
Sam Rainer
Op-ed Contributor
Sam Rainer is president of Church Answers and pastor at West Bradenton Baptist Church in Florida.
Latest
Pastors, stop competing and start hanging out
I enjoy a little friendly competition. The reality is many churches don’t compete on friendly terms.
Church leaders, let’s talk about and do more intentional evangelism
One of the biggest problems in churches is a lack of evangelism.
3 unseen hooks dragging your church down
Church leaders are more on guard right now. It’s understandable. Decision fatigue is a real issue with many pastors. People seem to gravitate to the extremes more easily.
4 positive signs we're on the cusp of a church revitalization movement
I believe we are on the cusp of a church revitalization movement. The signs are there.
My church is making it through the pandemic. Is it OK for me to leave?
A great reshuffling is beginning to take place. Many pastors are considering leaving their positions or transitioning to a new ministry. It’s not surprising.
6 ways pastors can find the work-life balance sweet spot
The median amount of hours worked by a senior pastor is 55 hours per week. How can a pastor find the work-life balance sweet spot?
What changes with a move from a church of 50 to a church of 150
All churches have leadership challenges, regardless of size. One common pastoral transition is to move from a church of 50 congregants to a church of 150.
Creating an ongoing culture of generosity to missions in your church
Creating an ongoing culture of generosity for missions among the church body takes an entirely different approach.
Things believers do that make the unchurched bristle
Hypercritical legalism is a clear example of how to turn people off, but there are other, less blatant turn-offs as well.
Churches, you become what you celebrate. Here’s how
You become what you celebrate. Whatever a church celebrates regularly will inevitably become rooted in the culture of the congregation.