Rephonic
Artwork for Rainer on Leadership

Rainer on Leadership

Thom Rainer
Church Leadership
Community Engagement
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Church Growth
Church Attendance
Discipleship
Leadership
Church Revitalization
Southern Seminary
Churches
Church Safety
New Living Translation
Pastoral Care
Church Answers
Pastoral Leadership
Baby Boomers
Southern Baptist Convention
Evangelism
Social Media
Dying Churches

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

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes300Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ChristianityBusinessManagementReligion & Spirituality

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Rainer on Leadership

Latest Episodes

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 pr... more

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.”

•

• The 24/7 expectation is real. Many church members mean well, but they assume they are... more

YouTube

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 Ne... more

YouTube

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 ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Nijay Gupta
Senior Translator for the New Living Translation; Professor of New Testament
Northern Seminary
Episode: Why Preachers Should Pick One Translation (And Which One Is Best)
Ryan Blackwell
President and CEO of Lifeway
Lifeway
Episode: My Hope for Lifeway: An Interview with Dr. Ryan Blackwell, President and CEO of Lifeway
Chris Brauns
Lead pastor, Red Brick Church
Red Brick Church, Stillman Valley, Illinois
Episode: An Interview with Chris Brauns on “The Way of Repentance”
Mike Stoudelmeyer
Consultant at Churchgo Services, partner of Church Answers
Churchgo Services / Church Answers
Episode: What Should a Pastor Do When One or Two Key Donors Keep the Church Doors Open
Brian Kelly
Leader at Northside Church, Liverpool, New York
Northside Church, Liverpool, New York
Episode: The Four Domains of Successful Outreach to Families with Children
Ken Roach
Vice President of Innovation at Wesley Biblical Seminary
Wesley Biblical Seminary
Episode: Unique Church Leadership Lessons from the Book of Ezra You Haven’t Heard
Peter Pogner
Episode: Why Churches Are Struggling More and More to Find Staff
Amy Whitfield
Crisis communication expert
Michael Best Strategies
Episode: What to Say (and Not Say) Immediately After a Church Crisis
Dr. Burge
Guest; author referenced for article on baby boomers
GraphsAboutReligion.com
Episode: The Burge Report: Gen Z and the Church: Lonely, Cautious, Skeptical, But… Open

Hosts

Thom Rainer
Host focused on church leadership and ministry strategy.
Tom Rainer
Host of the show with a focus on leadership and church growth.
Sam Rainer
Co-host contributing practical leadership insights and ministry resources.
Josh King
Co-host contributing to leadership discussions and church ministry topics.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 502 ratings
  • Rainers bilk Christians

    Just another Rainer family money-grab to keep the Rainer kids flush with cash donations from poor Southern retirees. Tom, you are bright but have failed to help the Church with its #1 most obvious problem--and Tom won't even say the name because he knows it's the cancer invading our congregations. Speak truth or the Church will continue to shrink 5%+ every year.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    bgyvju7osdn5cqz1wp4k6xt80f3i2a
    United Statesa year ago
  • More than leadership

    Thom and Sam have been around and pretty much seen it all in church ministry. Allow them to help you avoid pitfalls, and elevate your goals, for God’s glory. There is a larger mine of resources from the Church Answers website. We need it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Henry Van Weeren
    Canada3 years ago
  • Poor audio

    Unable to listen because some speakers are loud while others can hardly be heard. Great content though!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    rm@c973
    United States3 years ago
  • Becoming more of an infomercial

    Have been listening to this podcast for a while and really enjoyed it at the beginning, but the longer it goes, the more I feel like I’m listening to an infomercial and them promote their sponsors

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    RDL79
    United States4 years ago
  • Helpful topics…

    My ministry has benefited greatly from these podcasts. The topics are quite helpful- many “real life” kind of scenarios…things I really face (or might face in the future). This is a great equipping resource. And as for personal preference, the length is perfect. I enjoy the bullet points kind out outline with a conversational tone. This makes this podcast very easy to listen to for me. I don’t miss very many episodes. Thanks guys!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    EdEarnest
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Strong practical leadership content that translates to real-world church and nonprofit contexts.
Listeners appreciate concise episodes with actionable takeaways and useful show notes.
Guests bring data-driven and gospel-centered perspectives that are useful for growth and stewardship.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Preachers Should Pick One Translation (And Which One Is Best)
Q: How should a church approach changing translations?
The hosts suggest securing buy-in from elders, testing the translation with the congregation (including small groups), educating the church about translations, and recognizing that translations are tools suited for different purposes. They emphasize a gradual, collaborative process rather than a sudden switch.
Why Preachers Should Pick One Translation (And Which One Is Best)
Q: What are the main differences between word-for-word and thought-for-thought translations, and why does that matter for preaching?
Word-for-word aims to reproduce the original wording as closely as possible but can be less readable, while thought-for-thought focuses on conveying meaning in natural, readable English. For preaching, thought-for-thought like the NLT often helps listeners understand the text in one sitting, though it requires trust in the translator; in contrast, word-for-word remains valuable for study and precision but may hinder comprehension during preaching.
Why Preachers Should Pick One Translation (And Which One Is Best)
Q: What translation should preachers preach from?
The speakers argue for a primary, consistent translation for preaching (with the New Living Translation often favored for its readability and clarity), while acknowledging other translations' strengths. They also stress that the choice should fit the congregation and the preacher's goals, not simply follow marketing labels.
An Interview with Chris Brauns on “The Way of Repentance”
Q: Tell us about the book. Tell us what brought about The Way of Repentance.
Chris Brauns discusses the genesis of The Way of Repentance, linking it to his earlier work on forgiveness and describing repentance as a joyful, life-shaping practice integrated into church life and gospel-centered ministry.
The Burge Report: Why Immigration Won’t Reverse America’s Secular Drift
Q: Ryan, are you ready to share all of your feelings about immigration?
Ryan provides data-driven context from graphsaboutreligion, explaining how immigrant religiosity compares to native-born religiosity and how factors like origin country and assimilation affect religious practice.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Rainer on Leadership

What is Rainer on Leadership about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A leadership-focused show exploring practical strategies for church and organizational leadership. Across recent episodes, listeners encounter a mix of pastorally oriented guidance, governance and fundraising insights, and data-driven takes on church trends, outreach, and ministry effectiveness. The format often features expert guests, real-world case studies, and sponsor-supported tools aimed at helping leaders build healthy programs, engage donors, and scale impact. A standout aspect is the blend of Scripture-informed leadership with secular-style organizational best practices, plus recurring conversations about sustainability, technology, and cultures within religious communities. This makes it useful for pastors, church staff, non-profi... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Rainer on Leadership?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Rainer on Leadership. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Rainer on Leadership and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Rainer on Leadership get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Rainer on Leadership, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Rainer on Leadership?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Rainer on Leadership, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Rainer on Leadership have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Rainer on Leadership has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Rainer on Leadership?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Rainer on Leadership:

1. The Church Answers Podcast
2. The Unstuck Church Podcast
3. The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast
4. Pastor Well with Hershael York
5. Pastors Talk - A podcast by 9Marks

How many episodes of Rainer on Leadership are there?

Rainer on Leadership launched 13 years ago and published 300 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Rainer on Leadership?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Rainer on Leadership?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Rainer on Leadership from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Rainer on Leadership?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Rainer on Leadership. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Rainer on Leadership?

Recent guests on Rainer on Leadership include:

1. Nijay Gupta
2. Ryan Blackwell
3. Chris Brauns
4. Mike Stoudelmeyer
5. Brian Kelly
6. Ken Roach
7. Peter Pogner
8. Amy Whitfield

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days