Thom and Jess discuss how the total of all Nones is at its lowest level since 2018.

Source: Ryan Burge, “Religion in 2024: The Plateau Is Real.” Graphs about Religion. Burge uses the data from The Cooperative Election Study, 2008 to 2024.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post Where Have All the Atheists and Agnostics Gone? appeared first on Church Answers.

From 2008 to 2014, the Nones (those who have no religious affiliation) were the fastest-growing demographic segment in the nation. They are no longer growing. In fact, they are declining slightly. Here are five major implications for churches.

Source: Ryan Burge, “Religion in 2024: The Plateau Is Real.” Graphs about Religion. Burge uses the data from The Cooperative Election Study, 2008 to 2024.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post The Nones Are Rising No More: 5 Things Church Leaders Need to Know appeared first on Church Answers.

What can pastors do to affair-proof their marriages? I’ve had the opportunity to talk with a number of pastors whose marriages seem to be healthy. They are certainly long-lived; the most recently married of the pastors to whom I spoke has been married 31 years. The longest marriage was 41 years in my sample group.

From them, I learned some important lessons. We will look at eight ways pastors affair-proof their marriages over two episodes. Here are the second four:

5. Don’t have unreasonable expectations of your spouse at church. Let your spouse decide what to do in the church and expect nothing more.

6. Discern and discuss how much your spouse wants to hear about church matters. Some spouses like to hear as much as possible. Others like to be shielded from some of the ugly sides of the church. Find out where your spouse is, and try to communicate with that need in mind.

7. Defend your spouse. Unfortunately, many pastors’ spouses are the recipients of hurtful criticisms. Defend your spouse. Never put other church members first.

8. Converse with your spouse. You may have had a long, tough day. But you still must take time for your spouse. Take time to talk every day. Make a regular phone call home. And in your conversations, do more listening than talking.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post How Pastors Can Affair-Proof Their Marriages (Part 2) appeared first on Church Answers.

What can pastors do to affair-proof their marriages? I’ve had the opportunity to talk with a number of pastors whose marriages seem to be healthy. They are certainly long-lived; the most recently married of the pastors to whom I spoke has been married 31 years. The longest marriage was 41 years in my sample group.

From them, I learned some important lessons. We will look at eight ways pastors affair-proof their marriages over two episodes. Here are the first four:

1. Put your family as the highest priority of your ministry. Don’t create a dichotomy between family and church. View your family as the church members with the highest priority for your ministry.

2. Pray with your spouse. You pray with and for church members every day. Make certain you take time to pray with your spouse daily.

3. Pray for your spouse. It’s not easy being a pastor’s spouse. Expectations can be high, and the glass house syndrome can be real. Pray for your spouse daily.

4. Date your spouse. Make every effort to have a date once a week. There will always be ministry to be done, and members will expect your time. Make certain you make time for your spouse on a regular basis.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post How Pastors Can Affair-Proof Their Marriages (Part 1) appeared first on Church Answers.

In many (if not most) of the growing churches that are reaching their communities, Church Answers hears a repeated theme in our consultations. These churches are growing through sports ministries. Thom interviews Kevin Drake, Executive Director of Upward Sports, to get a “behind the scenes” perspective of this incredible growing ministry.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post The Amazing Growth of Sports Ministries to Reach Communities with the Gospel: An Interview with Kevin Drake appeared first on Church Answers.

Church Answers continues to hear stories about churches reaching their communities through sports. Jess and Thom interview Chris “Tiny” Seely, the children’s pastor of Woodbridge Baptist Church in Kingwood, Texas. His church has some amazing stories about how it has used sports to reach people in their community.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post A Church That Is Really Reaching Its Community with Sports: An Interview with Chris “Tiny” Seely appeared first on Church Answers.

In an unusual departure from the style of this podcast, Thom and Jess look at American Protestantism in the 21st century, highlighting 10 amazing contributions and 10 abject failures. For number 21, the Rainers give American Christianity a “grade” they believe is objective based on the past 25 years. They will take four podcasts to take you on this journey.

Part 4: Abject Failures of American Protestantism in the 21st Century

6. Weak Response to the Sexual Revolution – Many Protestant groups have struggled to offer a coherent, compassionate, and biblically faithful response to cultural changes regarding marriage, gender, and sexuality.

7. Declining Evangelism and Church Attendance – Fewer Protestants actively share their faith, and younger generations are increasingly disengaged from institutional religion, contributing to church closures.

8. Racial Divisions Continue – While multiracial and multiethnic churches are growing, racial reconciliation efforts within Protestantism remain inconsistent, and Sunday morning remains one of the most segregated hours in America.

9. Financial Unsustainability – Many churches struggle with declining giving and financial mismanagement, leading to budget cuts, staff reductions, and the closing of once-thriving congregations.

10. Failure to Engage Thoughtfully with Culture – Many Protestant churches oscillate between cultural accommodation (watering down biblical teachings) and cultural hostility (retreating into isolation) rather than engaging culture redemptively with both truth and grace.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of American Protestantism the Past 25 Years, Part 4: Abject Failures of American Protestantism in the 21st Century appeared first on Church Answers.

In an unusual departure from the style of this podcast, Thom and Jess look at American Protestantism in the 21st century, highlighting 10 amazing contributions and 10 abject failures. For number 21, the Rainers give American Christianity a “grade” they believe is objective based on the past 25 years. They will take four podcasts to take you on this journey.

Part 3: Key Strengths of American Protestantism in the 21st Century

6. Emphasis on Community and Small Groups – More churches have embraced discipleship through small groups and home gatherings, fostering deeper relationships and stronger church communities.

7. Defender of Religious Liberty – Protestant institutions and leaders have been at the forefront of legal and cultural battles to preserve religious freedoms in the public square.

8. Charitable Giving and Social Impact – Protestant churches and organizations are among the largest financial contributors to social causes, including education, crisis pregnancy centers, and refugee support.

9. Moral and Ethical Influence – Even amid secularization, Protestant voices continue to shape public debates on moral and ethical issues such as bioethics, justice, and the sanctity of life.

10. Resilience in the Face of Decline – Despite declining numbers, Protestantism has historically demonstrated resilience, adapting to cultural shifts while maintaining core beliefs. Revitalization movements are gaining momentum in response to church decline and closures.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of American Protestantism the Past 25 Years, Part 3: Key Strengths of American Protestantism in the 21st Century appeared first on Church Answers.

In an unusual departure from the style of this podcast, Thom and Jess look at American Protestantism in the 21st century, highlighting 10 amazing contributions and 10 abject failures. For number 21, the Rainers give American Christianity a “grade” they believe is objective based on the past 25 years. They will take four podcasts to take you on this journey.

Part 2: Abject Failures of American Protestantism in the 21st Century

1. Denominational Decline and Fragmentation – Many traditional Protestant denominations (e.g., United Methodist Church, PCUSA, ELCA, Southern Baptist Convention) face splits, theological conflicts, and numerical decline.

2. Lack of Accountability in Leadership – Scandals involving sexual misconduct, financial fraud, and spiritual abuse (e.g., Ravi Zacharias, Hillsong, Southern Baptist abuse report) have eroded public trust.

3. Political Polarization – Protestantism is deeply divided along political lines, often aligning too closely with partisan agendas rather than maintaining a prophetic voice that transcends party loyalties.

4. Shallow Discipleship and Biblical Illiteracy – Despite widespread access to biblical resources, many churchgoers lack a deep understanding of Scripture, leading to theological confusion and susceptibility to false teachings.

5. The Prosperity Gospel and Celebrity Culture – The rise of prosperity theology and megachurch celebrity pastors has shifted focus from biblical faithfulness to entertainment, self-help messages, and financial gain.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of American Protestantism the Past 25 Years, Part 2: Abject Failures of American Protestantism in the 21st Century appeared first on Church Answers.

In an unusual departure from the style of this podcast, Thom and Jess look at American Protestantism in the 21st century, highlighting 10 amazing contributions and 10 abject failures. For number 21, the Rainers give American Christianity a “grade” they believe is objective based on the past 25 years. They will take four podcasts to take you on this journey.

Part 1: Key Strengths of American Protestantism in the 21st Century

1. Local and Global Humanitarian Efforts – Protestant churches lead in disaster relief, medical missions, hunger alleviation, and human trafficking intervention. Organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, and denominational mission agencies make a significant impact.

2. Church Planting and Innovation – While many churches decline, the 21st century has seen a resurgence of church planting, such as Acts 29, ARC (Association of Related Churches), and City to City, and church planting efforts through denominations.

3. Biblical Literacy and Theological Training – Seminaries, online training programs, and grassroots movements have provided accessible biblical education to both clergy and laity, increasing theological engagement.

4. Cultural Adaptability – Protestantism has shown remarkable flexibility in adopting new technologies (e.g., livestream services, social media evangelism, YouTube teaching ministries) to reach people in innovative ways.

5. Growth of Multicultural and Multiracial Churches – Many Protestant churches are becoming more racially and ethnically diverse, reflecting demographic shifts in the U.S. and demonstrating a commitment to racial reconciliation.

Lead Your Church. We’ll Handle the Numbers. 

Stewardship matters. Your time is precious. We help with both. 

Learn more today at chaneyassociates.com/churchanswers

The post The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of American Protestantism the Past 25 Years, Part 1: Key Strengths of American Protestantism in the 21st Century appeared first on Church Answers.