Rainer on Leadership

Some denominations and networks seem to have a controversy du jour. Many of them have deep theological implications. Others are distractions to the primary mission of churches. Sam and Thom review five controversies that were once heated but have now faded significantly.

Josh and Sam discuss why many churches have moved away from old-school hymns, not always because they reject them, but because worship culture has changed. Modern worship music is often easier to lead with a band, more familiar to younger generations, and shaped by digital platforms, conferences, and major worship publishers. But the disappearance of hymns can also come at a cos...

Thom and Sam welcome Chris Brauns, Lead Pastor at The Red Brick Church in Stillman Valley, IL, to discuss his book, "The Way of Repentance."

What should a church do if someone wins the lottery and wants to tithe from the proceeds? The question is more complicated than it first appears. On one hand, churches should teach biblical stewardship and encourage generosity. On the other hand, gambling raises serious concerns about wisdom, exploitation, addiction, and the source of financial gain. In this episode, we discuss ...

A common argument says immigration could help reverse America’s secular drift because immigrants are assumed to be more religious than native-born Americans. Ryan Burge’s analysis challenges that assumption. Using Cooperative Election Study data, he finds that immigrants are only slightly more religious than Americans whose families have been in the United States for generations...