Many churches today lament worship attendance numbers that have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Lovett H. Weems Jr. says this is an unhelpful comparison. He recommends that churches turn their attention away from the past and focus on a bold and future-oriented goal to reach new people in your community. Read more now.

Congregational Revitalization | Metrics | Reach New Disciples | Worship | Worship Attendance

How can churches partner with other organizations to effectively and comprehensively meet the needs of their community? We speak with Glorymar Rivera Báez, executive director of REHACE, about the organization’s work in Puerto Rico providing services to vulnerable populations and rebuilding communities. Listen now, read transcript, and watch on YouTube.

Change | Community Outreach | Congregational Revitalization | Leading Ideas Talks Podcast | Reach New Disciples | Serve Your Neighbor | Taking Church to the Community

In the rush to offer online worship, many churches have focused primarily on technical and programmatic concerns. Heidi Campbell says it’s more important to consider what people need from church now and how digital technology can meet those needs. Read more now. (Disponible en español.)

COVID-19 | Evangelism | Faith Formation | Online Ministry | Reach New Disciples | Spanish Translations | Worship

Laura Everett, executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches, thinks churches are so focused on those already attending that they are insensitive to how church is experienced by others. This question can help:

What does this look like for someone who has never opened a Bible, never opened a hymnal, never walked through a church door?

Want more Right Questions? Read Right Questions for Church Leaders.

A harsh reality is that most clergywomen still face sexism. If you have a female pastor, the all-purpose question to remember is: “Would you honestly ask (say, criticize) this if the pastor were a man? If so, okay. If not, drop it.” Know that a female pastor continues a tradition of women in ministry going back to biblical times. Learn to celebrate her pastoral leadership with To the Point: Suggestions for Churches with a Clergywoman. Read now, download free, and share.

LPLI is a confidential, online, 360º leadership assessment inventory designed to help those working in the church identify individual strengths and weaknesses in order to improve their ministry effectiveness. LPLI users receive a personalized leadership profile report that can be used for self-discovery, discussing their results with others, setting goals for improvement, and tracking progress over time. For institutions with groups of members using the inventory, a customized aggregate report can be prepared for group leaders. Learn more now.

Learn how to take your leadership of digital worship to the next level. In this webinar recording, Tim Snyder explores key guiding questions that should drive digital worship design and shares case studies from the Religious Workforce Project (a research project funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.). Watch now.

“People become who we think they are, so we should be conscious of our assumptions and generous with our goodwill.” — Jamil Zaki

This comprehensive guide to Christian financial responsibility presents the Bible’s redeeming and transforming message of generosity, stewardship, and abundance. The book provides practical advice to pastors and church leaders tasked with funding ministry and inspiring others toward responsible stewardship and greater generosity. It addresses church fundraising, stewardship campaigns, budgets, financing capital needs, endowments, and innovative approaches to economic sustainability. Generosity, Stewardship, and Abundance integrates the theological and practical dimensions of finance to empower congregational leaders to think critically about stewardship from a Christian perspective, helping them use their personal and congregational possessions in the light of faith. Learn more and order now.