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How can congregations faithfully engage in ministry with Millennials and Gen Z? Dexter Nutall shares how New Bethel Church engages these generations by fostering belonging,…
Where are all the young people? Does the church really want to do ministry with them? In this interview, Doug Powe speaks with Dr. Reggie…
Podcast Episode 152 How can congregations engage in ministry with young adults? Reggie Blount shares ways congregations can strengthen their ministry with young adults through…
How can a passion for helping people flourish lead to social innovation? K Scarry share about social innovation and the ways she is supporting local…
Podcast Episode 145 How can a passion for helping people flourish lead to social innovation? We speak with K Scarry about social innovation and the…
Drawing on research conducted by the Barna Group, Jeremy Steele outlines some of the turnoffs for millennials when they visit new churches. An outdated digital…
The natural world is our first way of knowing God, says Beth Norcross, an expert in spirituality and nature. Finding God in nature can reconnect…
When do things go back to normal? How do we get people (back) to church? How do we do more with less? Rebekah Simon-Peter calls…
When do things go back to normal? How do we get people (back) to church? And how do we do more with less? Rebekah Simon-Peter calls us to the “next normal” as she explores what it means to invite people to church as spiritual community and to do more with less.
Why do we feel comforted, healed, and enlivened in nature? Beth Norcross explains it is because God is so present there. In this episode we discuss how nature is our first way of knowing God and how individuals and churches can connect with this deep wellspring of spiritual meaning.
Is there space for faith in the world of online video gaming? David Petty and Russ Dornisch discuss CROSSFIRE: faith + gaming, the innovative online Christian community they have created for gamers.
Chris Wilterdink writes that a critical strategy for engaging young adults is to create discipleship opportunities and build relationships in the existing online communities where…
Bishop Janice Huie calls for a new approach to engaging younger people in the church. She argues for overinvesting in young people who don’t sit…
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff points to six positive factors that may offer clues to churches seeking a way forward in an environment…
Dave Brubaker says making meaning of life, providing a network of relationships, and transmitting essential values are three essential ways congregations respond to core human…
John Wimberly dispels the myth that millennials aren’t willing to contribute to church. The problem is the church has not adapted to the 21st-century ways…
Jeremy Steele says that reaching millennials requires more than marketing and invitation. You need a plan for how to connect with them once they arrive…
How can you better engage young adults today? In this episode we speak with Emily Peck-McClain, Visiting Professor of Christian Formation and Young Adult Ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary, about ways congregations can connect with young adults more effectively.
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…
A recent study among spiritual seekers aged 25–49 suggests they have a strong desire for genuine community. Knowing everyone will be welcomed, making friends and…
Don’t assume your church doesn’t have anything to offer the millennial generation, says Andrew Ponder Williams. He outlines five ways that mainline churches are distinctively…
Marv Nelson says church leaders are often too quick to dismiss the potential of next generation leaders. To move beyond our own negative stereotypes, we…
Churches too often overlook younger adults when it comes to stewardship and giving. Ian Urriola outlines four ways churches can foster a culture of generosity…
Ebonie Johnson Cooper describes how involving young adults in an innovative process of ministry design can enhance their church participation. She outlines five pilot initiatives…
In a very short period of time the Millennial generation will be the largest segment of clergy, says Wesley Theological Seminary President David McAllister-Wilson. Therefore,…
Joshua L Mitchell, author of the book Black Millennials and the Church, shares what his work reveals about how black churches can engage younger adults…
How can we reach millennials? In this episode, Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe, Jr. speaks with the Rev. Dr. Joshua Mitchell about connecting with this diverse group.
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…
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).
Churches often welcome young adults with such urgency and expectation that younger visitors can feel overwhelmed. Scott Chrostek, pastor of Resurrection Downtown, says it is…
This article is reprinted by permission from Leading Ideas, a free e-newsletter from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary available at churchleadership.com.