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…
Browsing: Participation
Articles
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…
5 Simple Ways to Grow New Leaders
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center suggests ways churches can breathe life into stagnant leadership structures by employing simple organic approaches to leadership development. The…
Participation Is Up but Giving is Down for Many Congregations During the Pandemic
A Lake Institute survey reveals that the impact of the pandemic on U.S. congregations has been mixed. A majority of congregations (52 percent) reported an…
Discipling People in Midlife and Beyond
Older adults are leaving or downsizing church involvement at rates comparable to that of younger adults, says Michelle Van Loon. Churches that typically focus most…
Episode 57: “Is the Church Ignoring the Spiritual Needs of Adults in Midlife?” featuring Michelle Van Loon
Churches often put a lot of emphasis on nurturing families, children, and those at the start of their faith journey. But what about others? In this episode we speak with Michelle Van Loon about how churches can better help people in midlife continue to grow in faith as they navigate their unique life challenges.
6 Leadership Practices that Enhance Involvement and Collaboration
Are you leading in a way that inspires, invites, and engages others? Katie Carson Phillips outlines six basic leadership practices that support greater collaboration and…
