Advertise on podcast: EST. - For the Established Church with Sam Rainer and Josh King

Bonuses can be a positive motivator for church staff. Done poorly, they can be detrimental. Whether you offer merit-based bonuses is a key decision. Josh and Sam discuss the good and bad of offering bonuses and best practices for churches. The cohosts cover the types of bonuses churches can offer, when to offer them, and how to set amounts. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

Preachers have different personalities and should develop their own voices. However, some styles of preaching are not beneficial. Josh and Sam discuss seven styles of preaching to avoid. They discuss styles like the "look at me" preacher and the "aimless driver" preacher. Thanks go to @lukedsimmons on Twitter for the idea. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

Some old-school habits are worth keeping. Handwritten notes are a quick way to make a significant impact on your congregation. But when should you write these notes? And to whom? Josh and Sam discuss seven opportunities to handwrite a note. The hosts give some advice on what to include in these notes and how often to send them. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

The midweek gathering was once a big part of the church calendar. Josh and Sam discuss what happened to Wednesday nights and whether churches should continue using the timeslot as part of the overall strategy. Perhaps it's dead in your church. Maybe it's one of your biggest opportunities. Listen to this week's episode to find out more. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

We all have our quirks, but churches can be especially weird. Josh and Sam delve into these eccentricities with some humor. Sharing some of their most amusing anecdotes, they embrace and celebrate the unique, often awkward, aspects of ministry. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

Every season has its end, and this includes church programs and events. When the moment arrives for them to go, the question arises. How should a pastor gracefully navigate ending them? Terminating a program or event is not always straightforward and may often lead to tensions within the church. In this week's episode, Josh and Sam explore various pastoral strategies to address these challenges effectively. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

When you leave a church, what should you say as you exit? There is a time to speak up. And there is a time to shut up. But how can you discern? Josh and Sam discuss the ways you can leave a church without burning it down on this week's episode. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

Children's ministry has changed rapidly in the last few years, especially at small and mid-size churches. Curriculum choices are becoming more important. Volunteer needs are creating new stress points. Anxiety among children is on the rise. And hiring is shifting as churches select internal candidates. Jenny Smith, Awana's lead curriculum developer, joins the show with Josh and Sam to discuss these developments. See her work at BriteCurriculum.com. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

Almost every church wants to focus more on outreach. Recreation ministry is a great way to connect with the neighborhood around your church. Unfortunately, many churches overlook the power of sports, even though the popularity of sports is overwhelming. Josh and Sam interview Kevin Drake, Executive Director of Upward Sports, to discuss how churches can use sports outreach to invite families in. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

Most every church has expectations with giving records. Who can know what and when? Smaller churches can be even more challenging, especially if a couple of families are giving the majority of funds. What should you do if you are the pastor? What should you do if you are the key giver? Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

The upcoming year could prove pivotal for many churches. Josh and Sam discuss what they expect to happen in churches in 2024. Trends in giving are changing. The roles of women in leadership could reach a boiling point in some tribes. The megachurch movement will continue to fade. And seminary education will start to shift in favor of shorter programs. Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

Recreation ministry is one of the biggest opportunities for churches right now. It's a great way to connect spiritual health with physical health. Josh and Sam interview Drew Provence, the Director of Partner Engagement at Upward Sports. The three of them discuss how every church can utilize recreation ministry. Visit Upward.org/ChurchAnswers. Why is now the right time for churches to consider recreation ministry?What does a successful recreation ministry look like?Is recreation ministry only for large suburban churches?What about rural churches or smaller churches? Episode Sponsors: Churchteams: Are you tired of multiple applications for church check-in, giving, membership, and scheduling? Churchteams was built to bring together all your people and data under one umbrella with best-in-class quality features. Get value without compromise. Pricing is simple and based on the number of people in the database. This includes all the essential features so that you can grow into using more without having to pay more. Plans start at $37 per month for churches under 200 people. Get two months free at EST.church! Upward Sports: Upward Sports equips churches to run self-sustaining sports ministries in their communities. Whether you are a sports fanatic, or on staff at a church, Upward Sports will give you all the tools you need to run a first-class sports ministry that allows you to reach families in your community. Upward Sports offers basketball, soccer, flag football, cheerleading, volleyball, baseball and softball through league and camp offerings. At Upward Sports, we want to help your church make a difference, and give you increased opportunities to share the gospel. Learn more today at Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.