4 Ways to Help People Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff suggests ways that churches can cultivate an attitude of gratitude — a mindset that makes people more mindful…
Browsing: Faith Formation
Articles
Unforeseen Leaders Emerge from Charleston Tragedy
Who led members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in their astonishing acts of forgiveness? Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says the spiritual, moral, and pastoral leadership…
Friendship as a Means of Discipleship
Befriending others was the early church’s method of evangelism, discipleship, and worship. Greg Moore, who works to create new faith communities, says it is critical…
Affirming the Ministry of Lay Readers
Theodore May says reading scripture in worship is a profound and meaningful way to connect people with the Bible, worship, and the church. Congregations need…
4 Ways to Create Accountability for Discipleship
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe says it’s common for many individuals within a congregation to be responsible for discipleship. But often, no one person is…
8 Things Your Christian Educator Wants You to Know
The work of faith formation leaders in a congregation is expansive and vital, yet often undervalued and misunderstood. Virginia Callegary lifts up the need to…
9 Top Trends Impacting Church Leadership
Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe and Associate Director Ann A. Michel outline some of the major trends evident in their research and interactions with…
3 Ways to Extend the Impact of a Sermon
Mike Schreiner and Ken Willard describe ways to get more traction from each week’s sermon by layering its message into other materials that reinforce the…
Developing an Intentional Discipleship System
The late Junius B. Dotson says that churches cannot do the hard and intentional work of making disciples unless they are clear about what a…
16 Signs Your Church May Need a Renewed Focus on Disciple Making
Mike Schreiner and Ken Willard say too many churches are driven by structure and programs, not the imperative of making disciples. They outline 16 symptoms…
Engaging Millennials in Small Groups Requires Constant Adaptation
In his book The Kaleidoscope Effect, Scott Chrostek says permanent, static programming doesn’t work with emerging generations. He describes how Resurrection Downtown in Kansas City…
Episode 3: “The Kaleidoscope Effect: What Emerging Generations Seek in Leaders” featuring Scott Chrostek
How can church leaders shift and adapt to the rapid cultural changes experienced by younger adults? Listen as Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel speaks with Rev. Scott Chrostek, pastor of Resurrection Downtown in Kansas City, about his book The Kaleidoscope Effect: What Emerging Generations Seek in New Leaders (available at Cokesbury and Amazon).
7 Steps for Making Disciples Through Relational Mentoring
Kenneth H. Carter and Audrey Warren describe a simple, step-by-step process for making disciples and mentoring friends to be closer to Jesus — a process…
Missional Engagement: It’s All About Relationships
Junius B. Dotson says that church outreach has generally taken the form of community service or evangelistic efforts. But real missional engagement entails the building…
50 Ways To Strengthen Adult Education
Vital churches provide ways for people of all ages to grow in faith through learning. These 50 Ways can help your congregation build a strong…
What’s Your Goal for Visitor Follow-Up?
Lovett H. Weems, Jr. says the traditional approach to visitor follow-up aimed at moving people quickly toward membership may not fit well in an era…
The Lent Challenge
Tom Berlin, pastor of Floris United Methodist Church, challenges his congregation to deepen their spiritual journey during Lent by taking up the disciplines of worship,…
Organizing a Missional COMMUNITY
Hal Knight and Doug Powe discuss nine characteristics of transformative Christian communities that allow them to nurture spiritual growth while also remaining open to others…
A Spiritually Inviting Food Pantry
Sue Nilson Kibbey, author of the new book Flood Gates: Holy Momentum for a Fearless Church, describes how a food pantry ministry provided the opportunity…
Do Your Church Events Serve a Healthy Purpose?
Is your church calendar crammed with one event after another? Church consultant Tony Morgan says many congregations just keep scheduling the same events without ever…
6 Ways to Jumpstart Leadership Formation
Pastor Mike Slaughter says one of the key factors determining the effectiveness of a congregation is the presence of principled leaders who demonstrate a vital…
Why Typical Groups Miss Typical Members
Lovett Weems reports on research suggesting that it’s possible for the less engaged to become more engaged in your church, but not by asking them…
7 of John Wesley’s Practices Can Change Hearts Today
Roger Ross, author of the book Meet the Goodpeople, looks to the Wesleyan Revival for examples of effective ways of sharing faith. He says seven…
Spiritual Growth through Mission Participation
Mission and service activities are increasingly the entry points through which people, particularly younger people, first connect with our churches. We hope that mission participation…
Creative Lenten Activity Encourages Reflection
Lent, the forty-day period before Easter, is set aside as a season of soul-searching and repentance. The forty days of Lent reflect Jesus’s withdrawal into…
50 Ways to Increase Active Engagement
Strong and growing congregations typically have a very high percentage of people who are actively involved in learning, serving, and leading. These 50 tips will…
What is Your Faith Development Process?
How does someone in your church go from being new to being an authentic follower of Jesus Christ? Many churches provide really fuzzy answers to…
Music — the Bellwether of Church Health
After air quality, music is the single greatest environmental factor for your community, because it determines how people feel in your church. It has the power…
Welcoming Newcomers to Your Congregation
How can you best welcome the next newcomer who crosses the threshold of your congregation? Consider Jesus’ call to the disciples. When he said, “Follow…
Wide Welcome: How the Unsettling Presence of Newcomers Can Save the Church
Jessicah Duckworth’s book Wide Welcome speaks to the question of how congregations can best welcome newcomers, engage them in Christian practices, and nurture their faith.…
