Church Answers Featuring Thom Rainer | Resources for Church Growth

The Hope Initiative

Reinvigorate yourself and your church for the task of evangelism in 30 days

LEARN MORE

Enrollment Now Open!


Visit churchanswers.university

We’ve Been There. You Belong Here.

Get 24/7 answers to your church questions in our community for practical ministry support

JOIN NOW

Go From Knowing to Living

Over 10,000 notes and resources to help your community apply Scripture to life, transforming understanding into truth lived out.

Explore These Bibles

Be the church your community needs

Wondering why your church isn’t effective in your community? Find out with your custom report.

Get my report

We Love Church Ministry Because We’ve Been There

Church Answers is led by Thom Rainer and a team of experts with deep vocational ministry experience. We provide resources for churches of all sizes and levels of health: assessment tools, courses for you and your church, digital community, ministry certification, and more!

You're in the Right Place

  • Pastors and ministry leaders looking to grow or revitalize their churches and become more effective leaders
  • Church lay leaders and volunteers seeking church health and a community of like-minded people
  • Retired pastors or church leaders continuing to impact the kingdom and strengthen other churches

Practical Tools for Your Church’s Health

Our assessment tools provide detailed insights and are based on decades of combined ministry experience. We cover everything from personal assessments to congregational surveys to community demographic reports.

Assessment Tools from $27

 

Self-Paced Courses to Bolster Your Ministry

Learn from our team of experts in areas of practical church ministry such as evangelism, church growth, membership, and leadership. Classroom not required!

Courses from $59

 

Get Certified to Increase Your Impact

  • Self-paced track can be completed in 6 months
  • Expand your Kingdom impact for your church or another
  • We’ve certified 100s of students for unique ministry opportunities
  • Graduates can be listed in our public directory

Explore Certifications

 

Affordable eBooks for Anytime Learning

  • Instant download in PDF format
  • Compatible with all devices
  • 30-40 pages in full-color format
  • Practical ministry guides to help you and your church

eBooks from $7

 

Join the Community for Practical Ministry Support

1,800+ members are here to answer your ministry questions 24/7. Our forum is a private, safe, and encouraging place for you to ask any question about church ministry. We’ve been there, and we are here for you.

Membership from $9.97

Newest Research & Content

Article

Pastors, Stop Trying to Fix People’s Problems

Sam Rainer
President & Senior Consultant

I once made the mistake of giving my cell number to a troubled transgender alcoholic. For several nights in a row, I had the privilege of answering my phone at 2:00 AM, only to have the same conversation ending with the same advice: “Stop going to gay bars, getting drunk, and picking fights with drag...

Read Article

Never miss a new post or episode!

Podcast Episodes

Podcast

4 Super Surprising Expenses for Retirees

October 14, 2024
Podcast Episode #304

We know that medical expenses tend to increase during retirement. However, those are not the only expenses that can surprise retirees. In this episode, Art shares four other surprising expenses for retirees. Plus, he answers a few money questions from listeners. Tune in and enjoy!

Listen to Podcast
Podcast
EST Podcast Logo

What’s On Your Big Board Of Problems?

October 11, 2024
Podcast Episode #411

Every pastor has a list of problems to solve. Josh and Sam talk about what's on their big board of problems right now. The co-hosts discuss the topics of evangelism, facilities, staff, finances, and legacy.

Listen to Podcast
Podcast

11 Surprising Lessons from a Church Consultant

October 10, 2024
Podcast Episode #236

Thom has done a few thousand consultations since 1988, with over 600 done on the church site. Jess asks Thom to share some of the most surprising lessons he has learned about churches seeking consultations.

Listen to Podcast

Live Webinars

On-Demand Webinar

Election Season Special: Balancing Church and Politics without Losing Your Mind (and Mission)

Thom S. Rainer
Founder & CEO

 Election seasons are usually contentious. Churches are not immune from the tension. In this webinar, we discovered how to navigate the complex relationship between church and politics. Thom and Sam took a deep dive and explained why understanding community politics is crucial for your church. The hosts discussed practical strategies to guide your congregation through...

Free for Members
Watch Webinar
On-Demand Webinar

4 New Ways to Close the Back Door in Your Church

Thom S. Rainer
Founder & CEO

Imagine retaining almost everyone who joins your church! There are many tried-and-true assimilation approaches in churches. In this webinar replay, Thom and Sam Rainer examine four enhancements or tweaks to each of these four approaches based on our feedback loop with churches.    Download slideshow here

Free for Members
Watch Webinar