The Church Answers Podcast

In the final part of the series, Thom and Jess examine four additional translations that remain popular within more specific theological, academic, or expositional contexts: New American Standard Bible (NASB), New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Revised Standard Version (RSV), and Legacy Standard Bible (LSB). The post A Comprehensive Examination of Why the Top 10 Bible Translations Are Popular – Part 4: NASB, NRSV, RSV, LSB appeared first on Church Answers.

The series continues as Thom and Jess explore the next three popular translations: English Standard Version (ESV), Christian Standard Bible (CSB), and New King James Version (NKJV). The post A Comprehensive Examination of Why the Top 10 Bible Translations Are Popular – Part 3: ESV, CSB, NJKV appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess begin ranking the most widely used Bible translations in the U.S., starting with the top three: New International Version (NIV), King James Version (KJV), and New Living Translation (NLT). The post A Comprehensive Examination of Why the Top 10 Bible Translations Are Popular – Part 2: NIV, KJV, NLT appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess Rainer introduce a four-part series on the top 10 English Bible translations in America. In this episode, they offer a broad overview of how these translations emerged, the philosophies behind them, and how cultural, theological, and practical factors affect their popularity. The post A Comprehensive Examination of Why the Top 10 Bible Translations Are Popular – Part 1 appeared first on Church Answers.

In the conclusion of this two-part series, Thom and Jess Rainer share four more reasons churches are dying in 2025. The challenges are real—but so are the opportunities to respond with courage and clarity. The post Autopsy of a Deceased Church in 2025 – Part 2 appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess Rainer revisit the insights from Thom’s 2016 bestseller “Autopsy of a Deceased Church” and provide a sobering update for today’s church landscape. In this episode, they begin unpacking the eight new signs that a church is nearing its end in 2025. The post Autopsy of a Deceased Church in 2025 – Part 1 appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess Rainer continue their honest conversation about why outreach has dropped off the radar in many churches. The second half of the list offers insight into theological drift and misplaced priorities. The post 8 Reasons Most Churches Do Not Do Outreach – Part 2 appeared first on Church Answers.

In this episode of The Church Answers Podcast, Thom and Jess Rainer begin a two-part discussion on the widespread neglect of outreach in local churches. They unpack the foundational barriers that keep churches from obeying the Great Commission. The post 8 Reasons Most Churches Do Not Do Outreach – Part 1 appeared first on Church Answers.

Do you know any church members who have made demands based upon their financial giving to the church? Okay, that’s probably a rhetorical question because most of you readers certainly have experienced that discomfort. I asked a number of church leaders to share with me how this “hostage taking” usually takes place. Here are the five most common responses. The post Five Ways Church Members Hold the Church as a Financial Hostage appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom welcomes Tim Cool to The Church Answers Podcast. Tim is the founder and CEO of Smart Church Solutions, the developer of eSPACE software platform which includes Event Management, Work Order Management, Life Cycle Calculator, IoT Integrations, and other church facility management consulting services. He has assisted thousands of churches throughout the United States with their facility needs including facility planning, facility condition assessments, as well as life cycle planning and facility management. The post How Churches Can Best Address Facility Costs appeared first on Church Answers.

Welcome to a special four-part podcast series titled "Thomas Edison on Leadership." In this series, we'll explore the surprising and insightful leadership principles of one of history's most prolific inventors—principles that still speak powerfully to today's leaders in business, ministry, and innovation. Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) was not only the mind behind the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and motion pictures—he was also the founder of 14 companies, including General Electric. Over the course of his lifetime, he was granted 1,093 patents, a staggering achievement that speaks to both his creativity and his tenacity. But what often goes unnoticed is Edison's extraordinary ability to lead others, manage chaos, overcome failure, and build an enduring legacy of innovation. Edison was an incredible leader, a tireless experimenter, and a shrewd entrepreneur. His Menlo Park and later West Orange labs were among the first true innovation hubs, long before the term became common. In this fourth episode, we see how Edison used persistence to succeed, while being highly selective in when he chose to be persistent. The post Thomas Edison on Leadership – Part 4: The Powerful Lesson of Selected Persistence appeared first on Church Answers.

Welcome to a special four-part podcast series titled "Thomas Edison on Leadership." In this series, we'll explore the surprising and insightful leadership principles of one of history's most prolific inventors—principles that still speak powerfully to today's leaders in business, ministry, and innovation. Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) was not only the mind behind the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and motion pictures—he was also the founder of 14 companies, including General Electric. Over the course of his lifetime, he was granted 1,093 patents, a staggering achievement that speaks to both his creativity and his tenacity. But what often goes unnoticed is Edison's extraordinary ability to lead others, manage chaos, overcome failure, and build an enduring legacy of innovation. Edison was an incredible leader, a tireless experimenter, and a shrewd entrepreneur. His Menlo Park and later West Orange labs were among the first true innovation hubs, long before the term became common. In this third episode, we see how Edison saw chaos as necessary -- up to a point. The post Thomas Edison on Leadership – Part 3: The Incredible Lesson of Managed Chaos appeared first on Church Answers.

Welcome to a special four-part podcast series titled "Thomas Edison on Leadership." In this series, we'll explore the surprising and insightful leadership principles of one of history's most prolific inventors—principles that still speak powerfully to today's leaders in business, ministry, and innovation. Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) was not only the mind behind the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and motion pictures—he was also the founder of 14 companies, including General Electric. Over the course of his lifetime, he was granted 1,093 patents, a staggering achievement that speaks to both his creativity and his tenacity. But what often goes unnoticed is Edison's extraordinary ability to lead others, manage chaos, overcome failure, and build an enduring legacy of innovation. Edison was an incredible leader, a tireless experimenter, and a shrewd entrepreneur. His Menlo Park and later West Orange labs were among the first true innovation hubs, long before the term became common. In this second episode, we delve into the failures of Edison, failures he considered essential to success. The post Thomas Edison on Leadership – Part 2: How Failures Succeed appeared first on Church Answers.

Welcome to a special four-part podcast series titled "Thomas Edison on Leadership." In this series, we'll explore the surprising and insightful leadership principles of one of history's most prolific inventors—principles that still speak powerfully to today's leaders in business, ministry, and innovation. Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) was not only the mind behind the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and motion pictures—he was also the founder of 14 companies, including General Electric. Over the course of his lifetime, he was granted 1,093 patents, a staggering achievement that speaks to both his creativity and his tenacity. But what often goes unnoticed is Edison's extraordinary ability to lead others, manage chaos, overcome failure, and build an enduring legacy of innovation. Edison was an incredible leader, a tireless experimenter, and a shrewd entrepreneur. His Menlo Park and later West Orange labs were some of the first true innovation hubs—long before that term became fashionable. In this first episode, we learn that Edison was a once-in-a-lifetime force, but he also left enduring lessons for those who want to learn growth principles for their own churches and organizations. The post Thomas Edison on Leadership – Part 1: Understanding the Mind of a Growth Leader appeared first on Church Answers.

They are called the Anxious Generation in addition to Gen Z. For years, we have assumed they were not receptive to the gospel or to the church, but something has changed, and it’s rather dramatic. Thom looks at key reasons why there has never been a better time to reach Gen Z. The post Why There Has Never Been a Better Time to Reach Gen Z appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom examines why churches should be more intentional about reaching the Boomer generation, those born between 1946 and 1964. The post Why There Has Never Been a Better Time to Reach the Boomers appeared first on Church Answers.

Jess and Thom share the story of Sugarloaf Church, an almost deceased church in the Florida Keys. Braydenton McCormick became the lead pastor of the church two years ago. The church was facing insolvency, but last year it reached its budget, even putting away an additional year's worth of funds for rainy days. The church had only seven members, and the pastor's family added five more. The facilities were stale and outdated, but the church had no debt. We will examine ten key ways the church transitioned from near death to hope. The post Ten Ways an Almost Deceased Church in the Florida Keys Is Being Revitalized (Part 2) appeared first on Church Answers.

Jess and Thom share the story of Sugarloaf Church, an almost deceased church in the Florida Keys. Braydenton McCormick became the lead pastor of the church two years ago. The church was facing insolvency, but last year it reached its budget, even putting away an additional year's worth of funds for rainy days. The church had only seven members, and the pastor's family added five more. The facilities were stale and outdated, but the church had no debt. We will examine ten key ways the church transitioned from near death to hope. The post Ten Ways an Almost Deceased Church in the Florida Keys Is Being Revitalized (Part 1) appeared first on Church Answers.

While some churches continue rounds of ungodly worship wars, more churches don't have worship wars because it's difficult to impossible to define a position or style to defend or attack. Jess and Thom examine the reasons behind this blessing. The post Why We Can No Longer Define Worship Styles appeared first on Church Answers.

A church's growth is the work of the Holy Spirit, but God uses different methodologies for different seasons. Jess and Thom examine four of the most effective actions that growing churches of all sizes are taking today. You probably don't hear much about these four. The post Four Off-the-Wall Actions That Are Highly Effective for Attendance Growth appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom has seen a precipitous decline in the use of offering plates in churches. He joins Jess as they both examine the reasons behind the decline. The post Why has the use of the offering plate declined? appeared first on Church Answers.

The time of offertory is a relatively recent phenomenon in local churches. Thom and Jess take a historical excursion to look at three methods of giving that helped churches raise money. The post How did churches raise money before the introduction of the offertory? appeared first on Church Answers.

For churches in many traditions, particularly among Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists, Sunday evening services were a staple for decades. Jess and Thom examine the origins of these services. The post What is the origin of the Sunday evening worship services? appeared first on Church Answers.

Some traditions, particularly among Methodists and Baptists, provided Wednesday night meals with as much fervor as Sunday services. Thom and Jess looked at the origin of the Wednesday night meal in many churches. The post What is the origin of the Wednesday-night meal in many churches? appeared first on Church Answers.

An “unforced error” is a term borrowed from sports, especially tennis, meaning a mistake made due to one’s own lapse rather than being forced by an opponent. In everyday language, it refers to an avoidable mistake or misstep, typically resulting from a lack of attention or care rather than external pressure. Thom and Jess examine one of the most common unforced errors in this podcast: lack of focus on clean and well-supplied restrooms. The post Lack of Focus on Clean and Well-Supplied Restrooms: The Unforced Error Series appeared first on Church Answers.

An “unforced error” is a term borrowed from sports, especially tennis, meaning a mistake made due to one’s own lapse rather than being forced by an opponent. In everyday language, it refers to an avoidable mistake or misstep, typically resulting from a lack of attention or care rather than external pressure. Thom and Jess examine one of the most common unforced errors in this podcast: lack of guest-friendly signage and markers. The post Lack of Guest-Friendly Signage and Markers: The Unforced Error Series appeared first on Church Answers.

An “unforced error” is a term borrowed from sports, especially tennis, meaning a mistake made due to one’s own lapse rather than being forced by an opponent. In everyday language, it refers to an avoidable mistake or misstep, typically resulting from a lack of attention or care rather than external pressure. Thom examines one of the most common unforced errors in this podcast: failure to have a secret guest. The post Failure to Have a Secret Guest: The Unforced Error Series appeared first on Church Answers.

An “unforced error” is a term borrowed from sports, especially tennis, meaning a mistake made due to one’s own lapse rather than being forced by an opponent. In everyday language, it refers to an avoidable mistake or misstep, typically resulting from a lack of attention or care rather than external pressure. Thom examines one of the most common unforced errors in this podcast: failure to remind people about digital giving. The post Failure to Remind People About Digital Giving: The Unforced Error Series appeared first on Church Answers.

An “unforced error” is a term borrowed from sports, especially tennis, meaning a mistake made due to one’s own lapse rather than being forced by an opponent. In everyday language, it refers to an avoidable mistake or misstep, typically resulting from a lack of attention or care rather than external pressure. Thom and Jess examine one of the most common unforced errors in this podcast: zero invitations. The post Zero Invitations: The Unforced Error Series appeared first on Church Answers.

An “unforced error” is a term borrowed from sports, especially tennis, meaning a mistake made due to one’s own lapse rather than being forced by an opponent. In everyday language, it refers to an avoidable mistake or misstep, typically resulting from a lack of attention or care rather than external pressure. Thom and Jess examine one of the most common unforced errors in this podcast: the holy huddle. The post The Holy Huddle: The Unforced Error Series appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess interview Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services. In this episode, they discuss how to grow your congregation in the grace of giving. The post Grow Your Congregation in the Grace of Giving: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess interview Mike Stadelmayer of Church Growth Services. In this episode, they discuss how to reconnect your congregation to the vision through generosity. The post Reconnect Your Congregation to the Vision through Generosity: An Interview with Mike Stadelmayer appeared first on Church Answers.

An “unforced error” is a term borrowed from sports, especially tennis, meaning a mistake made due to one’s own lapse rather than being forced by an opponent. In everyday language, it refers to an avoidable mistake or misstep, typically resulting from a lack of attention or care rather than external pressure. Thom and Jess examine one of the most common unforced errors in this podcast: failure to have a parking lot greeter. The post Failure to Have a Parking Lot Greeter: The Unforced Error Series appeared first on Church Answers.

An “unforced error” is a term borrowed from sports, especially tennis, meaning a mistake made due to one’s own lapse rather than being forced by an opponent. In everyday language, it refers to an avoidable mistake or misstep, typically resulting from a lack of attention or care rather than external pressure. Thom and Jess examine one of the most common unforced errors in this podcast: the time of worship services on the website is not correct. The post The Time of Worship Services on the Website Is Not Correct: The Unforced Error Series 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 second episode, they discuss why intentional, purpose-aligned church facility planning is so critical. Smart churches don’t just build for growth; they build for purpose. The post Church Facility Growth Strategy: How to Build with Purpose with Brown Church Development Group 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 first episode, they discuss five powerful ways “Simple Church” principles can shape not just how we do ministry, but how we build the spaces that facilitate it. The post 5 Ways “Simple Church” Can Apply to Your Church Facility with Brown Church Development Group appeared first on Church Answers.

Thom and Jess discuss how the total of all Nones is at its lowest level since 2018. The post Where Have All the Atheists and Agnostics Gone? appeared first on Church Answers.

From 2008 to 2014, the Nones (those who have no religious affiliation) were the fastest-growing demographic segment in the nation. They are no longer growing. In fact, they are declining slightly. Here are five major implications for churches. The post The Nones Are Rising No More: 5 Things Church Leaders Need to Know appeared first on Church Answers.