Clergy Mentor Resources Available
Research and experience both point to the importance of clergy mentoring, particularly in helping those in the early years of ministry. But clergy mentors indicate…
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.
What You Told Us About Your Summer Worship
Last month, the Lewis Center administered a survey about whether and in what ways churches change worship practices during the summer. While this was not…
Do Male and Female Pastors Lead Differently?
What do we know about the differences between men and women serving as lead pastors of large congregations? Not enough. But we do know more…
Helping Families Cope during Pastoral Transitions
We are often unaware of the grieving that goes on in our families and our congregations around times of transition. Spouses, for example, may feel…
Congregational Integrity
We rightfully expect personal integrity in our leaders. Should we not also ask whether our congregation has integrity? The behavior of organizations is as important…
Establishing New Congregations Reaches New People
The experience across all denominations shows how critical establishing new congregations is to reaching new populations. The United Church of Christ (UCC) has embarked on…
Supporting Younger Clergy
I had the privilege of being with the national United Methodist camp and retreat leaders who gathered in California recently. One of the things I…
Is Denominational Loyalty Waning?
A new study documents a reality many have claimed for quite some time. People are not as loyal to their denominations as church leaders might…
Learning from the Mistakes of New Church Starts
Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by New Church Starts (Challis Press, 2008) by Jim Griffith and Bill Easum is a must-read for pastors founding new…
It’s In the Mind
Most people know that it was Roger Bannister who first ran the mile in less than four minutes. It was on May 6, 1954, in…
Living in Paradox — The Life of American Clergy
Brooks Holifield of Candler School of Theology has offered a monumental service to the church in his comprehensive and richly documented history of clergy in…
Pastoral Transitions — Leaving Well
If you will be moving to a new congregation this summer, keep in mind the importance of ending your ministry well at your current location.…
Pastoral Transitions — Preparing the Way for Your Successor
Below are some of the best practices related to pastoral transition suggested by several hundred pastors and denominational leaders. Spend quality time with your successor…
What Might Other Churches Learn from the Southern Baptist Membership Loss?
Recently, the Associated Press reported that Southern Baptist churches suffered a loss of members in 2007. This may seem hard to believe for many that…
Changing Religious Traditions: Not New but Accelerating
The recently released report on shifting religious affiliations among Americans is receiving significant media attention. Prepared by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life,…
The Crisis of Younger Clergy
The Crisis of Younger Clergy explores the reasons why having a proportionate number of young persons entering ordained ministry is so vital to the future…
Squandering Leadership Potential?
The Washington Post recently published a series of in-depth stories on each of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. The feature article on former Baptist…
Is Outreach to Young Families with Children Still Enough?
“What we really need is more young families with children.” How many times have we heard those familiar words spoken in churches? The image of…
Can White Mainline Churches Outside the South Reach New Christians?
This is the question raised by Martha Grace Reese and the Mainline Evangelism Project she directed. The results of her research, funded by the Lilly…
Ten Commandments for Pastors Leaving a Congregation
Lovett Weems recommends a book to help pastors who are ending ministry with a congregation or moving to a new pastoral assignment. Lawrence W. Farris…
The Tully Principle of 52 Equal Sundays
Bill Tully’s principle of 52 equal Sundays strives to have powerful worship every Sunday of the year to best reach visitors at all times of…
Good to Great and the Social Sectors
Lovett Weems draws church leadership lessons from Jim Collins’s book Good to Great and the Social Sectors, which itself draws lessons from the business world for…
It’s Not about the Numbers…. Actually It Is about the Numbers
Lovett Weems stresses the need for quantitative metrics, arguing that churches will never make the changes needed to attract new people until they commit to…
Doing Things Well
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., advises that churches set high standards, pay attention to details, and do things with quality, rather than doing just enough to…
Lead Now
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., writes clergy must focus clearly and passionately on those they are serving now, rather than hoping for something better in the…
No Solitary Leaders
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., reveals that Paul Revere was not a lone actor, but an organizer, connector, and motivator involving about 60 others in his…
A Handbook for Seminary Presidents
There are now over 250 theological seminaries in the United States and Canada. Leading these diverse institutions is a difficult task that combines elements of…
Pitfalls to Avoid in Reaching a Younger Constituency
Reflecting on a failed attempt by Public Broadcasting Corporation to reach a younger audience, Lovett H. Weems, Jr., offers advice to churches about reaching younger…
“Who is the Greatest?” – The Perennially Wrong Leadership Question
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., writes that authority is not about status; it is about what God’s will is for each of us and how faithful…
A Better Preacher in Thirty Seconds
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., writes that effective church leaders are constantly finding opportunities to help people to see things about themselves. Giving someone recognition is…