Rainer on Leadership

https://youtu.be/27QDgjCZK2U

Can a church staff work entirely from home? Should the church maintain consistent office hours where staff are at their desks? Thom and Sam discuss the new rules for staff office hours. While there is more flexibility today, office hours are not necessarily a thing of the past. 

We examined this issue back in 2016. Much has changed!

Trust is paramount. Don't make requirements because of a lack of trust in your team.

Don't make a rule for everyone to deal with individual problems.

Some required office hours are likely necessary for things like staff meetings.

Even if you work from home a lot, living in the community is more important than ever.

People like flexibility, but everyone also needs accountability. 

The more you work from home, the more your sacrifice creativity, teamwork, and community.

The more office hours you require, the more you might miss out on good candidates.

 

Resources:

Logos

Rainer on Leadership Episode #258 - “Why You Should Consider Not Requiring Office Hours for Ministerial Staff”

Live Your Truth and Other Lies by Alisa Childers

Tyndale House Publishers

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

 

Episode Sponsors:

According to a recent survey, 30% of Evangelical churchgoers want more in-depth teaching. If you want to go deeper into the word, Logos is the Bible Study platform for you.

Logos fuses powerful technology with biblical resources. Access Bibles, search tools, commentaries, seminary-level courses, and even audiobooks right on your phone, tablet or desktop.

Logos offers nearly 200,000 digital books from the world’s top publishers.

Logos is now more affordable. Get started for just $49. Go to Logos.com/churchanswers.

 

Alisa Childers, bestselling author of Another Gospel? helps you examine modern lies that are disguised as truths in today’s culture in her new book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies.

Everyday messages of peace, fulfillment, and empowerment swirl around social media. On the surface, they seem like sentiments of freedom and hope, but in reality they are deeply deceptive.

The best lies are the ones that sounds the most beautiful, like

* Live your truth

* You are enough

* God just wants you to be happy

This is a book about planting our feet on the bedrock of God’s truth…truth that doesn’t evolve with cultural trends.

Live Your Truth and Other Lies is available October 18th and is a much-needed book in today’s culture.

https://youtu.be/eq1g0s3wxKk

So many changes took place in congregational life in 2022. Thom and Sam look at those changes and the implications for churches as we move into 2023.

The co-vocational movement grew both out of necessity and out of desire.

Evangelism returned to the conversation.

The churches that returned to business as usual are struggling even more.

Church construction dropped precipitously.

The slowdown of additional liquidity into the market is affecting and will affect church finances.

 

Resources:

Contemporary Issues in the Church: Today’s Challenges and the Right Path to the Future course 

The Post-Quarantine Church by Thom S. Rainer 

Brown Church Development Group

Live Your Truth and Other Lies by Alisa Childers

Tyndale House Publishers

Logos.com/churchanswers

Church Answers Silver membership

Church Answers University

Not Your Parent’s Offering Plate by J. Clif Christopher

Church Growth Services Grow Generosity Academy

 

Episode Sponsors:

Alisa Childers, bestselling author of Another Gospel? helps you examine modern lies that are disguised as truths in today’s culture in her new book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies.

Everyday messages of peace, fulfillment, and empowerment swirl around social media. On the surface, they seem like sentiments of freedom and hope, but in reality they are deeply deceptive.

The best lies are the ones that sounds the most beautiful, like

Live your truth

You are enough

God just wants you to be happy

This is a book about planting our feet on the bedrock of God’s truth…truth that doesn’t evolve with cultural trends.

Live Your Truth and Other Lies is available October 18th and is a much-needed book in today’s culture.

 

According to a recent survey, 30% of Evangelical churchgoers want more in-depth teaching. If you want to go deeper into the word, Logos is the Bible Study platform for you.

Logos fuses powerful technology with biblical resources. Access Bibles, search tools, commentaries, seminary-level courses, and even audiobooks right on your phone, tablet or desktop.

Logos offers nearly 200,000 digital books from the world’s top publishers.

Logos is now more affordable. Get started for just $49. Go to Logos.com/churchanswers.

 

https://youtu.be/YbRDDEj1R88

Their stories are rare, but they are worth telling. Some churches that were expected to close did not. Many of these churches seem to have everything going against them. Thom and Sam explain what took place in these churches.

Why getting on the edge of death is both bad and good.

The sad principle of necessary exits took place.

The church members became desperate enough to pray.

The blame game stopped.

The church learned to love its community again.

Everything was put on the table.

 

Resources:

"The Healthy Church - Identifying the Essential Ingredients for Thriving Churches" course

The Anatomy of a Revived Church by Thom S. Rainer

I Am a Church Member by Thom S. Rainer

Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom S. Rainer

The Church Revitalization Checklist: A Hopeful and Practical Guide for Leading Your Congregation to a Brighter Tomorrow by Sam Rainer

Know Your Community Report

Logos

Church Growth Services Grow Generosity Academy

NLT The One Year Bibles for Men and Women

Tyndale House Publishers

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

Church Answers bookstore

 

Episode Sponsors:

According to a recent survey, 30% of Evangelical churchgoers want more in-depth teaching. If you want to go deeper into the word, Logos is the Bible Study platform for you.

Logos fuses powerful technology with biblical resources. Access Bibles, search tools, commentaries, seminary-level courses, and even audiobooks right on your phone, tablet or desktop.

Logos offers nearly 200,000 digital books from the world’s top publishers.

Logos is now more affordable. Get started for just $49. Go to Logos.com/churchanswers.

The One Year Bible for Women and The One Year Bible for Men combine the bestselling daily Bible reading format with two-minute daily devotionals.

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 in your church and what you can do to change it.

The outlook is short-term.

The leader makes too many comparisons.

Evangelism is not in the revitalization plans

Prayer is not in the revitalization plans.

The leader becomes discouraged with membership losses.

 

Resources:

Church Revitalization - Leading With Hope to Help any Church course

The Church Revitalization Checklist by Sam Rainer

Church Answers University

One Year Bible for Men and One Year Bible for Women

Tyndale House Publishers

Logos.com/churchanswers

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

 

Episode Sponsors:

The One Year Bible for Women and The One Year Bible for Men combine the bestselling daily Bible reading format with two-minute daily devotionals.

The One Year Bible for Women has devotionals written just for women, and The One Year Bible for Men, as you might expect, has devotionals written specifically for men, creating one-of-a-kind devotional Bibles.

Featuring the trusted and understandable New Living Translation, these Bibles have daily readings that include a passage from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. Each daily reading also includes a short devotional.

These Bible can be paired together for couples’ devotions, but they are also perfect for individual daily devotional moments.

 

According to a recent survey, 30% of Evangelical churchgoers want more in-depth teaching. If you want to go deeper into the word, Logos is the Bible Study platform for you.

Logos fuses powerful technology with biblical resources. Access Bibles, search tools, commentaries, seminary-level courses, and even audiobooks right on your phone, tablet or desktop.

Logos offers nearly 200,000 digital books from the world’s top publishers.

Logos is now more affordable. Get started for just $49. Go to Logos.com/churchanswers.

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.

A culture shift is needed to reignite the church in evangelism.

The pastor must lead by example and priority.

Many church turnarounds have taken place with a few people in the church.

Your small groups are a great conduit for evangelistic renewal.

 

Resources:

Personal Evangelism: Overcoming the Difficulties of Sharing the Gospel

Sharing the Gospel with Ease by Thom S. Rainer

Church Answers University

Church Revitalization Checklist by Sam Rainer

Logos

Uncommon Influence by Lauren and Tony Dungy

Tyndale House Publishers

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

 

Episode Sponsors:

According to a recent survey, 30% of Evangelical churchgoers want more in-depth teaching. If you want to go deeper into the word, Logos is the Bible Study platform for you.

Logos fuses powerful technology with biblical resources. Access Bibles, search tools, commentaries, seminary-level courses, and even audiobooks right on your phone, tablet or desktop.

Logos offers nearly 200,000 digital books from the world’s top publishers.

Logos is now more affordable. Get started for just $49. Go to Logos.com/churchanswers.

 

Uncommon Influence: Saying Yes to a Purposeful Life by Tony Dungy and Lauren Dungy

In Uncommon Influence, Lauren and Tony Dungy share 11 ways to turn an ordinary life into an extraordinary life of influence for God.

They believe that everyone has influence, and everyone has something to give.

This book will ​​inspire readers to think intentionally about the unique gifts and talents God has given them, and how they can use these gifts and talents to reach others and make a positive impact for God.

Young or old, with many or few resources, everyone can do something.

Lauren and Tony Dungy wrote Uncommon Influence in partnership with Tyndale House Publishers and Compassion International. Uncommon Influence is available now from your favorite bookseller. Visit EveryoneNeedsCompassion.

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 discipleship and how you can quickly shift to train up the next generation. 

Quality programming is one of the best ways to assimilate families.

Single-parent homes are more common, and ministries often do not account for them.

Children's ministry and student ministry are under-resourced in most churches.

Most churches do not celebrate the children's ministry. They just ask for volunteers.

 

Resources:

Episode 1: How the Pandemic Has Changed Children's Ministry (For the Better)

Secure your seat for the Child Discipleship Forum

Awana

Children’s Ministry in a New Reality 

RESILIENT: Child Discipleship and the Fearless Future of the Church

Leading Kid Min: How to Drive Real Change in Children’s Ministry

 

Episode Sponsor:

Thank you to our sponsor, AWANA. 

Entertainment, relevance, and moralism have proven insufficient to form lasting faith in our children. 

Jesus, the Gospel as well as recent research are clear: the most effective way to impart faith to our children is child discipleship. But how?

Invest in resilient discipleship this September 22 and 23 at the second annual Awana Child Discipleship Forum in Nashville or online.

By attending the Forum, you’ll learn how to apply new research from Barna and Awana from the largest children’s ministry research project in over two decades, Children’s Ministry in a New Reality. 

From this research, you’ll gain the data and analysis needed to form a new, more comprehensive vision for child discipleship—one that’s actually designed with our changing world in mind.

Whether you attend in Nashville or online, you’ll experience community and belonging as you connect with like-minded leaders in this critical conversation on child discipleship.

Secure your seat on ChildDiscipleshipForum.com.

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 has changed in the last two years, but many great opportunities exist for churches.

The periphery families are gone, but the core families are stronger than ever.

Rhythms and consistency of programs are needed to resolve lower attendance frequency.

Child safety and facility cleanliness are non-negotiables.

Church proximity is key: Millennials move less, and long commutes are not desirable.

The value of neighborhood ministry is on the rise

 

Resources:

Secure your seat for the Child Discipleship Forum

Awana

Children’s Ministry in a New Reality 

RESILIENT: Child Discipleship and the Fearless Future of the Church

 

Episode Sponsor:

Thank you to our sponsor, AWANA. 

Entertainment, relevance, and moralism have proven insufficient to form lasting faith in our children. 

Jesus, the Gospel as well as recent research are clear: the most effective way to impart faith to our children is child discipleship. But how?

Invest in resilient discipleship this September 22 and 23 at the second annual Awana Child Discipleship Forum in Nashville or online.

By attending the Forum, you’ll learn how to apply new research from Barna and Awana from the largest children’s ministry research project in over two decades, Children’s Ministry in a New Reality. 

From this research, you’ll gain the data and analysis needed to form a new, more comprehensive vision for child discipleship—one that’s actually designed with our changing world in mind.

Whether you attend in Nashville or online, you’ll experience community and belonging as you connect with like-minded leaders in this critical conversation on child discipleship.

Secure your seat on ChildDiscipleshipForum.com.

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 results could revolutionize your congregation.

Bible reading is critical to the spiritual health of a Christian and the church.

Most Christians do not read the Bible daily.

Very few Christians have been taught to understand the Bible in its entirety.

Your church's small groups are a great place to teach the Bible as a whole.

The pastor must be the leader of this emphasis.

 

Resources:

Understanding the Bible as a Whole by Sam Rainer

Understanding the Bible as a Whole: Comprehending the Big Picture of Scripture course

What the Bible is all About by Henrietta Mears

Sunday School Changes Everything (What the Bible Is All About) by Henrietta Mears

Church Answers University

Uncommon Influence by Lauren and Tony Dungy

Logos.com/churchanswers

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

 

Episode Sponsors:

Uncommon Influence: Saying Yes to a Purposeful Life by Tony Dungy and Lauren Dungy

In Uncommon Influence, Lauren and Tony Dungy share 11 ways to turn an ordinary life into an extraordinary life of influence for God.

They believe that everyone has influence, and everyone has something to give.

This book will ​​inspire readers to think intentionally about the unique gifts and talents God has given them, and how they can use these gifts and talents to reach others and make a positive impact for God.

Young or old, with many or few resources, everyone can do something.

Lauren and Tony Dungy wrote Uncommon Influence in partnership with Tyndale House Publishers and Compassion International. Uncommon Influence is available now from your favorite bookseller. Visit EveryoneNeedsCompassion.com to learn more.

 

According to a recent survey, 30% of Evangelical churchgoers want more in-depth teaching. If you want to go deeper into the word, Logos is the Bible Study platform for you.

Logos fuses powerful technology with biblical resources. Access Bibles, search tools, commentaries, seminary-level courses, and even audiobooks right on your phone, tablet or desktop.

Logos offers nearly 200,

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 now than in the past.

The front door is different: First impressions are now made digitally

The back door is different: Less consumerism but also less frequency

Follow-up via text is now accepted, but you can stand out with hand-written notes

Drive times are down and neighborhood churches are more desirable

QR codes are acceptable rather than paper handouts

What has not changed: Most guests attend because someone invited them

 

Resources:

Logos

Claim your Google business address

Confessions of a French Atheist by Guillaume Bignon

Tyndale House Publishers

Brown Church Development Group

EST.Church Podcast - “The Connection Between Stewardship, Generosity & Discipleship”

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

 

Episode Sponsors:

According to a recent survey, 30% of Evangelical churchgoers want more in-depth teaching. If you want to go deeper into the word, Logos is the Bible Study platform for you.

Logos fuses powerful technology with biblical resources. Access Bibles, search tools, commentaries, seminary-level courses, and even audiobooks right on your phone, tablet or desktop.

Logos offers nearly 200,000 digital books from the world’s top publishers.

Logos is now more affordable. Get started for just $49. Go to Logos.com/churchanswers.

 

Guillaume Bignon was a French atheist who grew up in a country that had little use for God, and he had no earthly reason to follow Jesus.

But God himself was at work when Guillaume decided to prove that Christianity was wrong to his new girlfriend, a woman he’d met seemingly by chance on a vacation in the Caribbean.

The result? Today, Dr. Guillaume Bignon is a dedicated Christian theologian, a well-respected apologist, and a frequent guest on radio and in-person debates with atheists.

After his improbable conversion from atheism to Christianity, he earned a master’s in biblical literature and a PhD in philosophical theology.

His conversion story has attracted more than 300,000 views on YouTube.

His new book, Confessions of a French Atheist, released this summer.

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 most church growth occurs through conversion growth, transfer growth, biological growth, or demographic growth.

Conversion growth occurs when someone accepts Christ and is assimilated into the body as a new member and new Christian.

Transfer growth occurs when an existing resident moves from one congregation to another congregation within the same community.

Biological growth occurs when existing families in the church have children.

Demographic growth occurs when new residents arrive in the community and begin looking for a church.

 

Resources:

Confessions of a French Atheist by Guillaume Bignon

Tyndale House Publishers

Logos.com/churchanswers

Church Growth Services

Est Podcast - “The Connection Between Stewardship, Generosity & Discipleship”

Understanding the Bible as a Whole by Sam Rainer

Know Your Community Report

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

 

Episode Sponsors:

Guillaume Bignon was a French atheist who grew up in a country that had little use for God, and he had no earthly reason to follow Jesus.

But God himself was at work when Guillaume decided to prove that Christianity was wrong to his new girlfriend, a woman he’d met seemingly by chance on a vacation in the Caribbean.

The result? Today, Dr. Guillaume Bignon is a dedicated Christian theologian, a well-respected apologist, and a frequent guest on radio and in-person debates with atheists.

After his improbable conversion from atheism to Christianity, he earned a master’s in biblical literature and a PhD in philosophical theology.

His conversion story has attracted more than 300,000 views on YouTube.

His new book, Confessions of a French Atheist, released this summer.

Click here to learn more.

 

According to a recent survey, 30% of Evangelical churchgoers want more in-depth teaching. If you want to go deeper into the word, Logos is the Bible Study platform for you.