The Church Answers Podcast

Thom and Jess share how many pastors have lower take-home pay even though their stated pay has not decreased.

The post How Pastors Are Taking Pay Cuts without Taking Pay Cuts appeared first on Church Answers.

For most churches, the position of church bookkeeper or treasurer is a volunteer role. While there are many qualified volunteers, this position is too often held by someone who is not. Thom and Jess share four real-life stories about the problem some bookkeepers have created for churches and pastors.

The post Four Real Stories about How Church Bookkeepers Messed Up appeared first on Church Answers.

In part one, Thom and Jess focused on questions that reveal inner wiring and emotional maturity. In part two, the focus shifts to longevity, mission alignment, and team health.

These questions don’t just help you hire well. They help you avoid pain—for the church, the staff member, and their family.

6. How do you personally measure ministry success when numbers are flat?

7. What kind of leadership do you struggle to follow?

8. What have former supervisors tried to gently correct in you?

9. How do you guard your spiritual health during busy seasons of ministry?

10. What would make you leave a church quickly—and why?

The post 10 Often Overlooked Questions Churches Should Ask Before Hiring Staff – Part 2 appeared first on Church Answers.

Most churches spend weeks crafting job descriptions and reviewing résumés. Very few ask the right questions.

Today, Thom and Jess argue that hiring mistakes in churches rarely come from a lack of talent. They come from overlooked questions—questions that reveal heart, alignment, resilience, and long-term fit.

This is part one of a two-part conversation on 10 often overlooked questions every church should ask before hiring its next staff member.

1. What energizes you outside of your formal job responsibilities?

2. What kind of church culture brings out your worst tendencies?

3. How do you typically respond when your ideas are not chosen?

4. What patterns have followed you from one ministry role to the next?

5. What would frustrate you the most about serving in an unhealthy church?

The post 10 Often Overlooked Questions Churches Should Ask Before Hiring Staff – Part 1 appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess are joined by Todd Brown and Isaac Brown of Brown Church Development Group, who are “The Church Facility Experts.” In this two-part series, we discuss the five myths of church building and why they cost churches millions.

The post The 5 Myths of Church Building (and Why They Cost Churches Millions) – Part 2 appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess are joined by Todd Brown and Isaac Brown of Brown Church Development Group, who are “The Church Facility Experts.” In this two-part series, we discuss the five myths of church building and why they cost churches millions.

The post The 5 Myths of Church Building (and Why They Cost Churches Millions) – Part 1 appeared first on Church Answers.

Dr. Andy Miller joins Thom and Jess to share the story of Wesley Biblical Seminary.

The post From Near Closure to Incredible Growth: The Story of Wesley Biblical Seminary – An Interview with Andy Miller appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess interview Dr. Andy Miller, the president of Wesley Biblical Seminary, about seminary training for co-vocational church leaders.

The post Finally! Seminary Training for Co-vocational Church Leaders: An Interview with Andy Miller appeared first on Church Answers.

What if a first-time guest experienced your church the way a customer experiences Amazon? No confusion. No friction. No wasted steps. Just clarity, care, and consistency.

This episode is not about turning the church into a corporation. It’s about learning from an organization that obsesses over people, removes barriers relentlessly, and improves every system on purpose.

Today, Thom and Jess ask a simple but uncomfortable question: If Amazon ran your church for one year, what would actually change?

The post If Amazon Ran Your Church: What Would Change in 12 Months? appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess welcome John Wentz, the president of Alpha USA, to The Church Answers Podcast.

The post How Alpha Is Impacting Churches in the United States appeared first on Church Answers.