Rainer on Leadership

Most pastors assume the sermons they pray over, study for, write, and preach belong to them. Legally, that assumption is often wrong. Because of a doctrine called "work made for hire," the church—not the pastor—may hold the copyright by default. Sam and Thom explain how sermon ownership actually works, why silence in an employment agreement gets expensive, and how to fix it before conflict ever arises. The post You Preached the Sermon, But You May Not Legally Own It (Here’s Why) appeared first on Church Answers.

What sins, if any, permanently disqualify a pastor? Josh and Sam discuss their perspectives on this sensitive topic. While one would hope this issue wouldn't be a problem, the reality is reports of church scandals are on the rise. The co-hosts focus on the lead pastor position and give their take. The post The Sins That Permanently Disqualify a Pastor appeared first on Church Answers.

Most pastors never receive formal training in clergy tax law. Seminaries focus on biblical languages, theology, and preaching but rarely on housing allowances, self-employment tax, or payroll classification. The result is that well-meaning ministers stumble into mistakes that can trigger audits, penalties, and years of back taxes. Thom and Sam discuss the common mistakes you can avoid. The post Pastors, Don’t Make These Tax Mistakes! appeared first on Church Answers.

You can do your job well without loving it. However, for pastors, the calling often goes beyond mere duty. It encompasses a passion for serving and guiding their flocks. What distinguishes pastors who love their jobs from those who do their jobs? Josh and Sam discuss on today's episode. The post Eight Essential Qualities of Pastors Who Love Their Jobs appeared first on Church Answers.

America’s largest churches are becoming significantly larger. A decade of Outreach 100 data shows that megachurch growth is increasingly concentrated among a relatively small group of established, evangelical, multisite congregations. Yet the picture is more complex than explosive growth alone: many longtime megachurches have grown only incrementally, many have declined, and the pandemic reshaped attendance in uneven and lasting ways. The post The Burge Report: America’s Largest Churches: What’s Happened the Last Decade? appeared first on Church Answers.

Halloween often creates unnecessary tension among Christians. Some avoid it because of its association with spiritual darkness and the occult, while others view it as a harmless cultural tradition centered on costumes, candy, and neighborhood fun. Josh and Sam discuss how churches do not need to retreat from their communities during Halloween. The post An Honest Perspective on Celebrating Halloween as Christians appeared first on Church Answers.

Sam welcomes Susan K. Pitts and Becky Thompson to the Rainer on Leadership podcast. They are a mother-daughter team who have built their lives around encouraging moms right in the middle of everyday life. Susan has spent over forty years in ministry, walking alongside women and families with wisdom and compassion. She is the prayer director for the Midnight Mom Devotional and co-author of the Midnight Mom Devotional books. Becky has spent the last decade creating resources to equip and encourage the heart of the momma. They are both bestselling authors and Becky is a national speaker who speaks honestly about faith and family. They are the authors of two devotional books, "Tonight We Pray for the Momma" and "Midnight Mom Devotional" and are the content writers for the devotional content in the "Midnight Mom Devotional Bible." In addition, they have a vibrant social media community on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok where they lead over 2 million mommas in nightly prayer. The post How Churches Can Better Support Moms in the Unseen Midnight Moments of Motherhood appeared first on Church Answers.

Sam interviews David Graham of Five Loaves Marketing, and they talk about the best ways for churches to utilize marketing resources. The post Hitting Home Runs with Church Marketing appeared first on Church Answers.

A new Hartford Institute report shows median in-person worship attendance increasing from 65 to 70 since just before the pandemic. That five-person gain may sound small, but it represents a 7.7% increase and moves the median congregation above its pre-pandemic level. Still, the story requires careful interpretation. This is not a return to the church landscape of 2000, when the median congregation had 137 in worship. It is better understood as a modest but meaningful inflection point—encouraging enough to notice, but not strong enough yet to call a trend. The post Church Worship Attendance Is… Up! (For the First Time in Years) appeared first on Church Answers.

Josh and Sam discuss how to avoid the “always available” trap of shepherding a congregation. Unfortunately, many pastors, if not most, are never truly “off.” The post The Pastoral Burden of Never Having “Off Hours” appeared first on Church Answers.