4 Key Characteristics of Missional Congregations
Congregations that want to move forward and live more missionally need to understand and embody four key characteristics, says F. Douglas Powe, director of the…
Browsing: Community Outreach
Articles
Blessing of the Animals as Community Outreach
How can a Blessing of the Animals reach new people in your community? Jessica Anschutz shares tips to engage pet owners and community partners as…
Leading Voices: “Great Leaders Hear the Community’s Voice”
“Great Leaders Hear the Community’s Voice” is presented by Rev. Dr. Joe Daniels, lead pastor, The Emory Fellowship, Washington, DC. In celebration of the 20th…
Leading Faithful Innovation: An In-depth Interview with Dwight Zscheile
What if congregational change didn’t focus on setting goals or planning new programs? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center Staff interviews Dwight Zscheile, coauthor of…
“Leading Faithful Innovation” featuring Dwight Zscheile
Podcast Episode 130 What if congregational change didn’t focus on setting goals or planning new programs? Dwight Zscheile believes finding a faithful way forward involves…
10 Tips for Building Genuine Connections with Your Neighbors
Kay Kotan says we can no longer wait for people to come to church. The church must go out into the community and meet its…
Before You Rent Church Space, Calculate the Costs
Churches often struggle to determine a fair price when they rent space to community groups. Partners for Sacred Places, an organization helping congregations develop creative…
What to do When a New Church Comes to Town
Pastor Eric Daniel describes how he overcame feelings of jealousy and competitiveness when committed members of his congregation started drifting to a new, better-resourced church.…
7 Ideas for Making Vacation Bible School an Evangelism Opportunity
How can you deepen your relationship with the children and families participating in a Vacation Bible School and stay connected with them throughout the year?…
Leading Voices: “Leading Change Means Making it Easy for People to Do Hard Things”
“Leading Change Means Making it Easy for People to Do Hard Things” is presented by Dr. Dwight Zscheile, Vice President of Innovation and Professor of…
7 Tips for Sharing Your Congregation’s Story on Social Media
How do you effectively share your congregation’s story via social media to reach new people? Tim Welch offers seven tips for sharing your congregation’s story…
The Hidden Impact of Rural Churches: An In-Depth Interview with Bob Jaeger and Rachel Hildebrand
What is the economic impact of small congregations on their communities? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks with Bob Jaeger and Rachel Hildebrandt…
“The Hidden Impact of Rural Churches” featuring Bob Jaeger and Rachel Hildebrandt
Podcast Episode 126 What is the economic impact of small congregations on their communities? We speak with Bob Jaeger and Rachel Hildebrandt of Partners for…
Leading Voices: “Leaders Must Embrace Community Stakeholders”
“Leaders Must Embrace Community Stakeholders” is presented by Rev. Dr. Ronald Slaughter, Senior Pastor, St. James African American Episcopal Church, New Jersey. In celebration of…
Rebuilding Communities with Hope: An In-depth Interview with Glorymar Rivera Báez
How can churches partner with other organizations to effectively and comprehensively meet the needs of their community? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks…
“Rebuilding Communities with Hope” featuring Glorymar Rivera Báez
Podcast Episode 120 How can churches partner with other organizations to effectively and comprehensively meet the needs of their community? We speak with Glorymar Rivera…
Leading Voices: “All Leadership is Cross-Cultural Leadership”
“All Leadership is Cross-Cultural Leadership” is presented by Laura Heikes, lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in McAllen, Texas. In celebration of the 20th…
5 Trends Impacting Church Leadership for 2023
Doug Powe, Ann Michel, and Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff identify five trends church leaders should keep in mind as they develop creative…
A Way Out of No Way: An In-Depth Interview with Kimberly Daniel
How can Christian innovation address the needs of people who are under-resourced and undervalued? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff interviews Kimberly Daniel about…
“A Way Out of No Way” featuring Kimberly Daniel
Podcast Episode 113 How can Christian innovation address the needs of people who are under-resourced and undervalued? Kimberly Daniel shares how Christian innovation can begin…
5 Tips for Building True Spiritual Community
When you move from being “in church” to being “in community,” your vision of others changes. Rebekah Simon-Peter offers five tips for daring to go…
3 Leadership Shifts for the Current Reality
Olu Brown says that a new paradigm of leadership is required given the challenges of the present age. Church leaders need to shift the conversation…
Evangelism Insights from The Methodist Church in Britain: An In-Depth Interview with Trey Hall
What can we learn about congregational revitalization, Fresh Expressions, and evangelism from the Methodist Church in Britain? Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe Jr. interviews…
“Evangelism Insights From The Methodist Church in Britain” featuring Trey Hall
What can we learn about congregational revitalization, Fresh Expressions, and evangelism from the Methodist Church in Britain? Trey Hall shares insights on these subjects drawing from his experience in the United States and Great Britain.
Doing Planning Differently
What if you focused on making already-planned ministry events better rather than creating new events? Olu Brown offers three planning strategies for Doing Church Differently™…
Church on the Move
How can your church reorient its posture toward its neighbors and neighborhood? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center Staff interviews Minnesota pastor Travis Norvell on…
“Church on the Move” featuring Travis Norvell
How can your church reorient its posture toward its neighbors and neighborhood? Minnesota Pastor Travis Norvell decided to conduct his ministry by bike, on foot, and on public transportation. He shares how this revealed new people, new partners, and new possibilities for ministry.
4 Ways to Expand the Reach of Small Groups
How can you prevent your small groups from becoming inwardly focused and impenetrable to newcomers? Doug Powe and Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff…
Lessons from the Fresh Expressions Movement: In-depth Interview with Luke Edwards
What can we learn from the Fresh Expression movement’s novel approach to forming new faith communities? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff interviews Luke…
“Lessons from the Fresh Expressions Movement” featuring Luke Edwards
What can we learn from the Fresh Expression movement’s novel approach to reaching people unlikely to attend church on Sunday mornings? Luke Edwards discusses a process of listen, building relationships, and forming community that can lead to deepening discipleship and the formation of new, nontraditional worshipping communities.
