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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 What Happens in Worship

Worship is the primary formational space in most congregations, yet many churches rarely consider what they hope will happen during the service. Emily Peck invites leaders to name their core values and design worship that intentionally forms disciples within their unique context. Worship brings faith communities together. As a Christian formation professor, I always challenge my students to think about…

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Leading Ideas
0 Christian Evangelism in a Pluralistic World

Canadian seminary president William H. Harrison, moved by the “irremediable damage” done to indigenous peoples by a primary focus on numbers in Christian evangelizing, writes of moving to a different understanding of evangelism. Dr. Harrison, president of Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatchewan, describes his approach to teaching what evangelism can look like in today’s pluralist world. Christians have become aware…

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Leading Ideas
0 A Layperson’s Deep Gladness Meets a Literal Deep Hunger

Pastor Kellen Roggenbuck writes about one of many examples that led him to give more attention to the clues God is giving us, often from laity, for next faithful steps in our congregational witness. He encourages the practice of discernment where we acknowledge that God takes the lead while inviting the faithful to join God’s redemptive work. Theologian Frederick Buechner…

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Leading Ideas
0 Helping After Natural Disasters: Please DON’T Do These 6 Things

In the wake of natural disasters, well-intentioned donations and self-deploying can inadvertently hinder relief efforts. Annette Spence shares how to effectively support recovery initiatives while avoiding six common pitfalls in disaster response. When relief efforts began for Hurricane Katrina in 2005, people from all over the nation sent clothes to a crippled New Orleans—an unbelievable avalanche of used clothing. The…

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Leading Ideas
0 Engaging Young Adults

As young adults seek meaning and connection beyond traditional religion, churches are asking how to reengage them. Beth Ludlum, Co-Director & VP of Strategic Initiatives of The Hub for (Re)imagining Ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary, explores cultural shifts shaping young adulthood today. She offers 6 practical steps for churches to build authentic relationships with young people and join God’s work…

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Leading Ideas
0 A Letter from the New Lewis Center Director, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Page

Jonathan Page, the new director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, writes his first article for Leading Ideas as a letter to all the people who use and contribute to the Center’s work. He shares his appreciation for the work of the Lewis Center, points to new leadership challenges and opportunities facing church leaders, and invites the partnership of…

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Leading Ideas
0 Reading the Cultural Signs

Jevon Caldwell-Gross draws from his pastoral experience to engage a series of cultural shifts that have changed how people today function. He shows how many of these are out of alignment with how churches typically make their plans. He illustrates with the prevalence of an “on demand” culture and the rise in importance of “values versus activities.” Ministry is highly…

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Leading Ideas
0 Leadership as a Liberal Art: An In-depth Interview with Michael Lamb

In this interview, Michael Lamb talks about The Arts of Leading: Perspectives from the Humanities and the Liberal Arts, exploring how the humanities offer essential insights into leadership. He argues that leadership is a liberal art, grounded in freedom, virtue, and human connection. Lamb highlights lessons from unsung leaders, the performing arts, and biblical figures like Moses, encouraging church leaders…

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Leading Ideas
0 12 Goals Finance and Stewardship Leaders Might Choose

Church financial leaders are encouraged to set one or two focused goals to strengthen mission and financial health. From creating narrative budgets to teaching year-round stewardship, Ken Sloane offers 12 practical ideas promote transparency, trust, and generosity—empowering churches to better align finances with ministry and disciple-making. As we prepare to begin a new year, many of us will set resolutions…

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Leading Ideas
0 8 Ways Your Inward Journey Can Ground Your Outward Action

Retired General Secretary of the Reformed Church in America and chair of the board of Sojourners, Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, writes from years of work at the intersection of faith and public life about how critical it is to nurture spiritually saturated roots for what he calls the “soulwork of justice.” Challenging times such as ours call for the “soulwork of justice.”…

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Leading Ideas
0 The Challenges and Opportunities of Solo Pastors

Solo pastors face a range of challenges. Craig Meek offers pastors insights from respected church leadership author Gary L. McIntosh. In drawing from The Solo Pastor: Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges of Leading a Church Alone, Meek shares insightful strategies that help pastors thrive in their work as they lead God’s people with integrity, character, and vision. Solo pastoring is…

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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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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.