The Bright Promise of Alternative Faith Communities
A new type of congregation is emerging that combines religious practice with a distinctive element of local culture or community identity, such as artistic expression,…
Author
Ann A. Michel
Ann A. Michel has served on the staff of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership since early 2005. She currently serves as a Senior Consultant and is co-editor of Leading Ideas e-newsletter. She also teaches at Wesley Theological Seminary in the areas of stewardship and leadership. She is the co-author with Lovett H. Weems Jr. of Generosity, Stewardship, and Abundance: A Transformational Guide to Church Finance (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) available at Cokesbury and Amazon. She is also the author of Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers (Abingdon, 2017), available at Cokesbury and Amazon.
Matters of Life and Death
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff reports on William B. Lawrence’s book A Methodist Requiem that examines the legacy and impact of the church…
9 Top Trends Impacting Church Leadership
Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe and Associate Director Ann A. Michel outline some of the major trends evident in their research and interactions with…
6 Ways to Know If Your Church is Overstaffed
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff outlines six questions that can help reveal whether a particular staff role is likely to be fruitful or…
Episode 7: “Thinking Bigger About Stewardship and Crowdfunding” featuring Adam Copeland
How can crowdfunding be used for funding ministry? Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel speaks with Adam Copeland of the Center for Stewardship Leaders at…
When Churches Hire Members
It is increasingly common for churches to hire their own members. Ann Michel of the Lewis Center suggests we need to consider how congregations and…
Episode 5: “Toward More Synergistic Leadership” featuring Ann Michel
What practices lead to synergistic leadership? Listen as Lewis Center Director Douglas Powe interviews Ann Michel about her book Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff…
9 Ways Leaders Can Promote Faithful Stewardship
Leadership is a critical factor in nurturing a culture of generous giving, says Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff. She names the nine key…
Episode 3: “The Kaleidoscope Effect: What Emerging Generations Seek in Leaders” featuring Scott Chrostek
How can church leaders shift and adapt to the rapid cultural changes experienced by younger adults? Listen as Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel speaks…
Episode 1: “The Possibilities of Fresh Expressions” featuring Ken Carter and Audrey Warren
What can church look like in your neighborhood? Listen as Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel speaks with Bishop Ken Carter and Reverend Audrey Warren…
Toward a Year-Round Stewardship Ministry
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says that forming people for faithful stewardship and extravagant generosity requires more than a single annual sermon. She…
Toward a Compelling Theology of Lay Ministry
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center Staff says that as the number of laypersons engaged in professional ministry grows, there is a need to articulate…
5 Reasons Not to Fear a Major Gift Campaign
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says a capital campaign or major gift drive can be a positive experience that energizes a church and…
7 Strategies to Master Meetings
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says church meetings should be holy ground where the Spirit can act because the people of God are…
7 Key Questions for Fundraising with Spiritual Integrity
How can we raise money with spiritual integrity? Anyone who wants their work in cultivating generosity to reflect the gospel needs to wrestle with seven…
10 Ways to Master the Art of Asking
Learning how to be effective in asking others to support your ministry is a key to fruitful leadership, says Ann Michel of the Lewis Center…
Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers
The landscape of ministry is rapidly evolving as more and more lay persons take on significant ministry roles. Part of this trend is a growth in…
Keychain Leadership
One core commitment that can help a congregation engage younger people is a willingness to entrust teens and emerging adults with the “keys” to real…
Avoiding a Summer Drop in Worship Attendance
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center says by sustaining quality worship and programming, churches can prevent an anticipated drop in summer worship attendance from becoming…
Launching Sustainable Ministries
What do you do when someone in your church presents an idea for a new program or ministry? New initiatives can be empowering and energizing.…
Spiritual Growth through Mission Participation
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…
Taking Prayer to the Community
Several recent research efforts addressing the spiritual practices of those not connected to religious communities have found that prayer is a practice that those inside…
Crafting Better Commitment Campaign Messages
Many churches have a one-size-fits-all approach to their annual stewardship appeal. Everyone in the congregation receives the same “Dear Friend” letter inviting them to prayerfully…
9 Ways Generosity Leads to Healthier and More Purposeful Living
Do you sometimes wish for empirical evidence to back up your faith claims? In The Paradox of Generosity (Oxford University Press, 2014), sociologists Christian Smith…
Should a Pastor Know What Church Members Give?
Every time I teach a stewardship workshop or class, this question invariably comes up: “Should a pastor have access to contribution records?” In some congregations,…
Taking Church to the Community
How can everyday places in your neighborhood become sanctuaries where people receive blessing? Increasingly, churches find they can extend their spiritual presence beyond their own…
The New Church Family
Given the title of Linda Ranson Jacobs’s new book, Attract Families to Your Church and Keep Them Coming Back (Abingdon Press, 2014), one might assume…
Educating All God’s Children
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…
Levers of Change for Congregations
Bishop Robert Schnase, author of the popular Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations (Abingdon, 2007), has inspired thousands of congregations to focus on what is most…
REdesigning Churches: Creating Spaces for Connection and Community
Kim Miller’s REdesigning Churches: Creating Spaces for Connection and Community (Abingdon, 2013) provides valuable how-to advice on reviving tired church interiors and offers inspiring examples…