Leading During Turbulent Times
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe writes that the tragic events of January 6 demand our best leadership. He outlines ways church leaders can respond to…
Author
Doug Powe
F. Douglas Powe Jr. is the president of Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, OK. Previously, he served as the director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. He is also co-editor with Jessica Anschutz of Healing Fractured Communities (Palmetto, 2024) and coauthor with Lovett H. Weems Jr. of Sustaining While Disrupting: The Challenge of Congregational Innovation (Fortress, 2022). His previous books include The Adept Church: Navigating Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Abingdon Press, 2020); Not Safe for Church: Ten Commandments for Reaching New Generations; New Wine, New Wineskins: How African American Congregations Can Reach New Generations; Transforming Evangelism: The Wesleyan Way of Sharing Faith; and Transforming Community: The Wesleyan Way to Missional Congregations.
Ann A. Michel
Ann A. Michel served on the staff of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership from 2005 - 2024 as associate director of the center and later as a senior consultant and editor of Leading Ideas e-newsletter. She also taught at Wesley Theological Seminary in the areas of stewardship and leadership. She is the co-author with Lovett H. Weems Jr. of Generosity, Stewardship, and Abundance: A Transformational Guide to Church Finance (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) available at Cokesbury and Amazon. She is also the author of Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers (Abingdon, 2017), available at Cokesbury and Amazon.
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.
Young Elder Numbers Return to Near Historic Low in UMC
Lovett H. Weems Jr. reports that the number of young elders in the United Methodist Church has dropped precipitously in the past two years. The…
Changing the Tone of Conversations about Money and Church
Money conversations can be difficult in churches. But Lovett Weems suggests two principles that can change the tone of stewardship conversations. Never talk about people’s…
Leading between Faith and Patriotism
Lovett H. Weems Jr. writes that preaching at the time of a national holiday offers opportunities and dangers. He says it is important to approach…
Now is the Time to Ask Contributors to Set up Recurring Online Gifts
Recurring online gifts are the ideal way for pledgers or those who give regularly in Sunday worship to stay current with their giving during this…
3 Key Lessons from Leadership Pioneer Mary Parker Follett
Lovett H. Weems Jr. explains how Mary Parker Follett, a pioneering leadership thinker who valued human interaction and interconnectivity, influenced his thinking on key leadership…
What Does Religious Freedom Mean Today?
Some people misuse the cause of religious freedom by making it a weapon against their opponents, says Lovett H. Weems Jr. However, this cherished freedom…
4 Steps to a More Welcoming Church Building
Lovett Weems reminds us that visitors often form a first impression of a church based on the appearance of the areas they first encounter, such…
Unforeseen Leaders Emerge from Charleston Tragedy
Who led members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in their astonishing acts of forgiveness? Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says the spiritual, moral, and pastoral leadership…
It Used to Work So Well
Lovett Weems says that a congregation’s success can lead to its demise if the creativity and adaptability that made the congregation vital becomes frozen in…
Clergy Age Trends Give Cause for Concern
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., highlights some of the findings in the Lewis Center’s annual Clergy Age Trends report. Of note is a major downturn in…
Is Your Church Ignoring Capital Needs?
Lovett Weems says a separate capital budget can help assure adequate funding for the upkeep of a church’s property, facilities, and equipment. In starting a…
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…
5 Reasons the Church Still Needs Young Clergy
For many years the Lewis Center has monitored the presence of younger clergy in the church. Why do these trends still matter? Lovett H. Weems,…
9 Questions to Assess Your Church’s Financial Health
Lovett H. Weems Jr. says paying attention to various indices of your congregation’s financial health is a key practice in remaining economically viable and sustaining…
Resource to Help Churches Engage Local Schools
Many conferences and districts are encouraging churches to engage their local schools to connect with their communities. The Lewis Center for Church Leadership sponsored a…
Free Pastoral Transition Resources
The Lewis Center offers a range of resources for pastors and congregations anticipating transitions, including these free downloads. 50 Ways to Improve Pastoral Transitions 50…
Honoring the Context of a New Ministry Setting
Lovett H. Weems Jr. says incoming pastors tend to see everything through the lens of their own experience, vision, and interests, rather than learning how…
United Methodism’s Unfinished Business
Recalling the sermon Albert C. Outler preached 50 years ago at the birth of the United Methodist Church, Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says that Outler’s…
Free Pastoral Transition Resources
As you work with pastors and congregations anticipating transitions, I want to remind you of these free resources from the Lewis Center: 50 Ways to…
Reaching More Diverse People in Suburbs
Lovett H. Weems, Jr. shares recent findings indicating that mixed-race neighborhoods are becoming more common and enduring, even in the suburbs. Data suggest that Americans…
Billy Graham: Prophet of American Righteousness
Lovett H. Weems Jr. examines the legacy of Billy Graham — his miraculous rise to prominence, his ability to transcend denominational differences, and his engagement…
The $6.5 Billion Enigma
On the first day of a new year, all United Methodist churches begin working toward their common mission “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for…