Rainer On Leadership

The median age of pastors continues to get older. At Church Answers, we often speak with pastors who are contemplating retirement. Sam and Thom address the five most common questions we ask these pastors so that we can help them in their decision-making process. The post Should I Plan to Retire from My Church? Five Questions appeared first on Church Answers.

In last week's episode, Thom and Sam looked at the growing reality of the Never Attenders in the United States. Today, they discuss how churches might reach this group. The post How Do We Reach the Never Attenders? appeared first on Church Answers.

Based on the outstanding research of Ryan Burge, we can see more clearly who are and who are not attending church today. Thom and Sam look at his latest research on the Never Attenders, a growing group in America. The post Who Are the Never Attenders Today? appeared first on Church Answers.

Many churches give to missions through the operating budget. But what about funds for the work of evangelism in the community? On this episode, Thom and Sam discuss the importance of allocating a portion of the budget for evangelism. The co-hosts give some practical tips on how much this budget line item should be and what should go into it. The post How to Create a Useful Evangelism Budget for Your Church appeared first on Church Answers.

Sometimes churches view interim pastors as "band-aids" to keep the church together, but a good interim will do much more. Thom and Sam discuss what defines a successful interim pastorate. Whether short-term or long-term in duration, these five key objectives can make or break an interim role. The post Five Key Objectives of an Excellent Interim Pastorate appeared first on Church Answers.

One in four pastors say they have struggled with mental health issues, and 17% of pastors say it was diagnosed. Given the prevalence of the issue, churches cannot ignore the problem. Silence creates the perception that something is off-limits. Mental illness does not signal a lack of faith any more than contracting cancer signals a lack of faith. Thom and Sam discuss how churches can be helpful to pastors who struggle with mental health problems. The post How a Church Should Respond When a Pastor Has Mental Health Problems appeared first on Church Answers.

About 80% of your neighbors are receptive to an invitation to church. At best, most churchgoers invite someone once or twice a year. Almost a third of churchgoers never invite anyone. Inviting someone to a worship service or church event is not evangelism, but this invitation is a significant first step to cultural change in your church. What happened to the culture of invitation? Thom and Sam discuss their thoughts on this week's episode. The post Why Don’t Church Members Invite Their Friends Anymore? appeared first on Church Answers.

In part 2, Sam interviews Jim Davis and Michael Graham. They examine exactly how people are leaving and suggest how to "re-church" those who have exited. The post What Can Church Leaders Do about the Great Dechurching? An Interview with Jim Davis and Michael Graham appeared first on Church Answers.

Sam welcomes Jim Davis and Michael Graham. In part 1, they share the highest altitude insights from their study and book, The Great Dechurching. The post The Great Dechurching: An Interview with Jim Davis and Michael Graham appeared first on Church Answers.

Criticism is not necessarily toxic, even when it is misguided. And no one likes to field complaints. Sometimes they are warranted, and sometimes they can be toxic. How can a pastor tell the difference? Thom covers the best ways pastors can discern toxic conflict from healthy conflict. It's not always easy, but he offers a few practical tips through six questions.  The post Six Questions to Discern Toxic Church Conflict from Healthy Church Conflict appeared first on Church Answers.

For years, we have dismissed the potential for a significant move of God in neighborhood churches. At Church Answers, we believe they are primed for a comeback. They are numerous, and they are located in the heart of places with lots of people. Sam discusses the return of neighborhood churches and how this movement is just beginning.  The post An Unexpected Comeback: The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom welcomes Susan Perlman, Chief Partnership Officer and one of the founders of Jews for Jesus. In this episode, they discuss how The Chronological Life Application Study Bible, created in partnership with Jews for Jesus, helps connect our Christian faith to its Jewish roots. The post Connecting Our Christian Faith to Its Jewish Roots: An Interview with Susan Perlman appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom welcomes William Vanderbloemen, CEO and Founder of top executive search firm Vanderbloemen Search Group. In this episode, Thom interviews William about his book, “Be The Unicorn,” in which he reveals the 12 teachable traits and explains why hiring managers embrace each trait. He provides actionable takeaways for how readers can incorporate each trait into their personal and professional lives. The post To Be a Unicorn: An Interview with William Vanderbloemen appeared first on Church Answers.

Every believer is called to Christlikeness. Pastors, however, have a calling to be above reproach. What does this calling mean? On this episode, Sam interviews Matt McCraw. Together, they cover the universal standards for all pastors and what special burdens they carry. The post What Does It Really Mean for Pastors to Be Above Reproach: An Interview with Matt McCraw appeared first on Church Answers.

Women account for six out of ten churchgoers. Frankly, the church cannot thrive if women are not thriving. In this episode, Sam interviews Jacki C. King to discuss some practical insights about women in ministry. A church of any size can have a successful women's ministry. The post What Happens in the Church When Women Thrive in Ministry: An Interview with Jacki C. King appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom welcomes Alex Goodwin, co-founder of the Institute for Bible Reading and co-creator of “Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience” and “Immerse: The Reading Bible,” winner of the 2022 ECPA Bible of the Year award. He counts himself as one of many Christians who have struggled to read the Bible and believes that changing how we interact with Scripture can help us become immersed in its transformative story.  The post How You Can Get Your Church Members Reading the Bible Regularly: An Interview with Alex Goodwin appeared first on Church Answers.

You've likely heard the phrase "blessed subtraction" referring to divisive church members who leave for another congregation. On occasion, they will return. What should you do? Thom and Sam give some tips to church leaders. The post When Difficult People Want to Come Back to Church After Leaving appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Sam received a question from a regular listener. Henry from Ontario wanted to know how pastors can best recognize faithful members serving in areas of the church that are often unnoticed. For example, the only time the church notices the tech team is when something goes wrong in the worship service. Most people who serve behind the scenes do not want public recognition. How can the church honor them? The post How to Encourage Church Members Who Serve Behind the Scenes appeared first on Church Answers.

Sam welcomes Ann White, an internationally known author, speaker, Christian TV Host, passionate Bible teacher, Founder and CEO of Courage For Life. Her passion is to equip and encourage people from all walks of life to embrace their God-given courage for life. They discuss the need to have resources available to help people grow both spiritually and emotionally. The post Getting Your Church Leaders and Members Really Reading the Bible: An Interview with Ann White appeared first on Church Answers.

You can't reach your community unless you know your community. On this week's episode, Thom and Sam discuss the most often missed community demographics and why they are important. The post The Community Demographics and Psychographics Churches Most Often Miss appeared first on Church Answers.