When a Pastor Serves a Church of a Different Racial or Cultural Background
Unique challenges arise when a church is served by a pastor from a different racial or cultural background or as it struggles to engage a…
Browsing: Change
Articles
What’s at Stake when Schism is an Option?
Originally published Dec. 12, 2017. United Methodists are facing major decisions about our legacy and future in the coming months and years. Myriad actions taken…
3 Suggestions When a Ministry Project is Unsuccessful
Pastor Vincent Howell, an expert on project management in ministry, says even when a project doesn’t fully meet expectations, it’s important to keep a positive…
Does Your Faith Community Live out of Memory or Imagination?
Bill Wilson, director of the Center for Healthy Churches, says that while memories of the past are vital, they must be balanced with a creative…
The Power of Conversation
Church consultant Bill Owen describes how effective leaders understand the importance of conversation in shaping culture. They learn the subtle art of reframing narratives in…
Expecting the Best of People Can Bring Out Their Best
Lovett Weems shares the story of how a church leader brought around a critic of a new homeless ministry by approaching the individual with a…
Lewis Center Announces a New Director
We are pleased to announce that effective July 1, the Rev. Dr. F. Douglas Powe, Jr., will become the Director of the Lewis Center for…
Lead Positively
Lovett H. Weems Jr., explains why leaders need to affirm the positive and assume the best of others — even when things aren’t what they ultimately…
Is Your Vision a Mural or a To-Do List?
Tiffany Deluccia says that for too many churches, their de facto vision is nothing more than a list of the next things to be done.…
Two Views of Vision
What kind of vision helps a church finds its way forward? Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says a vision needn’t be grandiose, nor is the process…
Why Some Ministries Need to Die
Every ministry has a lifespan, according to pastor and author Graham Standish. When a church forces dying ministries to stay alive, it prevents new ministries…
Good Leaders Still Face Problems — Just Different Ones
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., writes that effective leaders are never free from problems. In fact, as they make progress, they are likely to confront more…
Living Through a Church Renovation
Daniel Hilty says that any large-scale facility renovation requires a congregation to tolerate a tremendous amount of change and disruption. It’s critical to share information,…
Four Questions for Congregations
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says vital congregations are clear about their mission, outwardly focused, oriented toward the future, and concerned more with results than processes.…
Six Ways to Make Change Stick
Pastor Charles Stone, who has studied how brain chemistry impacts our ability to process change, recommends six specific strategies to help congregational leaders embrace change.…
Congregations as Political Systems
David Brubaker says that while every congregation is a political system, political activity doesn’t need to be manipulative, polarizing or demeaning. He outlines four requirements…
How Leaders Create Culture Every Day
Leaders are culture creators, writes Ryan Stigile. Their words, actions, and decisions reinforce community values. When the culture of an organization conforms to its values,…
Predictable Surprises in the Church
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., encourages congregations to uncover and prepare for their “predictable surprises.” Leadership is about the future, so leaders must take the future…
Roadblocks to God’s Future
Alan Roxburgh describes established patterns, habits, and values that operate in the background of every church, standing in the way of renewal. We must, he…
Changing Congregational Trends
Every five years Faith Communities Today provides a marvelous service to all churches through their very thorough survey of religious congregations across the United States.…
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.…
Cool Church Isn’t What It Used to Be
In a rapidly changing culture, churches cannot stay relevant by simply adopting the latest trend, says Carey Nieuwhof, especially as indifference to church grows. The…
Becoming a Leader Who Says Yes!
During my tenth year as pastor of a large multi-staff church, the laity offered me a twelve-week study leave for rest, renewal, and learning. I…
Should We Go From Two Worship Services to One?
Just as some churches are adding worship services, others are considering reducing the number of worship times they offer. The most common circumstance is a…
Quiet Leadership by Public Leaders
Dale Bumpers was a very public leader for most of his adult life — as governor of Arkansas for two terms and then United States…
Collective Genius
Much conventional wisdom about leadership has assumed a sole visionary providing primary leadership for a group. The temptation, likewise, is to think that the answer…
Does Everyone in a Church Need to Know Everything?
Every congregation has a set of expectations, mostly unspoken and never completely identified, about making decisions. And sometimes, these expectations are unhelpful. One such unhelpful…
Bringing about Systemic Change through Social Entrepreneurship
I believe that an understanding of the concepts of social entrepreneurship is critical for church leaders who seek to effect real, sustainable change and address…
How to Communicate Change
Three years ago I was hired for my dream job: communications director for a large church. I came with more than 20 years of experience…
Navigating Shifting and Competing Values
When I have done strategic planning with congregations of older members, it is common to hear their values expressed as family, community, and faith. But…
