Myths about Clergy Burnout and Managing Stress
The plight of stressed-out pastors has attracted a great deal of attention since The New York Times front-page report, “Taking a Break from the Lord’s…
Browsing: Pastoral Ministry
Articles
Retirement Best Practices for Pastor and Congregation
The retirement of a pastor from his or her ministry is a unique and critical transition involving the pastor, his or her family, the staff,…
Leading with Energy, Intelligence, Imagination, and Love
Will you seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love? This question is asked in the service of ordination and installation of…
Affirming and Improving Clergy Effectiveness
Clergy effectiveness is on the mind of virtually every denominational leader today. Indeed, many judicatories have initiatives underway to define, assess, and improve clergy effectiveness.…
New Tool to Help Clergy Get Feedback
The Lewis Center has worked with hundreds of clergy, and we know that clergy want to improve. But often they do not feel they have…
The Importance of Clergy Mentoring
The early years of ministry are often beset with predictable anxieties and questions. Even with the best of seminary training, new pastors quickly discover that…
Clergy Mentor Resources Available
Research and experience both point to the importance of clergy mentoring, particularly in helping those in the early years of ministry. But clergy mentors indicate…
Authenticity in Leadership
When I walk into a church, I can tell almost immediately if the leader is authentic, transparent, and warm. If so, the entire congregation exudes…
Helping Families Cope during Pastoral Transitions
We are often unaware of the grieving that goes on in our families and our congregations around times of transition. Spouses, for example, may feel…
Leading the Small Membership Church
Small membership churches have a history of making do without a lot of leadership from persons outside. Many were started by laypersons gathered in homes,…
Clergy Health — A Mixed Portrait
Studies of clergy beginning in the 1700s consistently found that clergy lived longer than other professionals. But by the middle of the twentieth century something…
Supporting Younger Clergy
I had the privilege of being with the national United Methodist camp and retreat leaders who gathered in California recently. One of the things I…
Passing the Mantle: Crisis or Opportunity?
Four years ago a new bishop came to serve our area. For the first time in my ministry, I was older than my bishop! Around…
Ministry as Leadership
How are the practices of ministry understood and how are they learned? Is there an organizing principle for all the functions of ministry, or do…
Living in Paradox — The Life of American Clergy
Brooks Holifield of Candler School of Theology has offered a monumental service to the church in his comprehensive and richly documented history of clergy in…
Pastoral Transitions — Leaving Well
If you will be moving to a new congregation this summer, keep in mind the importance of ending your ministry well at your current location.…
Squandering Leadership Potential?
The Washington Post recently published a series of in-depth stories on each of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. The feature article on former Baptist…
A Pastor Describes Her First Day in a New Community
Having attended a workshop on transitioning into a new appointment, I kept remembering the stress put on the importance of your “first official day.” “You…
Keeping Your Ministry Fresh and Creative
Self-care is a key to staying fresh and creative in ministry over the long haul according to Jim Somerville. I’ve been an ordained minister for…
Lead Now
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., writes clergy must focus clearly and passionately on those they are serving now, rather than hoping for something better in the…
Assessing the State of Pastoral Ministry
David McAllister-Wilson recommends Jackson Carroll’s book about pastoral excellence that draws from sociological research and interviews with pastors. “Tend your career with care. Take the…
Leaders Stay Connected
Margaret Marcuson discusses the tension between individuality and togetherness for church leaders using the metaphor of a string quartet. Leaders straddle the tension between togetherness…
Women and Leadership: New Ways of Thinking
Ann Michel discusses how decades of ordination of women has led to progress with regard to the understanding of women’s leadership, but challenges remain. This…
Leading in the Wilderness: Thoughts on 21st Century Pastoral Identity
Dwight Zscheile outlines how the paradigm of pastoral leadership has changes over the centuries, suggesting that today’s leaders must reclaim the task of leading through…
From Faithful Ministry to Fruitful Leadership
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., discusses excellence in pastoral leadership in terms of character, competence, and contribution. These are necessary for fruitful leadership. “What is your…
Ten Commandments for Pastors New to a Congregation
Lawrence W. Farris has written Ten Commandments for Pastors New to a Congregation, a guide for clergy in their early months and years in a…
