Resurrection Hope and the Response to COVID-19
Resurrection involves transformation, and to proclaim resurrection hope is to affirm the possibility of change. Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff sees resurrection hope…
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Episode 52: “Pastoral Care in the Coronavirus Crisis” featuring Michael Koppel
How can your church help congregants deal with fears, anxiety, and economic stresses in this unprecedented time? In this episode we speak with Wesley Theological Seminary Professor Michael Koppel about congregational care needs and responses in light of the challenges of the coronavirus crisis.
Staying Connected in a Time of Social Distancing
How can congregations sustain a sense of community and care for one another when most gatherings have been suspended? Some simple strategies can be used…
What Does Religious Freedom Mean Today?
Some people misuse the cause of religious freedom by making it a weapon against their opponents, says Lovett H. Weems Jr. However, this cherished freedom…
Nurturing a Dementia-Friendly Church
Bishop Kenneth Carder considers how churches can be in ministry with those with dementia and their families. His practical advice to congregations is informed by…
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…
Preach Like TED
Charley Reeb says preachers should take a lesson from TED Talks — the 18-minute internet videos that have reached over a billion people worldwide. The…
4 Strategies for Reversing the 80/20 Rule
How can a congregation move beyond having a small percentage of congregants doing the lion’s share of the work? Lewis Center Director Doug Powe outlines…
Quit Making Assumptions
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe says incoming leaders are often frustrated when others assume that they already know the ins and outs of the job.…
Lent: A Time to Reflect on New Possibilities and Where God is Leading Us
Stephanie Remington says Lent is a time when Jesus is trying to disrupt us with new possibilities, whether it’s new ways of thinking about human…
Do Your Church Programs Obscure Your True Mission?
Sometimes churches get so preoccupied with their own programs and a get-it-done approach to mission that they lose sight of their ultimate purpose. Lee Roorda…
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…
To the Point: A New Way to View Small Church Vitality
Editor’s note: This information adapted from an article by Dr. Lewis A. Parks which appeared in Leading Ideas on October 14, 2015. This To the Point version…
Episode 28: “Faith and Public Life” featuring Mike McCurry
How can people of faith bring their values to work in government and the public square? Listen as Ann Michel speaks with Mike McCurry, former White House Press Secretary and Director of Wesley Theological Seminary’s Center for Public Theology.
Episode 27: “Breaking Free of Racist Systems and Structures in Your Congregation” featuring Amanda Poppei
How can a congregation focus intentionally on addressing implicit racism within its own institutional and community life? In this episode Amanda Poppei, Senior Leader of the Washington Ethical Society, describes how her community has made anti-racism work an overarching priority — shaping its identity and congregational practices.
3 Actions Churches Should Take in Light of #MeToo
Phill Martin, a clergy coach and an executive with the National Association of Church Business Administrators, says churches should take proactive steps to protect against…
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…
The Problem with Being Spiritual but Not Religious
Tom Bandy explains that the rise in the number of people who claim to be spiritual but not religious is a manifestation of a larger…
Eliminating the Downward Drag of Ministry Clutter
Michael Kurtz explains that churches are quick to add new programs but slow to eliminate older ones, creating ministry clutter and program overload. Regular pruning…
Room at the Inn
Doug Ruffle, who once served as a missionary in Argentina, shares the heartwarming story of a Christmas pageant that went off script, yet captured the…
Episode 22: “Anxious to Talk About It: Helping White Christians Talk Faithfully About Race” featuring Carolyn Helsel
How can white Christians talk faithfully about racism? In this episode Carolyn Helsel discusses her book, Anxious to Talk about It, with Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel.
Young Clergy Effectiveness: Good News-Bad News
Data from the Lewis Pastoral Leadership Inventory™ (LPLI) suggest that younger clergy share many of the same strengths as their older colleagues and that they…
What Happened in One Small Church Mattered
Roger Lovette shares the touching story of returning to the first church he ever served, thirty years later, to find they had finally acted on…
7 Ways Congregations Can Respond to the #MeToo Movement
The #MeToo movement has been a wakeup call regarding the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and misconduct in virtually every sector of society, including the church.…
Begin with Where
Rev. William H. Lamar IV, pastor of the historic Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal church in downtown Washington, DC, considers what it means for an older…
Episode 8: “Rooted in Place — Committed to the City” featuring William Lamar
What does it take for an older church to thrive in a changing urban context? Listen as Lewis Center Associate Director Ann Michel speaks with Rev. William Lamar, pastor of the historic Metropolitan AME church in downtown Washington, DC.
Related Resources
Begin with Where by Bill Lamar
5 Key Practices for Connecting with Your Context by Mark Gornik and Maria Liu Wong
Is Your Building Impeding Your Mission? by Mark R. Teasdale
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…
What is Your Signature Ministry?
In their book Small Church Check Up, Kay Kotan and Phil Schroeder say stable, smaller churches can remain vital by focusing on a “signature ministry,”…
Boring Announcements? Try Fun Video Announcements
Texas pastor Laura Heikes shares how weekly worship announcements in her church went from being a boring ritual to a source of life and joy…
A New Start in Lent
Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe says that congregations, as well as individuals, can make a new start during Lent by giving up some things,…