10 Ways to Make Your Church More Inclusive
How can a church community move beyond conversations and aspirations to practice true inclusion in their daily life and ministry? Brandan Robertson shares ten key…
Browsing: Social Justice
Articles
7 Ways Your Church Can Respond to the Reality of Sexual Assault
Ruth Everhart, a pastor, author, and sexual assault survivor, outlines steps that any church can take to respond to the sexual victimization of women. Scripture,…
The Church’s #Me Too Reckoning
How can the church confront its complicity in sexual abuse and misconduct? In this interview, Ruth Everhart, a leading voice on issues of sexual abuse…
“The Church’s #MeToo Reckoning” featuring Ruth Everhart
Podcast Episode 117 How can the church confront its complicity in sexual abuse and misconduct? Ruth Everhart says churches must restore justice by creating safe…
What Would Martin Luther King Jr. Say to the Church Today?
Anthony Hunt reflects on how Martin Luther King Jr. would address today’s social challenges by reimagining King’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Hunt posits a…
Leadership Lessons from Jackie Robinson
Lovett H. Weems Jr. shares inspiring leadership lessons from the life of Jackie Robinson. Robinson faced challenges and adversity with courage and faith, while striving…
How a Creative, Justice-Oriented Stations of the Cross Called a Community to Action
Jessica L. Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff reports on one congregation’s unique approach to sharing the Stations of the Cross and the Stations of…
How to Organize an Intergenerational Morning of Service for MLK Day
Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff reports on how a Connecticut church has made the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday a time for intergenerational…
Confronting 3 Crises: Pandemic, Racial Reckoning, and Political Violence
David Brubaker says congregational leaders are in the precarious position of responding to three simultaneous crises — the pandemic, racial reckoning, and political violence. This…
A Different Approach
Doug Powe of the Lewis Center suggests congregations take a different approach to Black History Month this year. He outlines ideas to encourage church members…
Episode 62: “Honest Talk about Race and Racism” featuring Michael R. Fisher Jr.
How can your congregation initiate conversations about race? And how can pastors prepare themselves for this important work? In this episode Michael R. Fisher Jr. shares perspectives, questions, and resources that can help church leaders confront the challenging issues of structural racism and white privilege during these turbulent times.
8 Steps for Moving from Protest Moment to Social Action Movement
Anthony Hunt writes that recent social movements raise the question of how protest moments can lead to substantial, sustainable social change. He outlines eight steps…
Leading in an Age of Political Polarization
David Brubaker says leaders need different skills in this age when deep political divisions affect our families, congregations, and communities. It requires clarity, compassion, courage,…
What Does Religious Freedom Mean Today?
Some people misuse the cause of religious freedom by making it a weapon against their opponents, says Lovett H. Weems Jr. However, this cherished freedom…
Episode 42: “Don’t Be Shy when Building Bridges” featuring Ron Slaughter
How can your congregation bridge tradition with new ideas for ministry? In this episode we speak with Ronald Slaughter, pastor of St. James AME church, who shares how he maintains important traditions while still innovating.
Episode 39: “Pastor as Community Activist” featuring Heber Brown, III
How can pastors be on the frontlines of community activism while also being faithful to their call? In this episode we speak with Heber Brown, III, pastor of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church and founder of the Black Church Food Security Network, about his work for racial justice in Baltimore and beyond.
Episode 27: “Breaking Free of Racist Systems and Structures in Your Congregation” featuring Amanda Poppei
How can a congregation focus intentionally on addressing implicit racism within its own institutional and community life? In this episode Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader of the Washington Ethical Society, describes how her community has made anti-racism work an overarching priority — shaping its identity and congregational practices.
Episode 22: “Anxious to Talk About It: Helping White Christians Talk Faithfully About Race” featuring Carolyn Helsel
How can white Christians talk faithfully about racism? In this episode Carolyn Helsel discusses her book, Anxious to Talk about It, with Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel.
5 Things to Consider Before Engaging a Public Issue
When so many causes, crises, and critical needs demand our attention, how can a congregation decide where to engage? Pastor and author Ginger Gaines-Cirelli outlines…
Preaching Truth in the Age of Alternative Facts
New Testament professor Bill Brosend says that preaching in the age of fake news and alternative facts can be like walking a tightrope. But it’s…
Leading Faithfully in the Public Square
Amy Butler, former pastor of the historic Riverside Church in New York City, reflects on how churches can faithfully address the issues of the day…
4 Tips for Preaching on Politically Charged Topics
Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, author of Sacred Resistance, says it’s up to preachers to address the pain, injustice, confusion, and chaos in our days even when it…
Episode 12: “Sacred Resistance” featuring Ginger Gaines-Cirelli
How can churches grow beyond simply engaging in political activism and instead practice “sacred resistance?” In this episode Lewis Center Associate Director Ann A. Michel speaks with Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, pastor of Foundry United Methodist Church in downtown Washington, DC, about sacred resistance as a way of being grounded in the gospel and about who we are as people of faith.
Can Church Leaders Help Reframe the Gun Debate?
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says that church leaders can make a difference on issues of extreme political polarization such as guns, if they put themselves…
Martin Luther King Jr.’s 4 Key Principles of Prophetic Witness
C. Anthony Hunt explains how Martin Luther King, Jr.’s prophetic witness was grounded in four principles — call, conviction, courage, and commitment. Even fifty years…
4 Opportunities for the Church in the Current Political Tension
Pastor Carey Nieuwhof believes the church is uniquely positioned to respond to the political tension and division that characterize our age. He discusses four ways…
10 Ways to Strengthen Relations with Police and Public Safety Officials
Baltimore pastor Dr. C. Anthony Hunt says congregations need to work proactively to strengthen community relations and build trust with police and public officials. He…
Ten Ways to Build the Beloved Community
Baltimore Pastor C. Anthony Hunt lifts up Martin Luther King, Jr.’s powerful vision of the Beloved Community, calling on individuals and churches to continue to…
God and Guns — Do Something!
Rev. Amy Butler writes that the epidemic of gun violence in America is no longer a matter of opinion or politics; it is a matter…
Easter Vigil Brings the Story of Salvation to a City in Need
The Easter Vigil service is all about remembering and reliving our story of salvation. Usually we do this within the confines of a sanctuary. But…