The Church Answers Podcast

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. The post How to Build an Eager Coalition for Change in Your Church appeared first on Church Answers.

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 post Five Types of Unmovable Church Members appeared first on Church Answers.

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, Executive Director of the National Association of Free Will Baptists, about this phenomenon. You will be amazed, encouraged. and informed! The post Why Are Free Will Baptist Church Members So Young? An Interview with Dr. Eddie Moody appeared first on Church Answers.

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. The post The Top 10 Immovable Traditions in Many Churches (Part 3) appeared first on Church Answers.

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. The post The Top 10 Immovable Traditions in Many Churches (Part 2) appeared first on Church Answers.

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. The post The Top 10 Immovable Traditions in Many Churches (Part 1) appeared first on Church Answers.

In the previous podcast, Jess and Thom examined the aging and dying denominations. In this podcast, they discuss the two youngest denominations. The post Two Denominations That Are Surprisingly Young appeared first on Church Answers.

Using a recent study by Ryan Burge, Jess and Thom examine the sobering reality of demographic decline in two groups: the Southern Baptist Convention and non-denominational evangelical churches. The post Denominations That Are on Red Alert for Rapid Decline appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess interview Pastor Jeff Cranston, Lowcountry Community Church, about creating a culture of evangelism. The post Creating a Culture of Evangelism in Your Church: An Interview with Jeff Cranston appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess welcome Pastor Jeff Cranston from Lowcountry Community Church in South Carolina. The post Reaching Senior Adults for Christ: An Interview with Jeff Cranston appeared first on Church Answers.

Church Answers researcher Ryan Burge recently released a stunning and sobering report on the ages of congregants of various denominations. It's not a pretty picture. Many churches will soon die or become moribund because of one simple factor: their church members are dying and not being replaced. Jess and Thom examine four aspects of this demographic decline and death. The post Planned Surgery or Emergency Amputation: Leading with Courage appeared first on Church Answers.

Church Answers researcher Ryan Burge recently released a stunning and sobering report on the ages of congregants of various denominations. It's not a pretty picture. Many churches will soon die or become moribund because of one simple factor: their church members are dying and not being replaced. Jess and Thom examine four aspects of this demographic decline and death. The post The Iron Law of Church Growth: No Young Adults, No Future appeared first on Church Answers.

Church Answers researcher Ryan Burge recently released a stunning and sobering report on the ages of congregants of various denominations. It's not a pretty picture. Many churches will soon die or become moribund because of one simple factor: their church members are dying and not being replaced. Jess and Thom examine four aspects of this demographic decline and death. The post When the Average Age Lies: The Demographic Tipping Point appeared first on Church Answers.

Church Answers researcher Ryan Burge recently released a stunning and sobering report on the ages of congregants of various denominations. It's not a pretty picture. Many churches will soon die or become moribund because of one simple factor: their church members are dying and not being replaced. Jess and Thom examine four aspects of this demographic decline and death. The post “Gradually… Then Suddenly”: Why Church Decline Is About to Accelerate appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess share how many pastors have lower take-home pay even though their stated pay has not decreased. The post How Pastors Are Taking Pay Cuts without Taking Pay Cuts appeared first on Church Answers.

For most churches, the position of church bookkeeper or treasurer is a volunteer role. While there are many qualified volunteers, this position is too often held by someone who is not. Thom and Jess share four real-life stories about the problem some bookkeepers have created for churches and pastors. The post Four Real Stories about How Church Bookkeepers Messed Up appeared first on Church Answers.

In part one, Thom and Jess focused on questions that reveal inner wiring and emotional maturity. In part two, the focus shifts to longevity, mission alignment, and team health. These questions don’t just help you hire well. They help you avoid pain—for the church, the staff member, and their family. The post 10 Often Overlooked Questions Churches Should Ask Before Hiring Staff – Part 2 appeared first on Church Answers.

Most churches spend weeks crafting job descriptions and reviewing résumés. Very few ask the right questions. Today, Thom and Jess argue that hiring mistakes in churches rarely come from a lack of talent. They come from overlooked questions—questions that reveal heart, alignment, resilience, and long-term fit. This is part one of a two-part conversation on 10 often overlooked questions every church should ask before hiring its next staff member. The post 10 Often Overlooked Questions Churches Should Ask Before Hiring Staff – Part 1 appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess are joined by Todd Brown and Isaac Brown of Brown Church Development Group, who are “The Church Facility Experts.” In this two-part series, we discuss the five myths of church building and why they cost churches millions. The post The 5 Myths of Church Building (and Why They Cost Churches Millions) – Part 2 appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess are joined by Todd Brown and Isaac Brown of Brown Church Development Group, who are “The Church Facility Experts.” In this two-part series, we discuss the five myths of church building and why they cost churches millions. The post The 5 Myths of Church Building (and Why They Cost Churches Millions) – Part 1 appeared first on Church Answers.

Dr. Andy Miller joins Thom and Jess to share the story of Wesley Biblical Seminary. The post From Near Closure to Incredible Growth: The Story of Wesley Biblical Seminary – An Interview with Andy Miller appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess interview Dr. Andy Miller, the president of Wesley Biblical Seminary, about seminary training for co-vocational church leaders. The post Finally! Seminary Training for Co-vocational Church Leaders: An Interview with Andy Miller appeared first on Church Answers.

What if a first-time guest experienced your church the way a customer experiences Amazon? No confusion. No friction. No wasted steps. Just clarity, care, and consistency. This episode is not about turning the church into a corporation. It’s about learning from an organization that obsesses over people, removes barriers relentlessly, and improves every system on purpose. Today, Thom and Jess ask a simple but uncomfortable question: If Amazon ran your church for one year, what would actually change? The post If Amazon Ran Your Church: What Would Change in 12 Months? appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess welcome John Wentz, the president of Alpha USA, to The Church Answers Podcast. The post How Alpha Is Impacting Churches in the United States appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess look at seven key traits of long-term pastors. The post Top Seven Traits of Pastors Who Stay at a Church for at Least 15 Years appeared first on Church Answers.

Jess and Thom share the top seven reasons pastors told us they felt led to leave a church. The post Top Seven Reasons a Pastor Chooses to Leave a Church appeared first on Church Answers.

Jess and Thom share the top seven reasons pastors choose to go to a church. The post Top Seven Reasons a Pastor Chooses to Go to a Church appeared first on Church Answers.

The Enemy seeks to destroy. He loathes evangelism and will do anything he can to hinder church members from sharing the gospel. Jess and Thom share five of his most common tactics. The post How Satan Attempts to Hinder Churches from Being Evangelistic appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom knows this person well, because he is one. He and Jess dive into how church leaders can best understand and utilize introverts in the church. The post The Quiet Power of the Church Introvert: Why the Most Influential People in Your Church May Be the Least Noticeable appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess continue to examine the largest unchurched group in America, the U3s. In this episode, the Rainers provide some highly practical ways to reach them. The post How Churches Can Reach the Largest Unchurched Group in the United States appeared first on Church Answers.

There are 30 to 35 million unchurched people in the United States, whom we call “the U3s.” Thom and Jess describe this unreached field and examine its key traits. The post The Largest Unchurched Group in the U.S. (and You’ve Never Heard of Them) appeared first on Church Answers.

The Rainer Scale helps churches understand how open an unchurched person is to the gospel, to spiritual conversation, and to attending church. It is not a judgment of spiritual worth, but a practical tool for identifying likely openness. The post The Rainer Scale of Unchurched Receptivity appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess conclude the “Future Church” series with an episode that puts church size into perspective. In an age when many pastors feel pressure to grow larger, the reality is that most congregations are small—and that’s not a problem. This episode explores what the data actually reveals about church attendance, why most churches are smaller than we think, and how leaders can find encouragement no matter the numbers. The post Future Church Series – Episode 6: What Is the Size of the Typical Church in the Future? appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess continue the “Future Church” series with an episode on how church staffing is changing in this new era of ministry. Churches are smaller, leaner, and more focused than ever. Budgets are tighter, but opportunities for mission are wider. The result is a new kind of church staff—leaders who serve both inside and outside the church, combining pastoral calling with marketplace skills. In this conversation, Thom and Jess introduce four co-vocational roles that are shaping the staff structure of the future church. The post Future Church Series – Episode 5: The Rise of Four New Co-Vocational Church Staff appeared first on Church Answers.

The Rainers continue the 6-part series called “The Future Church.” Over the next episodes, we’ll explore how the landscape of ministry is changing—and how leaders can prepare with wisdom, courage, and hope. Thom and Jess discuss how churches are making evangelism more than a slogan or a sermon topic—how to make it visible, tangible, and celebrated in the life of the congregation. Most believers genuinely want to share their faith, but they often need reminders, encouragement, and creative ways to stay focused on the mission. In this episode, Thom and Jess offer four practical ideas any church can implement to highlight the importance of evangelism every week. The post Future Church Series – Episode 4: Making Evangelism Visible appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess continue the “Future Church” series with an episode focused on one of the most important—and most misunderstood—topics in today’s congregations: evangelism. The way people come to faith is changing, and so are the methods churches use to share the gospel. Attendance patterns are different. Communities are more skeptical of institutions. And more often than not, the first place someone encounters the church is online, not in person. In this conversation, the Rainers look at how evangelism is evolving, why it still matters deeply, and four major trends shaping how local churches reach people today. The post Future Church Series – Episode 3: Trends in Evangelism in the Local Church appeared first on Church Answers.

Welcome back to The Church Answers Podcast and to our ongoing series called “The Future Church.” In each episode, Thom and Jess unpack the shifts shaping tomorrow’s congregations—and how pastors and leaders can prepare today. In this episode, we’re looking at a subject every church feels: money. The financial landscape of ministry is changing rapidly. Attendance patterns have shifted, giving habits have evolved, and the next generation is thinking about generosity in completely new ways. So, what will funding look like for the future church? Thom and Jess explore four emerging models that are helping churches stay healthy and mission-focused in a changing economy. The post Future Church Series – Episode 2: The Economics of the Future Church appeared first on Church Answers.

Welcome to a brand-new series on The Church Answers Podcast called “The Future Church.” Over the next six episodes, we’ll explore how the landscape of ministry is changing—and how leaders can prepare with wisdom, courage, and hope. In this first episode, Thom and Jess begin by looking at one of the most intriguing movements shaping the future: the rise of the microchurch. This small, mission-driven model is gaining traction across the United States and around the world. What exactly is a microchurch, how is it structured, and why is it so different from other forms of church? Let’s find out. The post Future Church Series – Episode 1: The Microchurch appeared first on Church Answers.

Jess interviews Thom in this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Church Answers. They examine the evolution of resources from the company's inception to the present day. The post What in the World Does Church Answers Really Do? Part 2: The Local Church Partner Grows appeared first on Church Answers.

Jess interviews Thom in this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Church Answers. How did Church Answers begin? What is its primary thrust? Who is a part of Church Answers? The post What in the World Does Church Answers Really Do? Part 1: The Consultation Foundation appeared first on Church Answers.