Leading Voices: “Leaders Observe, Follow, and Equip”
“Leaders Observe, Follow, and Equip” is presented by Rev. Motoe Yamada Foor, Director of Adult Discipleship at Discipleship Ministries. In celebration of the 20th anniversary…
Browsing: Participation
Articles
The Stone Soup Recipe for Vital Small Church Worship
Teresa Stewart says that small congregations have a powerful worship planning option that expands participation, emphasizes lay leadership, ends the burnout of meetings, invites local…
Building Inclusive Communities: An In-Depth Interview with Brandan Robertson
How can church leaders build an inclusive community of faith? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff interviews Brandan Robertson, the “TikTok Pastor,” about social…
“Building Inclusive Communities” featuring Brandan Robertson
Podcast Episode 132 How can church leaders build an inclusive community of faith? In this episode Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks with…
Leading Voices: “Leadership is Always about a Group”
“Leadership is Always about a Group” is presented by Rev. Dr. Lovett H. Weems Jr., Senior Consultant, Lewis Center for Church Leadership. In celebration of…
Does Your Church Really Need All Those Committees?
Are your church members kept busy doing committee work they are neither gifted for nor excited about? Andy Lunt and Ted Brown say congregations can…
Leading Voices: “Leaders Empower All Generations to Lead Worship”
“Leaders Empower All Generations to Lead Worship” is presented by Rev. Jenny Cannon, lead pastor at Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, Minnesota In celebration…
5 Principles for Pastoring a Vibrant Older Congregation
Karl Vaters highlights the importance of building a strong, vibrant congregation of seniors with intentionality, training, and a focus on the future. He emphasizes the…
4 Steps for Developing a Digital Community Strategy
Deanna Bartalini and Claudia McIvor say gathering people virtually is not that different than gathering in person. Both require intentionality, as well as a plan,…
Leading Voices: “Good Leaders are Curious”
“Good Leaders are Curious” is presented by Johannah Myers, Director of Disciple Formation at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. In celebration of…
Leading Voices: “All God’s People are Leaders”
“All God’s People are Leaders” is presented by Dr. Ann A. Michel, Senior Consultant, Lewis Center for Church Leadership. In celebration of the 20th anniversary…
Is Spiritual Maturity a Prerequisite for New Church Leaders?
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center questions the common advice that churches should only invite those who are already spiritually mature into leadership roles. She…
Leading Voices: “People Support What They Help to Create”
“People Support What They Help to Create” is presented by Rev. Dr. David McAllister-Wilson, President of Wesley Theological Seminary. In celebration of the 20th anniversary…
Five Keys to Successful Volunteer Recruitment
Struggling to recruit volunteers? Deech Kirk shares five keys for successful volunteer recruitment drawn from his work with youth ministry teams but applicable to other…
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…
Ministering to Congregants Who Haven’t Returned Post-COVID-19
One in every three churchgoers has not returned to in-person worship services since the pandemic. Tricia K. Brown offers ideas for ministering to members of…
Finding Sanctuary: Ministries with Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers | An In-Depth Interview with Elizabeth Shulman
How can congregations support persons with dementia and their caregivers? Jessica Anschutz interviews Elizabeth Shulman, who offers an organic, three-part program to aid congregations in…
“Finding Sanctuary: Ministries With Persons With Dementia and Their Caregivers” featuring Elizabeth Shulman
How can congregations support people with dementia and their caregivers? Elizabeth Shulman offers an organic three-part program to help congregations create ministries to meet the needs of people with dementia and their caregivers.
5 Good Questions to Assess Your Volunteer Teams
Are your ministry teams reaching their full potential? Dan Reiland shares five good questions for assessing the health and productivity of volunteer teams. If…
“Forging a New Path” featuring Rebekah Simon-Peter
When do things go back to normal? How do we get people (back) to church? And how do we do more with less? Rebekah Simon-Peter calls us to the “next normal” as she explores what it means to invite people to church as spiritual community and to do more with less.
6 Essential Elements of Fruitful Small Groups
What are the essential elements of a fruitful small group? Scott Hughes names and explains six elements that characterize effective small groups — prayer and…
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…
7 Ways to Reengage Volunteers
Whether it’s due to post-pandemic fatigue, lingering health concerns, or broader cultural shifts, volunteerism hasn’t bounced back as readily as other aspects of congregational life.…
As Memory Fades, Ministry Grows: Ministry Alongside Persons with Dementia
Jessica L. Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff shares ideas for pastoral care and spiritual support for persons with dementia and their caregivers. As the…
4 Keys to Moving from Online Worship to Online Ministry
Nicole Reilley says posting worship services online is just the first step in developing a holistic online ministry. She enumerates four keys to developing a…
Are Your Worshipers Tourists or Travelers?
How can you inspire your worship attendees to be active participants rather than casual bystanders? David W. Manner explores the metaphor of travelers versus tourists…
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…
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…
There Are No Volunteers Named “Somebody”
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe explains why recruitment efforts based on general appeals invariably fall flat. It’s far more effective to generate interest through firsthand…
Reengaging People During Lent
Tom Berlin shares Floris United Methodist Church’s plan for reaching out during Lent to those feeling distant from the church. Each household will receive a…
