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Growing congregations today are exploring new horizons in mission and service, to better connect with neighbors and to grow in faith and discipleship. The Lewis Center’s Serve Your Neighbor resources help you reach and serve others in the name of Christ.
Jamie D. Aten and David M. Boan, who head the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, say that you may never have thought about your…
Pastor Daniel Kerlin’s Pennsylvania church hosts a free summer lunch program. When kids who were on their own or couldn’t tell time were having difficulty…
Mission and service activities are increasingly the entry points through which people, particularly younger people, first connect with our churches. We hope that mission participation…
The gifts of the Magi make perfect sense theologically, but the presents certainly weren’t practical. The arrival of a child requires diapers and bottles, cribs…
The Lewis Center is committed to helping congregations reach more people, younger people, and more diverse people. There was a day when congregations could simply…
Detroit is almost surgically separated into east and west by Woodward Avenue. Woodward stretches northwest from the Detroit River downtown all the way up through…
This five-minute video by the Lewis Center’s Lovett H. Weems, Jr., provides an overview of how new people are coming into church communities in different…
A few years ago, I ran into Tony Campolo, prominent leader in missional evangelism. He had been at the Clinton Global Initiatives meeting. We sat…
For the past 20 years, First United Methodist Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been in a partnership with the Eugene Field Elementary School. About ten…
There is no single “right” way to do a mission trip. What works depends very much on the goals of the congregations and participants, the…
One of the greatest challenges to the church in the twenty-first century is its lack of connection to its community. Far too many churches today…
I used to think short term mission trips were a complete waste of resources and a distraction from our church’s core mission. They basically amounted…
Effective church-school partnerships take a true commitment and willingness to build long-term, sacrificial relationships. Learning from the many congregations that have begun partnerships with low-income…
Any church leader looking to be convinced that the state of public education in America is a Christian concern need look no further than Nicole…
For most of us, The Salvation Army has been an icon of service throughout our lives. The inner workings of the Army are unknown to…
Perhaps there was a time when inspiring worship and great music brought people to church. Today, however, in an increasing number of places, the quality…
Three years ago, our church set an ambitious goal — to become a “tithing congregation” that gives ten percent of our church’s budget to outreach,…
In order for churches to stay relevant to a changing world, we need to be very tuned in to what is happening “out there.” Sending…
Sometimes I interact with small congregations that assume that any significant community ministry effort is beyond their reach. They often keenly feel their limitations as…
Five years ago, Vale United Methodist Church in Oakton, Virginia, began a Christmas tree sale to support the mission work that was so central to…
I am averse to numbers. I switched from being an elementary education major during my junior year in college when I discovered that I had…
How do I get my church started on the missional path? The simplest way is often the best. What would happen if every ministry of…
Many churches confront a question of missional focus, especially as the holiday season approaches. One group proposes an angel tree project. Another wants to do…
They can be skittish, untrusting, and resistant to offers of help, as well as sometimes stubborn and skeptical. They are the veterans of American wars…
Many churches today are pioneering a shift in which they are truly engaging their communities in mission. These churches are not only deploying their own…
The “missional DNA” of Floris United Methodist Church has been one of the keys to our growth and vitality. Fruitfulness in mission has had a…
Last year I came to great clarity that God was calling our church to provide food for the hungry. I realize now that my efforts…
Many churches today desperately need to fall in love with their communities again. Increasingly, congregational life and community life spin in different orbits with little…
My congregation has been in an ongoing mission partnership with the Child Rescue Center and Mercy Hospital in Sierra Leone, Africa, since 2000. However, there…
When Jesus walked on earth, he taught about the kingdom while he healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, and fed the hungry. Today,…
This article is reprinted by permission from Leading Ideas, a free e-newsletter from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary available at churchleadership.com.
