Reaching People Who Don’t Look or Act Like “Church People”
Rev. Olu Brown started Impact Church in Atlanta 11 years ago with a group of 25 people. Now, it’s one of the 25 fastest growing…
Browsing: Evangelism
Articles
Episode 13: “Dream Big to Reach New People” featuring Olu Brown
How can dreaming big help your church reach more people? In this episode Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe, Jr., speaks with Rev. Olu Brown of Impact Church in Atlanta about how to creatively reach new people through extreme hospitality and by dreaming big.
Did Jesus Invent the Pyramid Scheme?
While the idea of a pyramid scheme may bring to mind shady dealings and unsavory characters, Stephanie Remington of the Lewis Center staff sees genius…
9 Top Trends Impacting Church Leadership
Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe and Associate Director Ann A. Michel outline some of the major trends evident in their research and interactions with…
6 Keys to Sharing the Gospel in a Pluralistic Culture
Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe, Jr., says evangelistic strategies often fail because they don’t meaningfully and respectfully engage those we are trying to reach.…
From Parking Lot to Pew: Turning Building Users into Worshipers
Many churches provide meeting space for community groups hoping that building users will eventually show up for worship. But for a church to reach new…
Moving Beyond Church in A Box
Pastor Carey Nieuwhof says congregations need to break free of the mentality that people need to come to church at a set time and place…
Billy Graham: Prophet of American Righteousness
Lovett H. Weems Jr. examines the legacy of Billy Graham — his miraculous rise to prominence, his ability to transcend denominational differences, and his engagement…
Episode 3: “The Kaleidoscope Effect: What Emerging Generations Seek in Leaders” featuring Scott Chrostek
How can church leaders shift and adapt to the rapid cultural changes experienced by younger adults? Listen as Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel speaks with Rev. Scott Chrostek, pastor of Resurrection Downtown in Kansas City, about his book The Kaleidoscope Effect: What Emerging Generations Seek in New Leaders (available at Cokesbury and Amazon).
7 Steps for Making Disciples Through Relational Mentoring
Kenneth H. Carter and Audrey Warren describe a simple, step-by-step process for making disciples and mentoring friends to be closer to Jesus — a process…
Episode 1: “The Possibilities of Fresh Expressions” featuring Ken Carter and Audrey Warren
What can church look like in your neighborhood? Listen as Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel speaks with Bishop Ken Carter and Reverend Audrey…
Why Tradition Matters at Christmas
Stephanie Remington of the Lewis Center staff reminds us that Christmas traditions can move the spirit and renew the hope of people in our culture,…
Regifting Joy, Hope, Peace, and Love
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe reimagines the common practice of regifting an unwanted gift. He invites us to think of regifting positively — as a…
Reaching More People, Younger People, More Diverse People
The United Methodist Church faces a looming adaptive challenge that can only be addressed by major learning, innovation, and prayerful discernment. United Methodists in the…
Take the Next Step: Reaching More People, Younger People, More Diverse People
“There is no future for a church or denomination that cannot reach more people, younger people, and more diverse people,” according to Dr. Lovett H.…
Worship and Mission Should Go Hand in Hand
Evangelism Professor Mark Teasdale says that an essential function of worship is to undergird a congregation’s missional identity. In worship, God consecrates us to carry…
Missional Engagement: It’s All About Relationships
Junius B. Dotson says that church outreach has generally taken the form of community service or evangelistic efforts. But real missional engagement entails the building…
Helping Families Embrace the Importance of a Church Funeral
Sarah Dorrance describes the pastoral challenge of helping surviving family members who do not attend church to understand that a Christian funeral is appropriate for…
4 Clues for Inviting Others to Church Effectively
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe says many people just don’t like inviting other people to church, in part because faith is so personal and in…
Does Your Church Need an Online Campus?
Multisite ministry expert Jim Tomberlin says having an internet campus involves more than just offering a video sermon online. It involves offering a full, virtual…
Networks and Third Places are Today’s Mission Field
Where is community discovered in our time? In their book Fresh Expressions, Ken Carter and Audrey Warren argue that people today are less likely to…
Preparing for the Shift
Incoming Lewis Center Director Doug Powe says that demographic shifts will bring increased diversity to the neighborhoods around most churches in the coming decades. Rather…
Stories — Your Website’s Secret Sauce
Stories of transformation inspire people to engage in matters of faith. But people rarely hear these stories unless they’re already sitting in the pews. Will…
6 Simple Tips to Get More Likes on your Church’s Facebook Page
Your church Facebook page is a huge opportunity for opening your doors to your community, says Jeremy Steele. He shares six strategies to increase your…
The Good Neighbor Church
Sue Nilson Kibbey, who works with missional church initiatives in Ohio, shares the story of a church that engaged the mission field immediately around its…
6 Ways to Turn Your Church Inside-Out
To connect with people, you need to meet them where they are, says Ben Ingebretson, the director of new church development for the Dakotas and…
Organizing a Missional COMMUNITY
Hal Knight and Doug Powe discuss nine characteristics of transformative Christian communities that allow them to nurture spiritual growth while also remaining open to others…
A Spiritually Inviting Food Pantry
Sue Nilson Kibbey, author of the new book Flood Gates: Holy Momentum for a Fearless Church, describes how a food pantry ministry provided the opportunity…
10 Ways to Reach Unchurched People at Christmas
Pastor Carey Nieuwhof says unchurched people want to celebrate Christmas, so there is no better time to connect with friends and neighbors who rarely, if…
Adopting a Missionary Mindset
Douglas Ruffle, who works with the Path 1 church planting initiative, says the role of church leaders in a culture that is increasingly estranged from…
