The average congregation is getting smaller with a median size of around 60 attenders, reports Scott Thumma, director of the Hartford Institute for Religious Research. At the same time, a small percentage of large congregations accounts for around half of weekly worship attendance and increasingly dominates the religious landscape. Much like the phenomenon of climate| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
What are current church giving and worship attendance trends? Joe Park unpacks key trends in worship attendance and giving from Horizons Stewardship’s Church Giving and Worship Report: Key Findings from 2024. He emphasizes digital engagement, discipleship, and strategic ministry planning, while highlighting the importance of adaptive leadership, consistent generosity messaging, and authentic relationships. Watch the Joe Park shares trends in church giving and worship, stressing digital tool...| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., and Tom Berlin discuss how congregation can reach more members and visitors through Special Focus Sundays that emphasize a particular cause or constituency.| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
F. Douglas Powe Jr. and Ann A. Michel of the Lewis Center staff name some of the changes church leaders should keep top of mind as we embark on 2022. They include still evolving patterns of worship and congregational life, worrying attendance trends, churches reevaluating their building needs, and underlying demographic changes that challenge assumptions| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Is your church ready to roll out the holiday welcome mat? Ann Michel offers seven suggestions for helping people meet Christ anew this Christmas. Equip your congregation so that visitors are warmly welcomed online and in person this holiday season. This article was originally published on November 29, 2022. This article is also available in| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
How can your church reach new people in today’s evolving ministry context? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff interviews Tony Morgan, chief strategist for The Unstuck Group, about trends, perspectives, and strategies drawn from his work with scores of congregations across the country and abroad. Listen to this interview, watch the interview video on YouTube,| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Amy Kubichek of the Lewis Center staff shares Pew Research Center findings on how COVID-19 has impacted religious participation. As of March 2022, 90% of congregations had resumed in-person worship services, but only two-thirds of those who typically worship at least once a month have attended in person. Twenty-one percent are worshiping only online or| 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 ...
These 50 tips will help your church increase worship attendance through improving the attendance of your current members and inviting and welcoming new people,| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
Lovett H. Weems Jr. shares metrics for gauging your church’s effectiveness in bringing new people to faith. He also outlines three clues that can help churches of all sizes reach new believers. The Religious Workforce Project of the Lewis Center is a multiyear effort to understand the changing religious landscape in the 21st century. Funded by the Lilly| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
A sustained decline in worship attendance is afflicting most American congregations. Drawing on findings from the Lewis Center’s Religious Workforce Project, Lovett H. Weems Jr. outlines ways congregations can respond to declining attendance and how the trend impacts the deployment of clergy and other congregational leaders. The Religious Workforce Project of the Lewis Center is| Lewis Center for Church Leadership - Advancing the knowledge and practice of ...
