About Us: Staff

Lovett H. Weems, Jr.

Distinguished Professor of Church Leadership
Director, G. Douglass Lewis Center for Church Leadership

lovettw@wesleyseminary.edu

Download Speaking Bio in Word
Download color picture
Download black and white picture

Books

• The Crisis of Younger Clergy, with Ann A. Michel, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008
• Take the Next Step: Leading Lasting Change in the Church. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003
• Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1999. Download Leader's Resource (Also published in Korean)
• Church Leadership Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993.
• John Wesley's Message Today Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991. (Also published in Indonesian and Russian)

Education

• B.A., Millsaps College
• M.Th., Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
• D. Min., Wesley Theological Seminary
• D.D. (honorary), Baker University
• D.D. (honorary), Central Methodist University

Academic Positions

• Director, G. Douglass Lewis Center for Church Leadership and Distinguished Professor of Church Leadership, Wesley Theological Seminary, 2003-present
• President and Professor of Church Leadership, Saint Paul School of Theology, 1985-2003
• Vice President and Instructor in the Mission of the Church, Wesley Theological Seminary, 1982-1985

Local Church Leadership

• Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Philadelphia, Mississippi, 1976-1982
• Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Raleigh, Mississippi, 1972-1976
• Pastor, Johnston Chapel United Methodist Church, Summit, Mississippi, 1969-1971
• Student Pastor in Mississippi and Oklahoma, 1964-1969

Church Leadership

• Council of Bishops Task Force on Theological Education, 2000-2004
• Trustee, United Methodist Higher Education Foundation, 1998-2005
• University Senate, United Methodist Church, 1993-2000
• Commission on Theological Education of the University Senate, United Methodist Church, 2000-2003
• United Methodist General Conference Delegate - 1980, 1996, 2000 (alternate)
• United Methodist Jurisdictional Conference Delegate - 1976 (alternate), 1980 [Southeastern Jurisdiction]; 1992, 1996, 2000 [South Central Jurisdiction]
• Director, General Board of Global Ministries, 1976-1984

Professional Leadership

• Editorial Board, Journal of Religious Leadership
• Advisory Committee on Leadership Education, ATS, 2000-2002
• President, Association of United Methodist Theological Schools in the U.S., 1999-2000
• Kellogg National Seminar on Religious Leadership, 1998-2001
• Member, Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
• Member, Religious Research Association
• National Advisory Board for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) weekly series Religion and Ethics Newsweekly
• Fellow, George H. Gallup International Institute