Is Your Church Like Fine China? Proper, Pretty, and Only for Special Occasions?
Cynthia Weems says that our churches have become like fine china — perfect and proper but locked away in a cabinet except on special occasions…
Browsing: Mainline Challenges
Articles
5 Reasons Millennials are Drawn to Mainline Churches
Don’t assume your church doesn’t have anything to offer the Millennial generation, says Andrew Ponder Williams. He outlines five ways that mainline churches are distinctively…
The Changing Face of Ministry
Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe describes shifting staffing patterns and ministry models emerging as more and more mainline congregations suffer decline. The Lewis Center…
How Do Conferences Pay 100 Percent of General Church Apportionments?
It was recently announced that 26 U.S.-based Annual Conferences paid 100 percent of their general church apportionments in 2018. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., draws upon…
What Kind of Church Will Millennials Lead?
In a very short period of time the Millennial generation will be the largest segment of clergy, says Wesley Theological Seminary President David McAllister-Wilson. Therefore,…
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…
Closing a Congregation as an Act of Faithfulness
Minnesota Pastor Lee Ann Pomrenke reflects on the painful reality of having to bring a congregation or a ministry to an end. While there is…
What’s at Stake when Schism is an Option?
Originally published Dec. 12, 2017. United Methodists are facing major decisions about our legacy and future in the coming months and years. Myriad actions taken…
Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church in 2016
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., reports that despite a modest but steady increase in the number of young clergy in the United Methodist Church over the…
Predictable Surprises in the Church
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., encourages congregations to uncover and prepare for their “predictable surprises.” Leadership is about the future, so leaders must take the future…