4 Approaches to Keeping Small Church Worship and Education Vibrant During the Pandemic
Rebekah Simon-Peter outlines four models small churches have used to survive the pandemic — the church at home model, the shut-in model, the never shut…
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Articles
Managing Congregations in a Virtual Age
Are virtual meetings and work-from-home staff part of the new normal in your church? In this in-depth interview John Wimberly shares best practices for working…
Episode 89: “Managing Congregations in a Virtual Age” featuring John Wimberly Jr.
Are virtual meetings and work-from-home staff part of the new normal in your church? John Wimberly discusses best practices for working with staff and volunteers in a hybrid era.
5 Key Lessons for Managing Congregations in a Virtual Age
Turning toward a hybrid future, churches have focused much attention on digital worship. John Wimberly says it’s just as important to consider how to work…
Becoming a Digital Savvy Congregation
How can your church extend its reach and maximize its impact through digital media? Doug Powe interviews media producer Phil Cooke about strategies for becoming…
Episode 85: “Becoming a Digital Savvy Congregation” featuring Phil Cooke
How can your church extend its reach and maximize its impact through digital media? In this episode, media producer Phil Cooke shares strategies for becoming more media savvy.
7 Ways to Make it Easier to Talk about Money in Church
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff writes that churches can promote financial transparency and enhance generosity by addressing the often-taboo subject of money more…
5 Key Ways to Improve Your Church YouTube Channel
Phil Cooke explains why YouTube is critical to your church’s digital presence. He outlines five ways to improve your YouTube channel and boost your outreach.…
There Are No Volunteers Named “Somebody”
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe explains why recruitment efforts based on general appeals invariably fall flat. It’s far more effective to generate interest through firsthand…
Cultivating Good Questions
Eileen Campbell-Reed explains why cultivating good questions is a key skill for ministry leaders. She outlines three types of questions essential to building understanding and…
Tackling Tough Topics in Church
Do you long for church to be a place where people can discuss real life challenges openly and honestly? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center…
Episode 78: “Tackling Tough Topics in Church” featuring Elizabeth Hagan
Do you long for church to be a place where people can discuss real-life challenges openly and honestly? Pastor and author Elizabeth Hagan shares what it takes to be a “brave church” willing to tackle tough but important subjects.
5 Rules for Engaging Taboo Subjects in Churches
Are certain topics off limits in your church? If so, people may feel their real-life problems and concerns simply aren’t welcome in the church. Elizabeth…
5 Ground Rules for Candid Conversations
Tom Berlin says that candid conversation takes courage. But it also requires kindness and compassion. He suggests five practices for approaching difficult conversations with openness,…
Top Leading Ideas Articles of 2020
Each December we take a look at the most popular Leading Ideas articles of the year and give our readers a second chance to glean…
What Is Your Narrative?
Is your church dwelling in a story of woe and discouragement? Or does it see current circumstances through the lens of change and new opportunity?…
3 Ways to Counter Online Fatigue
Are you and your church growing weary of so many online encounters? There are different ways of connecting safely that don’t involve staring at a…
Good Communication Requires More Than Just Sharing Information
Trying to improve communication by sharing more and more information is likely to backfire, according to Ryan Hartwig and Warren Bird. Effective communication is aimed…
Communicating in a Crisis
Church consultant Mike Bonem says leaders need to step up their communication in this season of anxiety and uncertainty. It is important to be transparent,…
Get Ready for the New Normal
As restrictions on gatherings imposed by the COVID-19 crisis begin to ease, congregations are likely to find themselves in a both/and reality. They will need…
Staying Connected in a Time of Social Distancing
How can congregations sustain a sense of community and care for one another when most gatherings have been suspended? Some simple strategies can be used…
4 Ways to Lead Effectively When Expectations Change
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe explains that church leaders today are forced to lead amid constantly changing expectations. He outlines a four-step process to help…
7 Building Blocks for Church Social Media Success
Mark MacDonald outlines how your church can stay in touch with congregants throughout the week with social media posts that extend the reach of your…
Preach Like TED
Charley Reeb says preachers should take a lesson from TED Talks — the 18-minute internet videos that have reached over a billion people worldwide. The…
4 Ways to Build Your Social Media Presence
The use of social media is so prevalent today that it is essential for churches to master ways of creating connections and community online. Lia…
Telling a More Inclusive Story
Amanda Poppei’s Washington, DC, congregation is engaged in an anti-racism effort aimed at countering racist assumptions embedded in their congregational life and practices. This effort…
Make Decisions with Your Head but Implement Them with Your Heart
Communication specialist Theodore May explains that the tendency to lead from the heart often impedes rational decision making in churches. But it can be an…
Episode 24: “Leadership Lessons from Lovett Weems”
Looking for practical strategies to more effectively engage others and lead change? Listen as leadership expert Lovett H. Weems Jr. shares some of his sage advice on the attitudes and practices that can help church leaders thrive.
7 Tips for Avoiding Digital Communication Disasters
Church consultant Joel Snider says that serious congregational conflicts can be caused or exacerbated by the poor use of electronic communication. Congregations can work to…
4 Church Tech New Year’s Resolutions
Will Rice, who blogs on issues related to technology and churches, says that the beginning of the year is a good time to take stock…