Who will be God’s Agents of Pastoral Calling?
Many pastors recall that it was another pastor who first invited them to consider their call to ministry. Yet it seems fewer and fewer pastors…
Browsing: Pastoral Ministry
Articles
Effective Pastoral Transition: An In-Depth Interview with Lee Kricher
How can a seamless pastoral transition lead to a more effective leadership transition? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks with Lee Kricher, author…
“Effective Pastoral Transition” featuring Lee Kricher
Podcast Episode 124 How can a seamless pastoral transition lead to a more effective leadership transition? We speak with Lee Kricher, the author of Seamless…
Humility is Critical to Successful Pastoral Transition
Lee Kricher says that one of the key variables in a successful pastoral transition is humility. It is difficult but essential that both outgoing and…
When the Pastor Is Your Plumber
Lovett H. Weems Jr. writes about the long and rich history of bivocational ministry in the Bible, throughout the generations of American history and around…
3 Practices to Help Pastors Increase Productivity
How can pastors maximize their effectiveness when it comes to time management? Eric Daniel shares three practices to help pastors work more productively and address…
Leading Voices: “Leaders Do Not Take Everything Personally”
“Leaders Do Not Take Everything Personally” is presented by Rev. Dr. Camille Cook of Georgetown Presbyterian Church. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the…
5 Ways Pastors Make Ministry Harder than It Needs to Be
How do church leaders make ministry harder than it needs to be? Carey Nieuwhof identifies five ways that many pressures faced in ministry are more…
Leading Voices: “Leadership Includes Self Care”
“Leadership Includes Self Care” is presented by Pastor Eric Hernandez of Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Lewis…
The Church’s #Me Too Reckoning
How can the church confront its complicity in sexual abuse and misconduct? In this interview, Ruth Everhart, a leading voice on issues of sexual abuse…
“The Church’s #MeToo Reckoning” featuring Ruth Everhart
Podcast Episode 117 How can the church confront its complicity in sexual abuse and misconduct? Ruth Everhart says churches must restore justice by creating safe…
10 Things Great Preachers Do Differently
What separates good preachers from great preachers? Charley Reeb, a Georgia pastor known as a gifted preacher, says talent is less important than approaching the…
Bivocational By Choice: An In-Depth Interview with Ben Connelly
Can bivocational ministry be a strategic choice and not just a reluctant concession to financial constraints? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff interviews Ben…
“Bivocational by Choice” featuring Ben Connelly
Podcast Episode 114 Can bivocational ministry be a strategic choice and not just a reluctant concession to financial constraints? Ben Connelly shares how bivocational ministry…
Still Fewer Young United Methodist Elders in 2022
Lovett H. Weems Jr. reports that the declining number of young elders in the United Methodist Church has accelerated while the number of young deacons…
Getting Beyond Ministry Burnout and Tiredness
Tiredness and burnout in church leadership occur primarily because leaders over-function, micromanage, or are placed in roles that do not use their God-given spiritual gifts.…
What to Do When People Leave Your Church
Ron Edmondson writes that people leave churches for all kinds of reasons, but it’s still hard not to take it personally. He shares five tips…
How to Be Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry
Sarah Bereza’s new book, Professional Christian, examines the question of what it means to be fully yourself in the spotlight of public ministry. She sets…
How to Know When You Need to Ask for Help
Is your cup empty? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff writes that many church leaders feel drained by the demands of ministry in these…
Faith Leaders Are First Responders in Preventing Suicide
Anne Mathews-Younes writes that faith leaders and faith communities are in a unique position to prevent suicide. She shares information about how to recognize the…
Four Incarnational Benefits of Bivocational Ministry
Steven Van Ostran challenges the common perception that bivocational ministers are second class or somehow “less than” those serving full time. He names four specific…
The Pandemic’s Real Impact on Clergy and Congregations: An In-Depth Interview with Scott Thumma
How has the pandemic shaped the vitality and resiliency of congregations? Did it really prompt large numbers of pastors to leave ministry? Doug Powe, director…
“The Pandemic’s Real Impact on Clergy and Congregations” featuring Scott Thumma
How has the pandemic shaped the vitality and resiliency of congregations? Did it really prompt large numbers of pastors to leave ministry? Scott Thumma shares insights from ongoing research on the pandemic’s impact congregational life and health.
4 Truths About Ministry Revealed by the Pandemic
Tom Berlin says that two years of global pandemic have revealed some key truths about the nature of ministry. Serving in this difficult time has…
The Building Blocks of Congregational Renewal
What does it take to turn a congregation around? Lewis Center Director Doug Powe interviews Ed Brandt, a long-serving pastor who recently retired as chief…
“The Building Blocks of Congregational Renewal” featuring Ed Brandt
What does it take to turn a congregation around? Ed Brandt, a long-serving pastor who recently retired as chief of chaplains for the U.S. National Guard, believes success in ministry is grounded in the hard but essential work of reaching out to the community, forging new connections, getting to know people, listening, earning trust, taking risks, and learning from mistakes.
Starting a Conversation about Mental Health
The local church is often the first place people go for help in addressing mental health challenges. Matthew Stanford sees this as a divine opportunity…
Cultivating and Nurturing Pastoral Imagination
What is pastoral imagination? And how can it be nurtured by clergy and laity? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff interviews Eileen Campbell-Reed on…
Episode 84: “Cultivating and Nurturing the Pastoral Imagination” featuring Eileen Campbell-Reed
What is pastoral imagination? And how can it be nurtured by clergy and laity? We speak with Eileen Campbell-Reed about how clergy can cultivate and nurture pastoral imagination in order to address conflict, experience joy, and develop a deep, wise knowing.
Cultivating Good Questions
Eileen Campbell-Reed explains why cultivating good questions is a key skill for ministry leaders. She outlines three types of questions essential to building understanding and…
