Helping or Hindering? The Impact of Congregations’ Networks on Their Vitality and Sustainability

Commitment & Belonging, Ecology Frame, Networks & Relationships, Resources Frame, Social Service & Activism

When we think about relationships in congregational life, we often think about relationships between attenders within a congregation. But what about relationships between congregations as organizations? These relationships can involve friendships between ministers, joint events, collaborations, and other partnerships. And different kinds of relationships can have different consequences.   My research has looked at two…

COVID-19 and the Changing Meaning of Attendance

African American Churches, Attendance, Culture Frame, Mainline & Liberal Protestant Churches, Surveys, Technology & Internet, United States & Canada

How many people attended religious services last week? That used to be a relatively simple question, but COVID-19 has turned that on its head. And the safety decisions that leaders made not only had an immediate impact on congregational attendance but are likely to affect the future. Overall Religious Attendance Declining Religious service attendance in…

COVID-19 Poses New Leadership Challenges

African American Churches, Clergy, Congregational Conflict, Interviews, Leadership, Mainline & Liberal Protestant Churches, Process Frame, United States & Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused strain on religious organizations and their leaders. They have been challenged to keep members safe, while also contending with the politicization of the pandemic. They have had to develop or strengthen their online presence while often facing declining attendance. Resources of time, money, skill, and diplomacy have been stretched to…

When Congregations Share Their Properties:
5 Principles for Good Decisions

Buildings & Spaces, Networks & Relationships, Process Frame, Resources Frame, United States & Canada

My recent studies of congregations have shown me that a shared parking lot often isn’t just about parking. More than that, any kind of property-sharing arrangement, whether with outside groups or diverse internal groups, requires careful assessment of why and how, as well as careful tending of the relationship. Guiding these decisions are principles that…