Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church: 1985-2021
Download the 2021 Clergy Age Trends Report. Highlights of the 2021 Report Young Elders Decline to Record Low Number The recent decline in the…
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Wesley Theological Seminary Summer 2021 Courses from Lewis Center Staff Members
Join the Lewis Center’s Dr. Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Dr. Ann A. Michel for their online summer courses from Wesley Theological Seminary. Each course is…
Designing Digital Worship: A Workshop with Dr. Tim Snyder
Learn how design thinking can help you solve your congregation’s digital worship challenges. The Designing Digital Worship workshop is a follow-up to popular webinar Participation…
Participation & Presence: Leading Meaningful Digital Worship
Learn how to take your leadership of digital worship to the next level. It’s been a more than a year since most congregations transitioned to…
Evaluation for “Hybrid Evangelism: The New Reality for Congregations”
Please click https://forms.gle/tkbHfiHLR3tvkqebA to complete an evaluation. Thank you for your input!
Participation & Presence: Leading Meaningful Digital Worship
Free Webinar — Register Now We have reached our maximum number of registrations. Please subscribe to and follow Leading Ideas for information on future events.…
Free Webinar — Giving Strategies for the 21st Century: New Challenges and New Opportunities
Register Now Learn new perspectives and practices for funding ministry in an increasing challenging environment. Tuesday, February 1, Noon-1:30 p.m. Eastern Even before the pandemic…
Leading Ideas: Top Lewis Center Resources of 2020
Lewis Center resources guide you in strengthening your personal leadership and renewing your congregation. Below are our most popular free and purchased resources of the…
Top Leading Ideas Articles of 2020
Each December we take a look at the most popular Leading Ideas articles of the year and give our readers a second chance to glean…
The Crisis of Younger Clergy in the UMC: Young Clergy and Candidates Speak Out
Clergy Age Trends in the UMC: 2005-2020 reports that the number of elders age 35 and under has fallen nearly to the record low recorded 15…
The Crisis of Younger Clergy in the UMC: Young Clergy and Candidates Speak Out
The number of elders age 35 and under has fallen nearly to the record low recorded 15 years ago, erasing a decade of progress. The…
Clergy Age Trends In The United Methodist Church: 1985-2020
Download the 2020 Clergy Age Trends Report. Highlights of the 2020 Report Decline in the Number of Young Elders Continues Since reaching the record low…
Key Questions to Consider Before Resuming In-Person Gatherings
Many congregations are eager to reopen their buildings and resume in-person worship services, but it’s important to resist the temptation to rush back before it’s…
The Right Start: Beginning Ministry in a New Setting — COVID-19 Supplement
The Right Start in the Era of COVID-19 The arrival of a new pastor is a critical juncture in the life of a church. A…
CARES Act Links
We are sharing information from reputable sources to keep you up to date about the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security) Act and the…
Top 5 Leading Ideas Articles of the Decade
As a new decade dawns, we look back at the five most-read Leading Ideas articles from 2010-2019. 10 Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah Examining the biblical…
Leading Ideas: Top Lewis Center Resources of 2019
Lewis Center resources guide you in strengthening your personal leadership and renewing your congregation. Below are our most popular free and purchased resources of the…
Top Leading Ideas Articles of 2019
What Leading Ideas subjects are trending this year? We’ve assembled this list to give you another opportunity to glean insight and inspiration from the authors and articles…
From everyone at the Lewis Center, best wishes for a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
We give thanks for you and your faithful and fruitful leadership. — Amy, Angela, Ann, Carol, Doug, Lovett, Matt, Rachel, Reina, and Tim
Lewis Center Appoints Senior Researcher to Lead National Study of Religious Workforce
News Release LEWIS CENTER APPOINTS SENIOR RESEARCHER TO LEAD NATIONAL STUDY OF RELIGIOUS WORKFORCE WASHINGTON, DC — The Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley…
Clergy Age Trends In The United Methodist Church: 1985-2019
Download the 2019 Clergy Age Trends Report. Highlights of the 2019 Report Dramatic Decline in the Number of Young Elders Not only did the number…
Position Announcement for Research Associate, Religious Workforce Project, Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Job Posting POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, LEWIS CENTER FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP The Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary, a seminary of…
Lewis Center Adds Two New Video-based Adult Christian Studies to Wesley Ministry Network
News Release LEWIS CENTER ADDS TWO NEW VIDEO-BASED ADULT CHRISTIAN STUDIES TO WESLEY MINISTRY NETWORK The Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary…
Recommended Resource: Pastors Moving to New Churches Need the Right Start
Know a pastor preparing to begin ministry in a new setting? With The Right Start Video Tool Kit, they’ll learn how to end their current…
50 Ways to Welcome a New Pastor
If a new pastor is in your congregation’s future, be sure to check out 50 Ways to Welcome a New Pastor. This free resource shares…
Is Your Email Address Changing?
If your email address will be changing in the near future, be sure to let the Lewis Center know if you would like to continue…
Best of “Leading Ideas”: “Letting Go of This Pastor and Preparing for the Next” by Susan Beaumont, April 24, 2019
Church consultant Susan Beaumont shares four leadership practices that can help a congregation prepare when their pastor is getting ready to leave. Approaching the situation…
50 Ways to Strengthen Ministry with Children
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.” Here are 50 Ways your church can demonstrate its love for children and its desire to connect…
50 Ways to Strengthen Ministry with Youth
How can your church help youth claim a vital faith? No question is more critical to the future of the church. Here are 50 Ways…
To the Point: Doing Community Ministry in the Small Church
Editor’s note: This information adapted from an article by Joy F. Skjegstad which appeared previously in Leading Ideas. This To the Point version has been edited for…