Dr. Rainer was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School, a capacity in which he served until he was elected as President and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources in 2005. Prior to joining Southern as founding dean of the Billy Graham School, Dr. Rainer served as pastor of churches in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, and Indiana. He has served as president of the American Association of Church Consultants. Dr. Rainer has been a frequent church consultant and church growth conference speaker for many years and is in demand as a speaker in churches around the nation. Dr. Rainer is the author or co-author of several books, including The Book of Church Growth: History, Theology, and Principles, Effective Evangelistic Churches, Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, The Unchurched Next Door, and Breakout Churches.