Who Should Follow a Founding Pastor?
The Lewis Center for Church Leadership conducted research across the United Methodist Church about “second pastors,” those who follow founding pastors. This project was commissioned…
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Top Lewis Center Resources of 2017 — Save 20% through December 31, 2017.
Lewis Center resources guide you in strengthening your personal leadership and renewing your congregation. Following are our most popular free and purchased resources of the…
Top “Leading Ideas” Articles of 2017
What Leading Ideas subjects are trending this year? We have assembled this list to give you another opportunity to glean insight and inspiration from the…
Support the Lewis Center When You Shop Online
You can support the mission of the Lewis Center whenever you shop Cokesbury.com, and it won’t cost you a cent. Simply enter the sites through…
Watch “Reaching More People: Toward a Mixed Economy of Church”
Dr. Kenneth H. Carter, bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, addresses the challenge of reaching more people. He explains the need…
Watch “Reaching Younger People: Overinvesting in the Young”
Dr. Janice Riggle Huie, a retired bishop of the United Methodist Church now serving with the Texas Methodist Foundation, addresses the challenge of reaching younger…
Watch “Reaching More Diverse People: Embracing the Neighbors Around Us”
Rev. Dr. Joseph W. Daniels, Jr., lead pastor of Emory United Methodist Church in Washington, DC, addresses the challenge of reaching more diverse people. He…
Take the Next Step: Reaching More People, Younger People, More Diverse People
“There is no future for a church or denomination that cannot reach more people, younger people, and more diverse people,” according to Dr. Lovett H.…
Leadership Lessons that Shaped My Ministry
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., delivered these remarks to a gathering celebrating his tenure as founding director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. The event…
Reach New Disciples This Advent and Christmas
The liturgical seasons of Advent and Christmas are nearly upon us, and Leading Ideas offers many ideas to help your congregation reach more people and unchurched people,…
Moving Faith Communities to Fruitful Conversations about Race
Moving Faith Communities to Fruitful Conversations about Race is a dialogue about race in America that may be used to help your church bring people…
Take the Next Step: Reaching More People, Younger People, More Diverse People
Dinner and Symposium Honoring Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr. From seminary student to seminary president, and from local church pastor to founding director of the…
New Online Course: “Maintaining Boundaries in a Digital Age”
Maintaining Boundaries in a Digital Age, a new online course in the Keeping Our Sacred Trust series, explores issues of clergy ethics in an era of instantaneous…
Clergy Age Trends In The United Methodist Church: 1985-2017
Download the complete 2017 Clergy Age Trends Report. Highlights of the 2017 Report Number of Young Elders Shows Downturn in 2017 After three consecutive years…
“Protect, Sustain, Grow: Best Practices for Handling Your Church’s Money” Conference and Livestream
Saturday, March 10 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Eastern (9 a.m.-12 p.m. Central) Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC Managing church finances requires skill, dedication, and know-how, but…
50 Ways To Strengthen Adult Education
Vital churches provide ways for people of all ages to grow in faith through learning. These 50 Ways can help your congregation build a strong…
The Gifts of Lovett Weems: “A Theological Mind and a Pastor’s Heart” through the Years
When Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., transitions into a new role as Senior Consultant for the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, it marks the next…
Events Planned to Honor Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr.
Save the date! To honor the work of Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., Wesley Theological Seminary the Lewis Center have planned several events for September 28-29,…
Lewis Community Leadership Fellows ‘Lift their Gaze’
When Rev. Nathan Adams was invited to become a Lewis Community Leadership Fellow it was like being asked to come home. “I was a Lewis…
Lewis Center Announces a New Director
We are pleased to announce that effective July 1, the Rev. Dr. F. Douglas Powe, Jr., will become the Director of the Lewis Center for…
Top Lewis Center Resources of 2016
Lewis Center resources guide you in strengthening your personal leadership and renewing your congregation. Following are our most popular free and purchased resources of the…
Top “Leading Ideas” Articles of 2016
What Leading Ideas subjects are trending this year? We have assembled this list to give you another opportunity to glean insight and inspiration from the…
Engaging Young Adults — Free Video
Engaging young adults in church, historically a challenge, is even more difficult today. So what should your congregation do? And not do? This brief video…
50 Ways to Improve Your Annual Stewardship Campaign
Church members who make pledges give substantially more than those who do not, and congregations that seek annual financial commitments have significantly higher levels of…
50 Ways to Increase Active Engagement
Strong and growing congregations typically have a very high percentage of people who are actively involved in learning, serving, and leading. These 50 tips will…
Ten Ways Congregations Can Promote the Financial Wellbeing of Clergy
Financial wellbeing is essential to the overall health and well being of those in pastoral ministry. Accordingly, the United Methodist Board of Pension and Health…
Games People Play During Budget Season
Is budget season in your church plagued with political maneuvering and game playing? Watch out for some of these common ploys that Richard J. Vargo…
To the Point: Should Pastors Know What Members Give?
Every time I teach on stewardship, this question invariably comes up: “Should pastors have access to contribution records?” In some congregations, pastors are prohibited from…
To the Point: Suggestions for Churches with a Clergywoman
Celebrate your new pastor. Know that your new pastor continues a tradition of women in ministry going back to biblical times. Do all that you…