Episodes
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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.
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Five Things Churches Keep Doing That No Longer Work
Jess and Thom review five areas where churches keep repeating mistakes.
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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 these strategies.
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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 of San Francisco.
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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.
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Church Personnel Expenses Warning Signs
Thom and Jess share why church leaders should watch for these indicators.
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When Personnel Costs Are Too Low
Thom and Jess discuss the challenges if personnel costs fall below about 40%.
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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” (Tyndale Momentum, August 2026), Eric provides practical guidance for leaders in any area of life, helping them grow in influence and impact....
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. Financial pressures, changing attendance patterns, and shifting expectations are forcing churches to rethink ministry models. But this is not…
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 AI influences on the church.
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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 about how many pastors ascribe to theologically orthodox trinitarianism, but haven't really thought through what it means for their...
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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 interviews Sam about these lessons that are worth recalling.
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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 Sam Rainer. His group has raved about the book and the accompanying video teaching. One participant said he had studied the Bible all of…
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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 books published by pastors and the reasons why pastors should consider it.
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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. Neither of those reasons is in the top five. Jess and Thom look at five common reasons most people never consider.
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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 and outcomes more than leaders realize.
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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 that were once central have faded, and new approaches have emerged, often without the same clarity or consistency. In this episode, Jess...
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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 others. Most church members love their church—but they rarely invite anyone to attend. Jess and Thom explore why this gap exists, what…
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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 already have a clear vision—but they lack the systems to follow up with the people God is already sending their way. Jess and Thom walk…
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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 hidden cost of busyness in the church. Full calendars and constant activity can feel like signs of health, but they often mask deeper…
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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 how it can quietly become a distraction. Too many church leaders spend time talking about where they want to go and not enough time taking...
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An Encouraging Word from the Word for Church Leaders
Scripture offers strength when leaders feel weary. Jess and Sam share a brief biblical devotion.
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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 challenges can be met with a few changes.
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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.
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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 provides encouraging opportunities for churches.
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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 emphasis on evangelism in the local church. He takes two episodes to share Spurgeon's eight convictions.
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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 emphasis on evangelism in the local church. He takes two episodes to share Spurgeon's eight convictions.
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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 consultations. Here are the wishes in order of frequency.
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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 never happen. The difference between success and frustration often comes down to the following critical factors.
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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.
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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.
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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 common sources to build an eager coalition.
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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.
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Why Are Free Will Baptist Church Members So Young? An Interview with Dr. Eddie Moody
It is the outlier denomination. It is the denomination that is young, while the others are decidedly older. Why is this youthfulness taking place? Join Jess and Thom as they talk with Dr. Eddie Moody about this phenomenon. You will be amazed, encouraged. and informed!
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The Top 10 Immovable Traditions in Many Churches (Part 3)
Not all traditions are bad, but some can hinder the work of the church. Jess and Thom share the most common church traditions based on an extensive survey, and why they can be difficult to change.
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