The Best Ways to Encourage a Discouraged Church (Your Next Three Steps)

Jan 29, 2026

They unpack why congregations slide into discouragement and the mental fog that follows. They urge leaders to refocus on core mission instead of comparing or panicking. They highlight celebrating faithfulness and small wins rather than only outcomes. They recommend simple six-month initiatives to rebuild confidence and momentum.

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ANECDOTE

Pastorates Marked By Desperation And Fatigue

Sam Rainer shares early pastorates where congregations were desperate, tired, or beat down.
Those seasons shaped his approach to showing up and encouraging discouraged churches.

INSIGHT

Discouragement Distorts Reality

Discouragement distorts reality and creates an emotional fog full of overgeneralizing and catastrophizing.
Sam Rainer warns churches can believe 'nothing works' even though God is at work.

ADVICE

Return To Core Mission

Return congregations to the core reality of the church's mission: make much of Jesus and encourage one another.
Josh King suggests reminding teams of simple, joyful church experiences from their past to reframe expectations.

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In this episode, Josh and Sam explore what happens when a church becomes discouraged and how God restores hope in a congregation that feels stuck, tired, or overwhelmed. Discouragement drains energy, distorts reality, and slowly turns a church inward. Encouragement is both spiritual and strategic. It starts with leaders who refuse to catastrophize and instead cast vision. Pessimists predict failure. Realists describe what is. But optimistic, faith-filled leaders show what could be.

1. Return to reality. Discouragement distorts reality. Discouraged churches often slide into emotional fog: overgeneralizing, catastrophizing, and believing “nothing works.”
2. Celebrate faithfulness, not just fruit. God measures obedience before outcomes. Celebrate effort, not just results. Faithfulness is success in God’s eyes.
3. Clarify the next step. Overwhelmed churches often need a simple starting point. Choose one six-month initiative to build confidence and momentum. Focus on one major emphasis every six months, building one mid-term success on top of another.

Take a deeper dive in this Church Answers article.

Resources:

“Leadership in a Chaotic World” by Dr. Andrew Walker, Dr. Justin Irving, and Dr. Jeremy Pierre

Doctor of Ministry, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Chaney & Associates

“Ten Practical Ways to Encourage a Discouraged Church” by Sam Rainer

FREE Research Report! New Surprising Insights

Church Answers Central

The Hope Initiative

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