Tag «Congregational Revitalization»

Funding Forward: Developing New Revenue Sources for Your Congregation — An In-depth Interview with Grace Pomroy

Grace Pomroy from Luther Seminary shares research findings on how congregations are developing new and creative funding sources. In this in-depth interview with Ann Michel of the Lewis Center Staff, she explains how congregations can lessen their dependence on Sunday morning offerings in ways that can bolster the bottom line while also building connections with […]

The post Funding Forward: Developing New Revenue Sources for Your Congregation — An In-depth Interview with Grace Pomroy first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The post Funding Forward: Developing New Revenue Sources for Your Congregation — An In-depth Interview with Grace Pomroy appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

There Is No Such Thing as Church Revitalization

William Chaney says revitalization is the wrong goal for churches in decline, since it implies a return to the past. Churches need to instead rewrite their DNA by rediscovering their mission, reengaging their neighborhood, and refocusing their resources. To celebrate the Lewis Center’s anniversary, we are highlighting Leading Articles — some of our most popular […]

The post There Is No Such Thing as Church Revitalization first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The post There Is No Such Thing as Church Revitalization appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The Stone Soup Recipe for Vital Small Church Worship

Teresa Stewart says that small congregations have a powerful worship planning option that expands participation, emphasizes lay leadership, ends the burnout of meetings, invites local gifts, and heightens anticipation. It’s called Stone Soup worship planning. Maybe you’ve heard it said that for lavish worship, congregations must have a “Worship Design Team” — experts gathered to […]

The post The Stone Soup Recipe for Vital Small Church Worship first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The post The Stone Soup Recipe for Vital Small Church Worship appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

4 Key Characteristics of Missional Congregations

Congregations that want to move forward and live more missionally need to understand and embody four key characteristics, says F. Douglas Powe, director of the Lewis Center and the James C. Logan Chair in Evangelism (an E. Stanley Jones Professorship) at Wesley Theological Seminary. Missional congregations must be connected to their context, bound as a […]

The post 4 Key Characteristics of Missional Congregations first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The post 4 Key Characteristics of Missional Congregations appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The 5 P’s of Sustainability for Small Churches

Rebekah Simon-Peter says small churches cannot succeed by emulating the megachurch model of programming for every stage of life. She believes that five P’s — people, prayer, provision, partnership, and presence — are key to the sustainability of smaller churches. To celebrate the Lewis Center’s anniversary, we are highlighting Leading Articles — some of our […]

The post The 5 P’s of Sustainability for Small Churches first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The post The 5 P’s of Sustainability for Small Churches appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Does Your Church Really Need All Those Committees?

Are your church members kept busy doing committee work they are neither gifted for nor excited about? Andy Lunt and Ted Brown say congregations can free people to serve more fruitfully in ministry by reassessing the role of any committee not essential to their mission or required by their polity. Church committees can be the […]

The post Does Your Church Really Need All Those Committees? first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The post Does Your Church Really Need All Those Committees? appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Leading Faithful Innovation: An In-depth Interview with Dwight Zscheile

What if congregational change didn’t focus on setting goals or planning new programs? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center Staff interviews Dwight Zscheile, coauthor of Leading Faithful Innovation. He shares a simple three-step process for experimenting with new practices that allow you to discover what God is already doing in the lives of your neighbors […]

The post Leading Faithful Innovation: An In-depth Interview with Dwight Zscheile first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The post Leading Faithful Innovation: An In-depth Interview with Dwight Zscheile appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

5 Practices for Fruitful Congregations in a Post-Attractional Era

Robert Schnase’s five key practices — radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity — have helped thousands of congregations be more fruitful in ministry. In 2018, Schnase reframed these key practices to move beyond attractional assumptions and address the more challenging realities churches face today. To celebrate the […]

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The post 5 Practices for Fruitful Congregations in a Post-Attractional Era appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

The Hidden Impact of Rural Churches: An In-Depth Interview with Bob Jaeger and Rachel Hildebrand

What is the economic impact of small congregations on their communities? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks with Bob Jaeger and Rachel Hildebrandt of Partners for Sacred Places about their report on the “Economic Halo Effect of Rural United Methodist Churches in North Carolina.” Listen to this interview, watch the interview video on YouTube, […]

The post The Hidden Impact of Rural Churches: An In-Depth Interview with Bob Jaeger and Rachel Hildebrand 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 […]

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