Rainer on Leadership

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1000

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Your online home for leadership lessons for both the church and the workplace.

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60 recent

October 22, 2026Episode 107529 min

The Burge Report: America’s Largest Churches: What's Happened the Last Decade?

America’s largest churches are becoming significantly larger. A decade of Outreach 100 data shows that megachurch growth is increasingly concentrated among a relatively small group of established, evangelical, multisite congregations. Yet the picture is more complex than explosive growth alone: many longtime megachurches have grown only incrementally, many have declined, and the pandemic reshaped attendance in uneven and lasting ways.

October 21, 2026Episode 107422 min

An Honest Perspective on Celebrating Halloween as Christians

Halloween often creates unnecessary tension among Christians. Some avoid it because of its association with spiritual darkness and the occult, while others view it as a harmless cultural tradition centered on costumes, candy, and neighborhood fun. Josh and Sam discuss how churches do not need to retreat from their communities during Halloween.

October 15, 2026Episode 107323 min

How Churches Can Better Support Moms in the Unseen Midnight Moments of Motherhood

Sam welcomes Susan K. Pitts and Becky Thompson to the Rainer on Leadership podcast. They are a mother-daughter team who have built their lives around encouraging moms right in the middle of everyday life. Susan has spent over forty years in ministry, walking alongside women and families with wisdom and compassion. She is the prayer director for the Midnight Mom Devotional and co-author of the Midnight Mom Devotional books. Becky has spent the last decade creating resources to equip and encourage the heart of the momma. They are both bestselling authors and Becky is a national speaker who speaks honestly about faith and family. They are the authors of two devotional books, "Tonight We Pray for the Momma" and "Midnight Mom Devotional" and are the content writers for the devotional content in the "Midnight Mom Devotional Bible." In addition, they have a vibrant social media community on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok where they lead over 2 million mommas in nightly prayer.

October 13, 2026Episode 107222 min

Hitting Home Runs with Church Marketing

Sam interviews David Graham of Five Loaves Marketing, and they talk about the best ways for churches to utilize marketing resources.

October 4, 2026Episode 107123 min

Church Worship Attendance Is... Up! (For the First Time in Years)

A new Hartford Institute report shows median in-person worship attendance increasing from 65 to 70 since just before the pandemic. That five-person gain may sound small, but it represents a 7.7% increase and moves the median congregation above its pre-pandemic level. Still, the story requires careful interpretation. This is not a return to the church landscape of 2000, when the median congregation had 137 in worship. It is better understood as a modest but meaningful inflection point—encouraging enough to notice, but not strong enough yet to call a trend.

October 2, 2026Episode 107024 min

The Pastoral Burden of Never Having “Off Hours”

Josh and Sam discuss how to avoid the “always available” trap of shepherding a congregation. Unfortunately, many pastors, if not most, are never truly “off.”

October 1, 2026Episode 106931 min

Why Preachers Should Pick One Translation (And Which One Is Best)

Sam welcomes Dr. Nijay Gupta back to the Rainer on Leadership podcast. Nijay is a senior translator for the New Living Translation, a Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, and the author of several books, including "A Beginner's Guide to New Testament Studies" and "Tell Her Story." Today they discuss why preachers should commit to one primary translation in the pulpit, and why the New Living Translation is the best choice.

September 29, 2026Episode 106820 min

Should Pastors Encourage Burial Over Cremation?

Historically, Christians have favored burial. That practice was not accidental. Burial reflects the biblical pattern of honoring the body, treating death with gravity, and looking forward to the resurrection. In Scripture, the body is not treated as disposable. At the same time, the Bible does not give a direct command that Christians must be buried or that cremation is sinful. Josh and Sam discuss this question on today's episode.

September 25, 2026Episode 106727 min

The Burge Report: Why Gen Z Might Be the Least Mobile Generation in American History

Americans are moving far less than they did in previous generations, and Gen Z may become the least mobile generation in American history. In the 1950s, about 20% of Americans moved each year. By 2019, that number had fallen to roughly 11%. Even more surprising, younger adults are more likely than older generations to say they have lived in the same local community their entire lives. Nearly half of those born in the early 2000s report never having moved from their local community. Ryan and Sam discuss how this trend also has implications for churches. People who stay rooted in one place appear somewhat more likely to remain connected to religious life than those who move away. Moving disrupts habits, relationships, and rhythms—including church attendance. For many dechurched people, the issue may not be a conscious rejection of faith, but the loss of a weekly rhythm after relocating.

September 22, 2026Episode 106625 min

How to Prevent Your Discipleship Model from Aging Out with the Older Generations

Many churches are beginning to recognize that their discipleship systems are no longer working as well as they once did. The problem is not necessarily neglect. In many cases, the problem is that the model was built for a different era—one marked by more frequent church attendance, earlier marriage, more stable family rhythms, and Baby Boomers providing much of the volunteers. That world is fading. Josh and Sam discuss how churches that adjust their discipleship strategies now will be better positioned to disciple effectively ten and twenty years from today.