Leading Ideas: Top Lewis Center Resources of 2020
Lewis Center resources guide you in strengthening your personal leadership and renewing your congregation. Below are our most popular free and purchased resources of the…
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Top Leading Ideas Articles of 2020
Each December we take a look at the most popular Leading Ideas articles of the year and give our readers a second chance to glean…
New Questions for a New Day
Michelle Snyder says that the pandemic presents an opportunity for churches to reframe their thinking and reboot their vision. Rather than tweaking what has always…
What Does Strong Leadership Look Like?
A strong leader is often defined as one who uses authority to gain influence and advantage. John Matthews, Kristina Gutiérrez, and Ross Peterson point to…
How to Ask People to Give (Even in a Pandemic)
Margaret Marcuson shares ideas for asking people to support the church even in these most uncertain times. She says leaders should set an example through…
12 Practices to Cultivate Humble Leadership
The best leaders understand the importance of humble servanthood. But what practical measures can a leader take to demonstrate genuine humility? David Horner offers 12…
Episode 66: “Leading with the Sermon” featuring Bishop William Willimon
Bishop William Willimon says truth telling is critical to faithful leadership. In this episode he speaks about a pastor’s call to preach unabashedly the truth of Jesus Christ without losing sight of the importance of managing congregational life in this disruptive, revealing time.
Leading Like Moses: 4 Ways to Know What to Delegate
Micah Fries and Jeremy Maxfield say that delegation is a critical skill that improves a leader’s focus, multiplies impact, and develops the capacity of others.…
5 Suggestions for Managing Conflict in Polarized Contexts
Effective leadership is the critical variable that holds an institution together when conflict threatens to tear it apart. David R. Brubaker says a high level…
What Is Your Narrative?
Is your church dwelling in a story of woe and discouragement? Or does it see current circumstances through the lens of change and new opportunity?…
8 Factors that Make You a More Influential Leader
A leader needs influence to move a community in the right direction. Eight key factors can help you gain and keep influence writes F. Douglas…
3 Types of Alignment between Pastor and Congregation Promote Well-being and Effectiveness
Matt Bloom, principal investigator for the Flourishing in Ministry research initiative, says a good fit between pastor and congregation is essential for pastoral effectiveness and…
How to Keep Your Leadership Pipeline Full
How can you make sure your church will have the new leaders it needs? Ken Willard and Kelly Brown consider how succession planning, a process…
Episode 63: “What Promotes Clergy Wellbeing and Why it Matters” featuring Matt Bloom
How can clergy thrive in ministry? In this episode we speak with Dr. Matt Bloom, Research Professor at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and Principal Investigator for the Wellbeing at Work program, about how clergy can thrive and better cope with the many challenges to their wellbeing.
5 Essential Practices of a Hero-Making Leader
Dave Ferguson and Warren Bird say that effective leaders focus less on being the hero themselves and more on making other people heroes in God’s…
Good Administration is Good Leadership
Bishop Will Willimon says competent, efficient, hands-on administration is just as important as the “big picture” leadership skills of inspiring a vision and nurturing theological…
8 Steps for Moving from Protest Moment to Social Action Movement
Anthony Hunt writes that recent social movements raise the question of how protest moments can lead to substantial, sustainable social change. He outlines eight steps…
Episode 60: “How to Be a Hero Maker” featuring Dave Ferguson
How can you activate the gifts of others and multiply the impact of your ministry? In this episode we speak with Dave Ferguson about becoming a “hero maker” by focusing on making those around you great leaders.
The Search for New Leaders Begins with Prayer
Ken Willard and Kelly Brown say that prayer and study are necessary first steps in creating a leadership pathway for your church. They present six…
Good Communication Requires More Than Just Sharing Information
Trying to improve communication by sharing more and more information is likely to backfire, according to Ryan Hartwig and Warren Bird. Effective communication is aimed…
Leading between Faith and Patriotism
Lovett H. Weems Jr. writes that preaching at the time of a national holiday offers opportunities and dangers. He says it is important to approach…
Rethinking Esther’s Leadership
Esther’s story turns in many ways on a very traditional understanding of female roles and influence. But Esther’s capacity for innovative and creative leadership offers…
Committing to a Hybrid Model of Ministry
Tom Berlin says churches will likely need a hybrid ministry model with a mix of in-person and online ministry for some time. He shares thoughts…
Leading in an Age of Political Polarization
David Brubaker says leaders need different skills in this age when deep political divisions affect our families, congregations, and communities. It requires clarity, compassion, courage,…
Why the Church’s Mission Really Matters in this Time of Crisis
Anthony Hunt says crisis reveals the strength of the church’s ministries of connection and message of hope. Even with changing patterns of interaction, we need…
Why Reopening a Church is Different
Alex Shanks says the question of whether to reopen is different for a church than for other institutions. Rather than just reacting to what others…
Finding Our New Normal
This season of change calls for a new leadership stance. Susan Beaumont outlines five practices that can help you lead more effectively as you discover…
Effective Pastoral Transitions in the Time of COVID-19
How can a pastor moving from one congregation to the next make a successful transition given the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 crisis? Lovett H.…
Communicating in a Crisis
Church consultant Mike Bonem says leaders need to step up their communication in this season of anxiety and uncertainty. It is important to be transparent,…
The Right Start: Beginning Ministry in a New Setting — COVID-19 Supplement
The Right Start in the Era of COVID-19 The arrival of a new pastor is a critical juncture in the life of a church. A…
