Sustaining While Disrupting: An In-Depth Interview with Doug Powe and Lovett Weems
How can you bring about meaningful change in your church? F. Douglas Powe Jr. and Lovett H. Weems Jr. maintain that genuine change also involves…
Author
Doug Powe
F. Douglas Powe, Jr., is director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership and holds the James C. Logan Chair in Evangelism (an E. Stanley Jones Professorship) at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. He is also co-editor with Jessica Anschutz of Healing Fractured Communities (Palmetto, 2024) and coauthor with Lovett H. Weems Jr. of Sustaining While Disrupting: The Challenge of Congregational Innovation (Fortress, 2022). His previous books include The Adept Church: Navigating Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Abingdon Press, 2020); Not Safe for Church: Ten Commandments for Reaching New Generations; New Wine, New Wineskins: How African American Congregations Can Reach New Generations; Transforming Evangelism: The Wesleyan Way of Sharing Faith; and Transforming Community: The Wesleyan Way to Missional Congregations.
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.
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.
7 Practical Strategies for Nurturing a Culture of Generosity
Ann A. Michel and Lovett H. Weems Jr., authors of Generosity, Stewardship, and Abundance, say creating a culture of generosity requires creativity and consistency. They…
Leadership Lessons from Jackie Robinson
Lovett H. Weems Jr. shares inspiring leadership lessons from the life of Jackie Robinson. Robinson faced challenges and adversity with courage and faith, while striving…
Genuine Change Involves Continuity
Doug Powe and Lovett Weems of the Lewis Center staff say that successful and lasting change is likely to come through evolution rather than revolution.…
Sustaining While Disrupting: The Challenge of Congregational Innovation
Clergy and other church leaders often feel pressed to preserve cherished traditions even as they direct people to discern the new thing God is doing.…
Still Fewer Young United Methodist Elders in 2022
Lovett H. Weems Jr. reports that the declining number of young elders in the United Methodist Church has accelerated while the number of young deacons…
5 Stewardship Priorities for Incoming Pastors
What stewardship tasks require the attention of a pastor beginning ministry in a new congregational setting? Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Ann A. Michel of…
The Resilient Small Church
We often think of large churches as strong and small churches as weak. But Lovett H. Weems Jr. shares a powerful example of how size…
6 Touchstones of Financial Integrity for Churches
Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Ann A. Michel of the Lewis Center explain the importance of systems that guard against financial impropriety. They outline six…
Challenge and Opportunity for Predominantly White Churches
The demographic makeup of localities across the U.S. is rapidly diversifying. Some predominantly white congregations perceive this as a challenge or even a threat. But…
What Might the 2020 Census Mean for Churches?
Lovett H. Weems Jr. highlights key findings in the 2020 U.S. Census Report of significance for churches including an aging overall population, the first-ever decline…
Number of Young United Methodist Elders Hits Historic Low
The Lewis Center for Church Leadership has released its annual report on clergy age trends in the United Methodist Church. This year’s statistics show that…
5 Steps to Resume Ministries beyond Worship in Fruitful Ways
Lovett Weems says that churches should be deliberate and careful in making plans to resume ministries disrupted by the pandemic. The restart of youth ministry,…
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…
Leading Like Nehemiah — An In-Depth Interview with Lovett H. Weems Jr.
How does the story of Nehemiah guide leaders today? Lewis Center Director Doug Powe interviews Dr. Lovett H. Weems Jr. They discuss why Nehemiah is…
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…
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…
Do You Need a Mission Statement for Your Post-Pandemic Transition Plan?
As congregations plan for a future with fewer pandemic-related restrictions, Lovett H. Weems Jr. says they need a standard for assessing various options. Without a…
Leading During Turbulent Times
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe writes that the tragic events of January 6 demand our best leadership. He outlines ways church leaders can respond to…
Young Elder Numbers Return to Near Historic Low in UMC
Lovett H. Weems Jr. reports that the number of young elders in the United Methodist Church has dropped precipitously in the past two years. The…
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…
COVID-19 Reminds Us of Crucial Church Finance Safeguards
Lovett Weems says the pandemic reveals the importance of certain essential financial practices for churches. Maintaining a reserve fund, expanding giving options, and setting realistic…
Leading between Faith and Patriotism
Lovett H. Weems Jr. writes that preaching at the time of a national holiday offers opportunities and dangers. He says it is important to approach…
Effective Pastoral Transitions in the Time of COVID-19
How can a pastor moving from one congregation to the next make a successful transition given the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 crisis? Lovett H.…
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…
3 Key Lessons from Leadership Pioneer Mary Parker Follett
Lovett H. Weems Jr. explains how Mary Parker Follett, a pioneering leadership thinker who valued human interaction and interconnectivity, influenced his thinking on key leadership…
What Does Religious Freedom Mean Today?
Some people misuse the cause of religious freedom by making it a weapon against their opponents, says Lovett H. Weems Jr. However, this cherished freedom…
4 Steps to a More Welcoming Church Building
Lovett Weems reminds us that visitors often form a first impression of a church based on the appearance of the areas they first encounter, such…