One of the more concerning trends in North American churches is the increasing length of time it takes churches to call a pastor. Thom and Sam give both cultural and demographic realities for this trend.

1. Few churches are setting goals to find a pastor within a year (and reverse engineering the process).

2. The culture of many churches in the pastor search process is antiquated and inefficient.

3. Demographic challenges are real: the “supply” of candidates is decreasing.

4. Many churches think they can compensate full-time pastors when they can’t.

5. Expectations of churches are often unrealistic.

Resources* Church Answers University – SPECIAL OFFER: 50% scholarships (a value of $748). If you are interested, contact Matt@ChurchAnswers.com * Church Answers University * Axis Parent’s Guides: Cultivating Lifelong Conversations with Your Teen * Tyndale House Publishers * Know Your Community * Get your FREE tool! Attendance Growth Projector * Check out the Church Answers Christian bookstore! Shop curated, trusted resources for Christian life and ministry.

Episode Sponsors:Church Answers University is a fast-growing school that offers ministry training and education at a fraction of the cost of typical degree programs. The school currently offers the Certification in Christian Ministry and the Certification in Women’s Discipleship.

For Rainer on Leadership podcast listeners, we have been given FIVE 50% scholarships (a value of $748). If you are interested, contact Matt@ChurchAnswers.com.

The Parent’s Guides to Finding True Identity bundle is for parents wondering what influences their teens today and how to guide them to be the best versions of themselves using biblical wisdom and engaging discussion questions. Each of these five booklets focuses on a different area of identity formation:

• • A Parent’s Guide to Teen Identity digs deep into the lies our culture tells Gen Z about their identities and worth, offers steps to uncover false beliefs, and gives practical tips to guide teens toward their true selves.
  • A Parent’s Guide to LGBTQ+ and Your Teen gives parents the vocabulary to discuss this hot-button topic with compassion and provides biblical wisdom concerning sexuality.
  • A Parent’s Guide to Body Positivity gives valuable insight into the body positivity movement—how it began, its pros and cons, and why it deeply influences teen mental health.
  • A Parent’s Guide to Eating Disorders gives a solid overview of the types of eating disorders, what causes them, how and when to seek professional help, and strategies to discuss them with compassion.

A Parent’s Guide to Fear and Worry offers reasons why today’s teens are so overwhelmed by fear and worry, offers tips to console them, and gives encouraging Bible verses to find peace.

The post Five Reasons Why Churches Are Taking Longer to Find Pastors (Update) appeared first on Church Answers.