It Used to Work So Well
Lovett Weems says that a congregation’s success can lead to its demise if the creativity and adaptability that made the congregation vital becomes frozen in…
Browsing: Lessons for Leaders
Articles
7 Characteristics of Humble Confident Leaders
Confidence is important for leaders, but according to Kay Kotan and Phil Schroeder, confidence can easily tilt toward arrogance. They outline seven characteristics, such as…
To the Point: Stop Complaining about Sunday Morning Sports
Editor’s note: This is adapted from an article by Keith Anderson which appeared in Leading Ideas on January 30, 2013. This To the Point version has…
5 Ways to Overcome Common Obstacles to Change
Leading change is challenging. It requires that leaders surmount a barrage in internal and external obstacles. Daniel Cash and William Griffith outline strategies for getting…
7 Things Bad Leaders Tell Themselves and Their Teams
Carey Nieuwhof explains that ineffective leaders tend to lay the blame on seven common excuses. Successful leaders are aware of these traps and lead people…
Do Your Church Programs Obscure Your True Mission?
Sometimes churches get so preoccupied with their own programs and a get-it-done approach to mission that they lose sight of their ultimate purpose. Lee Roorda…
Hope Rages
Actions by the recent Special General Conference have left many confused and despairing of the possibility of any way forward. At the same time, there…
Mission is Constant but Methods Must Change
Leaders need to be ready to deal with change, says Jim Cowart. But it’s important to recognize the difference between the church’s mission, which is…
Confess Your Mess
Marv Nelson explains that leaders gain respect when they own their failures and shortcomings, not when they ignore problems or shift blame. In confessing your…
Is It Time to Acknowledge Where We Got It Wrong?
A recent editorial in Christianity Today magazine acknowledges how the magazine failed in confronting racism during critical years of the civil rights movement. Lovett H.…
Choose Your Hills Wisely
Jim Cowart says it’s important to stay focused on the right objectives. Instead of being content with what is, taking on too much, or choosing…
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.
Eliminating the Downward Drag of Ministry Clutter
Michael Kurtz explains that churches are quick to add new programs but slow to eliminate older ones, creating ministry clutter and program overload. Regular pruning…
Biblical Leadership: Not as Simple as You Think
Denise Dombkowski Hopkins, a professor of Hebrew Bible at Wesley Theological Seminary, says we often see biblical leadership in one-dimensional or overly idealized ways. Her…
Episode 21: “The Greatest One Minute Manager of All Time” featuring Ken Blanchard
How can we lead like Jesus? In this episode, thought leader Dr. Ken Blanchard shares insights with Lewis Center Director Douglas Powe about being a servant leader.
Overcoming Apprehension about Change
Dan Turner led an older, established congregation through a restart. The remnant of members from the previous church brought many gifts to the new church,…
Episode 18: “Franklin Planner Creator Hyrum Smith Shares Principles for Leading with Purpose”
What leadership lessons help make you more effective? In this episode Hyrum Smith, creator of the Franklin Planner, speaks with Lewis Center Director Doug Powe about leading with purpose as well as practical, transformational leadership lessons.
5 Ways Female Leaders Undermine Themselves
Church consultant Susan Beaumont says that power accrues more easily to men than women in our culture, so women need to be especially savvy about…
Honoring the Context of a New Ministry Setting
Lovett H. Weems Jr. says incoming pastors tend to see everything through the lens of their own experience, vision, and interests, rather than learning how…
Leading Unafraid
How can church leaders confront the fear that prevents congregations from dealing with controversial issues or taking necessary risks? Adam Hamilton, pastor of the United…
Episode 10: “Moving beyond Fear” featuring Adam Hamilton
Why does fear so often prevent leaders and congregations from taking action? Listen as Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel speaks with Rev. Adam Hamilton, author of the new book Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times, about how people of faith can move beyond the paralysis of fear.
Funeral Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., by L. Harold DeWolf
Former Wesley Theological Seminary Dean L. Harold DeWolf, who was Martin Luther King’s dissertation director at Boston University, delivered this tribute at King’s funeral on April…
Accountability Without Control
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., explains that in these times, when church leaders can rely less on structure and hierarchy to undergird their authority, accountability flows…
5 Leadership Lessons That Shaped My Ministry
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., founding director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, recently shared leadership ideas particularly influential in his own ministry. His top…
Leadership Lessons that Shaped My Ministry
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., delivered these remarks to a gathering celebrating his tenure as founding director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. The event…
Staying Attuned to Your Community
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., writes that congregations all start not for themselves, but to serve other people. But with the passage of time, they tend…
Difficult Conversations
Olu Brown, founding pastor of the fast-growing Impact Church in Atlanta, says that difficult conversations just come with the territory if you are a leader.…
Leadership for Giving
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., explains how the four cornerstones of effective church leadership — vision, team, culture, and integrity — are all essential when leading…
The Importance of Why
Healthy churches know why they do what they do, says pastor and author Graham Standish. When what we do is based on a clear why,…
The Leader as Communicator
Effective leaders are good communicators, according to Lovett H. Weems, Jr. They understand the importance of all forms of communication and that communication is always…