Giving Thanks Faithfully
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says Thanksgiving is an opportunity to refocus our expressions of gratitude. True gratitude is always about the giver…
Browsing: Stewardship
Articles
Reimagining Church Buildings
How can your church building be an asset rather than a liability? Dave Harder says we must interrogate the dominant narrative that says church is…
Why Pledging Still Matters
How can churches help a new generation of givers skeptical of institutional allegiances embrace the practice of pledging? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff…
5 Ways to Preach about Money More Effectively
Alex Joyner says tending to our attitudes about money is a way of tending our souls. He shares tips for preaching in ways that can…
7 Ways to Make it Easier to Talk about Money in Church
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff writes that churches can promote financial transparency and enhance generosity by addressing the often-taboo subject of money more…
Flipping the Script of Church Owned Property
How can local churches reimagine property stewardship so that a building can fund a church, rather than a church needing to fund a building? Tom…
4 Steps to Launch a Ministry of Financial Literacy
Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Ann A. Michel of the Lewis Center explain that churches can play a key role in educating, supporting, and equipping…
8 Financial Lessons for the Post-pandemic Church
Lovett Weems and Ann Michel share eight key lessons to help churches deal with the financial aftershocks of the COVID crisis. Now is the time…
A Transformational Approach to Church Finance
How can church leaders approach stewardship and finance in ways that inspire generosity and encourage the sound use of church resources? Lewis Center Director Doug…
6 Simple Steps to Launch a Planned Giving Program
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center says this could be a now-or-never stewardship moment for congregations whose pews are full of older adults. She outlines…
Episode 79: “A Transformative Approach to Church Finances” featuring Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Ann A. Michel
How can church leaders approach stewardship and finance in ways that inspire generosity and encourage the sound use of church resources? Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Ann A. Michel share practical strategies and discuss how our belief structures around generosity, stewardship, and abundance speak to these challenges.
Leveraging Church Property Can Sustain Your Mission
Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Ann A. Michel say exploring additional uses of church buildings and property is an exercise in prudent stewardship. Many churches…
Generosity, Stewardship, and Abundance: A Transformational Guide to Church Finance
God’s purpose in calling us to lives of faithful stewardship and generosity isn’t merely to sustain the church. Rather, the continued existence of the church…
Wesley Theological Seminary Summer 2021 Courses from Lewis Center Staff Members
Join the Lewis Center’s Dr. Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Dr. Ann A. Michel for their online summer courses from Wesley Theological Seminary. Each course is…
Giving for the Right Reasons
The Christian faith invites us to think about giving in new and countercultural ways. Giving faithfully and for the right reasons puts us in alignment…
Top Leading Ideas Talks Podcast Episodes of 2020
Leading Ideas Talks provides cutting-edge leadership strategies from some of today’s most relevant thought leaders. These episodes, hosted by Lewis Center Director Doug Powe and Associate Director…
Leading Ideas: Top Lewis Center Resources of 2020
Lewis Center resources guide you in strengthening your personal leadership and renewing your congregation. Below are our most popular free and purchased resources of the…
10 Ideas for Your 2020 Annual Campaign
Wondering how to approach a stewardship campaign in the era of COVID-19? Ken Sloane offers ideas that affirm the importance of the church’s ongoing mission…
Changing the Tone of Conversations about Money and Church
Money conversations can be difficult in churches. But Lovett Weems suggests two principles that can change the tone of stewardship conversations. Never talk about people’s…
3 Ways to Reset Your Stewardship Ministry in the Midst of COVID-19
Nearly half of congregations say stewardship is the biggest challenge they face as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Stewardship expert Clayton Smith says churches…
Are Your Pandemic Giving Systems as Effective as the Offering Plate?
Due to COVID-19 restrictions most churches have adopted new ways of taking up the collection. Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says it’s important…
Episode 55: “The Coming Revolution in Church Economics” featuring Mark DeYmaz
Can tithes and offerings continue to fund a ministry that propels your church toward a vital future? In this episode, Mark DeYmaz asserts that churches need to create multiple streams of income by leveraging the value of their people, money, and buildings to bless the community and advance the gospel.
Now is the Time to Ask Contributors to Set up Recurring Online Gifts
Recurring online gifts are the ideal way for pledgers or those who give regularly in Sunday worship to stay current with their giving during this…
7 Ways to Keep Revenue and Donations Flowing During the COVID-19 Crisis
Stewardship expert Rob Blezard outlines steps your church can take to address the financial challenges created by the COVID-19 crisis. Key strategies include staying in…
Episode 50: “Finding New Resources to Support Your Church’s Ministry” featuring Sidney Williams
Is a lack of resources limiting the potential of your ministry? In this episode we speak with Sidney Williams of Crossing Capital about how congregations can develop new sources of capital in the marketplace, engage community partners, and develop unrecognized sources of social, intellectual, and human capital within the pews.
Ways Your Building Can Generate Income and Bless Your Community
Mark DeYmaz writes that churches should leverage their buildings and real estate not just to survive, but to thrive. Using your building more creatively can…
F.I.S.H. Differently! Take Stock of all Available Capital Resources
Sidney Williams says that established congregations seeking to develop transformational ministries must learn to fish differently by taking full advantage of all the capital resources…
How Can Your Church Building Reignite Your Mission?
Krin Van Tatenhove and Rob Mueller remind us that a congregation’s physical assets are resources to be stewarded to advance the kingdom. They recommend examining…
Episode 44: “What’s Happening with Money and Congregations?” featuring David King
What are the latest trends in how churches receive, manage, and use funds? And what do they mean for your congregation? In this episode we speak with David King, director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, about new research on the economic practices of churches.
Asking Millennials to Give
John Wimberly dispels the myth that millennials aren’t willing to contribute to church. The problem is the church has not adapted to the 21st-century ways…
