In a few months, the Lewis Center for Church Leadership will celebrate its sixth anniversary—a good opportunity for me to remind our constituents and supporters of the Center’s mission and priorities.

In support of its mission as a church-based seminary, Wesley Theological Seminary established the Lewis Center to be a trusted resource for church leadership ideas, research, resources, and training so that there is an increase in congregational and denominational service, vitality, and growth. This bold vision is rooted in our fundamental belief that effective leadership is essential to fruitful ministry.

While there is much talk about leadership in the church today, the Lewis Center speaks with credibility on this subject because of our unique perspective—a perspective grounded in both vital faith and a commitment to promoting leadership effectiveness through applied research intended to discern best practices. We accomplish this by

• identifying the strategic issues critical to the church’s future, and
• discerning "actionable strategic insights" that can guide congregations and church leaders.

During its first five years, the Center’s work focused on developing leaders through peer learning, supporting leaders during transitions in ministry, responding to the crisis of younger clergy, and advancing leadership studies within theological education. While each of these initiatives is still critical and ongoing, we look toward the future and see a need to prioritize our efforts around three key imperatives essential to the future of the church:

• helping congregations and denominations reach more people, younger people, and more diverse people
• helping clergy assess and enhance their effectiveness
• helping congregations secure adequate funding for ministry

The urgency of these needs has renewed our commitment to our core mission and made us more mindful of the need to reach even more church leaders and congregations. Toward that end, we are developing new resources and distribution strategies that can connect the Lewis Center’s work with a wider constituency.

I am honored to have the opportunity to serve in a seminary dedicated to a new vision for the church, with colleagues who are committed to a revitalized church, and among the thousands of persons who engage our work and make our mission possible. Thank you for being a part of the Lewis Center community and for all your support, good wishes, and prayers.

Lewis Center Seeks Information on Worship Attendance Patterns

The Lewis Center is seeking to gather data on how Easter and Christmas Eve attendance tends to compare with a congregation’s annual average attendance. Please take a moment now to share some recent attendance figures with us using an online survey. Click here.