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Best of “Leading Ideas”: “Letting Go of This Pastor and Preparing for the Next” by Susan Beaumont, April 24, 2019
Church consultant Susan Beaumont shares four leadership practices that can help a congregation prepare when their pastor is getting ready to leave. Approaching the situation…
50 Ways to Strengthen Ministry with Children
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.” Here are 50 Ways your church can demonstrate its love for children and its desire to connect…
50 Ways to Strengthen Ministry with Youth
How can your church help youth claim a vital faith? No question is more critical to the future of the church. Here are 50 Ways…
To the Point: Doing Community Ministry in the Small Church
Editor’s note: This information adapted from an article by Joy F. Skjegstad which appeared previously in Leading Ideas. This To the Point version has been edited for…
Lewis Center Launches Major Study of the Nation’s Religious Workforce
News Release LEWIS CENTER LAUNCHES MAJOR STUDY OF THE NATION’S RELIGIOUS WORKFORCE WASHINGTON, DC — The Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary…
Free Pastoral Transition Resources
The Lewis Center offers a range of resources for pastors and congregations anticipating transitions, including these free downloads. 50 Ways to Improve Pastoral Transitions 50…
Learn to Be a Better Clergy Mentor
Clergy mentors indicate overwhelmingly that they need more training for their task. Mentees value mentoring but also indicate that their mentors need more resourcing for…
Is Your Email Address Changing?
If your email address will be changing in the near future, be sure to let the Lewis Center know if you would like to continue…
50 Ways to Multiply Your Church’s Leadership Capacity
This free 50 Ways resource provides strategies to identify and support new leaders and build and maintain effective ministry teams. Make it easy for new…
To the Point: A Letter to Churches Seeking New Members
My husband and I moved to the city a few years ago and have been “between churches.” We’ve been to visit quite a few of…
50 Ways to Improve Pastoral Transitions
Pastors moving from one church to the next need to focus on how they can effectively conclude their ministry in the church they are leaving,…
Webpages for Superintendents and Board of Ordained Ministry
The Lewis Center brings together some of its most used resources for District Superintendents and Boards of Ordained Ministry on dedicated webpages. Feel free to…
Resource to Help Churches Discover Their Next Faithful Step
Discovering God’s Future for Your Church is a turn-key tool kit to help a congregation discern and implement God’s vision for its future. The resource…
Lewis Center Podcast Series
Leading Ideas Talks brings to the table cutting-edge leaders on subjects relate to church leaders. Outstanding United Methodist leaders are interviewed along with other scholars,…
50 Ways to Welcome a New Pastor
Congregations can help a new pastor get off to a strong start with these 50 Ways to acclimate a new pastor and make that new…
50 Ways to Welcome New People
One key to effective outreach is making sure that worship visitors feel truly welcome. These 50 Ways will help your congregation make a good first…
50 Ways to Engage Local Schools
Many congregations find that reaching out to their local schools is an important way to serve children and their families and strengthen ties with the…
Why Wesley? The Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership from Wesley and the Lewis Center
Two years ago, four clergy colleagues from the Alabama-West Florida Conference UMC decided to pursue their Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership together at Wesley…
50 Ways to Increase Worship Attendance
Vital worship strengthens other areas of ministry by inspiring faith, building community, and connecting people to the congregation’s mission. Because worship is at the center of…
Top Leading Ideas Talks Podcast Episodes of 2018
Leading Ideas Talks podcast debuted in January 2018, providing a new way for Leading Ideas subscribers and other church leaders to learn cutting-edge leadership strategies…
Top Lewis Center Resources of 2018 — Save 20% through January 13, 2019
Lewis Center resources guide you in strengthening your personal leadership and renewing your congregation. Following are our most popular free and purchased resources of the…
Top Leading Ideas Articles of 2018
What Leading Ideas subjects are trending this year? We’ve assembled this list to give you another opportunity to glean insight and inspiration from the authors and articles…
Clergy Age Trends In The United Methodist Church: 1985-2018
Download the complete 2018 Clergy Age Trends Report. Highlights of the 2018 Report Number of Young Elders Holds Steady at Somewhat Lower Level After three…
Episode 13: “Dream Big to Reach New People” featuring Olu Brown
How can dreaming big help your church reach more people? In this episode Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe, Jr., speaks with Rev. Olu Brown…
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…
Episode 11: “Effectively Engaging Millennials” featuring Joshua Mitchell
How can we reach millennials? In this episode, Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe, Jr. speaks with the Rev. Dr. Joshua Mitchell about connecting with…
Episode 10: “Moving beyond Fear” featuring Adam Hamilton
Why does fear so often prevent leaders and congregations from taking action? Listen as Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel speaks with Rev. Adam Hamilton,…
Episode 9: “Leading a Historic Congregation” featuring Amy Butler
How do you balance tradition and innovation? In this episode, Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe, Jr., speaks with Rev. Amy Butler of The Riverside…
Resources You Can Suggest Related to Gun Safety Research
In last week’s issue of Leading Ideas, the Lewis Center newsletter for congregational leaders, Lovett Weems asked “Can Church Leaders Reframe the Gun Debate” in…