Shows / The Church Answers Podcast
The Church Answers Podcast
The Church Answers Podcast with Thom Rainer is fast-paced, to the point, and sometimes witty. It addresses one question about church life and leadership in just ten minutes. Buckle your seatbelt and take a ride into the world of congregational health in a fun and fascinating way.
Episodes
- The Church Answers Podcast
What If You Served Faithfully but Didn’t Save $1 Million?
Art Rainer, President of Christian Money Solutions, joins Jess and Thom to discuss his new book, “Retire With Less Than $1 Million.” Resources: Know Your…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Retirement Questions Pastors Need to Ask Before Stepping Away
Jess and Thom interview Art Rainer, president of Christian Money Solutions, to find out the retirement questions pastors need to ask before stepping away…
- The Church Answers Podcast
How a Church of 120 Used Demographics and AI to Reach Its Community
Jess and Thom welcome Joe Thompson, Senior Minister at Smithfield Christian Church in Smithfield, VA, to The Church Answers Podcast. They discuss how a church…
- The Church Answers Podcast
What Churches Can Learn from Dead Malls
Many malls are dying. That has become a common refrain in both the business and consumer worlds. But some malls are thriving. Jess and Thom examine the…
- The Church Answers Podcast
How to Eliminate Programs and Ministries
Most church leaders acknowledge that their churches are too busy and that their church calendars are too cluttered. Jess and Thom share a simple process for…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why the Decline of Church Transfer Growth is a Good Thing
Isn’t any growth in a local church a good thing? Jess and Thom demonstrate why one particular type of growth can do more harm than good. Transfer growth…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why Have (Most) Churches Stopped Using Spiritual Gift Inventories?
Thom reviews the history of a tool that received widespread use for three decades. He looks at the reasons why it has almost faded away. Skepticism about their…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Fostering Connections in the Community and Church Through Sports
Josh Jordan, Family Life Pastor, from First Baptist Church Covington, LA joins Jess and Thom on the show to discuss how his church has used Upward Sports to…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Volunteer Model Is Breaking
Jess and Thom discuss why this reality has reached a crisis stage in many churches. Churches are competing with increasingly crowded schedules. Many churches…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why Church Guests Don’t Come Back
Jess and Thom spend a good bit of this podcast discussing this issue. They never make a meaningful relational connection. The church experience is confusing…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Five Signs Your Church Is Becoming an Insider Church
These are much more dangerous than most church leaders and members realize. Jess and Thom discuss why. Most calendar decisions center on members’ preferences…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Quiet Crisis of the 100–200 Attendance Church
This crisis is real and pervasive in American churches. Jess and Thom discuss why it is “quiet.” The church is often too large to operate relationally like a…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why Your Church’s Front Door Is Bigger Than You Think
The Rainers discuss big opportunities to make the front door bigger and more effective. The website is often the first visit. Google search and online reviews…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Five Things Churches Keep Doing That No Longer Work
Jess and Thom review five areas where churches keep repeating mistakes. Assuming a good worship service alone will bring people back. Relying on announcements…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Five Giving Strategies Almost No Church Is Using
Jess and Thom share five innovative and rare strategies that increase giving in the church. They estimate that fewer than one percent of churches use any of…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Incredible Story of First Baptist Church of San Francisco: An Interview with Dr. Ryan Blackwell
Jess and Thom welcome Dr. Ryan Blackwell, President and CEO of Lifeway, to The Church Answers Podcast. He shares the incredible story of First Baptist Church…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Four Better Questions than “What Percent Should Our Church Personnel Expenses Be?”
Though percentage metrics are helpful, church leaders should ask these questions. Jess and Thom explain why these four questions are most helpful. Is giving…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Church Personnel Expenses Warning Signs
Thom and Jess share why church leaders should watch for these indicators: Personnel exceeds 60% and continues climbing. Salary increases outpace giving…
- The Church Answers Podcast
When Personnel Costs Are Too Low
Thom and Jess discuss the challenges if personnel costs fall below about 40%. Chronic understaffing Staff burnout Heavy dependence on volunteers for…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Rooted Leader: An Interview with Eric Geiger
Thom and Jess welcome Eric Geiger to The Church Answers Podcast. In his new book, “The Rooted Leader: Seven Rhythms of Leaders Who Bear Fruit That Lasts”…
- The Church Answers Podcast
When Personnel Costs Are Too High
Jess and Thom discuss the downsides of high personnel expenses that approach or exceed 60–65% of the budget. Little money remains for ministry expansion…
- The Church Answers Podcast
What Percent of a Church Budget Should Personnel Costs Be?
Jess and Thom discuss the often-asked question about personnel costs in churches. Though there are guidelines, there is no simple answer. It depends. 50% is a…
- The Church Answers Podcast
What the Unchurched Really Think About Your Church
Thom and Jess discuss what research reveals about the unchurched and why many churches misunderstand the people living around them. What the unchurched really…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why Some Churches Reach New People and Others Don’t
Jess and Thom explore why some churches consistently reach new people while others struggle to do so. The culture of inviting The practice of consistency The…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Great Volunteer Burnout Problem
Thom and Jess discuss why so many church volunteers are burned out and how leaders can better care for them. Why volunteers burn out Warning signs leaders…
- The Church Answers Podcast
What You Need to Know about Staffing Your Church
Jess and Thom welcome Matt Steen, Co-Founder of Chemistry Staffing, to The Church Answers Podcast. Resources: Wesley Biblical Seminary, Master of Ministry…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Four Signs Your Church Is Ready for a Turnaround
Thom identifies four signs that indicate a church may be ready to move from decline to renewal. Prayer developing organically Facing reality honestly Being…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why the Co-vocational Trend Is So Important
Thom opens with a reality many church leaders are already experiencing: the traditional fully funded pastorate is no longer the norm in many churches…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Return of Evangelism: Why Outreach Is Working Again
Thom looks at why many churches are finding people more receptive to the gospel and how churches can take advantage of this opportunity. Why receptivity is…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why Volunteer Recruitment Is Harder Than Ever
Thom discusses why churches are finding it more difficult to recruit volunteers and what leaders can do to reverse the trend. Why volunteer recruitment has…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The 12 Categories of the Church Answers Awards
Thom and Jess unveil the 12 categories of the Church Answers Awards. They discuss why these particular categories were chosen. Evangelism Impact Award…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why the Church Answers Awards Are So Important
Jess and Thom discuss the inaugural Church Answers Awards and five key reasons the Awards are so important to the health of churches in the United States. It…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why Some Churches Plateau at 70 (and Stay There)
Thom examines the common attendance ceiling of around 70 and the leadership, structure, and mindset issues that keep churches from breaking through. Why 70…
- The Church Answers Podcast
How to Reach People Who Work on Sundays
Thom discusses the often-overlooked mission field of Sunday workers—and how churches can rethink schedules and structures to engage them. The growing number of…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Five Early Warning Signs Your Church Is Aging Too Fast
Thom identifies clear, measurable indicators that a church is aging—and what leaders can do before it becomes irreversible. Declining involvement of younger…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Hidden Reason Most Churches Stop Growing
Thom explores the less obvious barriers to growth—especially internal culture, comfort, and unspoken preferences that quietly resist change. The difference…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Five Major Shifts in Churches Influenced By AI
Most ministry positions are not vulnerable to advancing AI capabilities, especially those that are people-to-people ministries. Thom looks at other aspects of…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why Too Many Pastors Are Not Fully Relying on the Holy Spirit
Thom welcomes Dr. Chris Lohrstorfer, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Enrollment and Professor of Wesleyan Theology at Wesley Biblical Seminary. He talks…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Six Lessons Learned from Adopting a Church (A Real Case Study)
Several years ago, Sam Rainer led his church to adopt a struggling church in the same town. He wrote the lessons he learned one year after the adoption. Thom…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Best Overview of Romans for Your Church’s Groups
Thom is a community group teacher/leader at The Church at Spring Hill, where Jess is pastor. He is leading his group through the book, Loved and Unashamed, by…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Five Reasons Pastors Should Consider Publishing a Book
The barriers to publishing a book have fallen dramatically. Some pastors are publishing books, but more need to do so. Jess and Thom look at the growth of…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Five Unusual Reasons Pastors are Let Go (and How to Avoid Them)
Unfortunately, pastoral termination is common. Most people think the most common reason is sexual moral failure. Others think it is doctrinal compromise…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Five False Assumptions about Evangelism in Churches Today
Thom and Jess challenge five assumptions that quietly shape how churches approach evangelism. These beliefs often go unspoken, but they influence priorities…
- The Church Answers Podcast
How Evangelism Ministries Have Changed in Churches in 30 Years
Jess and Thom begin with a simple observation: most churches still believe in evangelism—but far fewer are organized around it the way they once were. Programs…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Invitation Gap: Why Your Members Aren’t Inviting Others
In this episode, Jess and Thom address one of the most overlooked challenges in the church today: the gap between belief and action when it comes to inviting…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Your Church Doesn’t Have a Vision Problem—It Has a Follow-Up Problem
In this episode, Jess and Thom challenge a common assumption in church leadership: that struggling churches need a better vision. In reality, many churches…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Hidden Cost of Busyness in the Church
Jess and Thom have both seen it again and again: churches that are incredibly busy but not particularly effective. In this episode, we talk candidly about the…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Danger of a Big Vision
In this episode, Jess and Thom take on a topic that may sound counterintuitive: the danger of a big vision. We both believe vision matters—but we’ve also seen…
- The Church Answers Podcast
An Encouraging Word from the Word for Church Leaders
Scripture offers strength when leaders feel weary. Jess and Sam share a brief biblical devotion. Resources: Wesley Biblical Seminary, Master of Ministry Church…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Why Evangelism Is Dying in Most American Churches
Jess and Sam share some sobering data on evangelism in local churches. They then look at the most significant challenges. The good news? All of these…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Are the Boomers Nones No More?
Thom continues to review the data from the Cooperative Election Study and Ryan Burge. There are many surprises, including the trends among the Boomers…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Are Atheists and Agnostics Really Declining in Number in the United States?
Thom reviews recent data from the Cooperative Election Study and Ryan Burge, focusing on atheists and agnostics. The information raises many questions and…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Charles Spurgeon: 8 Clear Convictions about Evangelism in the Local Church (Part 2)
Charles Spurgeon died in 1892, but his influence on churches is still pervasive today. Thom looks at one major aspect of Spurgeon’s ministry: his…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Charles Spurgeon: 8 Clear Convictions about Evangelism in the Local Church (Part 1)
Charles Spurgeon died in 1892, but his influence on churches is still pervasive today. Thom looks at one major aspect of Spurgeon’s ministry: his…
- The Church Answers Podcast
A Church Facilities Wish List
Our community at Church Answers Central recently discussed their wish list for their churches’ facilities. Jess and Sam supplemented the list from our…
- The Church Answers Podcast
The Five Reasons Church Building Projects Fail – How to Lead Yours to the Finish Line
Jess and Sam talk with Mike Stadelmayer at Church Growth Services. Church building projects carry tremendous ministry potential—but many stall, scale back, or…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Vibrant Church: Becoming a Healthy Church in the 21st Century – An Interview with Dr. Danny Akin
Thom interviews Dr. Danny Akin, the president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, about his new book, Vibrant Church. Resources: Wesley Biblical…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Three Major Factors That Determine How Long It Will Take to Implement Change in Your Church
Many factors can affect the pace of change in a church. Thom discusses three of the biggest factors. The level of change needed The history of change…
- The Church Answers Podcast
How to Build an Eager Coalition for Change in Your Church
Do you want to lead change in your church? If you do, you will need to build allies and supporters to work alongside you. Jess and Thom share the five most…
- The Church Answers Podcast
Five Types of Unmovable Church Members
Change is a challenge in any organization and especially in churches. Jess and Thom discuss the five types of church members who resist change the most. The…