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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.

Leading Ideas
0 Holy Innovation: A Framework for Choosing Your Next Ministry Idea

With limited resources of people, funds, and time, how can churches sort through ideas to discover the next step God is inviting them to take? Kenda Creasy Dean uses the “How-Now-Wow” exercise as a framework to sort and prioritize ideas. While “How” ideas are “moonshots,” “Now” ideas are easy-to-implement but with modest impact. “Wow” ideas are the sweet spot for…

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Leading Ideas
0 Congregational Vitality Begins with An Inward Journey

If there are internal conflicts within your worshipping community, will others want to worship at your church? Pastor Andreá Cummings invites us to consider the importance of internal spiritual health that is required for there to be any hope of numerical or missional outreach vitality. She suggests three possibilities for church leaders to consider if internal issues hamper the church’s…

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Leading Ideas
0 Helping Children Practice Generosity

How do young people learn and practice generosity? Meredith McNabb of the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving believes generosity can be taught to young people through example, practice, and reflection. Faith leaders can model giving, offer opportunities to practice generosity, and engage in meaningful conversations about its value. By celebrating stories of generosity and creating practical experiences, churches can…

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Leading Ideas
0 Being a Stewardship Leader Requires Clarity

Margaret Marcuson encourages pastors to reflect deeply on their own motivations, habits, and beliefs around giving, including influences from upbringing and current practices. By understanding their own stance, pastors can more authentically and effectively support their congregations in developing thoughtful, faith-based approaches to giving. This article was originally published on September 28, 2011. The information in the article remains current,…

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Leading Ideas
0 Engaging Men While Challenging Cultural Norms of Masculinity: An In-depth Interview with Sean Harvey

How can congregations engage men in ways that challenge cultural norms of masculinity? Sean Harvey’s journey began with a transformative experience at work, where he was encouraged to lead from his heart. This catalyzed his mission to support men in healing and rediscovering purpose through the Warrior Compassion Institute. He empowers faith communities to engage men by fostering spaces of…

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Leading Ideas
0 A Leadership Lesson I Used Immediately

Bishop Emmanuel Sinzohagera tells of a leadership lesson he learned shortly after his recent election to the episcopacy that made his leadership more fruitful as he practiced “outside to inside” thinking. Shortly after my election as a bishop in the United Methodist Church, I learned a new concept in a class that is part of my church leadership Doctor of…

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Leading Ideas
0 IRS Proposal to Allow Political Speech in Churches Is Bad Advice

Attorney Holly Hollman of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC) cautions churches and nonprofits about partisan political actions and endorsements, even with recent changes to the administration of the IRS regulation that has forbidden tax-exempt entities from such activity. The BJC, founded in 1936, carries on the historic Baptist focus on separation of church and state by working…

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Leading Ideas
0 Preaching Our Principles—Not Our Politics

In today’s polarized climate, church leaders can navigate political tensions by preaching principles, not politics. David R. Brubaker says leaders should share personal convictions with humility and clarity, focusing on values like caring for the marginalized, nonviolence, and stewardship of the earth.   In the most unorthodox political season since I started paying attention to politics 50 years ago, the polarized…

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Leading Ideas
0 New Possibilities are All around You

Churches often see their circumstance through the lens of scarcity and fail to recognize assets and opportunities within their grasp. Joe Daniels and Christie Latona explain how adopting a mindset of abundance can reveal overlooked assets and open new possibilities. This article was originally published on June 29, 2019. Because many churches continue to operate under a scarcity mentality rather…

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Leading Ideas
0 Declines in Young Clergy Reflect a Changed Culture

Lovett H. Weems Jr. reports on how a changed culture for post-Boomer generations holds many clues for the absence of younger generations in churches and, thus, the historically low numbers of young clergy. The Lewis Center for Church Leadership just issued its latest clergy age trends report, Clergy Age Trends Remain Relatively Stable in 2025. When the Lewis Center began…

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Leading Ideas
0 Clergy Age Trends Remain Relatively Stable in 2025

Lovett H. Weems Jr. highlights the stabilizing numbers of young clergy in the Lewis Center’s annual Clergy Age Trends Report after dramatic declines last year due to disaffiliations. Age trends are shown in the report for elders, deacons, and licensed local pastors in all annual conferences. After declines in all age groups of United Methodist clergy in 2024, the numbers…

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Leading Ideas
0 Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church: 1985-2025

Download the 2025 Clergy Age Trends Report. Highlights of the 2025 Report Impact of Disaffiliation on Numbers and Ages of United Methodist Clergy  While there were clergy losses in all age groups caused by disaffiliation in each of the years between 2020 and 2024 (along with other factors always affecting losses such as deaths and retirements), the largest decline…

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Leading Ideas
0 10 Ways Consolidation Can Strengthen Your Church’s Impact

Stewardship expert Ken Sloane writes that consolidation, when led by prayer and purpose, is a faithful act of stewardship that revitalizes mission and ministry. By pruning what no longer bears fruit—whether buildings, programs, or structures—churches can refocus on what is vital. This strategic shift fosters unity, sustainability, and renewed energy for witness and community impact. Stewardship is about wisely managing…

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Leading Ideas
0 Building Congregational Engagement in a Church-School Partnership

Jake McGlothin, author of The Mission-Minded Guide to Church and School Partnerships, explains how compelling messages that align your congregation’s vision to the task of forming a school partnership and simple recruitment ideas will harness the resources needed to serve children in your community. This article was originally published on April 26, 2017. The content remains essential for developing church…

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Leading Ideas
0 Reimagining Church as a Ministry Center: An In-depth Interview with Beth and Nelson Neil

How can a struggling congregation be transformed into a thriving multicultural ministry center? Co-pastors Beth and Nelson Neil share how Culmore Church was transformed through shared space, mutual respect, creative collaboration, and intentional relationships. Their story demonstrates how transparency, flexibility, and mission alignment can revitalize ministry and serve as a model for holistic community engagement.   Jessica Anschutz: Nelson, you have…

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Leading Ideas
0 5 Steps to Help Your Church Be Friendlier to Guests

How can your church be friendlier to newcomers? Karl Vaters believes churches can become friendlier by implementing the G.I.F.T. Plan: Greet, Introduce, Follow up, and Thank. By encouraging intentional, simple actions like greeting newcomers and following up, churches can build genuine relationships and make visitors feel welcome, leading to lasting connections and a more welcoming church culture.  Have you ever…

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Leading Ideas
0 Best Practices for Reaching Young Adults

Congregations with a significant proportion of young adults share distinctive traits. For churches seeking to engage these individuals, Perry Chang shares some “do’s” and “don’ts” drawn from a Faith Communities Today study. This article was originally published on May 7, 2014. The content remains relevant, so we are reposting for all who may have missed it. The emerging consensus of…

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Leading Ideas
0 Make the Most of the School Year Start with Families

How can churches make the most of the beginning of a new school year? Jason Gant shares that churches have a unique opportunity to engage families adjusting to new routines and demands as the school year begins. By aligning church activities with school schedules, churches can support families in building spiritual rhythms. Matching the school calendar’s energy can help the…

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Leading Ideas
0 What Leaders Need to Know about the Emerging Church

Susan Cox-Johnson shares insights about the Emerging Church and ways of connecting with postmodern generations. It was only a few years ago that I first heard of “The Emerging Church.” I encountered the literature of the emerging church in an evangelism class, and it immediately resonated with me. At that time, I was serving Broadway United Methodist Church located in…

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Leading Ideas
0 Thriving in Bivocational Ministry: An In-depth Interview with Kris Bentley

How can bivocational ministers and the congregations they serve thrive? In this interview, Kris Bentley redefines bivocational ministry beyond traditional models, emphasizing shared leadership, congregational adaptability, and spiritual sustainability. She encourages both pastors and congregations to embrace bivocational ministry as a thriving, collaborative model of God’s call, rooted in sufficiency, creativity, and community engagement.  Jessica Anschutz: Kris, give a little…

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Leading Ideas
0 Lighting the Way: A Laity-Led Advent Service for Women

For two decades, women across the country have gathered for a simple but powerful Advent tradition: a laity-led candlelight service that brings communities together in worship. Brenda Stone brought this service to her church, then helped churches across her state create their own versions of this special event. She and Laura Heikes share how you can gather a small team…

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Leading Ideas
0 Travelers’ Christmas Eve Service

The Travelers’ Christmas Eve Service at Park Avenue United Methodist Church in New York City is a beloved annual tradition, shares Jessica Anschutz. Designed for both congregants who travel before Christmas Eve and visitors from around the world, the service—typically held on the third or fourth Sunday of Advent—offers a meaningful celebration featuring carols, scripture readings, Advent candle lighting, Holy…

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Leading Ideas
0 4 Practices to Help Small Church Stay Nimble and Open to Change

Pastors in small-membership churches often face frustration when trying to implement change, but these churches also possess unique adaptability. Allen Stanton notes that small churches can be surprisingly nimble, responding quickly to needs and opportunities. He identifies four practices to help small churches stay flexible. By nurturing these practices, small churches can remain adaptable, leveraging their relational strengths to foster…

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Leading Ideas
0 What’s Good about That?

Dan Hotchkiss writes that churches need to ask themselves “What’s good about that?” in relation to established programs and ministries. He shares an example of a church with a strong music program whose purpose was rooted in the past instead of the present. This article was originally published on June 18, 2014. It’s good to pay attention to what’s going…

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Leading Ideas
0 Church Giving and Worship Attendance Trends: An In-depth Interview with Joe Park

What are current church giving and worship attendance trends? Joe Park unpacks key trends in worship attendance and giving from Horizons Stewardship’s Church Giving and Worship Report: Key Findings from 2024. He emphasizes digital engagement, discipleship, and strategic ministry planning, while highlighting the importance of adaptive leadership, consistent generosity messaging, and authentic relationships.  Watch the interview video, listen to the interview,…

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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.