Author archives

ChurchInfluence.com is a FREE web tool that networks pastors with leading ministry experts to helping churches grow. The website’s algorithm analyzes church influence and reach within the community based on: (1) your survey results, (2) your local demographics and (3) leading ministry expertise combined with national church trends.

Online Worship Services Appeal to Many, but In-Person Remains More Popular

A recent survey by Pew Research Center found that about a quarter of U.S. adults regularly watch religious services online or on TV, and most of them are highly satisfied with the experience. At the same time, Americans tend to give even higher marks to worshipping together in person. And those who do both — […]

The post Online Worship Services Appeal to Many, but In-Person Remains More Popular appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Small Church Big Impact

Blake Bradford shares how smaller congregations can use their unique giftedness to fulfill their mission. He says smaller churches can enhance their vitality by clarifying their purpose, engaging their community, leveraging relational intimacy to reach people and build disciples, and rightsizing their leadership and governance structures. To celebrate the Lewis Center’s anniversary, we are highlighting […]

The post Small Church Big Impact appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

4 Reasons Why It Matters that Church Leaders are Praying Leaders

I am convinced that prayer is the most difficult spiritual discipline to develop—even for church leaders. Prayer assumes that we live in dependence on God, and I fear many of us are less dependent than we might admit. Prayer is our recourse for a problem more than an expression of a relationship with God. It…

The post 4 Reasons Why It Matters that Church Leaders are Praying Leaders appeared first on Church Answers.

Comparing Your Church’s Current Data to 2019

There is always a danger in basing an article on numbers. They can seem to be ultimate or penultimate goals when they should be neither. Numbers, however, like a thermometer, can be a rough gauge of our current health. In that regard, looking at churches’ data can be a good exercise. Though the data is…

The post Comparing Your Church’s Current Data to 2019 appeared first on Church Answers.

PODCAST | Integrating Christian Faith In The Business World (feat. Steve French)

There are No Solo Heroes in the Kingdom of God

When Lily came on one of our wilderness trips, she had been feeling isolated in her life of faith for a long time. She had been raised in a Christian community that cared more about performance as a Christian than her relationship with God. Scripture was quoted at her instead of read with her, and…

The post There are No Solo Heroes in the Kingdom of God appeared first on Church Answers.

What a Bad Hire Really Costs Your Ministry

Nobody wants the hiring process to take as long as it does. If you could snap your fingers and start your ideal candidate today, wouldn’t you? The problem is, the perfect candidate is not a snap of the fingers away. Finding that perfect fit takes some time, but if the process is rushed, and the wrong person is placed into the role, your expenses will add up quickly.

How to Check Back into Your Church Job If You Have Been Checked Out for a While

Tens of millions quit their jobs during the Great Resignation. Beginning in March 2021, most areas of the economy experienced a mass of people leaving their current places of employment and seeking other jobs and careers. Over two years, a large portion of workers considered career changes and geographic relocations. The hospitality, education, and healthcare…

The post How to Check Back into Your Church Job If You Have Been Checked Out for a While appeared first on Church Answers.

Keep Your Bucket Full of Energy and Compassion

Alan Baker highlights the importance of self-care for pastoral care providers to keep their personal buckets filled so that they are not emptied by burnout and compassion fatigue. He offers ways for church leaders and chaplains to enhance their practice of self-care and build resilience. Your personal health is an important aspect of self-care. Christian […]

The post Keep Your Bucket Full of Energy and Compassion appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

13 Do’s & Don’ts for Incoming Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural Pastors

How can an incoming pastoral leader lay the groundwork for successful ministry in a congregation where most members are from a different racial or cultural background? The United Methodist General Commission on Religion and Race shares “Do’s and Don’ts” to help new clergy leaders in cross-cultural ministry partnerships begin on the right foot. 1. Honor […]

The post 13 Do’s & Don’ts for Incoming Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural Pastors appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.