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Leading Ideas
Delivered every Wednesday, our free e-newsletter Leading Ideas offers articles by thoughtful, cutting-edge leaders on subjects you care about — navigating change, reaching younger people, financing your ministry, communicating effectively — to help you be the leader God is calling you to be.

The Lewis Center is committed to helping congregations and denominations thrive and grow by providing ideas, research, resources, and training for vital and fruitful leadership. Through Leading Ideas, we share vignettes of leaders and congregations, book reviews, leadership quotes, and helpful “right questions” built around the premise that leaders don’t need answers — they need to know the right questions.

Leading Ideas
0 Cultivating Gratitude: A Spiritual Reflection on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is more than a national holiday; it is a spiritual practice celebrating God’s abundance and expressing gratitude for all that God provides. Lewis Center Associate Director Jessica Anschutz reflects on the spiritual significance of Thanksgiving and practical ways to cultivate gratitude in our daily lives.  Thanksgiving is more than just a national holiday marked by turkey dinners and football…

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Leading Ideas
0 Cultivate Generosity through Thankful Living

Sharron Blezard emphasizes fostering a lifestyle of gratitude, or “thanksliving,” in both individual and congregational practices. She encourages creative, intentional ways to inspire deeper discipleship and transformative stewardship by instilling gratitude, generosity and faith by cultivating awareness of God’s abundance, sharing stories of impact, and living boldly. This article was originally published on November 18, 2015. We regularly sing about…

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Leading Ideas
0 Exploring the Future of the Church Together: An In-depth Interview with Dustin Benac

How can the church adapt to future challenges and foster community through innovative leadership? Doug Powe and Dustin Benac discuss the future of the church, emphasizing collaborative leadership, the importance of belonging, and adapting to cultural shifts through innovative community structures.  Watch the interview video, listen to the interview, or continue reading. Doug Powe: Dr. Dustin Benac is the Director and…

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Leading Ideas
0 Make Meaningful Connections during Advent and Christmas

As the holiday season approaches, church leaders face heightened stress while preparing meaningful celebrations and making meaningful connections. Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff encourages church leaders to nurture spiritual connections, foster relationships with neighbors and guests, and actively invite people to engage in worship and ministry. Transform the season into an opportunity for deepened faith and community outreach. …

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Leading Ideas
0 5 Ways to Reach New People by Singing More Christmas Music during Advent

How can congregations reach new people by singing Christmas carols during Advent? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center Staff shares five ways to sing more Christmas carols during Advent to share the light of Christ with your community and build relationships by singing with your neighbors.  During my time in parish ministry, I heard concerns every year about the hymns…

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Leading Ideas
0 8 Steps for Planning a Dementia Caregiver Support Group

Dementia caregiving is an arduous, emotionally taxing journey filled with constant challenges and a profound sense of responsibility. A support group can provide a sanctuary where caregivers can share their experiences and emotions, finding solace and companionship in a community that comprehends their struggles. Mary McDaniel Cail outlines eight essential steps to help your church create an effective group for…

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Leading Ideas
0 7 Suggestions for Reaching More People this Christmas

Is your church ready to roll out the holiday welcome mat? Ann Michel offers seven suggestions for helping people meet Christ anew this Christmas. Equip your congregation so that visitors are warmly welcomed online and in person this holiday season.  This article was originally published on November 29, 2022. This article is also available in Korean. 한국어 버전 Christmas is always…

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Leading Ideas
0 Digital Ministry Trends and Perspectives: An In-depth Interview with Jim Keat

How can your congregation more effectively engage people in the digital sphere? Jim Keat, Digital Minister at The Riverside Church in New York City, shares tips and strategies that can help any church approach digital ministry with more intentionality and focus.  Watch the interview video, listen to the interview, or continue reading. Ann Michel: How have you seen digital ministry change…

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Leading Ideas
0 10 Keys to Intergenerational Leadership

Intergenerational leaders are fostering communities of hope and creativity by prioritizing relationships, embracing diverse gifts, and encouraging discipleship across all ages. Valerie Grissom identifies 10 keys to intergenerational leadership including facilitating faith rhythms, embracing curiosity, valuing diversity, and empowering all generations to lead. Leaders must resist reverting to old norms, focusing instead on life-giving, inclusive practices.  In 2021, I interviewed…

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Leading Ideas
0 10 Ways to Turn Off Your Donors

Stewardship expert Ken Sloane says the relationship between a church, or any charitable organization, and its donors is delicate. He names ten common mistakes churches make that can alienate their donors.  The relationship between a church or any nonprofit and its donors is sacred. When nurtured, this relationship flourishes, leading to a lasting impact on both the donor and the…

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Leading Ideas
0 How Do Your Church’s Post-Pandemic Finances Compare with Other Churches?

Lovett H. Weems, Jr. shares information on how the pandemic affected congregations financially, drawing on data from a recent Hartford Institute report. Overall, the report found that the fiscal health of faith communities was not dramatically altered by the pandemic, with the majority of congregations reporting that they are in excellent or good financial health.  The pandemic skewed all church…

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Leading Ideas
0 Making the Most of Your Greeting Times

Phil Maynard says that the typical greeting time during a worship service encourages people to shake a lot of hands rather than really engaging someone new. He offers simple strategies and conversation starters to encourage deeper connections.  In a typical greeting time during worship, people are encouraged to turn to their neighbors and welcome them to church or even to…

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Leading Ideas
0 Faithfully Engage Public Policy: An In-depth Interview with Miranda Zapor Cruz

How can Christians faithfully engage public policy? Jessica Anschutz interviews Miranda Zapor Cruz, professor of historical theology at Indiana Wesleyan University and author of Faithful Politics, 10 Approaches to Christian Citizenship and Why It Matters, about how Christians can engage public policy in faithful, yet nonpartisan ways.  Watch the interview video, listen to the interview, or continue reading. Jessica Anschutz: Our…

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Leading Ideas
0 9 Questions to Ask if Your Church Giving is in Decline

Stewardship expert Joe Park says churches can promote more generous giving by better communicating the impact of their ministry, encouraging recurring electronic gifts, and challenging people to grow in generosity as part of their discipleship. He shares nine questions to help your church assess whether your giving strategy meets the mark. An increasing number of church leaders report a slow…

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Leading Ideas
0 10 Tips for Hosting A Live Nativity

A live Nativity can be an engaging, heart-warming event not only for church members but for the entire community as well. One Houston-area church has decades of experience bringing the Christmas story to life in this way. Lindsay Peyton shares their organizational and planning tips. This article was originally published on November 16, 2021. The Christmas story literally comes to…

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Leading Ideas
0 Why Congregations Sometimes Change

Systems resist change because their core function is to ensure people repeat established behaviors. However, systems can change when they believe it’s essential for survival or maintaining core values. Dan Hotchkiss writes that church leaders can facilitate this by understanding the system’s resistance, valuing consistent efforts, and introducing change at the right moment. I have come to trust a simple,…

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Leading Ideas
0 Part-time Pastors and Gift-filled Congregations

Lovett H. Weems Jr. describes the growth of part-time pastoral leadership, particularly in older and established traditions where part-time ministry has not been considered the norm. He outlines five ways that churches with part-time pastors can flourish by embracing a shared ministry model that focuses on the congregation’s unique gifts and callings.   The Religious Workforce Project of the Lewis Center is a…

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Leading Ideas
0 Engage Polarization with Kindness: An In-depth Interview with Cathy Bien

How can church leaders address polarization? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff interviews Cathy Bien about the Campaign for Kindness and how church leaders can lead out of their faith to engage polarization in their communities with kindness.   Watch the interview video, listen to the interview, or continue reading. Jessica Anschutz: Cathy, share about your role with the Campaign for…

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Leading Ideas
0 Church Finances Don’t Have to be So Hard

Many churches struggle with finances due to a lack of financial understanding rather than insufficient funds. Effective financial tools and knowledge are crucial. Thomas James shares how to learn about your church’s financial culture using the Lewis Center’s updated Congregational Giving Profile (CGP) that tracks income, expenses, and trends, aiding churches in making informed decisions and improving financial management.  Are…

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Leading Ideas
0 Is It Time to Right-Size Your Staff?

This might be the time to have a conversation about right-sizing your staff, says Jim Kitchens. He outlines different ways to approach the task depending on the urgency of the situation. This article was originally published on September 15, 2020. Many churches have been struggling for years to raise the financial resources needed to maintain the staffing model they’ve “always…

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Leading Ideas
0 Can Your Approach to Church Finances be both Spiritual and Practical?

Some in the church operate on the assumption that a spiritual perspective on money requires the abandonment of practical thinking. But stewardship expert Ann Michel says a sound theology of stewardship reveals that a spiritual perspective regarding money and finances is practical, and a practical perspective can also be spiritual.   When it comes to money matters or budgeting, does your…

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Leading Ideas
0 Prophetic Preaching and Leadership

C. Anthony Hunt says a preacher’s call to speak on issues of social and political concern is rooted in biblical tradition. He shares specific strategies Jesus used to highlight injustice, empower change, and transform people and communities. Should it ever be the preacher’s role to speak to issues of social and political concern, or are preachers only to speak of…

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Leading Ideas
0 Moving from a Mindset of Scarcity to Abundance in Community Partnerships: An In-depth Interview with Mahogany Thomas

How can congregations cultivate fruitful partnerships with nonprofits that promote human flourishing and abundance? Mahogany Thomas, chief program officer of Bread for the City, shares how to build partnerships to meet the needs in your community.   Watch the interview video, listen to the interview, or continue reading. Jessica Anschutz: Mahogany, share a little bit about Bread for the City and…

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Leading Ideas
0 Is There an Ideal Age for Clergy?

Lovett H. Weems Jr. looks at shifting age patterns among United Methodist clergy through the lens of history and newly available clergy age data for 2024. Recognizing that clergy of different ages bring different gifts and perspectives, he maintains that congregations and the denomination benefit from having a pool of clergy broad in its age distribution and representative of the…

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Leading Ideas
0 Does an Aging Population Explain High Clergy Ages?

For most traditions, the disproportionate aging of clergy is a crucial challenge. Lovett H. Weems Jr. highlights some of the findings in the National Congregations Study and names some of the challenges facing denominations today. The Religious Workforce Project of the Lewis Center is a multiyear effort to understand the changing religious landscape in the 21st century. Funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.,…

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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.