
Sam Rainer
Op-ed Contributor
Sam Rainer is president of Church Answers and pastor at West Bradenton Baptist Church in Florida.
Latest

6 ways the Church becomes hypocritical
Often, hypocrisy is an accusation leveled at a particular person. But churches can become hypocritical and cultivate a culture of hypocrisy as an organization. How does this happen?

What should you do when you get hate messages? 4 options to consider
Regardless of how off base such a letter may be, it still represents the perspective of a person in the church family. So what do you do?

Winning over 3 kinds of your most difficult church members
What does a difficult person look like, and how can you win them over?

What will happen to the all-white church in America? 10 trends to watch over next 10 years
Demographics tend to change slowly. You can see the patterns emerging, and, for the most part, you can know what is coming years in advance. Most people do not pay attention to these gradual shifts because it does not have an immediate impact on their lives. Then we hit an inflection point, and everyone seems to notice.

Here's 1 of the most overlooked ways to get your church to solve community problems
The list of ideas is long. While each community will have neighborhood-specific problems, one issue stands out as a neglected nationwide solution most churches are not considering. Fostering is one of the most overlooked ways to get your church to solve community problems.

A few surprising perspectives about your unchurched neighbors
We are all guilty on some level of not being obedient to the imperative of Acts 1:8, sharing the Gospel message with all who will listen. And many of us have not taken the step of inviting our neighbors to church. Some of us may not even know our neighbors.

The difference between curious and caring pastors (and why it's better to be caring)
Caring leaders desire to serve followers. Curious leaders desire information about a subordinate. The difference between care and curiosity is service.

5 reasons my family loves (really!) ministry together
I can’t imagine approaching the throne of God unless I’m ready to collapse into the arms of Jesus. My family will help me limp to the finish line.

Why do some churchgoers stick with bad pastors?
Most pastors work hard, love their churches, and would sacrifice their lives for the people they lead. If you are reading this article for ways to get back at your pastor, then it’s likely you’re the problem, not your pastor. But there are some bad pastors out there. Why do people stay with them?

Can I be an effective pastor if I don’t like management?
You don’t have to like management to be an effective pastor. But shepherding a congregation does involve managing others. All pastors should both teach and execute.

























