“Exploring Spiritual Direction“ featuring Eunhyey Lok
Podcast Episode 161 How can spiritual direction impact leaders and congregations? In this episode Eunhyey Lok reflects on the role of spiritual direction, its benefits…
Browsing: Congregational Care
Articles
8 Steps for Planning a Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Dementia caregiving is an arduous, emotionally taxing journey filled with constant challenges and a profound sense of responsibility. A support group can provide a sanctuary…
Remembering 9/11, Leadership During a Disaster: An In-depth Interview with Terry Bradfield
How can we lead in times of disaster? As we remember 9/11, Terry Bradfield, a retired Army chaplain who was assigned to the Pentagon on…
“Remembering 9/11: Leadership During a Disaster” featuring Terry Bradfield
Podcast Episode 154 How can we lead in times of disaster? As we remember 9/11, Terry Bradfield, a retired Army chaplain who was assigned to…
“Remembering 9/11: Leadership During a Disaster” featuring Terry Bradfield
Podcast Episode 154 How can we lead in times of disaster? As we remember 9/11, Terry Bradfield, a retired Army chaplain who was assigned to…
5 Characteristics of Effective Preaching in the Wake of Mass Trauma
How would you preach next Sunday if a mass shooting, a natural disaster, or a public health crisis shook your community? Sadly, such events are…
Preaching in the Wake of Mass Trauma: An In-Depth Interview with Kimberly Wagner
How would you preach next Sunday if tomorrow your community fell victim to a mass shooting or was devastated by a natural disaster? Ann Michel…
“Preaching in the Wake of Mass Trauma” featuring Kimberly Wagner
Podcast Episode 138 How would you preach next Sunday if tomorrow your community fell victim to a mass shooting or was devastated by a natural…
Building Inclusive Communities: An In-Depth Interview with Brandan Robertson
How can church leaders build an inclusive community of faith? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff interviews Brandan Robertson, the “TikTok Pastor,” about social…
“Building Inclusive Communities” featuring Brandan Robertson
Podcast Episode 132 How can church leaders build an inclusive community of faith? In this episode Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks with…
8 Key Questions to Shift Pastoral Counseling Encounters from Reflection Toward Action
Alan T. Baker identifies eight questions that help shift pastoral counseling encounters from reflection toward action. While written for use by chaplains, these questions can…
Keep Your Bucket Full of Energy and Compassion
Alan Baker highlights the importance of self-care for pastoral care providers to keep their personal buckets filled so that they are not emptied by burnout…
7 Ways Your Church Can Respond to the Reality of Sexual Assault
Ruth Everhart, a pastor, author, and sexual assault survivor, outlines steps that any church can take to respond to the sexual victimization of women. Scripture,…
The Church’s #Me Too Reckoning
How can the church confront its complicity in sexual abuse and misconduct? In this interview, Ruth Everhart, a leading voice on issues of sexual abuse…
“The Church’s #MeToo Reckoning” featuring Ruth Everhart
Podcast Episode 117 How can the church confront its complicity in sexual abuse and misconduct? Ruth Everhart says churches must restore justice by creating safe…
“Gen Z and Mental Health: Insights for Faith Leaders” featuring Josh Packard
Podcast Episode 115 How can church leaders better reach Gen Z? In this episode, Josh Packard shares findings from the Springtide Research Institute on what…
Gen Z and Mental Health: An In-depth Interview with Josh Packard
How can church leaders better reach Gen Z? Doug Powe, Director of the Lewis Center, speaks with Josh Packard about Springtide Research Institute’s research including…
When Christmas Falls on a Sunday
Why worship on Christmas Day? Jessica Anschutz and Doug Powe share important reasons for worshipping on Christmas Day and offer ideas for innovative, hybrid (or…
4 Promises for Church Leaders Healing Trauma in Congregations
How can church leaders help their congregations heal from collective trauma? Ron Bell outlines four promises for church leaders to help congregations and people heal…
5 Tips for Building True Spiritual Community
When you move from being “in church” to being “in community,” your vision of others changes. Rebekah Simon-Peter offers five tips for daring to go…
Ministering to Congregants Who Haven’t Returned Post-COVID-19
One in every three churchgoers has not returned to in-person worship services since the pandemic. Tricia K. Brown offers ideas for ministering to members of…
Finding Sanctuary: Ministries with Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers | An In-Depth Interview with Elizabeth Shulman
How can congregations support persons with dementia and their caregivers? Jessica Anschutz interviews Elizabeth Shulman, who offers an organic, three-part program to aid congregations in…
“Finding Sanctuary: Ministries With Persons With Dementia and Their Caregivers” featuring Elizabeth Shulman
How can congregations support people with dementia and their caregivers? Elizabeth Shulman offers an organic three-part program to help congregations create ministries to meet the needs of people with dementia and their caregivers.
6 Essential Elements of Fruitful Small Groups
What are the essential elements of a fruitful small group? Scott Hughes names and explains six elements that characterize effective small groups — prayer and…
What to Do When People Leave Your Church
Ron Edmondson writes that people leave churches for all kinds of reasons, but it’s still hard not to take it personally. He shares five tips…
Faith Leaders Are First Responders in Preventing Suicide
Anne Mathews-Younes writes that faith leaders and faith communities are in a unique position to prevent suicide. She shares information about how to recognize the…
As Memory Fades, Ministry Grows: Ministry Alongside Persons with Dementia
Jessica L. Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff shares ideas for pastoral care and spiritual support for persons with dementia and their caregivers. As the…
4 Approaches to Keeping Small Church Worship and Education Vibrant During the Pandemic
Rebekah Simon-Peter outlines four models small churches have used to survive the pandemic — the church at home model, the shut-in model, the never shut…
Starting a Conversation about Mental Health
The local church is often the first place people go for help in addressing mental health challenges. Matthew Stanford sees this as a divine opportunity…
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…