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

Why Church staff should worship together during the week
When the staff is passionate about worship, often the church follows this lead. I cherish the weekly worship with our staff. Staff worship does not need to last long. Our time together is under an hour, but it’s usually one of the most important hours of the week.

Making your church new member class better: Answering the top 5 questions
With more people regathering in-person for church, a pent-up demand is building for membership classes. The membership class was one ministry many churches put on hold during the pandemic.

Why pastors should use more historical illustrations in sermons
Sermon illustrations are tricky. You try to be funny, but it falls flat. You try to be inspirational, but you’re cheesy. You try to be serious, and you have a booger in your nose.

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.

























