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Leading Ideas
Delivered every Wednesday, our free e-newsletter Leading Ideas offers articles by thoughtful, cutting-edge leaders on subjects you care about — navigating change, reaching younger people, financing your ministry, communicating effectively — to help you be the leader God is calling you to be.

The Lewis Center is committed to helping congregations and denominations thrive and grow by providing ideas, research, resources, and training for vital and fruitful leadership. Through Leading Ideas, we share vignettes of leaders and congregations, book reviews, leadership quotes, and helpful “right questions” built around the premise that leaders don’t need answers — they need to know the right questions.

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Leading Ideas
0 How to Preach Politics in an Election Season

Allen T. Stanton says no preacher can avoid being political. In this contentious election season, he offers three tips for preaching politics in a way that builds up the church. When I started an interim pastorate a few months ago, I heard from a number of parishioners that they were worried about the pastor “preaching politics.” It was not, so…

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Leading Ideas
0 What the UMC Leadership Gathering Means for Church Leaders 

Reflecting on the recent gathering of United Methodist leaders in Calgary, Canada, Jonathan Page identifies four key lessons for leading the church into the future: prioritizing younger and historically marginalized voices, turning vision into actionable strategy, leading from possibility rather than problems, and keeping Jesus at the center of the church’s mission. Last week, hundreds of United Methodist leaders met…

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Leading Ideas
0 Wholesome Talk in the Body of Christ

Dr. Dontá McGilvery reflects on Paul’s instruction to let no unwholesome talk come from our mouths and considers what that command requires in a divided world. Wholesome talk is not simply being nice; it is learning to speak truth, correction, encouragement, and even disagreement in ways that give grace and build up the Body of Christ. Recently, I attended an…

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Leading Ideas
0 Improving the Worship Service Experience

What makes people choose a church and keep coming back? Russ Bredholt Jr. examines research on worship attendance and the factors that shape a meaningful church experience, from preaching and hospitality to community and connection. He challenges church leaders to look beyond attendance numbers and rethink how the entire worship experience can better serve their congregation.  “You’re not going to…

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Leading Ideas
0 Five Tips for Churches Considering Property Development

Mark Elsdon, Co-CEO and Lead Builder of RootedGood, shares five lessons to help church leaders reimagine their property, respond to community needs, and develop new expressions of ministry while creating sustainable futures for their congregations. We are living in challenging and exciting times for the church in the United States. Churches and leaders are responding to a massive shift in…

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Leading Ideas
0 AI Panel Discussion with Gen. James Cartwright and Allison Pugh

As artificial intelligence continues to impact the ways that we work, connect, and care for each other, faith communities are still developing an understanding of what it means for the church, relationships, and ethics. In this discussion hosted by Wesley Theological Seminary, David McAllister Wilson is joined by Dr. Allison Pugh and General James Cartwright to examine both the opportunities…

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Leading Ideas
0 Using What You Already Have to Jumpstart Outreach

What kind of reputation does your church have in the community? Laura Heikes suggests the answer may have less to do with your worship service or programs and more to do with how you show up in the life of your neighborhood. Drawing on examples of churches turning overlooked resources into opportunities for hospitality, she offers a simple framework for…

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Leading Ideas
0 It Is Hard to Be 10 Years Old in America Right Now

Church leaders have a responsibility to advocate for children’s well-being and inspire their congregations to do the same. Through the 2026 National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths, Trevor Beauford challenges faith communities to listen to children, advocate for their needs, and take meaningful action to address the challenges they face. It is hard to be 10 years old in America right…

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Leading Ideas
0 Ministry Would Be Great If It Weren’t for the People

Difficult people are part of every congregation, but Margaret Marcuson, author of Sustainable Ministry: How to Lead (and When to Nap), argues that leaders make a mistake when they treat a challenging individual as the problem. She offers practical ways for church leaders to step back, examine their own responses, address unhealthy patterns, and build relationships rather than simply reacting…

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Leading Ideas
0 United Methodist Clergy Age Trends in 2026

The Clergy Age Report from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, produced in partnership with Wespath, offers an annual look at the changing age profile of United Methodist clergy. Lovett H. Weems Jr. identifies four key findings in this year’s report: the rebalancing of elder age groups, the continued scarcity of young elders, the growing presence of deacons, and the…

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Leading Ideas
0 What Clergy Age Trends Tell Us About Church Leadership

What can church leaders learn from the latest Clergy Age Trends report? Jonathan Page identifies three key takeaways for the church: cultivating calls to ministry among younger people, recognizing how changing family and vocational realities are reshaping itinerancy, and addressing the financial challenges that affect clergy recruitment and retention. For two decades, the Lewis Center for Church Leadership has tracked…

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Leading Ideas
0 Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church: 1985-2026

Download the 2026 Clergy Age Trends Report. Highlights of the 2026 Report Ages of Elders Rebalancing Except for Young Elders Notice in the chart below the change between 2000 and 2015 when the percentage of elders between 35 and 54 dropped from 65 percent in 2000 to 38 percent in 2015, with the percentage of elders between 55 and…

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Leading Ideas
0 The Gift of the First: A Reflective Commentary from the Installation of Dr. Carla Works

Dr. Shonda Nicole Gladden, Director of Programs and Initiatives at the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, reflects on what it means when a historic first opens a door for generations to come. In response to Dr. Carla Works’ historic installation as the first woman president of Wesley Theological Seminary, Gladden traces the long legacy of women’s leadership in the church…

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Leading Ideas
0 A Committed Congregation

Dr. Dontá McGilvery invites churches to consider how they can help congregants move from discovering their God-given purpose to developing a concrete plan for living it out. By creating intentional spaces for discernment, planning, mentorship, and accountability, congregations can become places where people are not only called to serve the church but equipped to live faithfully into their callings beyond…

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Leading Ideas
0 Letting Pastor’s Kids Be Kids

Laura Heikes reflects on two decades’ worth of lessons learned from raising pastor’s kids while serving in ministry. Healthy ministry families, she writes, are nurtured when churches allow children to be fully human, respect family boundaries, and help kids discover meaningful ways to belong and serve. Pastor’s kids have a reputation. I have three, and between them they’ve joyfully lived…

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Leading Ideas
0 Responding to AI Concerns is a Matter of Pastoral Care

As with any significant community change, clergy need to help their congregants navigate the personal, ethical and social terrain of AI, writes Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes. She directs the Technology, Innovation & Digital Engagement Lab at Union Theological Seminary. Calling all pastors—this piece is for us. If you’re like me, you were trained by mentors, seminary professors and catechists to prioritize…

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Leading Ideas
0 A Practical Guide for Church Families Supporting Seniors in Need

As congregations seek to care well for aging members, good intentions alone are not enough. Justin Black offers practical ways church leaders can organize consistent emotional, practical, and spiritual support so older adults feel connected, respected, and cared for by the whole church community. Many older adults quietly face daily challenges—meals, medication routines, transportation, and home upkeep—while carrying the heavier…

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Leading Ideas
0 Back to… Christmas?

Church leaders may not be thinking about Christmas in September, but this is an ideal time to begin preparing for Christmas Eve. Lewis Center Director Jonathan Page offers five practical recommendations for strengthening hospitality, engaging newcomers, supporting local missions, planning follow-up, and surrounding it all with prayer. Across the country, from campuses to playgrounds, there is abundant evidence that school…

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Leading Ideas
0 Dolly Parton: A Beloved Leader in a Time of Division

Dolly Parton was beloved by audiences across the political and ideological spectrum, having built an enduring legacy of philanthropy and service. Allen T. Stanton reflects on what Dolly Parton’s life can teach pastors about leadership in a polarized culture. In 2018, my family moved from North Carolina to Tennessee. At a rest area off I-40, somewhere, Dolly Parton’s rendition of…

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Leading Ideas
0 Honoring the Laborers

Dr. Dontá McGilvery suggests that churches draw inspiration from Labor Day to create an annual season of rest and appreciation for faithful volunteers. Drawing on 1 Thessalonians 5, he argues that intentionally honoring those who labor in ministry strengthens congregational health, reduces burnout, and demonstrates biblical gratitude. I am currently making my way through a novel that, like many novels,…

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Leading Ideas
0 Unlocking the Potential of the 164 Hours a Week Beyond Sunday

Jevon Caldwell-Gross says churches can no longer assume that Sunday morning is the primary way people will connect with a congregation. He shares how the COVID-19 pandemic revealed new opportunities for St. Luke’s United Methodist Church to engage its community—and why churches should think beyond Sunday when reaching new people and forming faith. In 2020, we set a goal at…

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Leading Ideas
0 3 Questions to Ask Before You Recruit Your Next Volunteer

Allen T. Stanton says the goal of volunteers in church isn’t more programs—it’s discipleship. He gives three questions to ask to help leaders and their congregations flourish. When I work with pastors, a key concern is how to mobilize their congregants to be more engaged in the life of the church. How do you get volunteers to lead new missions?…

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Leading Ideas
0 Leading Your Church Faithfully Through Elections

When discipleship extends into public life, what does faithful Christian leadership look like? Kendal McBroom equips leaders with practical resources and practices to build spiritually grounded communities that engage civic life with courage, humility, and a commitment to the common good. There is a persistent temptation within American Christianity to imagine that faith belongs primarily within the walls of the…

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Leading Ideas
0 The Rhythms That Sustain Ministry

Sustainable ministry requires more than working harder or managing stress. Drawing on biblical rhythms of Sabbath, joy, friendship, and receiving care, Laura Heikes offers practical ways church leaders can embody the patterns of rest they encourage in others. Self-Care If you’re reading this, I bet you’re very good at caring for others. I also suspect that like most church leaders,…

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Leading Ideas
0 Empowering the Next Generation: 5 Leadership Frameworks for a Changing World

What does it take to prepare the next generation of Christian leaders? Applying insights from an extraordinary gathering of ministry leaders, Elizabeth Tamez Méndez explores how churches can engage with Gen Z leaders. She shares five frameworks that can help experienced leaders build trust, foster collaboration, and intentionally pave the way for the future of the church. In October, I…

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This article is reprinted by permission from Leading Ideas, a free e-newsletter from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary available at churchleadership.com.