7 Ways to Reengage Volunteers
Whether it’s due to post-pandemic fatigue, lingering health concerns, or broader cultural shifts, volunteerism hasn’t bounced back as readily as other aspects of congregational life.…
Browsing: Lay Leadership
Articles
Church Comes Home
The pandemic taught us that church happens in powerful and meaningful ways outside our buildings. Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff interviews Dave Barnhart,…
“Church Comes Home” featuring Dave Barnhart
The pandemic taught us that church happens in powerful and meaningful ways outside our buildings. Dave Barnhart describes how small, home-centered worshiping communities can connect with people who may never cross the threshold of your church.
4 Key Lessons for Vital Small Church Ministry
David Gilmore says the size of a congregation need not be a determining factor in its ability to connect with its neighbors. Small congregations who…
Are Your Worshipers Tourists or Travelers?
How can you inspire your worship attendees to be active participants rather than casual bystanders? David W. Manner explores the metaphor of travelers versus tourists…
Commissioning: A Simple Tool for Activating People’s Gifts
David Ferguson, one of the authors of Hero Maker: 5 Essential Practices for Leaders to Multiply Leaders, describes how the simple act of commissioning church…
Staffing When You Can’t Afford to Staff
Dan Hotchkiss explains how congregations can build their staffs by “hiring” unpaid volunteers. He explains how this approach can make fuller use of a volunteer’s…
There Are No Volunteers Named “Somebody”
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe explains why recruitment efforts based on general appeals invariably fall flat. It’s far more effective to generate interest through firsthand…
Episode 48: “Congregational Renewal Begins with Breakthrough Prayer” by Sue Nilson Kibbey
Looking for ways to re-energize you congregation? In this episode we speak with church renewal expert Sue Nilson Kibbey about the central role of breakthrough prayer in helping a congregation shift the focus of its gaze up and out, rather than down and in.
Get Off to a Great Start with Volunteers in the New Year
Deborah Ike says the fresh start of a new year is a great time to implement strategies to strengthen your volunteer team. Her tips include…
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…
What to Do When Volunteers Quit
Deborah Ike says people step away from volunteer positions for various reasons. But regardless of the cause, they need to know the church continues to…
5 Ways to Help Church Staff Succeed
How can your congregation help those in paid staff roles perform most effectively? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff outlines five ways to clarify…
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.…
5 Ways to Develop New Leaders
Marv Nelson says lending influence to younger leaders is an essential way of affirming and developing them. He outlines five ways you can use your…
Does Your Church Have the Necessary Leaders?
Church Consultant Joel Snider says a critical characteristic of healthy churches is the presence of “necessary leaders” who can make hard decisions in the right…
Lewis Center Launches Major Study of the Nation’s Religious Workforce
News Release LEWIS CENTER LAUNCHES MAJOR STUDY OF THE NATION’S RELIGIOUS WORKFORCE WASHINGTON, DC — The Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary…
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…
People Too Busy to Serve? Teach Them to Steward Their Time
Lewis Center Staffer Ann A. Michel says people who think they are too busy to serve at church should be challenged to reexamine their priorities…
2 Churches — 1 Pastor
It is increasingly common for a congregation to share a pastor with another congregation and for pastors to be serving more than one church. Lew…
Episode 15: “Leading in Small Church or Multi-Church Settings” featuring Lew Parks
Are you a pastor serving more than one church? Or a leader in a congregation that’s part of a multi-church ministry? Listen as Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe speaks with Dr. Lew Parks, a small church vitality expert. They explore perspectives and practices that can help ministry flourish even in a church that doesn’t have its own pastor — or a pastor who doesn’t serve just one church.
When Churches Hire Members
It is increasingly common for churches to hire their own members. Ann Michel of the Lewis Center suggests we need to consider how congregations and…
Episode 5: “Toward More Synergistic Leadership” featuring Ann Michel
What practices lead to synergistic leadership? Listen as Lewis Center Director Douglas Powe interviews Ann Michel about her book “Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers.”
7 Ways to Invest in Your Staff Culture
Phill Martin, a clergy coach and an executive with the National Association of Church Business Administrators, says a typical church invests half its operating budget…
Toward a Compelling Theology of Lay Ministry
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center Staff says that as the number of laypersons engaged in professional ministry grows, there is a need to articulate…
Reluctant Leadership
Congregations often struggle to fill vital ministry roles because new leaders are reluctant to step forward. Lewis Center director Doug Powe names three critical factors…
Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers
The landscape of ministry is rapidly evolving as more and more lay persons take on significant ministry roles. Part of this trend is a growth in…
Ten Hints for Leading Volunteers
Jill Fox lists ten things to keep in mind to develop a ministry team with healthy and happy volunteers, and one that is also attractive…