Rainer on Leadership
Your online home for leadership lessons for both the church and the workplace.
10
Should Full-Time Pastors Have a Side Hustle?
Ministry today and in the future will necessitate more co-vocational pastors and church leaders. What about full-time pastors who need to supplement their income? A side job may relieve financial pressure, expand skills, and create meaningful community connections outside the church. However, it can also be a distraction and create divided attention.
The Critical Functions of a Pastor Rarely Found in a Church Job Description
On this episode, Josh and Sam discuss some critical functions of their work as pastors that are not included in the typical church job description.
After 25 Years of Consistent Recreation Ministry, This Church Discovered Something...
Churches rarely maintain success in a single ministry for 25 years, but one church has figured it out. In this episode, Sam sits down with Upward Sports Ambassador Donnie Sisk from First Baptist Church Pelham in Pelham, Alabama. For more than 25 years, Donnie has used sports ministry—especially basketball—to connect with families and share the gospel. His church now hosts a thriving league with over 170 players, creating a strong bridge to the community. Recently, Donnie added pickleball, discovering that its smaller, more relational format opens the door to deeper conversations and intentional discipleship. Donnie shares how recreation can move beyond prog...
What We're Doing as Pastors to Keep Our Marriages Healthy
Josh and Sam have a personal conversation about the ways they are intentionally working to keep their marriages healthy.
Six Reasons Pastors Must Be More Courageous Today
Though there have certainly been more difficult times in the course of church history for pastors, leading a church today is much tougher than it was 20 and 30 years ago. There have been some demographic and cultural shifts that reflect this reality. But some of the challenges can only be understood in the context of spiritual warfare. On this episode, Thom and Sam discuss six reasons why pastors must be more courageous today.
The Top Ways to Annoy Your Pastor
In this tongue-in-cheek episode, Josh and Sam discuss their top annoyances as pastors. Everyone has their pet peeves, and the co-hosts share theirs.
The Burge Report: The Latest Data on Transgender Young Adults and the Church
In this episode, Ryan Burge and Sam examine newly released national survey data that reveal a significant shift in how young adults understand and report gender identity. Drawing on high-quality data from the Cooperative Election Study, the research shows a clear and statistically meaningful decline in the share of 18–22-year-olds identifying as transgender since 2020, with similar downward trends appearing across older age cohorts as well.<br /><br />While 2020 appears to be a high-water mark, likely shaped by unique social and cultural conditions during the pandemic, subsequent years show a “snap back” toward a lower baseline. The discussion also explores how transg...
Tithing Or Not: Should Lead Pastors Know What Church Staff Give?
Lead pastors often provide management oversight of staff. But should they know what church staff give to the church? Josh and Sam break down the arguments on both sides, examine potential safeguards, and discuss how church culture and pastoral character shape the best approach.
What Growing Churches Actually Do to Reach and Keep People
How does a church grow without relying on people transferring from other congregations? Thom and Sam take a dive into this topic.
Churches Are Targets for Predators (Here's Why)
One of the biggest mistakes church leaders can make is assuming that abuse won’t happen in their churches. The belief that “it can’t happen here” is dangerously naïve. Any organization that works with children and other vulnerable individuals can be a target for predators. Satan specifically aims to attack churches and seeks to harm children and vulnerable people. Josh and Sam discuss this very important topic of safety.
