Why Church Leaders Can’t Afford to Wait and See
Tony Morgan says churches can’t wait passively to see if things return to normal. Nor should they long for the return of old systems and…
Browsing: Leadership
Articles
The Building Blocks of Congregational Renewal
What does it take to turn a congregation around? Lewis Center Director Doug Powe interviews Ed Brandt, a long-serving pastor who recently retired as chief…
“The Building Blocks of Congregational Renewal” featuring Ed Brandt
What does it take to turn a congregation around? Ed Brandt, a long-serving pastor who recently retired as chief of chaplains for the U.S. National Guard, believes success in ministry is grounded in the hard but essential work of reaching out to the community, forging new connections, getting to know people, listening, earning trust, taking risks, and learning from mistakes.
Top “Leading Ideas” Articles of 2021
What Leading Ideas subjects are trending this year with you and our nearly 20,000 subscribers? In addition to pandemic, the most popular articles of 2021…
Clear Vision, Values, and Hope are Essential Leadership Tools
Do the challenges of a global pandemic and extreme polarization seem insurmountable? Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe Jr. interviews Retired Major General Randy Manner…
Episode 91: “Clear Vision, Values, and Hope are Essential to Leading in Challenging Times” featuring Retired Major General Randy Manner
Do the challenges of a global pandemic and extreme polarization seem insurmountable? Retired Major General Randy Manner shares how clear vision and values help in navigating difficult terrain by engendering unity and hope.
3 Strategies for Creating More Adaptable Ministries
Meghan Hatcher explains that churches capable of adapting in response to the needs and assets of a community make it possible for more people to…
Moving Forward in Uncertain Times
Susan Beaumont says churches are still in a liminal space that calls for learning and experimenting rather than planning. She explains how different segments of…
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.
4 Ways to Nurture a Church Culture More Open to Change
Ministry innovations are more likely to take root in a congregational culture that is receptive to change. Meghan Hatcher who works with the Innovation Lab…
5 Signs I Need to Put on My Desk
Often the best way a leader can improve things is to focus on his or her own actions and behaviors. Carey Nieuwhof outlines five simple…
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…
Leading Amid Controversy Over Masks and Vaccines
Navigating the complicated and divisive issues of vaccines and mask-wearing has made ministry during this pandemic even more fraught for many pastors and congregations. Doug…
Keeping Church Staff Accountable to the Overall Mission
Evaluating church staff by measures related to their own individual performance can lead to ministry silos, says John Wimberly. When every staff person’s ultimate goal…
5 Steps to Resume Ministries beyond Worship in Fruitful Ways
Lovett Weems says that churches should be deliberate and careful in making plans to resume ministries disrupted by the pandemic. The restart of youth ministry,…
Commissioning: A Simple Tool for Activating People’s Gifts
David Ferguson, one of the authors of Hero Maker: 5 Essential Practices for Leaders to Multiply Leaders, describes how the simple act of commissioning church…
Cultivating and Nurturing Pastoral Imagination
What is pastoral imagination? And how can it be nurtured by clergy and laity? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff interviews Eileen Campbell-Reed on…
Episode 84: “Cultivating and Nurturing the Pastoral Imagination” featuring Eileen Campbell-Reed
What is pastoral imagination? And how can it be nurtured by clergy and laity? We speak with Eileen Campbell-Reed about how clergy can cultivate and nurture pastoral imagination in order to address conflict, experience joy, and develop a deep, wise knowing.
Episode 83: “Leading Like Nehemiah” featuring Lovett H. Weems Jr.
How does the story of Nehemiah guide leaders today? Lovett H. Weems Jr. explains why Nehemiah is so relevant to leaders in today’s church and how the book of Nehemiah informs our understanding of a leader’s calling and tasks.
Staffing When You Can’t Afford to Staff
Dan Hotchkiss explains how congregations can build their staffs by “hiring” unpaid volunteers. He explains how this approach can make fuller use of a volunteer’s…
Leaders Don’t Need All the Answers
Clay Scroggins writes that authentic leaders are comfortable letting others know they don’t have all the answers. Maximizing your influence requires that you resist the…
Leading Like Nehemiah — An In-Depth Interview with Lovett H. Weems Jr.
How does the story of Nehemiah guide leaders today? Lewis Center Director Doug Powe interviews Dr. Lovett H. Weems Jr. They discuss why Nehemiah is…
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…
What Can Churches and Businesses Learn from Each Other?
What can churches, nonprofits, and businesses learn from one another? Lewis Center Director Doug Powe interviews Randy Casey-Rutland, a theologically educated business executive, who shares…
Episode 82: “What Can Churches and Businesses Learn from Each Other?” featuring Randy Casey-Rutland
What can churches, nonprofits, and businesses learn from one another? Randy Casey-Rutland, a theologically educated business executive, shares insights about what the church can learn from the business world and vice versa.
Acknowledging the Toll of the Pandemic on Ministry Leaders
Churches and their members may not fully appreciate the strain the pandemic has placed on their pastors and other ministry leaders. Mike Bonem urges congregations…
The Art of Forging a Meaningful Consensus
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says that unanimity is not required for a group to move forward. Good leaders drive consensus by extracting…
10 Ways to Cultivate a Creative Culture
How can you cultivate a creative spirit that will carry your ministry beyond the pandemic? Phil Cooke describes 10 ways to nurture a culture that…
Now is the Time for Risk-Taking Leadership
During the pandemic, many leaders were concerned primarily with avoiding risk. Bill Wilson says we are now entering a time in the life of the…
