Sam Rainer's Blog, page 11

This One Meeting Revolutionized How I Listen to My Church Staff

“You’re missing an opportunity to listen,” the consultant told me. He was kind but blunt. I knew he was right.

“Start meeting with each team member one-on-one, at least once a month.”

I followed his advice and have not looked back. These one-on-ones have helped me lead the church staff unlike anything else.

Setting up these meetings is simple. I reserve several blocks of time throughout the year, and my team signs up via Calendly, which I highly recommend to help manage your calendar.

The purpos...

How Sensible Pastors React to Harsh Public Criticism

One pastor had a group of people circulate a petition to get him fired. They tried to get signatures in the foyer as members walked into church for Sunday services. Another pastor experienced the creation of a Facebook page dedicated to criticizing every aspect of his preaching and leadership. In a small town, a pastor became the fodder for regular op-ed pieces in the local newspaper. They were not flattering.

In each of these cases, some would claim the criticisms were warranted. Perhaps they w...

Why Work from Home Won’t Work for the Church

A philosophical tug-of-war is occurring in the work world. To what degree should people work from home, and how much time should they spend in the office?

Some CEOs are mandating a permanent return to the office on all workdays. Others allow their workers to be remote, even working in other states. Many are splitting the difference with a hybrid approach.

Studies are beginning to show the value of working in an office setting with your colleagues. The bonds between companies and workers are frag...

The First Seven Things to Do When a Child Accepts Christ in Your Church

A child in your church decides to follow Christ. There is no greater decision!

Now what?

As a pastor, I’ve sat with numerous parents over the years and walked through the next steps. These conversations are some of the most rewarding in ministry!

Only recently did I sit down and create a checklist of items. Something I wish I had done sooner.

1. Celebrate with gusto. Your child made the greatest decision to follow Christ. Have a party! As you celebrate, point back to Christ. Make sure everyone k...

How Your Church Can Help the Overlooked Children Affected by Abuse and Neglect

The turning point for me occurred at a funeral. I was holding a four-year-old child I did not know. His mother had passed away after overdosing on a dangerous mix of fentanyl and cocaine. The family contacted our church and asked for a pastor to officiate the funeral. I’ll never forget the young boy’s words.

“Are you going to help bring my mommy back?”

I didn’t have words for him. Only tears.

He was placed in a foster home. Thankfully, it was one full of love and support. At about the same time ...

One of the Most Powerful Ways to Revitalize Your Church that Almost No One Does

Prayer walking can revitalize a church. At Church Answers, we’ve heard some incredible stories of how a church started a prayer walking ministry and experienced revitalization. The problem is not enough churches are emphasizing this spiritual discipline. Those that do are seeing powerful results. 

What is prayer walking?

The concept is simple and can be done with one person or a group of people. You walk a neighborhood with the intent of praying for those who live there. During the prayer walk, ...

Leading a Church When the Wrong People Hold Power

Can you lead a church without proper authority? Yes, but it is more challenging and complex. 

I’m assuming most church leaders would rather not step into a situation where they have the responsibility to shepherd without the corresponding authority. But there are churches with misaligned power structures in desperate need of good pastors. What if you end up in such a situation? Leading without power requires informal authority.

Informal authority is earned through social skills, emotional intell...

Churches Are Getting Less of Total Charitable Giving—Here’s Why (And What You Can Do About It)

For decades, the church has lost ground with overall charitable giving.

Charitable giving is up—a near record of $485 billion in 2021, despite surging inflation.Giving to churches has dropped even though giving to non-profits is up by 4%.In the early 1980s, churches received over half of all charitable giving.Today, churches receive less than a third of all charitable giving.

Churches are getting less of the total charitable giving. Overall, charitable giving is on the rise in the Unite...

The Public Nature of Pastoring and the Inescapable Reality You Always Represent Your Church

“. . . because you’re the pastor.”

Most pastors have heard the end of this sentence at some point. Perhaps you bristled at hearing it. Maybe your feelings were justified, depending on what preceded the phrase. But there’s truth in “because you’re the pastor.” The call to shepherd a church is a call to shepherd a community. People expect you to represent your church. And you should. If you’re a pastor, you’re also a statesman—there’s no way around it.  

I use the term “statesman” not in a politic...

Five Ways to Honor the Past While Not Losing the Future

I once caught a deacon throwing choir robes out of the second-story window into a giant fire on the ground below.

“What’s going on?”

“Fire hazard.” 

By the look and smell of the robes, I agreed and went about my business. 

There were probably one hundred burning robes in the fire—enough for every person in the church to take home three or four. I wondered if the choir was ever that large, or if the church ever had a choir. No one knew. The remnant of my first church numbered six on my first Sund...