishers
California Baptist University Pre-College Credit
Get your FREE eBook, 5 Generosity Megatrends
“The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church” by Sam Rainer
West Bradenton Baptist Church
The Hope Initiative
Get your FREE tool! Attendance Growth Projector
Check out the Church Answers Christian bookstore! Shop curated, trusted resources for Christian life and ministry.
Episode Sponsors:
Extraordinary Hearing: Preparing Your Soul to Hear from God by Greg Pruett
“Greg Pruett is a man of absolute integrity and faith; a modern-day Elijah. . . . His passion is contagious. You will love his heart, his words, and his wisdom.”—Max Lucado

What if you could hear God speaking? What diﬀerence would that make in your life?

You don’t have to wonder if God still speaks. He reveals Himself to everyone, without exception. The difference between God’s people and all other people scattered over the face of the earth is this: When God speaks, His people listen.

Join Greg Pruett as he teaches you how to develop extraordinary hearing—discernible guidance from God in your day-to-day life, based on the leading of the Holy Spirit within you. He’ll offer answers to your questions about prayer and discernment, such as:
How can I tell if it’s really God speaking?
Does God still communicate with us the way He did with people in the Bible?
How can I hear Him more clearly when I pray? What can I do to learn to listen?
Extraordinary Hearing gives practical, biblical insights on how to pray and how to hear from God that will help unleash the power of prayer in your life.
Eligible high schoolers can earn college credit online, the first class is free (not including books and course materials), and they get a significant discount ($166 per credit vs. $613 per credit) for every subsequent class. They can choose from more than 30 available courses. Here are just a few additional details not included on the flier:
This program is open to third-culture kids, homeschool students, private and public school students, etc.
Students can start during any eight-week session – summer, fall, spring, each semester has two sessions as indicated on the flier
The first-class free offer is limited. I do not yet know for how long, but we should market it as temporary for now.
Many students have successfully completed courses during their normal school year. Classes are asynchronous, so they can access course materials at their convenience.
Sometimes universities have similar programs and they make classes specific for high school students – HS students sitting with other HS students. In our program, participants sit in on real college courses, with actual college student peers. They get the real deal through our experience.
The post The Story of the Neighborhood Church That Could: An Interview with Sam Rainer appeared first on Church Answers.
29 min
August 15, 2023What Happens When a Church Exhausts Itself on Fighting
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 the fighting stops, the church is not necessarily starting to get healthy again.
Two groups form: those who decide to leave defeated and those who stay and become apathetic.
In most cases, the church takes a reputation hit in the community.
Pastor churn and staff church begin because few in the church want to volunteer or have any responsibilities.
A new pastor can get permission to lead change, but change does not happen because too few people will do what is requested.
The way out is through a renewed outward focus in six-month increments. Most exhausted churches can do only one thing at a time.
Resources
California Baptist University Pre-College Credit
“Extraordinary Hearing: Preparing Your Soul to Hear from God” by Greg Pruett
Tyndale House Publishers
The Hope Initiative
The Complete Membership Class Toolkit
Get your FREE tool! Attendance Growth Projector
Check out the Church Answers Christian bookstore! Shop curated, trusted resources for Christian life and ministry.
Episode Sponsors:
Eligible high schoolers can earn college credit online, the first class is free (not including books and course materials), and they get a significant discount ($166 per credit vs. $613 per credit) for every subsequent class. They can choose from more than 30 available courses. Here are just a few additional details not included on the flier:
This program is open to third-culture kids, homeschool students, private and public school students, etc.
Students can start during any eight-week session – summer, fall, spring, each semester has two sessions as indicated on the flier
The first-class free offer is limited. I do not yet know for how long, but we should market it as temporary for now.
Many students have successfully completed courses during their normal school year. Classes are asynchronous, so they can access course materials at their convenience.
Sometimes universities have similar programs and they make classes specific for high school students – HS students sitting with other HS students. In our program, participants sit in on real college courses, with actual college student peers. They get the real deal through our experience.
Extraordinary Hearing: Preparing Your Soul to Hear from God by Greg Pruett
“Greg Pruett is a man of absolute integrity and faith; a modern-day Elijah. . . . His passion is contagious. You will love his heart, his words, and his wisdom.”—Max Lucado

What if you could hear God speaking? What diﬀerence would that make in your life?

You don’t have to wonder if God still speaks. He reveals Himself to everyone, without exception. The difference between God’s people and all other people scattered over the face of the earth is this: When God speaks, His people listen.

Join Greg Pruett as he teaches you how to develop extraordinary hearing—discernible guidance from God in your day-to-day life, based on the leading of the Holy Spirit within you. He’ll offer answers to your questions about prayer and discernment, such as:
How can I tell if it’s really God speaking?
Does God still communicate with us the way He did with people in the Bible?
How can I hear Him more clearly when I pray? What can I do to learn to listen?
Extraordinary Hearing gives practical, biblical insights on how to pray and how to hear from God that will help unleash the power of prayer in your life.
“Extraordinary Hearing: Preparing Your Soul to Hear from God” by Greg Pruett

The post What Happens When a Church Exhausts Itself on Fighting appeared first on Church Answers.
22 min
August 08, 2023A New England Church Comeback Story Everyone Needs to Know: An Interview with Gary Moritz
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 is incredibly inspirational.
How was City United struggling?
What was the first priority to begin a turnaround?
Was there any opposition and how did the church overcome it?
What did the community think when the turnaround process began? What is the community’s perception of the church now?
Where is the church going in the next five years? What’s next?
Resources
Filament Bible Collection
Tyndale House Publishers
California Baptist University Pre-College Credit
Brown Church Development Group
“Carry On: Tactical Strategies for Church Revitalization and Renewal” by Gary J. Moritz
City United Church
Church Answers University
Church Answers Platinum Membership
Get your FREE tool! Attendance Growth Projector
Check out the Church Answers Christian bookstore! Shop curated, trusted resources for Christian life and ministry.
Episode Sponsors:
Filament Bible Collection
Suddenly, you can go so much further with your Bible reading and study without the bulk of a traditional study Bible.
Unbounded by size, weight, or format, Bibles equipped with the Filament Bible app bring you spot-on study notes, articles, reflections, videos, interactive maps, and even worship music—all curated for the page you’re reading—when you scan the page number with your phone or tablet.
The Filament Bible Collection is available in a variety of colors, sizes, text fonts, and styles. All have been beautifully constructed with lay-flat, Smyth-Sewn binding; stunning cover designs; and access to the revolutionary Filament Bible app.
When you are reading your Bible and want to go deeper, simply pull out your phone or tablet and use your device’s camera to recognize the page you are reading. Just like that, you have access to study notes, people profiles, devotionals, theme articles, interactive maps, videos, worship music, and more.
The Filament Bible Experience is a unique, engaging encounter with God’s Word. It pairs a beautiful print Bible with the Filament Bible app, giving you access to a depth of resources you simply cannot fit in a bound Bible. This is available through an historic, patented innovation no other app or Bible software can offer: by simply scanning the page number, you will access study notes, profiles, devotionals, videos, interactive maps, music, and more that relate to the page you are reading.
You get a stunning Bible that is easy to read and carry, with nothing but the precious Word of God on its pages, and an amazing portal to a vast array of curated content.
Sections of Filament:
Study:
The Study window contains everything you would expect to find in an excellent study Bible: book introductions, study notes, in-depth articles on key topics, and profiles of key people from the Bible. However, Filament goes beyond what any print study Bible can offer. It helps you see the big picture by connecting people and themes that run throughout the Bible in every passage they appear in, not just in one passage.
Reflect:
The Reflect window is less about in-depth study and more about connecting the ideas of the Bible to your everyday life. Here you’ll find devotional articles and thoughts that are curated from some of Tyndale’s favorite resources, including content from Nancy Guthrie, Chris Tiegreen, and more. No matter what page you are on in the Bible, you’ll find something to reflect on here.
See:
The See window is where you’ll find all things visual. Interactive maps and visuals allow you to zoom in or out and tap key locations to learn more and see photos of the sites. Videos that are relevant to the page you are reading are provided by The Bible Project, a non-profit animation studio whose mission is to make the biblical story accessible to everyone, everywhere. We are proud to include them in Filament free of charge in keeping with their mission. This section also includes worship music from the Worship Initiative.
Audio Bible:
Filament also includes an audio feature that gives you the opportunity to delve deeper into God’s Word through professional audio narration, seamlessly synchronized with the page you are on in the app.
Eligible high schoolers can earn college credit online, the first class is free (not including books and course materials), and they get a significant discount ($166 per credit vs. $613 per credit) for every subsequent class. They can choose from more than 30 available courses. Here are just a few additional details not included on the flier:
This program is open to third-culture kids, homeschool students, private and public school students, etc.
Students can start during any eight-week session – summer, fall, spring, each semester has two sessions as indicated on the flier
The first-class free offer is limited. I do not yet know for how long, but we should market it as temporary for now.
Many students have successfully completed courses during their normal school year. Classes are asynchronous, so they can access course materials at their convenience.
Sometimes universities have similar programs and they make classes specific for high school students – HS students sitting with other HS students. In our program, participants sit in on real college courses, with actual college student peers. They get the real deal through our experience.
The post A New England Church Comeback Story Everyone Needs to Know: An Interview with Gary Moritz appeared first on Church Answers.
25 min
August 04, 2023A 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 giving. Today, churches receive less than a third of all charitable giving. Mike Stadelmayer joins Sam to discuss what’s going on with these trends.
Why do churches receive less of total charitable giving each year? What are pastors missing?
How can a generosity campaign inspire your people to get excited about giving to the church?
What is the generational impact on generosity trends in the church?
What do you expect in the near future with church giving trends?
How can churches prepare for long-term health in the area of generosity?
Resources:
Church Growth Services
Grow Generosity Academy
Get your FREE eBook, 5 Generosity Megatrends
Christian Money Solutions
Revitalize Network
Episode #1 – Three Generosity Megatrends Your Church Cannot Afford to Ignore: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer
Episode #2 – The Implications of Churches Holding More Debt for Longer Periods of Time: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer
Episode Sponsor:
Church Answers and CGS discuss Generosity Trends in the local church. This discussion includes topics such as:
How inflation touches the budgets of churches directly in the form of increased costs and indirectly by reducing parishioner’s resources available for charitable giving.
Generally, churches rely on a small pool of very generous key donors.
That for many smaller to midsize congregations, the financial load is increasingly being carried by the senior age cohorts.
Although overall charitable giving is up, giving to churches has dropped. It is estimated that 59% of churches have declining or flat line giving.
CGS offers an e-book “Five Generosity Megatrends…Long-term Challenges Need Long-Term Solutions.” It not only identifies the megatrends facing churches today but provides solutions to help you start reversing them.
To learn more about how Church Growth Services can help you grow generosity in your church, visit www.churchgrowthservices.com or call 1.800.234.9853.
The post 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 appeared first on Church Answers.
24 min
August 04, 2023A 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 how churches can avoid holding too much debt for too long.
What impact does the rising interest rate environment have on churches right now?
How much debt is too much? What would you tell a church that is pushing this limit?
What are some ways to reduce debt in a way that encourages the congregation?
How can a debt reduction campaign set up your church for a healthy financial future?
Resources:
Church Growth Services
Get your FREE eBook, Debt Reduction – How to Reach Your Destination
Episode #1 – Three Generosity Megatrends Your Church Cannot Afford to Ignore: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer
Episode #3 – Churches Are Getting Less of Total Charitable Giving Every Year—What’s Going On?: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer
Episode Sponsor:
Church Answers and CGS discuss Generosity Trends in the local church. This discussion includes topics such as:
How inflation touches the budgets of churches directly in the form of increased costs and indirectly by reducing parishioner’s resources available for charitable giving.
Generally, churches rely on a small pool of very generous key donors.
That for many smaller to midsize congregations, the financial load is increasingly being carried by the senior age cohorts.
Although overall charitable giving is up, giving to churches has dropped. It is estimated that 59% of churches have declining or flat line giving.
CGS offers an e-book “Five Generosity Megatrends…Long-term Challenges Need Long-Term Solutions.” It not only identifies the megatrends facing churches today but provides solutions to help you start reversing them.
To learn more about how Church Growth Services can help you grow generosity in your church, visit www.churchgrowthservices.com or call 1.800.234.9853.
The post 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 appeared first on Church Answers.
27 min
August 04, 2023A 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” of church financial health?
What is the financial impact of seniors reaching their final giving years?
Why is over-reliance on major donors a problem for churches?
Resources:
Church Growth Services
Get your FREE eBook, 5 Generosity Megatrends
Episode #2 – The Implications of Churches Holding More Debt for Longer Periods of Time: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer
Episode #3 – Churches Are Getting Less of Total Charitable Giving Every Year—What’s Going On?: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer
Episode Sponsor:
Church Answers and CGS discuss Generosity Trends in the local church. This discussion includes topics such as:
How inflation touches the budgets of churches directly in the form of increased costs and indirectly by reducing parishioner’s resources available for charitable giving.
Generally, churches rely on a small pool of very generous key donors.
That for many smaller to midsize congregations, the financial load is increasingly being carried by the senior age cohorts.
Although overall charitable giving is up, giving to churches has dropped. It is estimated that 59% of churches have declining or flat line giving.
CGS offers an e-book “Five Generosity Megatrends…Long-term Challenges Need Long-Term Solutions.” It not only identifies the megatrends facing churches today but provides solutions to help you start reversing them.
To learn more about how Church Growth Services can help you grow generosity in your church, visit www.churchgrowthservices.com or call 1.800.234.9853.
The post 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 appeared first on Church Answers.
23 min
August 01, 2023God With Us: An Interview with Jeff Gissing
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 at his local church.
What is “God With Us”? How did this come together?
Why do you think it’s important to have a resource like this? Why use the New Living Translation?
Why do you think this would be beneficial for pastors to recommend? How do you see churches using it?
Why is it important for pastors and seasoned Christians to continually engage with the Gospels? How can this help new believers?
What drew you to this project?
Resources
California Baptist University Pre-College Credit
Filament Bible Collection
Tyndale House Publishers
“God With Us” by Tyndale and James Barlow
Colorized version of “God With Us” by Tyndale and James Barlow
Get your FREE tool! Attendance Growth Projector
Check out the Church Answers Christian bookstore! Shop curated, trusted resources for Christian life and ministry.
Episode Sponsors:
Eligible high schoolers can earn college credit online, the first class is free (not including books and course materials), and they get a significant discount ($166 per credit vs. $613 per credit) for every subsequent class. They can choose from more than 30 available courses. Here are just a few additional details not included on the flier:
This program is open to third-culture kids, homeschool students, private and public school students, etc.
Students can start during any eight-week session – summer, fall, spring, each semester has two sessions as indicated on the flier
The first-class free offer is limited. I do not yet know for how long, but we should market it as temporary for now.
Many students have successfully completed courses during their normal school year. Classes are asynchronous, so they can access course materials at their convenience.
Sometimes universities have similar programs and they make classes specific for high school students – HS students sitting with other HS students. In our program, participants sit in on real college courses, with actual college student peers. They get the real deal through our experience.

Filament Bible Collection
Suddenly, you can go so much further with your Bible reading and study without the bulk of a traditional study Bible.
Unbounded by size, weight, or format, Bibles equipped with the Filament Bible app bring you spot-on study notes, articles, reflections, videos, interactive maps, and even worship music—all curated for the page you’re reading—when you scan the page number with your phone or tablet.
The Filament Bible Collection is available in a variety of colors, sizes, text fonts, and styles. All have been beautifully constructed with lay-flat, Smyth-Sewn binding; stunning cover designs; and access to the revolutionary Filament Bible app.
When you are reading your Bible and want to go deeper, simply pull out your phone or tablet and use your device’s camera to recognize the page you are reading. Just like that, you have access to study notes, people profiles, devotionals, theme articles, interactive maps, videos, worship music, and more.
The Filament Bible Experience is a unique, engaging encounter with God’s Word. It pairs a beautiful print Bible with the Filament Bible app, giving you access to a depth of resources you simply cannot fit in a bound Bible. This is available through an historic, patented innovation no other app or Bible software can offer: by simply scanning the page number, you will access study notes, profiles, devotionals, videos, interactive maps, music, and more that relate to the page you are reading.
You get a stunning Bible that is easy to read and carry, with nothing but the precious Word of God on its pages, and an amazing portal to a vast array of curated content.
Sections of Filament:
Study:
The Study window contains everything you would expect to find in an excellent study Bible: book introductions, study notes, in-depth articles on key topics, and profiles of key people from the Bible. However, Filament goes beyond what any print study Bible can offer. It helps you see the big picture by connecting people and themes that run throughout the Bible in every passage they appear in, not just in one passage.
Reflect:
The Reflect window is less about in-depth study and more about connecting the ideas of the Bible to your everyday life. Here you’ll find devotional articles and thoughts that are curated from some of Tyndale’s favorite resources, including content from Nancy Guthrie, Chris Tiegreen, and more. No matter what page you are on in the Bible, you’ll find something to reflect on here.
See:
The See window is where you’ll find all things visual. Interactive maps and visuals allow you to zoom in or out and tap key locations to learn more and see photos of the sites. Videos that are relevant to the page you are reading are provided by The Bible Project, a non-profit animation studio whose mission is to make the biblical story accessible to everyone, everywhere. We are proud to include them in Filament free of charge in keeping with their mission. This section also includes worship music from the Worship Initiative.
Audio Bible:
Filament also includes an audio feature that gives you the opportunity to delve deeper into God’s Word through professional audio narration, seamlessly synchronized with the page you are on in the app.

The post God With Us: An Interview with Jeff Gissing appeared first on Church Answers.
26 min
July 25, 2023Five Reasons a Healthy Growing Church Must Teach the Essentials of Christianity
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 church to move forward.
Many church members do not know or believe the basics of the Christian faith.
Knowledge does not equate to action, but you need to know why to respond faithfully.
Bible teaching is inconsistent or non-existent in many small groups in churches.
Culture teaches many half-truths that are not truth at all.
All churches should restart with an “essentials class” in their small groups.
Resources
The Hope Initiative
A Clear and Concise Guide to Christian Beliefs
Bilingual Bible NLT/NTV
Tyndale House Publishers
California Baptist University Pre-College Credit
Get your FREE eBook, 5 Generosity Megatrends
Please Destroy Any of My Recorded Sermons by Thom S. Rainer
Get your FREE tool! Attendance Growth Projector
Check out the Church Answers Christian bookstore! Shop curated, trusted resources for Christian life and ministry.
Episode Sponsors:
The Bilingual Bible NLT/NTV provides the texts of the New Living Translation in English and the Nueva Traducción Viviente in Spanish in a parallel format. These two wonderful translations present God’s Word accurately and faithfully in warm, inviting, and easy-to-understand language that will speak straight to your heart. Now completely revised and updated, its features include:
Presentation Page
365-day Reading Plan
Table of Weights and Measures
Three full-color maps
Eligible high schoolers can earn college credit online, the first class is free (not including books and course materials), and they get a significant discount ($166 per credit vs. $613 per credit) for every subsequent class. They can choose from more than 30 available courses. Here are just a few additional details not included on the flier:
This program is open to third-culture kids, homeschool students, private and public school students, etc.
Students can start during any eight-week session – summer, fall, spring, each semester has two sessions as indicated on the flier
The first-class free offer is limited. I do not yet know for how long, but we should market it as temporary for now.
Many students have successfully completed courses during their normal school year. Classes are asynchronous, so they can access course materials at their convenience.
Sometimes universities have similar programs and they make classes specific for high school students – HS students sitting with other HS students. In our program, participants sit in on real college courses, with actual college student peers. They get the real deal through our experience.
The post Five Reasons a Healthy Growing Church Must Teach the Essentials of Christianity appeared first on Church Answers.
25 min