4 Ways to Engage Busy People
Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe suggests strategies that can make it possible for those with significant time constraints to serve as church leaders —…
Browsing: Leadership Development
Articles
Simple Strategies for Raising Up New Leaders
The need to develop new leaders is vital to the future of individual congregations and the church as a whole. Church consultant and author Kay…
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…
Keychain Leadership
One core commitment that can help a congregation engage younger people is a willingness to entrust teens and emerging adults with the “keys” to real…
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…
Volunteer-Savvy Leadership
Jake McGlothin, a staff member at Floris United Methodist Church in Virginia, shares perspectives on recruiting volunteers and keeping them happily engaged in ministry leadership.…
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…
How Leaders Create Culture Every Day
Leaders are culture creators, writes Ryan Stigile. Their words, actions, and decisions reinforce community values. When the culture of an organization conforms to its values,…
Three Keys to Identify and Develop High-Impact Leaders
C. Anthony Hunt writes that the development of high-impact leaders is critical to the ongoing effectiveness, vitality, and growth of congregations. Discerning the gifts, passion,…
3 Surefire Ways to Fail in Developing Leaders
Tony Morgan says that church leadership development efforts often fail because they are programmatic rather than personal,they are limited to specific roles, and they move…
Launching Sustainable Ministries
What do you do when someone in your church presents an idea for a new program or ministry? New initiatives can be empowering and energizing.…
Next Generation Leaders
At an event I was approached by a well-dressed older woman who said, “We are willing to do whatever it takes to get the next…
Making Space for Faithful Following
As people live longer and are healthier and active further into older adulthood, a logjam of sorts is created. Older adults who have found great…
Gaining Commitment
How do you reignite a church when it seems that no one wants to lead? In every space and place, God wants transformation to occur.…
Strengthening the Ministry of Lay Staff
Many churches rely on lay staff workers to lead critical ministries of education, formation, outreach, and worship. Yet lay staff rarely have the level of…
Mutual Mentoring
In a traditional mentoring relationship, an older, wiser colleague provides wisdom, counsel, and advice to a younger, less-skilled aspirant. Today, however, the notion of reverse…
Rewarding Leadership
How do congregations celebrate persons who point toward the achievement of the congregation’s mission? And how do these celebrations occur consistently and frequently, rather than…
Congregations Nurturing Future Leaders
In a previous issue of Leading Ideas, Robert K. Martin connects pastoral leadership with gardening. One look at a neighbor’s garden reminds him that the…
Coaching and Christian Leadership
Coaching has become a popular topic in Christian leadership. A number of books and resources, as well as training opportunities, are available to help church…
Leadership Multiplication and the Way of Jesus
Dwight Zscheile believes that developing leaders is a priority in churches today and he writes about several dimensions of the work of leadership development. The…
Coaching New Leaders
Steward Perry describes a simple process of on-the-job coaching to help new deacons get familiar with the ministry of visitation. Getting new people involved in…
Stages in Leadership
Lovett Weems reflects on stages of leadership through the experience of making a difficult journey. A few years ago, I was scheduled to preach on…