How can bivocational ministers and the congregations they serve thrive? In this interview, Kris Bentley redefines bivocational ministry beyond traditional models, emphasizing shared leadership, congregational adaptability, and spiritual sustainability. She encourages both pastors and congregations to embrace bivocational ministry as a thriving, collaborative model of God’s call, rooted in sufficiency, creativity, and community engagement. Jessica Kris Bentley explores how bivocational minis...| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
What is God calling your church to do in the near future given your church’s mission and context? Doug Powe and Lovett Weems outline key considerations for leaders who seek to innovate while also sustaining what is most essential in their ministries. Practicing innovative leadership is a necessity for all who care deeply about the| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
When confronted with a difficult person, do you try to work around them or just complain behind their back? Lewis Center staffer Ann Michel says effective leaders find ways to collaborate with problematic people if their support and help are crucial to their objectives. You know who I’m talking about. The church matriarch who is| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Justin Irving and Mark Strauss write that collaboration is an important factor contributing to effective leadership. Leading with humility, celebrating the contributions of others, and embracing the benefits of teamwork are three key principles vital to more successful organizational leadership. Whether it is engaging a community with shared vision or embracing more team-oriented practices in| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Mike Bonem says that the simple solution to ministry leaders feeling overloaded and overwhelmed is to delegate more. Our most common excuses for failing to delegate don’t really stand up. The key is clarity around what tasks can and cannot be shared. I lost count a long time ago of the number of coaching conversations| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
This free 50 Ways resource provides strategies to identify and support new leaders and build and maintain effective ministry teams. Make it easy for new leaders to get started Consider ways to divide responsibilities among two or more individuals. Job sharing makes it easier for people to say “yes” and gets more people involved. Ask| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Effective leaders are skilled listeners. C. Kavin Rowe offers three practices that center on developing our attention and improving our ability to listen. Leaders need to know how to listen well. It seems so obvious. Why bring it up? Because the truth is that many leaders are more focused on telling people what to do| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
How can church leaders address conflicts? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks with attorney and mediator, Charlie Pillsbury, about mediating conflicts in congregations. Listen to this interview, watch the interview video on YouTube, or continue reading. Jessica Anschutz: Welcome, Charlie. I'm grateful for your willingness to share some of your conflict mediation wisdom| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
David Woolverton says there are two types of church conflict — conflict that destroys teams, ministries, and congregational vibrancy and conflict that cultivates growth by driving toward a transformative end. The key variable is a leader who sees their leadership role as not merely resolving the conflict but rather developing healthier ways for the congregation| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
How can weary church leaders live into God’s design for flourishing? Laura Heikes challenges church leaders to resist the culture of busyness and embrace the life-giving rhythm of Sabbath. While our society may glorify overwork, ministry flourishes when leaders model God’s balance of work and rest. Here are practical ways to start living into this| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Child security is crucial in church ministries to ensure a safe environment for children to grow spiritually. Sam Rainer identifies ten key measures help protect children from potential harm including: avoiding one-on-one adult-child situations, conducting annual background checks, establishing check-in procedures, supervising bathrooms, and providing ongoing volunteer training. Child security is one of the most| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
How can church leaders overcome burnout? In this interview, Callie Swanlund discusses her book, From Weary to Wholehearted, exploring burnout and its unique challenges. She introduces the SPARK practice—Soma, Preparation, Awe, Retreat, and Kinship—as a holistic approach to overcoming ministry burnout. Callie emphasizes the importance of recognizing burnout signs, creating supportive environments for clergy and| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
How can the church adapt to future challenges and foster community through innovative leadership? Doug Powe and Dustin Benac discuss the future of the church, emphasizing collaborative leadership, the importance of belonging, and adapting to cultural shifts through innovative community structures. Watch the interview video, listen to the interview, or continue reading. Doug Powe: Dr. Dustin| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Effective church leadership involves navigating the politics of ministry beyond practical skills. Doug Powe and Jessica Anschutz emphasize that leaders must learn to read between the lines, listen carefully to what is said and unsaid, observe body language and emotions, understand relationships, and identify power players. Mastering these skills helps leaders handle complex church dynamics| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
How can we lead in times of disaster? As we remember 9/11, Terry Bradfield, a retired Army chaplain who was assigned to the Pentagon on that fateful day, joins Lewis Center Director Doug Powe for a conversation about leading faithfully during a disaster. He reminds church leaders to check their doctrine at the door, focus| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
How can church leaders embrace inclusivity and forge intercultural partnerships to chart a new course towards vibrant, equitable communities? Dale Weatherspoon shares four essential steps to foster inclusivity, from articulating the why to executing inclusive planning, and sustaining momentum for lasting change. Follow these steps as you seek to build bridges and elevate every voice| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Are there folks in your church who got out of the habit of attending during the pandemic and haven’t returned yet? Rebekah Simon-Peter says that one sincere, guilt-free invitation might be all that is needed to get them back. The common wisdom is that a church only has three weeks to connect with people who| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Matt and Kim Bloom, principal researchers with the Flourishing in Ministry research initiative, explain why clergy are at risk of burnout. Their research has found that four types of “recovery experiences” are effective in avoiding burnout. Burnout is real and it has real consequences. There’s a great deal of research to suggest that burnout not| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
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. They offer four key questions to help a leader discern which tasks and responsibilities should be delegated to others. There are certain things that only you can do from your| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Leaders need to understand the emotional dimensions of conflict and minimize the inevitable anxiety and systematic stress. In a book published the year before his death in 2020, Peter L. Steinke, a respected leadership consultant, outlined nine beneficial ways to respond constructively to conflict. In times of crisis, a system functions best when its key| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Doug Tzan, a faculty member at Wesley Theological Seminary, explains how critical it is for pastoral leaders to understand their own role in church conflict and be intentional in choosing how to respond. He outlines five strategies to help a leader maintain a helpful presence in the midst of conflict. Early in my tenure in| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Laura Heikes, pastor of a predominantly Anglo congregation in a Texas border town, shares how her congregation became more present to the people and culture of the surrounding community. Several small but strategic “acts of resistance” challenging dominant cultural norms were the first steps in a process of renewal aimed at transforming her church from| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Where is God’s movement taking place in new ways for new times? Cherished narratives, programs, language, and structures are no longer producing the fruit associated with them during past eras. Lovett Weems says innovation is possible if church leaders challenge the assumptions behind what we are doing because they no longer match the current reality.| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Ken Sloane, a stewardship expert at Discipleship Ministries, outlines ten policies for institutional trust and financial integrity that reduce confusion and conflict while at the same time encourage generosity to support your mission and responsible use of congregational resources. Some people equate the word “policy” with “bureaucracy,” and that’s not hard to understand — both| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Dan Reiland says investing in relationships is the make-or-break factor that determines the success of your leadership. He provides ten helpful tips for interacting with others that will help nurture positive relationships that will keep things running smoothly. The quality and enduring nature of your relationships will make or break your leadership. That axiom is| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
A balanced delegation of tasks may necessitate doing fewer activities and doing better discipleship training. Drawing on his own experience, Karl Vaters offers five delegation lessons for church leaders including: leave guilt at the door, adapt to suit your size, stop activities that are without leadership, do nothing without two leaders, and assess and hone| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
