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The Lewis Center is building a new vision for church leadership grounded in faith, informed by knowledge, and exercised in effective practice.

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    Young Clergywoman Launches Satellite Service
    from Two-Point Charge

    The Rev. Amy Yarnall, pastor of the Chesapeake City Charge in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference of the United Methodist Church, led her two congregations through a discernment process that resulted in the birth of a new worshiping community on Easter Sunday, 2006. The new contemporary service, Jacob’s Well, which had been averaged about 100 people in worship since the launch, has enjoyed a surge in attendance this fall following a direct mail campaign.  In September, their attendance has been 130 to 150 weekly.  

    For the past two years, Yarnall (age 34) has participated in a leadership development program for twenty-two outstanding young clergy sponsored by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary. This group, known as Lewis Fellows, is aimed at achieving and sustaining excellence in pastoral leadership. Through intensive and ongoing peer interaction, the program sharpens leadership skills and generates new visions for ministry in ways that benefit not only the participants, but their congregations, communities, and denominations. The young clergy group is one of several Lewis Center programs addressing the needs of clergy at critical junctures in ministry. A grant from the Lilly Endowment's Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Initiative supports these programs.

    The launch of Jacob’s Well was facilitated through a project component of the Lewis Fellows program. During the two-year program, each Fellow was responsible for designing and implementing a new ministry project with input and guidance from their peer group.  When Yarnall entered the program, she had already been talking and praying about a new service, but she says the Lewis Fellows experience has "informed, blessed and enriched the process."

    Recounting the experience bringing Jacob’s Well into being, Yarnall says, “The idea was first conceived in casual conversation around the idea of starting a contemporary worship service. But making that dream a reality took a year of prayerful discernment, deliberate decision making, and careful planning.” Team work was key as plans for music, technology, and Christian education for the new venue took shape.

    A striking aspect of this new worship initiative is that it is the cooperative venture of two congregations – Town Point UMC and Trinity UMC. Holding the new services at a local high school instead of one of the two churches’ sanctuaries was a key decision, according to Yarnall, because it allows both congregations to feel a part of Jacob’s Well. To accommodate the new service at ten o’clock on Sunday mornings, both congregations had to adjust the time of their existing Sunday morning services.

    Yarnall remarks, “It has been quite a journey to witness God bringing together a launch team and then multiplying their efforts to create Jacob’s Well. Our music, hospitality, and tech teams have all grown. I never cease to be amazed at what God can do!”

    Major Decline in United Methodist “Clergy Location” Discovered

    The use of “location” by clergy (honorable location) or conferences (administrative location) has dropped dramatically in the past twenty-five years, according to research done by Joseph E. Arnold of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington , DC . The use of location has dropped precipitously. In 1970, 264 clergy were located; in 1981, 112 clergy were located. By 2003 and 2004, the number had fallen to 30 and 48, respectively.

    Location has historically been one of the ways utilized to ensure competent and effective clergy. Location was a means to remove clergy who are “ineffective, inefficient, or indifferent.” Arnold traced the history of the denomination’s procedures to ensure clergy effectiveness back to the origin of American Methodism.

    The report attributes the decline in rate of removal of ineffective clergy to legislative changes introduced at the 1980 General Conference that have put the focus on the preservation of clergy rights and downplayed the annual conferences’ need to ensure an effective body of clergy. Confusion over the new rules and procedures and fear of civil litigation have made bishops and district superintendents reluctant to initiate location proceedings, according to Arnold . He concludes that annual conference responsibility to assure effectiveness among its members must be affirmed and supported. Arnold recommends developing clearer definitions of effectiveness and a greater separation between administrative and judicial processes.

    A three-page synopsis of the research with charts documenting recent trends in locations rates is available at http://www.churchleadership.com/research/location.htm

    Young Clergy Trends Report Continues to Receive Media Attention

    A Lewis Center report, Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church: 1985-2005, continues to generate interest. The research prompted a story broadcast on NBC’s Today Show August 6 highlighting the growing challenge of finding younger persons to lead congregations. On August 28, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution featured a similar story. The clergy age report, issued in March of this year, documents a serious and sustained decline in both the number and percentage of clergy under the age of 35, from 15.05% to 4.69% in the past twenty years. A copy
    of the report and links to many more press articles can be found at www.churchleadership.com/research/um_clergy_age_trends.htm.

    Weems Interview Featured on Congregational Resources Guide Website

    An interview with Dr. Lovett H. Weems Jr., director of the Lewis Center, is currently featured on Congregational Resources Guide, a website that is a joint effort of the Alban Institute and the Indianapolis Center for Congregations. The interview is part of the “Wise Voices” series, which gathers thoughts and essays from people with “know-how” resulting from first-hand knowledge, academic study, and practical experience. Appearing under the title, “So That” … - Leadership, Accountability, and the Future of the Church, the interview highlights Weems’s thoughts about leadership, young clergy, and the future of the church. The feature ends with an annotated list of suggestions for research and continued reading and a list of Weems’s books.

    Lewis Center to Study New Church Starts

    The Lewis Center has received a grant from the Texas Methodist Foundation to study United Methodist new church starts in Texas since 1980. The project seeks to understand the economics
    of new church development in a detailed way, to understand what variables affect the likelihood that the new church start will succeed, to identify best practices related to new church development, and to identify models that are working best, and the advantages and disadvantages of each model. The study will begin with the Texas Conference with hopes of expanding the research to other conferences across Texas. A research partner for the project is RRC, Inc., an economic research consulting firm located in Bryan, Texas. The Texas Methodist Foundation, located in Austin, serves United Methodist churches, institutions, and individuals within six Annual Conferences to strengthen their ability to advance Christian ministries.

  • NBC’s Today Show Broadcast Features Lewis Center Clergy Age Data

    Lewis Center research documenting the declining number of young clergy was the basis of a Today Show segment broadcast on August 6, 2006 .  Citing the Center's finding that fewer than five percent of clergy in many mainline denominations are under 35, the Today Show reported on the growing challenge of finding younger persons to lead congregations. It highlighted the tendency among many younger seminarians to eschew local church pastorates in favor of ministry in a variety of other settings, such as chaplaincies and mission agencies. The Today Show interviewed Professor Robert Franklin, a board member of the Fund for Theological Education, who expressed concern about a potential clergy shortage in Protestant churches. “The vast majority of the nation’s more than 300,000 congregations, if they fail to provide excellent, dynamic leadership, are going to see a kind of waning,” said Franklin, who fears the “mothballing” of many congregations that “lived well but then slowly died.”

    In March, 2006, the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary released a research report, Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church 1985-2005, documenting a twenty-year decline in the number of United Methodist elders under 35, from 15.05% of all elders in 1985 to 4.69% in 2005. And the report shows similar trends in many other denominations. The research is available online at www.churchleadership.com.

    The project originated from a concern that the age of United Methodist clergy is getting disproportionately older than the population the church seeks to reach. “Efforts to encourage younger persons to respond to God’s call to ordained ministry must be a priority for the United Methodist Church ,” says Lovett H. Weems, Jr., director of the Lewis Center.  "Vital and growing churches are a key to attracting such younger leadership.”

    September 23 Workshops Focus on Strategies for Fruitfulness  

    Looking for ways to connect with those beyond your church – especially younger and more diverse people? These and other challenges of fruitfulness will be addressed in workshops offered at The Fruitful Congregation, a day of learning for lay and clergy leaders held on the Wesley Seminary campus on Saturday, September 23 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Each attendee will have the opportunity to participate in two workshops. Some workshop topics address common contemporary challenges in achieving fruitful ministry – such as the need to reach out to more people, younger people, and more diverse people, as well as the challenges faced by smaller congregations. Other workshops help in developing the basic building blocks of fruitfulness – such as stewardship, communications, and prayer. Click here to view a list of workshop topics and leaders. The registration fee is $55 per person or $45 per person when four or more from the same church register together. Lunch is included. Click here for a complete schedule and registration information.  

    A Day with Mike Slaughter - Tuesday, September 12

    Mike Slaughter, lead pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, Ohio , will be at Wesley Seminary for a day of exploring exciting new ways of being church. “In 1979 he became pastor of what he calls “a small country church called to birth a huge global dream.” Today that small country church has over 4,000 in worship and its reach is indeed global. Mike is a pastor, innovator, global thinker, rule breaker, spiritual entrepreneur, and mission-driven leader. On September 12 he will preach on “The Mission-Driven Church: Post-Modern Witness” in Oxnam Chapel at 11:00 a.m. From 1:15 to 3:00 p.m. , he will speak on “Exploring the Emerging Church .” Both events are free but reservations are required for the afternoon session. Contact Sara Sheppard 202-885-8688 or ssheppard@wesleyseminary.edu to make a reservation for the afternoon session or to make a lunch reservation. Lunch is $7.50.

    Learn About Wesley’s Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership

     Wesley Theological Seminary will host an exploration event on Tuesday, September 12, for those interested in learning about upcoming Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) degree programs, including the “Church Leadership Excellence Track.” Click here to download a brochure listing dates, course offerings, and instructors for the leadership track. The Seminary is currently accepting applications for a new entering group in this track to begin in May 2007. Applications are due December 15, 2006. To register for the September 12 exploration event, contact the Office of Admissions, admiss@wesleyseminary.edu. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 1:30 p.m. Lunch is provided. For more information about all Wesley D. Min. programs go to www.wesleyseminary.edu, or contact Dr. Lew Parks at dmin@wesleyseminary.edu or (202) 885-8670.

    Patrick Matsikenyiri to Lead Music at The Fruitful Congregation, September 23

    Patrick Matsikenyiri of Africa University in Zimbabwe will lead music and worship at The Fruitful Congregation -- an event sponsored by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership on Saturday, September 23. This day of learning for lay and clergy leaders will be held on the Wesley Seminary campus from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The Fruitful Congregation will feature inspirational speakers; practical, actionable strategies; stimulating workshops; helpful resources; and valuable opportunities to network and build connections. The registration fee is $55 per person or $45 per person when four or more from the same church register together. Lunch is included. Click here for more information or to register.

    Briefing on Clergy Leadership Offered at Resurrection Leadership Institute

    Lovett H. Weems, Jr., director of the Lewis Center, will offer a workshop on “Clergy Leadership for a Growing Church” on Thursday, October 5, at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. This workshop is designed for boards of ordained ministry, district superintendents, denominational staff, and other leaders who seek the latest information on trends and findings about clergy leadership needed for congregations to thrive and grow. It is one of the “pre-institute” events held the day before Resurrection’s annual Leadership Institute (held October 6–7.) Anyone may register for this pre-institute workshop – whether or not they attend the Leadership Institute. The cost is $29. The workshop is from 1:00–5:30 p.m. For more information about the workshop and the entire Leadership Institute, or to register for either, click here http://www.cor.org/catalyst/li/li2006.html.

    PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly Features Young Clergy Shortage

    On Sunday, July 2, PBS’s Religion and Ethics Newsweekly aired a piece entitled “Young Clergy Shortage” growing in part out of the recent Lewis Center report on Clergy Age Trends. An interview with Lewis Center Director Lovett Weems was included in this broadcast. The show presents the perspectives of younger pastors, seminarians, denominational leaders, and theological educators. It also highlights some of the challenges mainline denominations face in attracting younger persons into ordained ministry. A transcript and video of the report can be viewed online at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week944/feature.html.

    Field Testing of Lewis Pastoral Leadership Inventory Begins - June 2006

    • The Lewis Center will field test the pilot version of the LPLI beginning this summer. Pastors in the Central Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church will take the pilot inventory this fall. This first pilot version will lead to at least one other pilot version that will also need extensive field testing. If you are a pastor or associate pastor interested in more information about how you might participate in the pilot phase, click here.

  • Lewis Center Developing a Pastoral Leadership Inventory - June 2006

    Responding to the need for a leadership development tool specifically designed for clergy, the Lewis Center for Church Leadership is in the process of developing a 360º leadership inventory focusing on practices of effective pastoral leadership. The Lewis Pastoral Leadership Inventory (LPLI) uses online questionnaires to assess how pastors see their strengths and weaknesses and how they are seen by five observers familiar with their pastoral work. This approach integrates self appraisal with peer feedback providing comprehensive input for improvement and growth in ministry.

    The pilot version of the LPLI covers seventy criteria of effectiveness in ministry. The Lewis Center developed these measures based on a three-fold definition of effectiveness in ministry that includes character, competence, and contribution. (For more information see Leading Ideas, March 1, 2006.) These categories and the seventy criteria have been compiled from the definitions used by different judicatories, from the literature on pastoral effectiveness, and with input from church leaders and theological educators, following careful protocols required for the development of such an instrument. Click here for more about the LPLI.

    Tom Berlin is Keynote Speaker for The Fruitful Congregation - June 2006

    How can your congregation's ministry be more fruitful? The Fruitful Congregation is a day of learning designed to inspire, empower, inform, and equip lay and clergy leaders. Sponsored by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, it will be held on the Wesley Campus on Saturday, September 23, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. This year’s keynote speaker is the Rev. Tom Berlin, Senior Pastor of Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon, Virginia. Under his leadership, the average worship attendance at Floris has grown from 375 to 820 with high member involvement in congregational ministries and mission throughout the world.

    The Fruitful Congregational will feature inspirational speakers; practical, actionable strategies; stimulating workshops; helpful resources; and valuable opportunities to network and build connections. The registration fee is $55 per person or $45 per person when four or more register together from the same church. Lunch is included. Click here for more information or to register.

    Leadership Resource for Seminary Presidents Edited by Lewis and Weems - June 2006

    The first comprehensive resource specifically designed to guide those who lead over 250 theological seminaries in the United States and Canada has been published by Eerdmans Publishing. Commissioned by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada ( ATS), A Handbook for Seminary Presidents is designed guide the chief executives of graduate theological schools preparing the next generation of Christian leaders.

    Edited by G. Douglass Lewis and Lovett H. Weems, Jr., four dozen other seminary presidents contributed to the volume. The book considers a seminary president’s role in everything from boards and enrollment to facilities and academics, with special discussions of women and racial/ethnic persons in leadership; Canadian schools; and the challenges of university-based schools. Deans, faculty, and administrative staff will also find the book extremely helpful.

    The project led by Lewis and Weems was coordinated by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. Lewis served for twenty years as president of Wesley Theological Seminary. He currently serves as a senior fellow of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, which is named in his honor. Weems, who was president of Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri, for eighteen years, is currently executive director of the Lewis Center and distinguished professor of church leadership at Wesley.

Wesley Accepting Applications for Doctor of Ministry Program in Church Leadership

Wesley Theological Seminary offers a Doctor of Ministry track in “Church Leadership Excellence.” The Seminary is currently accepting applications for a new entering group to begin in May 2007. The Church Leadership Excellence Track focuses on the personal issues and public practices of those called to lead the church toward the coming reign of God. The combined resources of the Wesley faculty and the Lewis Center for Church Leadership bring depth and energy to this advanced degree program. Courses are offered during periods of intensive study scheduled in early January and early May each year. The degree requires thirty hours of course work. Applications are due December 15, 2006. Click to download a brochure listing dates, course offerings, and instructors. For more information, call the Doctor of Ministry Office at 202-885-8670.

Lewis Center Offers Resources to Help Pastors Make a Right Start

Moving from one church to the next is a critical juncture in pastoral ministry, full of promise and potential pitfalls. “Right Start Conferences” are one way the Lewis Center helps clergy as they transition into new ministry settings. During May, the Lewis Center is providing leadership for such events for clergy who are preparing to move this summer in the Baltimore-Washington, Central Pennsylvania, and Missouri Conferences of the United Methodist Church. If you are interested in scheduling such events in 2007, contact the Lewis Center.

The Lewis Center offers other resources to pastors in transition. Those preparing for a move may be interested in these online resources, some of which come from past issues of Leading Ideas:

Weems Speaks at Summit on Young Clergy Recruitment and Development

Lewis Center Director Lovett H. Weems, Jr. recently addressed a summit on the recruitment and development of young clergy. The event, held in Atlanta on May 2, was sponsored by the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Weems shared recent data compiled by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership on the declining number and percentage of clergy under thirty-five in the denomination. (Click for clergy age data.) In his address, “Young Clergy: United Methodism’s Endangered Species,” Weems maintained that efforts to increase the enlistment of young persons in the ministry are only part of the solution. He framed the young clergy crisis more broadly, lifting up the need to rename and reframe the “probationary process” and to support and encourage young clergy in their early years of ministry. “Ultimately, the issue is the vitality of the church itself,” said Weems, “a vibrant, growing, more broadly inclusive church will yield more young candidates for ordained ministry. And younger clergy are one way to help the church restore that vibrancy.” For more information about the summit, click here.

Study of United Methodist Clergy Age Trends Released

There has been a dramatic drop in the number and percentage of United Methodist elders under the age of 35 in the last twenty years according to a newly released report on clergy age trends. The number of elders under 35 declined from 3,219 in 1985 to 850 in 2005. Young elders as a percentage of all elders dropped from 15.05% in 1985 to only 4.69% in 2005.

The Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, has released a report documenting this decline. The project originated from a concern that the age of United Methodist clergy is getting disproportionately older than the population the church seeks to reach.

The primary focus of the project is the increasing age of elders in the five jurisdictional conferences of the United Methodist Church, but some comparable information was also gathered on deacons and local pastors. Available data on clergy age trends in other denominations are included for comparisons.

“Efforts to encourage younger persons to respond to God’s call to ordained ministry must be a priority for the United Methodist Church,” says Lovett H. Weems, Jr., director of the Lewis Center.  "Vital and growing churches are a key to attracting such younger leadership.”

Some of the other findings of the report are:

  • The decline in young elders has been significantly greater than the decline in church membership, number of churches, and number of pastoral charges.
  • The proportion of elders aged 55 and above has increased from 27% to 41%.
  • The median age of elders (half older, half younger) has increased from 48 to 52.
  • The mode age among elders (single age most represented) in 2005 was 58, the age of the first Baby Boomers to become elders.
  • The Southeastern Jurisdiction has the most young elders – 42% of the total.
  • The percentage of elders, deacons, and local pastors under 35 is generally the same.

This research was conducted in cooperation with the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of the United Methodist Church and with support from the Lilly Endowment, Inc.

Lewis Center for Church Leadership Launches Redesigned Website

An expanded online resource for church leaders is now available from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary. A new version of www.churchleadership.com was launched recently by the Lewis Center. Pastors, students, congregational leaders, and denominational officials will all find thoughtful, current, relevant information to improve their leadership

The redesigned website contains recent research issued by the Lewis Center as well as information on the Center’s programs, resources, and events. Users can subscribe online to Leading Ideas, the free, biweekly electronic newsletter published by the Center, and access a comprehensive archive of past Leading Ideas articles. The archive’s listing of dates, titles, and authors is easily scanned, and a new search feature leads users to whatever type of information they seek. The site also contains news about the Lewis Center and its popular resources on building congregational strength.

“The new version of the Center’s website is a vital means of making the Lewis Center’s resources available to church leaders worldwide,” says Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., director of the Center and distinguished professor of church leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary. “We believe it will substantially further our efforts to build a new vision of church leadership.”

The Lewis Center for Church Leadership, located in Washington, DC, seeks to advance the understanding of Christian leadership and promote the effective and faithful practice of Christian leadership. Through teaching, research, publications, and training, the Center seeks to be a trusted resource for church leadership so that congregations and denominations thrive and grow.

Brian McLaren Interviewed by Lewis Center Director

Brian McLaren, one of the most prominent voices in the "emergent church" conversation, was interviewed recently by Lewis Center Director Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr.  The interview, titled "Unless We Become Humble People," appears in the March/April Issue of Circuit Rider Magazine.  It can be found at www.umpublishing.com/pdfs/circuitrider/Q104UWHP.pdf.  McLaren is pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, Maryland and author of eight books, including A Generous Orthodoxy.

In the interview, McLaren calls on the church to really listen to people who have dropped out of the church, and to break free of the "program mentality" that seeks the solution to every problem in gimmicks or new techniques.  "Unless we become humble people who care enougth to ask questions and listen and understand," McLaren said, "it will be the same old "us" running another program that will smell inauthentic to postmodern people."   

Other articles in the May/April issue of Circuit Rider focus on the theme:  "Leadership for Reaching Emerging Generations."  Weems served as guest editor of the entire issue, bringing the topics, authors, and articles together.

March/April Circuit Rider Focuses on Emergent Generation Leadership

Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, served as guest editor of the March/April issue of Circuit Rider magazine, which is published by the United Methodist Publishing House and sent to all United Methodist clergy. Built around the theme, “Leadership for Reaching Emerging Generations,” the issue focuses on the need to recruit and develop more young clergy and includes a series of articles on efforts throughout the church to make disciples of more young persons. There is also an interview with Brian McLaren, one of the principal voices of the emergent church movement. To view the articles, go to www.circuitrider.com.

Campus Ministry: Meeting Spiritual Needs Top Strength, Funding Top Concern

Meeting the spiritual needs of college students is seen as the greatest strength of today’s United Methodist campus ministries and better funding for these ministries is a major concern among United Methodist campus ministers. This is the conclusion of an online survey distributed by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry on behalf of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership in the fall of 2005. Ten years ago, a similar study also found funding to be the top concern, but this challenge is even more pronounced today. Another concern identified was the desire for the church to make campus ministry a higher priority, with better understanding and cooperation. To view a summary of the survey’s results, go to "Survey of Campus Ministers" at www.churchleadership.com.

Dr. Lovett H. Weems, director of the Lewis Center, used the results of the survey to inform his work with Doctor of Ministry students enrolled in Wesley Seminary’s Campus Ministries Track. In January, Weems taught “Best Practices in Leadership and Administration in Campus Ministry.” Campus ministers interested in doctoral studies at Wesley Theological Seminary should contact Dr. Lew Parks, director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at lparks@wesleyseminary.edu.  The next track of study in Campus Ministries will begin in January 2008.

Lewis Center Provides Continuing Education for Baltimore-Washington Probationers

In partnership with the Board of Ordained Ministry of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, the Lewis Center has developed a program of continuing education specifically designed for clergy who are in their first three years out of seminary in the denominational probationary process. On March 24, the probationers will gather for an event on “Conflict Transformation.”

A three-year cycle of offerings was developed based on needs identified by the probationers, their mentors and district superintendents, and board members. In addition to the session on conflict, the other topics covered are Church Finances, Clergy Spiritual Life, Reaching New Disciples in a Changing Culture, Assessing the Fruits of Ministry, and Equipping Others for the Discipleship Journey.

The Lewis Center is involved in ongoing research on the effectiveness of the probationary process in the United Methodist Church. This research indicates allowing probationers a role in selecting topics covered during the probationary process is a key variable determining whether continuing education contributes to their growth and success. View the probationary reserach report, The Journey From Readiness to Effectiveness.

Developing Leaders in Highly Transient Congregations

“How to move people into leadership roles more quickly?” is a key question for churches in communities with high residential turnover. Clergy and staff from several such congregations gathered recently for a Lewis Center workshop on leadership development.

The theme of the day was “Taking Leadership to a New Level” – striving for leadership that is about more than tasks, leadership that is empowered, focused, confident, and spirit-led. “While many churches focus their efforts on developing effective recruitment systems,” said Ann A. Michel, associate director of the Lewis Center, “even the best recruitment mechanisms fall short if the individuals coming into the process are not spiritually mature and motivated, and if the church’s leadership climate is not open and receptive to newcomers." Much of the group’s discussion focused on how churches could address these challenges.

Lovett Weems discussed three essential elements in helping leaders develop. The first is “challenge.” This involves having to lead beyond one’s normal comfort zone. The second is “support.” Help in dealing with the challenges of a new leadership experience is also critical. The final element is “assessment.” Both formal and informal processes for receiving feedback are essential to leadership growth.

Lovett Weems Speaks to United Methodist Conference Leaders

Lovett H. Weems, Jr., director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, served as a leader for the “Conference Connexion” gathering in Dallas, Texas, January 19-21. Sponsored by the General Board of Discipleship and the Association of Directors of Connectional Ministry, this event brought together annual conference leadership teams to focus on the issue of identifying, equipping, and transforming leadership – both clergy and lay. In addition to serving as plenary speaker, Dr. Weems led a workshop on sustaining clergy excellence. He also gave the opening plenary address for the meeting of Directors of Connectional Ministries that followed the “Conference Connexion” event.