Best Thom Rainer Podcasts (2025)

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The Burge Report: Is Gen Z More Religiously Engaged than Their Parents? 31:30

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14h ago31:30

31:30

New religious data in the United States was released recently, and Ryan Burge joins the show with Sam to discuss the details. In 2024, Gen Z showed relatively strong religious attendance compared to other generations. Twenty-four percent of Gen Z reported attending religious services weekly—two percentage points higher than both Millennials and Gen…

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The Limits of Pastoral Care: When Counseling Isn’t Appropriate 30:03

4d ago30:03

30:03

Pastors provide spiritual guidance, but there are times when counseling crosses into territory best handled by trained professionals. In this episode, Josh and Sam explore the limits of pastoral care—when ethical, legal, and practical concerns make it necessary to refer someone elsewhere. From mental health crises to marital conflicts beyond a past…

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Thomas Edison on Leadership – Part 2: How Failures Succeed 20:40

6d ago20:40

20:40

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…

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Thomas Edison on Leadership – Part 1: Understanding the Mind of a Growth Leader 21:22

6d ago21:22

21:22

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…

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The Top 5 Legal Issues Churches Face Today 30:45

7d ago30:45

30:45

Churches may be spiritual communities, but they operate in a legal world. And many aren’t prepared. In today’s episode, Sam interviews Ryan June of Castañeda + Heidelman LLP, and we unpack the five most common legal issues churches face: child protection, property disputes, employment law, governance and bylaws, and intellectual property. Ignorance…

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Ten Quiet Disrupters in American Church Life (Part 2) 24:07

11d ago24:07

24:07

Many of the disruptions in local church life are widely known. For example, most congregants and church leaders can clearly see the impact of COVID several years ago. But there have been a number of “quiet” disruptions that don’t get much attention. Thom and Sam look at ten of them over two episodes. 6. Mobility rates of younger families and neighb…

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Why There Has Never Been a Better Time to Reach Gen Z 22:14

13d ago22:14

22:14

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. They are a large population group. Their anxiety has turned to receptivi…

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Why There Has Never Been a Better Time to Reach the Boomers 21:49

12d ago21:49

21:49

Thom examines why churches should be more intentional about reaching the Boomer generation, those born between 1946 and 1964. There are still 60 million living Boomers. They are more receptive to the gospel and church. They account for 53% of the nation’s wealth, but only 17.9% of the population. Their “me first” attitude is changing. Their life ex…

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Ten Quiet Disrupters in American Church Life (Part 1) 21:33

14d ago21:33

21:33

Many of the disruptions in local church life are widely known. For example, most congregants and church leaders can clearly see the impact of COVID several years ago. But there have been a number of “quiet” disruptions that don’t get much attention. Thom and Sam look at ten of them over two episodes. 1. Evolving expectations for spiritual authority…

1
What Young Families Really Want in a Church 24:00

19d ago24:00

24:00

Most every church desires to grow with young families. But what do they look for in a church? Josh and Sam discuss a few key ways to attract and retain families with children. An indicator of health: 25% of Sunday morning attendance should be 18 and under. An indicator of investment: The children’s and student ministry budgets should be more than t…

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Ten Ways an Almost Deceased Church in the Florida Keys Is Being Revitalized (Part 2) 23:44

20d ago23:44

23:44

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…

1
Ten Ways an Almost Deceased Church in the Florida Keys Is Being Revitalized (Part 1) 22:45

20d ago22:45

22:45

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…

1
Seven Occasions When You Should Not Hire More Church Staff 24:53

22d ago24:53

24:53

Hiring staff can strengthen a church—but not always. In this episode, Thom and Sam discuss seven times when adding staff is a mistake, from removing ministry opportunities from the laity to financial missteps and agenda-driven hires. Learn how to make wise, mission-focused staffing decisions for your church’s health. When it takes ministry away fro…

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Sons of God Rebroadcast 31:09

24d ago31:09

31:09

This episode was originally ran during the Systematic Theology 1 series. In this episode I run down the five views on who "the sons of God" are in Genesis 6:2 and why this passage matters to our Christian life.By Brandon Knight

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How Much Money Should a Pastor Make? 26:32

26d ago26:32

26:32

A pastor’s salary is determined by several factors, including church size and budget, geographic location, cost of living, education, experience, and responsibilities. While there is no universal answer, Josh and Sam discuss general guidelines and what pastors should expect from their churches. Remember, everything is negotiable on the front end. D…

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Why We Can No Longer Define Worship Styles 24:28

27d ago24:28

24:28

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. No one can precisely define traditional, contemporary, and blended. The Boomers are fading, along with thei…

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Four Off-the-Wall Actions That Are Highly Effective for Attendance Growth 23:27

27d ago23:27

23:27

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. An external entry and welcome tent. Exactly two to three rounds of The Hope Initiat…

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The Burge Report: Are Religious People More Prone to Conspiracy Theories? 32:14

29d ago32:14

32:14

Both prophets and conspiracy theorists cater to the human desire to make sense of chaos. This connection sparks compelling questions: Do religious belief and conspiracy thinking go hand in hand, as both involve leaps of imagination? Or does a strong religious framework offer enough structure, reducing the need for conspiracy theories? Ryan Burge jo…

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Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom Rainer 31:22

1M ago31:22

31:22

Welcome back to My Seminary Life. In today's episode, I sit down to discuss one of the books that have made the biggest impact on me in my pulpit supply ministry, Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom Rainer. I start off by talking about the odd circumstances around how I first found out about this book, I highlight some of the marks Rainer has of a…

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The Future of America’s Largest Churches: An Interview with Eric Geiger 30:33

1M ago30:33

30:33

The future of America’s largest churches (specifically megachurches—2,000+ weekly attendees) is a complex mix of momentum, innovation, and cultural headwinds. Eric Geiger from Mariners Church joins Sam on the show to discuss the reality facing large churches. Will they keep growing? Some will, but many are plateauing or entering slow decline. What …

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Why has the use of the offering plate declined? 24:14

1M ago24:14

24:14

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. Online giving platforms COVID-19 Desire to avoid pressure on guests Reduce service interruptions Resources: Chaney & Associates The Church Advisory Podcast Upward Sports Upward Sports: Pickleball The Hope…

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1
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1
200churches Podcast: Ministry Encouragement for Pastors of Small Churches

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1
The Burge Report: Is Gen Z More Religiously Engaged than Their Parents? 31:30

1
The Limits of Pastoral Care: When Counseling Isn’t Appropriate 30:03

1
Thomas Edison on Leadership – Part 2: How Failures Succeed 20:40

1
Thomas Edison on Leadership – Part 1: Understanding the Mind of a Growth Leader 21:22

1
The Top 5 Legal Issues Churches Face Today 30:45

1
Ten Quiet Disrupters in American Church Life (Part 2) 24:07

1
Why There Has Never Been a Better Time to Reach Gen Z 22:14

1
Why There Has Never Been a Better Time to Reach the Boomers 21:49

1
Ten Quiet Disrupters in American Church Life (Part 1) 21:33

1
What Young Families Really Want in a Church 24:00

1
Ten Ways an Almost Deceased Church in the Florida Keys Is Being Revitalized (Part 2) 23:44

1
Ten Ways an Almost Deceased Church in the Florida Keys Is Being Revitalized (Part 1) 22:45

1
Seven Occasions When You Should Not Hire More Church Staff 24:53

1
Sons of God Rebroadcast 31:09

1
How Much Money Should a Pastor Make? 26:32

1
Why We Can No Longer Define Worship Styles 24:28

1
Four Off-the-Wall Actions That Are Highly Effective for Attendance Growth 23:27

1
The Burge Report: Are Religious People More Prone to Conspiracy Theories? 32:14

1
Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom Rainer 31:22

1
The Future of America’s Largest Churches: An Interview with Eric Geiger 30:33

1
Why has the use of the offering plate declined? 24:14