Rainer on Leadership

An expert in practical local church leadership, Carey Nieuwhof joins Thom and Sam to discuss his most recent book and a few surprises of the post-quarantine church. 

Carey Nieuwhof is a former lawyer and founding pastor of Connexus Church. He’s the author of several best-selling books, including his latest, Didn’t See It Coming: Overcoming the Seven Greatest Challenges That No One Expects But Everyone Experiences.

Carey speaks to leaders around the world about leadership, change, and personal growth. He writes one of today’s most widely read Christian leadership blogs at www.CareyNieuwhof.com, as well as hosts the top-rated Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast where he interviews some of today’s best leaders. His content is accessed over 1.3 million times a month by leaders.

* Tell us some of the areas where you have been spending much of your time lately.

* What is one positive surprise you have seen for churches in the post-quarantine era?

* What is one negative surprise you have seen for churches in the post-quarantine era?

* Do you think churches as a whole are adjusting well?

* Where do you see some critical areas needed for change in churches today?

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* Carey Nieuwhof’s page

* Carey Nieuwhof’s courses

* Church Future Indicator

* Free 30-day trial Church Answers Silver membership

 

Episode Sponsor:

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here on Church Answers.

It’s a tough word to say and requires wisdom to keep. We hear a lot about what we should and should not keep confidential. Today’s episode of Rainer on Leadership is packed full of great information for church leaders concerning the importance of confidentiality. 

* Always report abuse, no exceptions

* Be careful when someone makes you promise confidentiality before telling you something

* One mistake can cause a ripple effect with others

* Do not sacrifice confidence with one person to gain with a group of others

* Break confidence when you are concerned about the person's safety

* Keep confidence even when it may hurt your reputation

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* Radical Mentoring

* Church Future Indicator

* Free 30-day trial Church Answers Silver membership

 

Episode Sponsor:

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here on Church Answers.

Today’s episode is fairly controversial as it deals with a very polarizing topic: Politics. How can the Church heal the negativity of the election season? Listen as Thom and Sam Rainer discuss five ways to tackle this very practical issue. 

* Listen first. Talk little. 

* Do not endorse individual candidates from the pulpit.

* Guide your church in corporate prayer for our nation.

* Speak directly into clear biblical issues. 

* Encourage on social media rather than debating.

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* Radical Mentoring

* Church Future Indicator

* Free 30-day trial Church Answers Silver membership

 

Episode Sponsor:

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here on Church Answers.

Matt Steen and Todd Rhoades from Chemistry Staffing share their wealth of knowledge and help us understand five factors of a long-term, healthy fit when searching for your next team member. 

Matt Steen is the co-founder of Chemistry Staffing. He has served the local church for over two decades as a youth pastor, church planter, and executive pastor. Originally from Baltimore, Matt currently lives in Orlando, with his wife Theresa, and has a B.S. in Youth Ministry from Nyack College and an M.Div. and MBA from Baylor University. Certified as an Urban Church Planter Coach by Redeemer City to City and as a StratOp facilitator by the Paterson Center, Matt has made a career of helping churches thrive through intentionality, clarity, and creating healthy cultures. He is convinced that a healthy church is led by a healthy team with great chemistry, and loves partnering with Chemistry’s churches to do great things for the Kingdom.

* Theological Alignment

* Cultural Fit

* Personality Alignment

* Skillset

* Chemistry

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* Chemistry Staffing

* Church Future Indicator

* Free 30-day trial Church Answers Silver membership

 

Episode Sponsor:

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here on Church Answers.

Author Greg Atkinson joins Thom and Sam to discuss the importance of the guest experience in a post-COVID world. 

Greg Atkinson is the Founder of Worship Impressions and the First Impressions Conference. Greg is an author, leadership coach, consultant, and member of the Forbes Coaching Council. Greg has worked with churches of all stages and sizes, including some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the country, as well as with businesses, non-profits, and organizations such as Josh McDowell Ministries.

* You have focused a lot of your work on the church guest experience. What changes are you seeing in this area due to the pandemic?

* What does hospitality look like in churches during this season?

* What are some effective ways churches can provide a great guest experience for online guests?

* What are some simple, practical things a church can do to welcome and retain new guests as in-person services resume?

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* Church Future Indicator

* Greg Atkinson

* Secrets of a Secret Shopper: Reaching and Keeping Church Guests by Greg Atkinson

* First Impressions Conference

* Hospitality Ministry Volunteer Handbook: Equipping You to Serve

* Letter to a Young Pastor - by Eric E. Peterson

* Free 30-day trial Church Answers Silver membership

 

Episode Sponsor:

When Eric Peterson became the pastor of a brand-new church, he quickly sought guidance from his dad, pastor Eugene Peterson, author of The Message and 30+ books. The intimate correspondence that followed between father and son is captured in Letters to a Young Pastor. Reading this book is like being personally mentored by Eugene as he reflects on pastoral ministry in all its complexity.

In turn, Eric then wrote Letters to a Young Congregation; his collection of honest and convicting letters written to his growing church. It addresses the essential questions every pastor wants their church members to answer.

Read the first letter of each book at LettersToAYoungPastor.com

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting

Tim Cool from Smart Church Solutions joins Sam and Thom on this episode of Rainer on Leadership to discuss Tim’s new book and how church leaders can be intentional stewards of church facilities. 

We have talked about this concept several times, why write a book?

Why is now such a critical time for churches to understand these concepts?

Who should read this book?

Will this provide all a church needs to know?

What are the next steps after reading the book?

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* Entrusted: A Guide to Intentional Church Facility Stewardship by Tim Cool

* Church Future Indicator

* Smart Church Solutions

* Smart Church Solutions Facebook

* Church Facility Evaluator

* Contact Smart Church Solutions

* Email Tim Cool

* Chasing Vines by Beth Moore

 

Episode Sponsor:

God wants you to flourish. We all know life is not always fun, but it can always bear fruit. Join Beth Moore on a six-session journey to discover what it means to abide in Christ and to bear fruit. The six-session Chasing Vines Group Experience is a topical study you don’t want to miss. For information on Beth’s Chasing Vines book, the group study, and the DVD, go to ChasingVines.com

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here on Church Answers.

Are you feeling numb to all that is happening around you, the decisions which need to be made, and the responsibilities in front of you? In this episode of Rainer on Leadership, we discuss overcoming the numb feeling and moving forward in a post-quarantine era. 

All leaders can fall flat for a season, but detachment is not the answer. 

Listen more to your confidants than your feelings.

Find joy in little victories.

Focus more on relationships and less on strategy.

Stop blaming individuals and start solving problems.

Serve your way through the numbness.

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* The Post Quarantine Church by Dr. Thom S. Rainer

* Church Future Indicator

* Tuvalu

* Chasing Vines by Beth Moore

 

Episode Sponsor:

God wants you to flourish. We all know life is not always fun, but it can always bear fruit. Join Beth Moore on a six-session journey to discover what it means to abide in Christ and to bear fruit. The six-session Chasing Vines Group Experience is a topical study you don’t want to miss. For information on Beth’s Chasing Vines book, the group study, and the DVD, go to ChasingVines.com

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here on Church Answers.

We all know life will be different in the post-quarantine era. The church has fundamentally changed and many pastors are grappling with what the Church will look like in the coming years. Dr. Rainer and Sam Rainer discuss five reasons why the speed of change must accelerate in your church in the post-quarantine era. 

COVID-19 accelerated negative change in your church by three to five years.

Most churches have moved to an extreme inward focus.

Your church may decline rapidly or die soon.

Your pastor may leave.

Evangelism is all but non-existent in many churches.

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* The Post Quarantine Church by Dr. Thom S. Rainer

* Church Future Indicator

* Cosco & Associates

* Church Answers - Six Reasons Your Pastor is About to Quit

* Chasing Vines by Beth Moore

 

Episode Sponsor:

God wants you to flourish. We all know life is not always fun, but it can always bear fruit. Join Beth Moore on a six-session journey to discover what it means to abide in Christ and to bear fruit. The six-session Chasing Vines Group Experience is a topical study you don’t want to miss. For information on Beth’s Chasing Vines book, the group study, and the DVD, go to ChasingVines.com

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here on Church Answers.

Today marks the release of Dr. Thom Rainer’s new book, The Post Quarantine Church: Six Urgent Challenges and Opportunities That Will Determine the Future of Your Congregation. Dr. Rainer’s new book provides timely insight into our new reality and answers to questions church leaders have when looking to the future.

* Why did you write The Post-Quarantine Church?

* How did you make your conclusions?

* What is the greatest challenge for post-quarantine churches?

* Where do you see the churches in three years?

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* The Post Quarantine Church by Dr. Thom S. Rainer

* Church Future Indicator

* Chemistry Staffing

* Filament Bibles

* Church Answers

 

Episode Sponsor:

After months of disruption, many of us are seeking to re-set and make Bible study a part of our daily plan. Tyndale is introducing the Filament Bible Collection, which brings inspiration together with innovation in a way that may forever change the way we read the Bible.This assortment of beautiful, portable Bibles comes with the Filament App, providing digital access to study notes, devotions, videos and worship music for the page you’re reading. Learn more at www.filamentbibles,com.

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here on Church Answers.

On today’s episode of Rainer on Leadership Thom Rainer and Sam Rainer discuss how to deal with constant critics and angry church members.

Try to discern the real issue.

Deal with legitimate issues.

Stop feeding temper tantrums.

Confront them when necessary. 

Pray for them.

Resources mentioned in today's podcast:

* Church Future Indicator

* Filament Bibles

* Church Answers

 

Episode Sponsor:

After months of disruption, many of us are seeking to re-set and make Bible study a part of our daily plan. Tyndale is introducing the Filament Bible Collection, which brings inspiration together with innovation in a way that may forever change the way we read the Bible.This assortment of beautiful, portable Bibles comes with the Filament App, providing digital access to study notes, devotions, videos and worship music for the page you’re reading. Learn more at www.filamentbibles,com.

 

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help students move established churches from flatlining to flourishing.

Learn about this program and more by visiting sebts.edu. Where are you going? Southeastern will help you get there.

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here on Church Answers.