Thanking God It’s Good Friday: Intergenerational Children’s Ministry
Jessica L. Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff reports on an intergenerational ministry that teaches children about the significance of Holy Week and Easter. She…
Browsing: Community Outreach
Articles
How One-to-One Conversations Reintroduced a Church to its Neighbors
Travis Norvell, pastor of Judson Church in Minneapolis, describes the blessing and insight that flowed from his decision to schedule 110 one-on-one conversations with neighbors…
Centering Marginalized Voices to Lead Change
What practices can help church leaders learn from failures and address conflict in ways that lead to fruitful ministry? The Lewis Center’s Jessica Anschutz interviews…
“Centering Marginalized Voices to Lead Change” featuring Tyler Sit
What practices can help church leaders learn from failures and address conflict in ways that lead to fruitful ministry? We speak with Tyler Sit about centering marginalized voices, meeting the needs of the community, managing conflict, and other leadership lessons he has learned as a church planter.
The Building Blocks of Congregational Renewal
What does it take to turn a congregation around? Lewis Center Director Doug Powe interviews Ed Brandt, a long-serving pastor who recently retired as chief…
“The Building Blocks of Congregational Renewal” featuring Ed Brandt
What does it take to turn a congregation around? Ed Brandt, a long-serving pastor who recently retired as chief of chaplains for the U.S. National Guard, believes success in ministry is grounded in the hard but essential work of reaching out to the community, forging new connections, getting to know people, listening, earning trust, taking risks, and learning from mistakes.
4 Shifts for More Authentic Community Engagement
Dan Pezet believes churches can forge meaningful connections with their neighbors through impactful community ministries. But only if the church’s motives are perceived as genuine,…
How to Organize an Intergenerational Morning of Service for MLK Day
Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff reports on how a Connecticut church has made the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday a time for intergenerational…
Doing Evangelism with Integrity
Is your congregation squeamish when it comes to evangelism? Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe Jr. interviews Dr. Priscilla Pope-Levison, author of the new book…
Reimagining Church Buildings
How can your church building be an asset rather than a liability? Dave Harder says we must interrogate the dominant narrative that says church is…
Coffee, Kids, and Chaos
Looking for a simple, creative way to engage young families in the life of your congregation? Jessica Anschutz explains how providing a gathering space for…
Innovating to Reach More People
How can innovation help congregations reach new and younger people? Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe Jr. interviews Mikka McCracken about innovation, building relationships, and…
Episode 88: “Innovating to Reach More People” featuring Mikka McCracken
How can innovation help congregations reach new and younger people? We speak with Mikka McCracken about innovation, building relationships, and creating person-focused ministries so more people know the way of Jesus and discover community, justice, and love.
9 Strategies for Meeting People and Learning Their Needs
Elizabeth Mae Magill sought to create a food ministry that wasn’t a charity but a demonstration of Christ’s radical welcome. She did months of street…
Building Thriving Rural Congregations
How can rural churches break free from the false narratives and unrealistic metrics that obscure their potential vitality? Allen Stanton lays out a new vision…
Episode 87: “Building Thriving Rural Congregations” featuring Allen Stanton
How can rural churches break free from false narratives and unrealistic metrics? Allen Stanton lays out a new vision for healthy rural congregations as valued stakeholders and potent agents of change within their communities.
Daring to Think Forward in a Time of Accelerating Change
How can churches get ahead of the curve by learning to anticipate change rather than always responding to change after the fact? Ann Michel interviews…
Episode 86: “Daring to Think Forward in a Time of Accelerating Change” featuring Dwight Friesen
How can churches get ahead of the curve by learning to anticipate change rather than always responding to change after the fact? Dwight Friesen shares ways to cultivate the imagination and skill set needed to think forward.
Connecting with the People God Has Placed in Your Pathway
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says churches can improve outreach efforts by focusing on people nearby. Those attending activities in your building, family…
Flipping the Script of Church Owned Property
How can local churches reimagine property stewardship so that a building can fund a church, rather than a church needing to fund a building? Tom…
Relationships are the Key Ingredient in Successful Outreach
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe writes that a focus on relationships helps a church connect with its neighbors in genuine and effective ways. Successful outreach…
3 Indicators of a Thriving Rural Congregation
Allen Stanton says rural churches need better indicators of what it means to thrive. He outlines three characteristics of vital rural congregations able to lead…
3 Unique Gifts of the Rural Church
Allen Stanton says rural churches are uniquely positioned to be agents of change within their communities. Most are trusted long-term community stakeholders, and on any…
5 Ways Churches Can Play a Critical Role in Vaccination Efforts
Asa J. Lee of Wesley Theological Seminary shares key learnings from a recent event at the Washington National Cathedral which highlighted the critical role churches…
Episode 54: “The Adept Church” featuring F. Douglas Powe Jr.
Is your church caught between a rock and a hard place? In this episode we speak with F. Douglas Powe Jr. about his new book, The Adept Church, and what churches can do to move toward a more interactive way of connecting with others. Dr. Powe 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.
Episode 50: “Finding New Resources to Support Your Church’s Ministry” featuring Sidney Williams
Is a lack of resources limiting the potential of your ministry? In this episode we speak with Sidney Williams of Crossing Capital about how congregations can develop new sources of capital in the marketplace, engage community partners, and develop unrecognized sources of social, intellectual, and human capital within the pews.
Ways Your Building Can Generate Income and Bless Your Community
Mark DeYmaz writes that churches should leverage their buildings and real estate not just to survive, but to thrive. Using your building more creatively can…
Episode 47: “The New Face of Missional Ministry” featuring Tom Berlin
How can a congregation be more effective in developing a missional presence? In this episode we speak with Tom Berlin, lead pastor at Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon, Virginia, about how being adaptive can help churches live into a more fruitful missional sensibility.
How Can Your Church Building Reignite Your Mission?
Krin Van Tatenhove and Rob Mueller remind us that a congregation’s physical assets are resources to be stewarded to advance the kingdom. They recommend examining…
A Spiritual Approach to Community Assessment
Luke Edwards says we can explore our communities with the same spiritual practices that deepen our understanding of God’s Word. He has adapted the practice…
