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…
Author
Lovett H. Weems Jr.
Lovett H. Weems Jr. is senior consultant at the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, distinguished professor of church leadership emeritus at Wesley Theological Seminary, and author of several books on leadership.
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…
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…
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…
5 Ways Forward for Very Small Congregations
The percentage of U.S. churches with attendance of 100 or fewer increased from 45 percent in 2000 to 70 percent in 2020. Lovett H. Weems…
6 Opportunities for Churches with Aging Memberships
Research undertaken by the Lewis Center’s Religious Workforce Project confirms that the over-representation of older people in churches has become more pronounced. Lovett Weems unpacks…
Leading Amidst Christian Nationalism
Lovett H. Weems Jr. outlines seven strategies for responding to Christian nationalism in measured and faithful ways. Church leaders should try to help congregants put…
3 Clues for Reaching New Believers
Lovett H. Weems Jr. shares metrics for gauging your church’s effectiveness in bringing new people to faith. He also outlines three clues that can help…
Should a Church Close?
Sustainability is increasingly difficult for the ever increasing number of churches worshipping small numbers each week. Lovett Weems captures the dilemma for church leaders and…
What Does Declining Attendance Portend for Congregations and Their Leaders?
A sustained decline in worship attendance is afflicting most American congregations. Drawing on findings from the Lewis Center’s Religious Workforce Project, Lovett H. Weems Jr.…
Shirley Chisholm’s Applied Christianity
Lovett H. Weems Jr. reflects on the legacy of Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman to serve in congress. Chisholm was an advocate for…
Risking Experiments for God’s Reign
Where is God’s movement taking place in new ways for new times? Cherished narratives, programs, language, and structures are no longer producing the fruit associated…
Twenty-Five Percent of Churches Disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church
The Lewis Center has issued a final report on disaffiliating churches in the United Methodist Church covering 7,631 churches approved by annual conferences for disaffiliation…
Some Questions for Further Research from the Disaffiliation Process
The recent disaffiliation process in the United Methodist Church leaves in its wake grief, hope, and many unanswered questions regarding the impact of prior unifications,…
10 Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah
Examining the biblical account of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Lovett H. Weems Jr. sees a compelling example of how a leader should function.…
Number of Young Elders in the United Methodist Church Reaches a Record Low Number in 2023
Lovett H. Weems Jr. highlights the decline in numbers of young clergy in the Lewis Center’s annual Clergy Age Trends Report. A dramatic decline in…
Leading Voices: “Leadership is Always about a Group”
“Leadership is Always about a Group” is presented by Rev. Dr. Lovett H. Weems Jr., Senior Consultant, Lewis Center for Church Leadership. In celebration of…
Updated Report on United Methodist Disaffiliating Churches
The Lewis Center has issued an updated report on the characteristics of churches disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church that covers more than 6,100 churches…
When the Pastor Is Your Plumber
Lovett H. Weems Jr. writes about the long and rich history of bivocational ministry in the Bible, throughout the generations of American history and around…
Sustaining While Disrupting
Learn ways to sustain tradition while guiding fresh initiatives and addressing unfamiliar issues. Many churches today find it difficult to adjust to changing circumstances. Traditional…
Pre-Pandemic Worship Attendance: Not a Helpful Measure
Many churches today lament worship attendance numbers that have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Lovett H. Weems Jr. says this is an unhelpful comparison. He…
Report on Disaffiliating United Methodist Churches through 2022: Comparing Similarities and Differences
What are the characteristics of churches disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church? Lovett H. Weems Jr. reports that there are more similarities than differences between…
How Inclusive, Participatory Leadership Revitalized the Girl Scouts of America
Lovett H. Weems Jr. highlights leadership lessons from the life of Frances Hesselbein and her impact on the Girl Scouts. She was a passionate servant…
Lewis Center Report on Disaffiliating Churches through 2022: Similarities and Differences Compared to Other United Methodist Churches
Introduction Approximately 2,000 churches disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church by the end of 2022 following the passing of special disaffiliation legislation in 2019. It…
Strengthening Online Worship Beyond the Pandemic
Lovett H. Weems Jr. says a continued commitment to online worship is not a hindrance that detracts from in-person worship but rather a vital way…
A New Model for Leading Change
What is God calling your church to do in the near future given your church’s mission and context? Doug Powe and Lovett Weems outline key…
7 Key Questions to Focus Your Change Agenda
Successful change requires setting priorities. But how can a leader discern which goals are most important? Doug Powe and Lovett Weems suggest a series of…
Is Your Church Spending Too Much or Too Little on Personnel?
How does your church spending on personnel compare to other churches? Lovett Weems reports averages of the percentage of total expenditures that congregations spend on…
Churches Continue to Increase Lay Staff
How might staffing trends impact the ministry of your congregation? Lovett Weems reports on the increasing amount of personnel spending on lay staff in United…
Improving Worship Attendance in a Post-Pandemic World
Learn best practices your church can use to increase in-person and online worship attendance. For most congregations, attracting new people was a challenge even before…