The Church Answers Podcast with Thom Rainer is fast-paced, to the point, and sometimes witty. It addresses one question about church life and leadership in just ten minutes. Buckle your seatbelt and take a ride into the world of congregational health in a fun and fascinating way.
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Contact us at www.nochurchanswers.com. We're not pastors, just regular guys. Engaging, deep and often humorous looks at faith in today's world by our panel. The No Church Answers! podcast began as Man Up a Spiritual Oasis for Men in 2017, launched by Bill Cox, actor and DJ, and four regulars, Steven Titch, Robert Cocheu, Michael Cropper and Earl Lloyd--all from different faith backgrounds. Our focus is on ways men could use their Christian faith to drive their goals, leadership and action. W ...
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Not All Accountants Know Church and Ministry Accounting: An Interview with Steve Chaney
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Thom interviews Steve Chaney, founder and CEO of Chaney and Associates, the premier CPA firm for churches of all sizes. It is often assumed that a CPA or a bookkeeper understands church and ministry accounting. That is not always the case. Steve and Thom discuss this issue that many church leaders fail to grasp. Resources: Chaney & Associates The E…
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Podcast 331 -- Ready Player One Matthew 7:7-14
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Is the Sermon on the Mount analogous to an MRPG strategy guide? The fellows are mischievous enough to suggest it. If our Christian mission is to work alongside God to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, Jesus give us an awful lot of information as to how to do it, beginning with your character traits (the Beatitudes), your role (to be salt and l…
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The Dangers of Your Church Doing Your Bookkeeping and Accounting Internally: An Interview with Steve Chaney
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Thom interviews Steve Chaney, founder and CEO of Chaney and Associates, the premier CPA firm for churches of all sizes. In this episode, Steve and Thom provide clear warning signs for churches that do their bookkeeping and accounting internally. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory The Hope Initiative Church Answe…
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So You Want to Write and Publish a Book? Part 3: Four Things No One Tells Aspiring Authors. An Interview with Jess Rainer
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In this three-part series, Jess Rainer and Thom discuss the details of writing a book. You will discover some insights you’ve never heard before. For example, this episode examines four critical issues for authors who desire to publish successfully. Sadly, most authors have never heard about these facts. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everythin…
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So You Want to Write and Publish a Book? Part 2: Should You Self-Publish Your Book or Seek a Commercial Publisher? An Interview with Jess Rainer
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In this three-part series, Jess Rainer and Thom discuss the details of writing a book. You will discover some insights you’ve never heard before. For example, this episode examines some surprising insights about self-publishing versus commercial publishing. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory Craft Book Publishin…
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So You Want to Write and Publish a Book? Part 1: Just How Do You Write a Book? An Interview with Jess Rainer
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In this three-part series, Jess Rainer and Thom discuss the details of writing a book. You will discover some insights you’ve never heard before. For example, this episode looks at the nitty-gritty details of actually writing a book. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory “How to Launch a New Church Site: Ten Questi…
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Podcast 330 -- Wealthy and Worried Matthew 6:19-7:6, 12
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Seek first the Kingdom of God and all we need will be given to us. This is hard to believe. Yet for Christians it stands as a promise from the Son of God himself and therefore demands to be taken seriously. Material wealth won't last. Worry accomplishes nothing. Judgment leads to hypocrisy. These sections of the Sermon on the Mount get to the heart…
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When Your Church Facility Is Too Large for the Actual Attendance: Four Solutions
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It is becoming a common problem. Many church facilities were built for a different church era, specifically when more people attended. Now, your space is too large for the number of people who show up each week. Thom looks at this issue and offers four possible solutions. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory Brown…
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The Latest Updates on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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While Thom does not consider himself an expert on AI, he attempts to keep up with advances and updates to benefit a church and church leader audience. This technology is developing rapidly. Stay tuned to The Church Answers Podcast for regular updates. Resources: Chaney & Associates “AI and Church Answers: Full Disclosure” by Thom S. Rainer Visitor …
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If you know Thom, you know he is an introvert. He has been in the business world, an academic dean, and CEO of two Christian companies. However, he considers himself largely a failure at dealing with his introversion in these organizations. He shares his failures primarily for the benefit of introverted pastors, but the principles could apply to ma…
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Podcast 329 -- It's Awesome To Be Humble Matthew 6:1-18
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Jesus teaches the Christian approach to religious disciplines of charity, prayer and fasting should be practiced with humility. The fellows discuss the definition of true humility, which lies somewhere between boastful arrogance and self-erasure. We talk about the difficulty of avoiding temptation of making gifts or personal service all about onese…
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A Look at “I Am a Church Member” 11 Years Later
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This book became one of the best-selling books in history in its genre. The book is still selling well today and is poised to pass the 2.0 million mark in sales. Thom attempts to do an objective assessment of the book and its impact 11 years after it was published. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory “Autopsy of …
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A Look at “Autopsy of a Deceased Church” 12 Years Later
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The only reason Thom wrote this book is that his blog of the same title went viral. The book became another number-one bestseller. Thom attempts to do an objective assessment of the book and its impact 12 years after it was published. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory “Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 12 Ways to K…
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Thom thought this book had big potential the first time co-author Eric Geiger presented the research to him. He was right. Still, the book had its flaws. Thom attempts to do an objective assessment of the book and its impact 18 years after it was published. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory “Simple Church: Retu…
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Podcast 328 -- A New Playbook Matthew 5:17-48
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The Sermon on the Mount, as Robert "The Professor" Cocheu notes, sits "at the intersection on faith and real life." We take on one of the chewier sections in an attempt to get to its overall countercultural point -- that in the Kingdom of God, everyone is understood to be made in God's image and no one is expendable. In this framework, does insult …
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The Future of the CHRINOs (Christians in Name Only): Two Views
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Thom takes six episodes to take a deep-dive look at the demographic groups that claim they are Christians but are likely not true believers. In this episode, he looks at their future in American demographics from two opposing perspectives. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory “The CHRINO: Christian in Name Only” b…
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Getting the Gospel to the CHRINOs (Christians in Name Only) Before They Join the Church
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Thom takes six episodes to take a deep-dive look at the demographic groups that claim they are Christians but are likely not true believers. In this episode, he addresses how CHRINOs become members of the church without being Christians. He also offers concrete steps to prevent this reality from occurring in your church. Resources: Chaney & Associa…
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How Can the Church Reach the CHRINOs (Christians in Name Only)?
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Thom takes six episodes to take a deep-dive look at the demographic groups that claim they are Christians but are probably not true believers. In this episode, he looks at the three major groups of CHRINOs: churched CHRINOs, cultural CHRINOs, and unchurched CHRINOs. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory “The CHRINO…
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Podcast 327 -- Out of the Salt Shaker Matthew 5:1-16
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The Sermon on the Mount is at once an inaugural address, a list of promises and expectations, a mission statement, and a vision for a new type of Kingdom. It seems to set impossible expectations, but suggests these expectations can be met through the power of the Holy Spirit and a spirit-driven community. This week, the fellows begin a comprehensiv…
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Why Do We Even Have CHRINOs (Christians in Name Only)?
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Thom takes six episodes to take a deep-dive look at the demographic groups that claim they are Christians but are likely not true believers. In this episode, he looks at the cultural and church-related factors that caused this large demographic to form. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory “The CHRINO: Christian i…
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The Three Major Groups of the CHRINOs (Christians in Name Only)
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Thom takes six episodes to take a deep-dive look at the demographic groups that claim they are Christians but are probably not true believers. In this episode, he looks at the three major groups of CHRINOs: churched CHRINOs, cultural CHRINOs, and unchurched CHRINOs. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory “The CHRINO…
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Who Are the CHRINOs (Christians in Name Only)?
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Thom takes six episodes to take a deep-dive look at the demographic groups that claim they are Christians but are probably not true believers. In this episode, he provides a profile of the CHRINOs. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Everything Church Resource Directory “The CHRINO: Christian in Name Only” by Thom S. Rainer Know Your Church The Hope…
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Podcast 326 -- Sandwiched Between Commitments Exodus 20:12, 2 Corinthians 12:14
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The Sandwich Generation describes adults from the ages of 40 to 59 who are caught between supporting minor children and aging parents. We focus on the aging parent caregiving part of this and the stress it can bring to Christian households. How do we honor the commandment to “Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12) while at the same recog…
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How the Work-from-Anywhere Movement Has Impacted Churches: Opportunities for Significant Cost Saving, Part 3
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Thom’s three-part series examines how the massive work-from-anywhere movement has affected churches. In this third episode, he looks at how many churches save a lot of money by moving some of their staff and functions to work-from-anywhere. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Hope Initiative Church Answers Central Membership Episode Sponsor: Focus o…
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How the Work-from-Anywhere Movement Has Impacted Churches: The Accountability Issue, Part 2
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Thom’s three-part series examines how the massive work-from-anywhere movement has affected churches. In this second episode, he tracks how some churches are making sure those who work outside the church facilities are held accountable. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Hope Initiative Church Answers Central Membership Episode Sponsor: Focus on you…
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How the Work-from-Anywhere Movement Has Impacted Churches: Non-Ministry Staff, Part 1
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Thom’s three-part series examines how the massive work-from-anywhere movement has affected churches. In this first episode, he examines its impact on non-ministry staff. Resources: Chaney & Associates The Hope Initiative Church Answers Central Membership Episode Sponsor: Focus on your ministry, we’ll focus on the finances. Chaney & Associates — The…
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Podcast 325 -- What Counts is the New Creation Galatians 6:14-16
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The fellows wrap up their study of Galatians with guest Scotty Swingler, Students Pastor at Sugar Land Baptist Church. We talk about how freedom in Christ opens the door to agape love and fellowship, freedom from the cultural pressure to condemn others and fret about what other think of us. But most of all, we are free to put aside "playing church"…
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Though we still have a long way to go, we rejoice that many churches have renewed their emphasis and intentionality about evangelism. Thom celebrates these trends. Resources: Chaney & Associates “Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 12 Ways to Keep Yours Alive” by Thom S. Rainer “Effective Evangelistic Churches” by Thom S. Rainer Know Your Church Report T…
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What Happened When the Public Invitation Died in Many Churches
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Thousands of churches once offered a public invitation at the end of a worship service. Thom looks at the unintended consequences of this decision. Resources: Chaney & Associates “Just as I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham” by Billy Graham The Hope Initiative Church Answers Central Membership Episode Sponsor: Focus on your ministry, we’ll focu…
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