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Grace Pomroy from Luther Seminary shares research findings on how congregations are developing new and creative funding sources. In this in-depth interview with Ann Michel…
Podcast Episode 133 Is your congregation too dependent on Sunday morning offerings? Grace Pomroy from Luther Seminary shares research findings on congregations that are developing…
William Chaney says revitalization is the wrong goal for churches in decline, since it implies a return to the past. Churches need to instead rewrite…
Teresa Stewart says that small congregations have a powerful worship planning option that expands participation, emphasizes lay leadership, ends the burnout of meetings, invites local…
Congregations that want to move forward and live more missionally need to understand and embody four key characteristics, says F. Douglas Powe, director of the…
Rebekah Simon-Peter says small churches cannot succeed by emulating the megachurch model of programming for every stage of life. She believes that five P’s —…
Are your church members kept busy doing committee work they are neither gifted for nor excited about? Andy Lunt and Ted Brown say congregations can…
What if congregational change didn’t focus on setting goals or planning new programs? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center Staff interviews Dwight Zscheile, coauthor of…
Podcast Episode 130 What if congregational change didn’t focus on setting goals or planning new programs? Dwight Zscheile believes finding a faithful way forward involves…
Robert Schnase’s five key practices — radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity — have helped thousands of…
What is the economic impact of small congregations on their communities? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks with Bob Jaeger and Rachel Hildebrandt…
Podcast Episode 126 What is the economic impact of small congregations on their communities? We speak with Bob Jaeger and Rachel Hildebrandt of Partners for…
Blake Bradford shares how smaller congregations can use their unique giftedness to fulfill their mission. He says smaller churches can enhance their vitality by clarifying…
What happens when a congregation trusts God for big change? Doug Powe of the Lewis Center staff speaks with author and pastor Dawn Darwin Weaks…
Podcast Episode 122 What happens when a congregation trusts God for big change? We speak with author and pastor Dawn Darwin Weaks about the rebirth…
James Kim describes how new expressions of ministry initiated in the years of Covid helped his two-campus church in Lakewood, Washington, thrive and grow. He…
How can churches partner with other organizations to effectively and comprehensively meet the needs of their community? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks…
Podcast Episode 120 How can churches partner with other organizations to effectively and comprehensively meet the needs of their community? We speak with Glorymar Rivera…
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…
Free Webinar — Register Now Learn new ways to address the challenge of congregational innovation. Tuesday, March 7, Noon-1 p.m. Eastern Many churches today find…
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…
What if tithes and offerings no longer support your church’s operations? How can you create multiple streams of income by leveraging the value of your…
What metrics are most helpful in assessing your church’s health and vitality? Susan Nienaber says that, in this new chapter of the church’s history, congregations…
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…
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…
Podcast Episode 112 What is required to bring about meaningful change in your church? F. Douglas Powe Jr. and Lovett H. Weems Jr. maintain that…
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.…
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.…
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…
Michael White and Tom Corcoran say excellence in ministry is essential to capturing the time and attention of your congregation and community. More importantly, it…
This article is reprinted by permission from Leading Ideas, a free e-newsletter from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary available at churchleadership.com.
