Rainer on Leadership

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.

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:

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:

The post How to Get Your Church Members to Become Prayer Warriors appeared first on Church Answers.

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 data on the issue.

The dilemma: A typical church will lose a third of its attendance every year. What if you are a church of 100?

It’s unnerving, isn’t it? When our faith feels ungrounded, untethered . . . unreal. When our certainty is adrift, as though an undercurrent has pulled us away from shore into the deep, into the darkness.

Our reality is broken, but God has not changed. Whether you’re disillusioned with God, yourself, or others, Alicia offers practical and soul-full tools to help you navigate the night and find your way to a livable and love-saturated hope.

Your night will not last forever.

Within it, there is priceless treasure

that’s simply too weighty to be sourced in sunshine.

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:

The post The Break-Even Dilemma: Why Your Church Has to Replace a Third of Attendance to Stay Even Each Year appeared first on Church Answers.

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 master plan. In this third part, we talk with Todd about the key critical issues of a church master plan.

The post 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 appeared first on Church Answers.

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 master plan. In this second part, we talk with Todd about what it means to right-size your church.

The post A Special Three-Part Series with Brown Church Development Group: How to Right-Size Your Church’s Facilities: An Interview with Todd Brown appeared first on Church Answers.

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 master plan. In this first part, we talk with Todd about the concept of “paths” in a church.

The post 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 appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Sam share five reasons why pastors above the age of 70 will become increasingly common.

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:

It’s unnerving, isn’t it? When our faith feels ungrounded, untethered . . . unreal. When our certainty is adrift, as though an undercurrent has pulled us away from shore into the deep, into the darkness.

Our reality is broken, but God has not changed. Whether you’re disillusioned with God, yourself, or others, Alicia offers practical and soul-full tools to help you navigate the night and find your way to a livable and love-saturated hope.

Your night will not last forever.

Within it, there is priceless treasure

that’s simply too weighty to be sourced in sunshine.

The post Why Pastors Above the Age of 70 Will Become Increasingly Common appeared first on Church Answers.

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 the next wave of departures in churches.

“Reason to Return: Why Women Need the Church and the Church Needs Women” by Ericka Andersen. Use the code RETURN25 to save 25% at Navpress! 

Do you really need church to have a relationship with God?

Church can produce all kinds of automatic reactions depending on your past experiences. Perhaps your family was actively involved in church, or maybe your experience was limited to attending on the occasional holiday. Is it a place you associate with feelings of shame or joy? Does it bring anxiety, or do you have fond memories? Few people are neutral on the subject of church.

Are you one of the 16 million American women who have left the church in the last decade? There are many reasons for this exodus. Many women who leave the church—especially those who still consider themselves to be Christians—desire a closer relationship with God and a deeper spiritual life. What they may not realize is that the imperfect churches of their pasts might be keeping them from meeting those deep spiritual longings today.

In Reason to Return, Ericka Andersen delves into the reasons why women are leaving church in droves. With gentle insight and thoughtful research, she invites Christian women who are hurt or disillusioned by the churches of their pasts to fulfill their unmet spiritual longings for God and community—and consider what the church might still have to offer them.

Church Answers University is a fast-growing school that offers ministry training and education at a fraction of the cost of typical degree programs. The school currently offers the Certification in Christian Ministry and the Certification in Women’s Discipleship.

For Rainer on Leadership podcast listeners, we have been given FIVE 50% scholarships (a value of $748). If you are interested, contact [email protected].

The post The Next Wave of Departures in Churches (and What Your Church Can Do to Prevent It) appeared first on Church Answers.

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.

1. Church consulting is better as a side gig than a full-time profession.

2. Smaller churches are more willing to hire a consultant today, but price is a limiting factor.

3. Interim pastors are acting more like consultants, but there are unavoidable differences between the two roles.

4. Scope creep is still a big problem and will never go away.

5. Digital consultations are on the rise and will continue to increase in popularity.

6. Certifications for church consultants are helpful and communicate credibility.

Church Answers University is a fast-growing school that offers ministry training and education at a fraction of the cost of typical degree programs. The school currently offers the Certification in Christian Ministry and the Certification in Women’s Discipleship.

For Rainer on Leadership podcast listeners, we have been given FIVE 50% scholarships (a value of $748). If you are interested, contact [email protected].

“Reason to Return: Why Women Need the Church and the Church Needs Women” by Ericka Andersen. Use the code RETURN25 to save 25% at Navpress! 

Do you really need church to have a relationship with God?

Church can produce all kinds of automatic reactions depending on your past experiences. Perhaps your family was actively involved in church, or maybe your experience was limited to attending on the occasional holiday. Is it a place you associate with feelings of shame or joy? Does it bring anxiety, or do you have fond memories? Few people are neutral on the subject of church.

Are you one of the 16 million American women who have left the church in the last decade? There are many reasons for this exodus. Many women who leave the church—especially those who still consider themselves to be Christians—desire a closer relationship with God and a deeper spiritual life. What they may not realize is that the imperfect churches of their pasts might be keeping them from meeting those deep spiritual longings today.

In Reason to Return, Ericka Andersen delves into the reasons why women are leaving church in droves. With gentle insight and thoughtful research, she invites Christian women who are hurt or disillusioned by the churches of their pasts to fulfill their unmet spiritual longings for God and community—and consider what the church might still have to offer them.

The post Our Thoughts on the State of Church Consulting (and What to Expect in the Future) appeared first on Church Answers.

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 thinking what’s next? for the entire congregation. This question can also be personal, meaning what’s next? for me individually. Thom and Sam discuss how pastors can use feelings of restlessness in a positive way.

1. There is a biblical call to contentment in ministry, regardless of “success” or not.

2. Use restlessness to create opportunities to serve others. Make restlessness about the people you serve.

3. The grass is always greener, especially when you are restless.

4. Don’t fear restlessness, but don’t embrace it either.

5. Sometimes restlessness may cause you to pause, but it should never put you in retreat.

What If Deconstructing Your Faith Isn’t a Phase but a Holy Process?

Deconstruct Faith, Discover Jesus will help you to enter the mindset of a deconstructionist. A worldview with a high capacity for paradoxes. A mental space that outweighs your self-interest in being right. A tendency to see Christian beliefs as inseparable from Christian ethics.

Church Answers University is a fast-growing school that offers ministry training and education at a fraction of the cost of typical degree programs. The school currently offers the Certification in Christian Ministry and the Certification in Women’s Discipleship.

For Rainer on Leadership podcast listeners, we have been given FIVE 50% scholarships (a value of $748). If you are interested, contact [email protected].

The post How Pastors Can Use Feelings of Restlessness in a Positive Way for Their Churches appeared first on Church Answers.

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.

Church Answers University is a fast-growing school that offers ministry training and education at a fraction of the cost of typical degree programs. The school currently offers the Certification in Christian Ministry and the Certification in Women’s Discipleship.

For Rainer on Leadership podcast listeners, we have been given FIVE 50% scholarships (a value of $748). If you are interested, contact [email protected].

What If Deconstructing Your Faith Isn’t a Phase but a Holy Process?

Deconstruct Faith, Discover Jesus will help you to enter the mindset of a deconstructionist. A worldview with a high capacity for paradoxes. A mental space that outweighs your self-interest in being right. A tendency to see Christian beliefs as inseparable from Christian ethics.

The post Leading Your Church without Losing Your Children appeared first on Church Answers.