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.

Listen to the previous podcast where Jess and Thom review the six reasons you should change the name of your church. In this podcast, they look at the 15 most common church names.

Honorable mention: PCA churches.

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 15 Most Common Names of Churches in the United States appeared first on Church Answers.

Yes, there are times when you should consider changing your church’s name. Jess and Thom review six of them. Look at our other podcast this week, where we review the top 15 most common church names.

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 Six Reasons You Should Change the Name of Your Church appeared first on Church Answers.

In Part 4, Thom and Jess look at some of the most common issues and questions you have about church revitalization. Your questions have directed us in our research and writings, and they will continue to do so. Though there were several hundred questions you submitted, we selected 23 most common questions about revitalizing churches. See the previous episodes to get the complete series.

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 23 of the Most Common Questions Asked about Church Revitalization, Part 4 appeared first on Church Answers.

In Part 3, Thom and Jess look at some of the most common issues and questions you have about church revitalization. Your questions have directed us in our research and writings, and they will continue to do so. Though there were several hundred questions you submitted, we selected 23 most common questions about revitalizing churches. Because of the number, we cover the questions in four consecutive podcasts.

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 23 of the Most Common Questions Asked about Church Revitalization, Part 3 appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess look at some of the most common issues and questions you have about church revitalization. Your questions have directed us in our research and writings, and they will continue to do so. Though there were several hundred questions you submitted, we selected 23 most common questions about revitalizing churches. Because of the number, we cover the questions in four consecutive podcasts. See the previous episode and stay tuned for Part 3 and 4.

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 23 of the Most Common Questions Asked about Church Revitalization, Part 2 appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess look at some of the most common issues and questions you have about church revitalization. Your questions have directed us in our research and writings, and they will continue to do so. Though there were several hundred questions you submitted, we selected 23 most common questions about revitalizing churches. Because of the number, we cover the questions in four consecutive podcasts.

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 23 of the Most Common Questions Asked about Church Revitalization, Part 1 appeared first on Church Answers.

Church Answers surveyed over 100 pastors and asked them what caused them the greatest pain. Thom and Jess identify five of the most frequent responses.

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 Five of the Greatest Pain Points of Pastors appeared first on Church Answers.

Jess and Thom discuss seven ways you can develop thicker skin in 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 Seven Ways You Can Develop Thicker Skin in Ministry appeared first on Church Answers.