What’s Next for the United Methodist Church?
Lovett Weems succinctly reviews how the United Methodist Church got to its current dilemma regarding human sexuality, the situation after the Special General Conference, and…
Author
Lovett H. Weems, Jr.
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., is senior consultant at the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, distinguished professor of church leadership emeritus at Wesley Theological Seminary, and author of several books on leadership.
10 Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah
Editor’s note: This is one of our most popular Leading Ideas articles. We present it again for our many new subscribers. Examining the biblical account…
General Conference is Broken; Annual Conferences Are Not
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says the current governance structure does not fit the realities of a global United Methodist Church. He suggests that General Conference…
Should a Church Close?
Sustainability is increasingly difficult for the ever increasing number of churches worshipping small numbers each week. Lovett Weems captures the dilemma for church leaders and…
Key Observations for Reaching Latino/a Populations
The growing Latino and Latina population in the United States is transforming the religious landscape, reshaping virtually every Christian tradition. Drawing on the work of…
Hope Rages
Actions by the recent Special General Conference have left many confused and despairing of the possibility of any way forward. At the same time, there…
Reducing the Number of Pastor-Congregation Mismatches
Perhaps the most impactful task for bishops and superintendents is matching pastors and congregations through the appointive process. Despite their best efforts, some matches do…
How Do Conferences Pay 100 Percent of General Church Apportionments?
It was recently announced that 26 U.S.-based Annual Conferences paid 100 percent of their general church apportionments in 2018. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., draws upon…
Is It Time to Acknowledge Where We Got It Wrong?
A recent editorial in Christianity Today magazine acknowledges how the magazine failed in confronting racism during critical years of the civil rights movement. Lovett H.…
Never Fail to Attend Because You Can’t Contribute
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., explains that while only a few members of your church may be currently experiencing hard times, most of the others live…