Rainer on Leadership

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 a Bible for your child. There are many age-appropriate Bibles, and we recommend the New Living Translation. You can look at several options in the Church Answers bookstore.

3. Mark the date. You can bless your child by recording the date of their salvation.

4. Record a video of your child’s testimony.

5. Write a handwritten letter to your child. Consider giving your child this letter on their eighteenth birthday or some other occasion marking a transition to adulthood.

6. Commit to a church. Frankly, you cannot equip your child in the faith without help. Everyone needs a church.

7.Seek pastoral guidance.

Check out a FREE ebook and video resource to give to your families at salvation.churchanswers.com.

The Parent’s Guides to Finding True Identity bundle is for parents wondering what influences their teens today and how to guide them to be the best versions of themselves using biblical wisdom and engaging discussion questions. Each of these five booklets focuses on a different area of identity formation:

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 Seven Recommendations for When a Child in Your Church Accepts Christ appeared first on Church Answers.

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 setting goals to find a pastor within a year (and reverse engineering the process).

2. The culture of many churches in the pastor search process is antiquated and inefficient.

3. Demographic challenges are real: the “supply” of candidates is decreasing.

4. Many churches think they can compensate full-time pastors when they can’t.

5. Expectations of churches are often unrealistic.

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 Parent’s Guides to Finding True Identity bundle is for parents wondering what influences their teens today and how to guide them to be the best versions of themselves using biblical wisdom and engaging discussion questions. Each of these five booklets focuses on a different area of identity formation:

The post Five Reasons Why Churches Are Taking Longer to Find Pastors (Update) appeared first on Church Answers.

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 church fostering is still strong.

2. Not as many churches have moved in this direction yet as anticipated.

3. Leaders of the fostered church struggle with limiting the period of fostering.

4. The key question is still: How does my church find a church to foster?

5. Fostering will result in adoption over 50% of the time.

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 Parent’s Guides to Finding True Identity bundle is for parents wondering what influences their teens today and how to guide them to be the best versions of themselves using biblical wisdom and engaging discussion questions. Each of these five booklets focuses on a different area of identity formation:

A Parent’s Guide to Fear and Worry offers reasons why today’s teens are so overwhelmed by fear and worry, offers tips to console them, and gives encouraging Bible verses to find peace.

The post Five Current Trends in Churches Fostering Churches appeared first on Church Answers.

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 Human Coalition, a pro-life organization based in Dallas.

NLT Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition

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 New Fight for Life: An Interview with Benjamin Watson appeared first on Church Answers.

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 Deek!). Thom and Sam tackle this subject on this week’s episode.

NLT Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition

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 Involved Should the Lead Pastor Be When Hiring New Church Staff? appeared first on Church Answers.

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 change over time and so can your calling. Even when the fit is not ideal, both church and pastor can learn to love each other.

1. Does the “ideal” personality exist for pastoral leadership?

2. Patient

3. Thick-skinned

4. Determined

5. But anyone can learn these three traits.

How can you know yourself? The Know Yourself assessment tool only takes 10 minutes to complete. There are 12 possible profiles you could fit into. All you have to do is fill out the form below and we will walk you through the process. Grab a copy of the Know Yourself report to find out your church leadership personality: https://churchanswers.com/solutions/tools/knowyourself/

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].

Why is the world so unfair? Where is God in the midst of the brokenness? Is there anything we can do?

We know that in a fallen and broken world there will always be pain and poverty, sickness and sadness. Yet as followers of Christ, we are called to bring hope and healing to those who hurt. What, then, is our responsibility to alleviate human suffering this side of eternity? With so many needs everywhere we look, where do we start? One thing is certain: our faith does not allow us to turn away. Our response to the least of these, Jesus tells us, impacts not just those in need but also our own hearts and potentially even our salvation.

The Least of These brings together a collection of respected Christian thought leaders to provide a multifaceted look at the body of Christ’s relationship and responsibility—both individual and corporate—to the marginalized of our society. Contributors include Lisa Rodriguez-Watson, David Hionides, Ben Virgo, Dennis Edwards, Brandon Washington, Jonathan Brooks, Daniel Aaron Harris, Danielle Strickland, Aubrey Sampson, and Christiana Rice.

The Least of These is the third in a series of Kingdom Conversations, books that bring together trusted Christian voices to address some of the most urgent and perplexing challenges of our time in timeless and redemptive ways.

The post The Best Personality for Pastoral Leadership appeared first on Church Answers.

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 listeners.

2. Why should our church members be concerned with ethical challenges in finances?

3. Tell us about the program.

4. Who do you think the program will connect best with?

5. Okay, we have to ask…Should Christians give to the homeless man on the street corner?

Why is the world so unfair? Where is God in the midst of the brokenness? Is there anything we can do?

We know that in a fallen and broken world there will always be pain and poverty, sickness and sadness. Yet as followers of Christ, we are called to bring hope and healing to those who hurt. What, then, is our responsibility to alleviate human suffering this side of eternity? With so many needs everywhere we look, where do we start? One thing is certain: our faith does not allow us to turn away. Our response to the least of these, Jesus tells us, impacts not just those in need but also our own hearts and potentially even our salvation.

The Least of These brings together a collection of respected Christian thought leaders to provide a multifaceted look at the body of Christ’s relationship and responsibility—both individual and corporate—to the marginalized of our society. Contributors include Lisa Rodriguez-Watson, David Hionides, Ben Virgo, Dennis Edwards, Brandon Washington, Jonathan Brooks, Daniel Aaron Harris, Danielle Strickland, Aubrey Sampson, and Christiana Rice.

The Least of These is the third in a series of Kingdom Conversations, books that bring together trusted Christian voices to address some of the most urgent and perplexing challenges of our time in timeless and redemptive ways.

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

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 younger generations are not moving as much as in the past.

1. Mobility is down significantly (In the 1940s, one in five moved annually)

2. Today it is less than one in ten

3. Why? Great Recession, homeownership is more difficult, work-from-home

How can the church reach and keep them?

1. Fewer events, more programming

2. Churches that are as diverse as the preschools

3. Many more single-parent homes than in the past

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].

If you like historical biographies, you’ll love what is certainly the most important biography in history: the biography of Jesus. This is now available in a captivating new book from Tyndale called God with Us. It’s the account of Jesus’ life, teachings, and deeds, told entirely in the words of the four Gospels, woven together into one chronological narrative. It’s like nothing you’ve ever read, even if you know the Bible well. 

In a unique and powerful telling of the gospel—the biography and teachings of Jesus and the story of redemption—the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are woven together into a single narrative. God with Us crystallizes the story of Jesus, amplifies his life-changing message, and clarifies the gift of salvation. It is a reading experience unlike any other.

A wonderful accent to your personal Bible study or a great gift or product for your ministry, this presentation of Jesus’ story will bring clarity to your understanding and effectiveness to your outreach. In God with Us, meet Jesus as you never have and share his story in a new and moving way.

The post Millennials Are the Least Mobile Generation (Your Church Can Reach and Keep Them) appeared first on Church Answers.

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 the United States? Much higher! The US population has a median age of 39 years old, while most denominations have a median age of congregants between 50 and 60 years old.

From our longitudinal research, we’ve found over half (54%) of active adult church members are 60 years old or older. What are the implications?

1. An automatic generation gap exists between church and community.

2. Most churches will feel “behind the times” because of the age gap.

3. Older is not worse. Younger is not better. But most churches will grow via younger generations, not older generations.

4. The older the church, the harder it is to reach the next generation.

5. A younger pastor is not a silver bullet.

If you like historical biographies, you’ll love what is certainly the most important biography in history: the biography of Jesus. This is now available in a captivating new book from Tyndale called God with Us. It’s the account of Jesus’ life, teachings, and deeds, told entirely in the words of the four Gospels, woven together into one chronological narrative. It’s like nothing you’ve ever read, even if you know the Bible well. 

In a unique and powerful telling of the gospel—the biography and teachings of Jesus and the story of redemption—the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are woven together into a single narrative. God with Us crystallizes the story of Jesus, amplifies his life-changing message, and clarifies the gift of salvation. It is a reading experience unlike any other.

A wonderful accent to your personal Bible study or a great gift or product for your ministry, this presentation of Jesus’ story will bring clarity to your understanding and effectiveness to your outreach. In God with Us, meet Jesus as you never have and share his story in a new and moving way.

God With Us: The Biography of Jesus – Book available for purchase on Tyndale’s website

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 Church Members Are Getting Much Older (The Real Stat and What It Means) appeared first on Church Answers.

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 what you are doing.

2. What are one or two important recommendations you make to pastors on talking about stewardship and generosity in the church?

3. What is a common misunderstanding about giving?

4. Tell us where you got the concept for SWAN Capital and what it means as we plan for retirement.

5. How can pastors better prepare for their own retirement?

How to identify — and learn what you can do to avoid — costly financial mistakes churches make

No matter what organization you lead, finances are paramount to your success – and church finances aren’t any different. 

Poorly managed church finances can hurt a pastor’s ability to lead church members and reach the local community. After all, very little will wreck the movement of God more than weak financial policies and workflows. 

Thankfully, it’s much easier to make changes now – before your church is in the headlines – than to try to reestablish those relationships after they’ve been torpedoed by a costly financial misstep.

BELAY’s modern church staffing solutions have been helping busy church leaders delegate important financial details for over a decade. Their fractional, U.S.-based contractors provide Accounting and Virtual Assistant services to level up your church through the power of delegation.

To help you figure out where to start, BELAY is offering its resource, 4 Costly Financial Mistakes for Churches, to our listeners for free to help you identify the four biggest things we see wreck churches when it comes to their finances – and what you can do to avoid them.

In the 21st century, we’re witnessing an escalation in Christian persecution like we have rarely seen since the 1st century. Most of the modern stories are not legendary; in fact, many are unknown. The New Book of Christian Martyrs commemorates these contemporary heroes.

In this update to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Johnnie Moore and Jerry Pattengale highlight martyrs of past centuries and feature stories of contemporary martyrs to inspire Christians around the globe. Available now where books are sold.

The post The Giving Crisis: An Interview with Andrew McNair appeared first on Church Answers.