Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff reports on how a Connecticut church has made the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday a time for intergenerational learning and service. She shares tips on how churches large or small might launch a similar effort to educate and inspire young people and connect with the broader community. In| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
New Testament professor Bill Brosend says that preaching in the age of fake news and alternative facts can be like walking a tightrope. But it’s when the stakes are highest that it’s most important to be disciplined, humble, and aware that actions speak more eloquently than words. How are we to proclaim good news in| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Pastor Carey Nieuwhof believes the church is uniquely positioned to respond to the political tension and division that characterize our age. He discusses four ways Christians can bring hope to the increasingly fragile culture around us. You don’t need to be anything more than a casual observer of American (and Western) culture to know that| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
What should congregations consider when launching a social venture? In this in-depth interview, Jaleesa Hall shares how Raising A Village grew from a college initiative into a thriving nonprofit serving underserved children and families in Washington, D.C. She offers church leaders practical guidance on launching social ventures, emphasizing discernment, sustainable capacity-building, and the power of| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Anthony Hunt reflects on how Martin Luther King Jr. would address today’s social challenges by reimagining King’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Hunt posits a contemporary version of King’s letter that emphasizes the right and responsibility of voting and the need to continue to dream and hope for a better tomorrow. This year marks the| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
C. Anthony Hunt explains how Martin Luther King Jr.’s prophetic witness was grounded in four principles—call, conviction, courage, and commitment. Even 50 years after King’s assassination, these principles are still relevant to leaders engaging in prophetic witness and public ministry. Este artículo está disponible en español. — This article is available in Spanish. This article| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
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, and connection. Leading in a polarized environment requires a very different set of skills. While thoughtful leaders normally want to plan a process, form a team, and work for consensus,| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, author of Sacred Resistance, says it’s up to preachers to address the pain, injustice, confusion, and chaos in our days even when it is risky, and she offers guidance on approaching controversial issues in meaningful and responsible ways. “I went to worship this morning and not one word was spoken about [fill in| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
C. Anthony Hunt identifies 10 features of the Beloved Community in the work of Martin Luther King Jr. He describes how King’s concept of Beloved Community, rooted in the biblical notion of God’s unconditional love, connects faith to action. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s singular vision was for the realization of the Beloved Community.| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Christian faithfulness can inspire various political approaches, but they must reflect our primary identity as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Miranda Zapor Cruz finds Kingdom citizens are most faithful when they are salty, prophetic, separationist, and pluralist. She maintains that faithful Christians engage the political realm with a distinctively Christian perspective that prioritizes God's| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
As we navigate our opinions on public policy and electoral choices, it's tempting to delegate our critical thinking to others. Miranda Zapor Cruz writes that Kingdom citizens must resist this ease and strive to stay engaged, informed, and even conflicted. By doing so, we uphold our responsibilities as faithful citizens, ensuring our actions reflect thoughtful| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Baltimore Pastor C. Anthony Hunt lifts up Martin Luther King, Jr.’s powerful vision of the Beloved Community, calling on individuals and churches to continue to promote peace with justice. He provides ten suggestions for heightening our commitment to community building and social engagement. A universal human striving is for authentic community. Dr. Martin Luther King,| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
How would you preach next Sunday if a mass shooting, a natural disaster, or a public health crisis shook your community? Sadly, such events are so common that every preacher needs to be prepared. Preaching professor Kimberly Wagner outlines five characteristics of preaching in the wake of mass trauma that create a safe space for| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Lovett H. Weems Jr. reflects on the legacy of Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman to serve in congress. Chisholm was an advocate for justice and equality who called the church to focus on the needs of others. When Shirley Chisholm was raising money for children and youth projects at Janes United Methodist Church| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
