Faith and Leadership | A learning resource for Christian leaders and their institutions from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity

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href="/authors/elizabeth-tamez-mendez" rel="author" style="background-image: url(/sites/default/files/2022-01/Elizabeth%20Tamez_metal.photo_.jpg);"> <span class="hidden"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2022-01/Elizabeth%20Tamez_metal.photo_.jpg" width="736" height="830" alt="Tamez Méndez headshot" /> </span> <span class="show-for-sr">Link to author Elizabeth Tamez Méndez </span> </a> <div class="author-info">By <span>Elizabeth Tamez Méndez</span> <span class="author-title">Director of Programs and Grants, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article>      <article class="story story-card node-teaser-card cell visible-title visible-photo" data-history-node-id="9288"> <a class="photo-link" href="/building-great-affirmation-3-postelection-truths-every-church-can-claim"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/affirmations-N.png " alt="Image link to article: Building a great affirmation: 3 postelection truths every church can claim" 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style="background-image: url(/sites/default/files/2025-03/Adam-Joyce-bio.png);"> <span class="hidden"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/Adam-Joyce-bio.png" width="600" height="600" alt="Adam Joyce" /> </span> <span class="show-for-sr">Link to author Adam Joyce </span> </a> <div class="author-info">By <span>Adam Joyce</span> <span class="author-title">Writer</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article>      <article class="story story-card node-teaser-card cell hidden-title hidden-photo" data-history-node-id="9276"> <a class="photo-link" href="/the-hard-and-surprisingly-hopeful-lessons-churches-five-years-after-covid"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/more-COVID-art2.png " alt="Image link to article: The hard and surprisingly hopeful lessons for churches five years after COVID" /> </a> <div class="grid-x"> <div class="cell medium-11"> <h3><a href="/the-hard-and-surprisingly-hopeful-lessons-churches-five-years-after-covid"> <span>The hard and surprisingly hopeful lessons for churches five years after COVID</span> </a></h3> </div> <div class="cell medium-12"> <div class="byline" data-history-node-id="61"> <div class="author-details"> <a aria-label="Link to author Edie Gross" class="author-photo" href="/authors/edie-gross" rel="author" style="background-image: url(/sites/default/files/Edie%20Gross%20%281%29.jpg);"> <span class="hidden"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/Edie%20Gross%20%281%29.jpg" width="125" height="150" alt="Edie Gross (1).jpg" /> </span> <span class="show-for-sr">Link to author Edie Gross </span> </a> <div class="author-info">By <span>Edie Gross</span> <span class="author-title">Journalist</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article>  </div> </div> </section> <section class="secondary-articles">     <article class="teaser padded " data-history-node-id="9279"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-x grid-margin-x"> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-2 medium-order-1 middle-align "> <h4><a href="/five-years-after-the-start-the-covid-pandemic-here-are-three-ways-congregations-continue-be"> <span>Five years after the start of the COVID pandemic, here are three ways congregations continue to be affected</span> </a></h4> <p>The emergence of COVID changed our lives. Professor and researcher Scott Thumma highlights how congregations have changed.</p> <div class="byline" data-history-node-id="575"> <div class="author-details"> <a aria-label="Link to author Leslie Quander Wooldridge" class="author-photo" href="/authors/leslie-quander-wooldridge" rel="author" style="background-image: url(/sites/default/files/2022-08/Quander-Wooldridge-m.jpg);"> <span class="hidden"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2022-08/Quander-Wooldridge-m.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="Leslie Quander Wooldridge" /> </span> <span class="show-for-sr">Link to author Leslie Quander Wooldridge </span> </a> <div class="author-info">By <span>Leslie Quander Wooldridge</span> <span class="author-title">Journalist</span></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-1 medium-order-2 middle-align"> <a href="/five-years-after-the-start-the-covid-pandemic-here-are-three-ways-congregations-continue-be"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/postcovid-church-m.png " alt="Image link to article: Five years after the start of the COVID pandemic, here are three ways congregations continue to be affected" /> </a> </div> </div> </div> </article>      <article class="teaser padded " data-history-node-id="9278"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-x grid-margin-x"> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-2 medium-order-1 middle-align "> <h4><a href="/how-do-you-care-federal-workers-losing-their-livelihoods-and-vocations"> <span>How do you care for federal workers losing their livelihoods and vocations?</span> </a></h4> <p>Soup, a reserve fund and protests — these are some ways that a church in Atlanta is responding to families reliant on jobs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p> <div class="byline" data-history-node-id="554"> <div class="author-details"> <a aria-label="Link to author David Lewicki" class="author-photo" href="/authors/david-lewicki" rel="author" style="background-image: url(/sites/default/files/david-lewicki_mug_0.jpg);"> <span class="hidden"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/david-lewicki_mug_0.jpg" width="125" height="150" alt="David Lewicki" /> </span> <span class="show-for-sr">Link to author David Lewicki </span> </a> <div class="author-info">By <span>David Lewicki</span> <span class="author-title">Co-pastor, North Decatur Presbyterian Church</span></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-1 medium-order-2 middle-align"> <a href="/how-do-you-care-federal-workers-losing-their-livelihoods-and-vocations"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/CDC-1340.png " alt="Image link to article: How do you care for federal workers losing their livelihoods and vocations?" /> </a> </div> </div> </div> </article>    <article class="teaser padded " data-history-node-id="9274"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-x grid-margin-x"> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-2 medium-order-1 middle-align "> <h4><a href="/failure-faithfulness"> <span>Failure as faithfulness</span> </a></h4> <p>The parable of the sower and modern-day design thinkers challenge us to take risks rather than fear failure, writes an associate director for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity’s Thriving Congregations Coordination Program.</p> <div class="byline" data-history-node-id="8647"> <div class="author-details"> <a aria-label="Link to author Sarah E. Forsyth" class="author-photo" href="/authors/sarah-e-forsyth" rel="author" style="background-image: url(/sites/default/files/2023-12/sarah%20headshot.JPG);"> <span class="hidden"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2023-12/sarah%20headshot.JPG" width="1667" height="1667" alt="Sarah Forsyth headshot" /> </span> <span class="show-for-sr">Link to author Sarah E. Forsyth </span> </a> <div class="author-info">By <span>Sarah E. Forsyth</span> <span class="author-title">Associate Director, Thriving Congregations Coordination Program</span></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-1 medium-order-2 middle-align"> <div class="vertical-image-teaser-block"> <a href="/failure-faithfulness"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/iStock-Vlrina-m.png " alt="Image link to article: Failure as faithfulness" /> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article>      <article class="teaser padded " data-history-node-id="9275"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-x grid-margin-x"> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-2 medium-order-1 middle-align "> <h4><a href="/here-we-go-again-what-it-means-be-black-man-white-christian-workplace"> <span>Here we go again: What it means to be a Black man in a white Christian workplace</span> </a></h4> <p>The pressure to refute the “diversity hire” narrative is exhausting and demoralizing for people of color, writes the associate director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches.</p> <div class="byline" data-history-node-id="573"> <div class="author-details"> <a aria-label="Link to author Kenneth Young" class="author-photo" href="/authors/kenneth-young" rel="author" style="background-image: url(/sites/default/files/Kenneth-Young-mug.jpg);"> <span class="hidden"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/Kenneth-Young-mug.jpg" width="125" height="150" alt="Kenneth-Young-mug.jpg" /> </span> <span class="show-for-sr">Link to author Kenneth Young </span> </a> <div class="author-info">By <span>Kenneth Young</span> <span class="author-title">Pastor and director of external relationships, Massachusetts Council of Churches</span></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-1 medium-order-2 middle-align"> <a href="/here-we-go-again-what-it-means-be-black-man-white-christian-workplace"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/guadi-lab-392.png " alt="Image link to article: Here we go again: What it means to be a Black man in a white Christian workplace" /> </a> </div> </div> </div> </article>      <article class="teaser padded " data-history-node-id="9271"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-x grid-margin-x"> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-2 medium-order-1 middle-align "> <h4><a href="/community-inconvenient-worth-it"> <span>Community is inconvenient. But worth it</span> </a></h4> <p>When the author got a second car, her life was much easier. But that convenience came at a cost — the small connections between people that build a sense of belonging.</p> <div class="byline" data-history-node-id="9111"> <div class="author-details"> <a aria-label="Link to author Meagan Manas" class="author-photo" href="/authors/meagan-manas" rel="author" style="background-image: url(/sites/default/files/2024-11/MeaganManas_headshot.jpg);"> <span class="hidden"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2024-11/MeaganManas_headshot.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="headshot of Meagan Manas" /> </span> <span class="show-for-sr">Link to author Meagan Manas </span> </a> <div class="author-info">By <span>Meagan Manas</span> <span class="author-title">Pastor and licensed mental health counselor</span></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cell medium-6 small-order-1 medium-order-2 middle-align"> <a href="/community-inconvenient-worth-it"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/neighbors-N.png " alt="Image link to article: Community is inconvenient. But worth it" /> </a> </div> </div> </div> </article>  </section> <section class="show-for-small-only"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-x"> <div class="cell"> <div class="views-element-container block block-views block-views-blocknews-ideas-block-4" id="block-views-block-news-ideas-block-4"> <div class="view view-news-ideas view-id-news_ideas view-display-id-block_4 js-view-dom-id-f59145b786a7dc0bd83162194f615457ee37c64b10aa7c0f3404e7a8b3116dc3"> <div class="cell view-content recent-grid"> <div class="ni-teaser"><div class="ni-date"><a href="/news-ideas/thursdays-news-ideas-432025"><time datetime="2025-04-03T10:57:27-04:00">Thursday, April 3, 2025</time> </a></div><h3><a href="/news-ideas/thursdays-news-ideas-432025">News & Ideas</a></h3> <h4 class="light">Daily headlines about the church and the world</h4><div class="body-teaser dot"><a href="/news-ideas/thursdays-news-ideas-432025"><ul><li>How leaders speak on climate</li><li>Guidepost defamation suit</li><li>Bishop of the Arctic</li><li>NOLA clergy abuse survivors</li><li>GA lawmakers pass bill</li><li>Shadow of long COVID</li></ul></a></div> <div class="view-footer"> <div class="section-footer"> <a class="primary-link" href="/news-ideas/thursdays-news-ideas-432025 ">View Today</a> <a class="secondary-link" href="/news-ideas">View All</a> </div> <div class="subscribe"> <a href="/subscriptions">Subscribe to News & Ideas</a> </div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section class="gray-bg archive-roundup padded-top smpadded-bottom"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-x grid-margin-x padded-bottom"> <div class="cell medium-6 middle-align feature-image"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/Lightbulbs.jpg" width="2121" height="1108" alt="Drawing of a row of hanging lightbulbs with one shining like a rainbow" /> </div> <div class="cell medium-6 middle-align"> <span class="eyebrow">From the archives</span> <h3> <span>Organizational renewal</span> </h3> <ul class="dot archive-list-items"> <li class="simple-link"> <a class="title" href="/the-brain-the-heart-and-the-soul-how-three-catholic-churches-are-merging-create-new-type-parish"> <span>The brain, the heart and the soul: How three Catholic churches are merging to create a new type of parish</span> </a> <div class="byline simple-list hide-title"> <span class="author-list-item"> <span>Claire Zulkey</span> </span> </div> </li> <li class="simple-link"> <a class="title" href="/catalytic-organizations-inspire"> <span>Catalytic organizations inspire</span> </a> <div class="byline simple-list hide-title"> <span class="author-list-item"> <span>David L. Odom</span> </span> </div> </li> <li class="simple-link"> <a class="title" href="/disruption-often-the-key-renewal"> <span>Disruption is often the key to renewal</span> </a> <div class="byline simple-list hide-title"> <span class="author-list-item"> <span>Jason Butler</span> </span> </div> </li> <li class="simple-link"> <a class="title" href="/dying-churchs-gift-inspires-young-congregation-help-people-experiencing-homelessness"> <span>A dying church's gift inspires a young congregation to help people experiencing homelessness</span> </a> <div class="byline simple-list hide-title"> <span class="author-list-item"> <span>Julia Duin</span> </span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="grid-x grid-margin-x padded-bottom"> <div class="cell medium-6 middle-align feature-image"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/Eden%20Gleaning%20Project-%20Nathan%20Kaplan%2C%20Edvonia%20Scott%2C%20Julie%20Kies-1-m.jpg" width="1340" height="700" alt="Three gardeners holding buckets of produce in a field of plants" /> </div> <div class="cell medium-6 middle-align"> <span class="eyebrow">From the archives</span> <h3> <span>Gardens</span> </h3> <ul class="dot archive-list-items"> <li class="simple-link"> <a class="title" href="/new-garden-eden-eden-theological-seminarys-gleaning-and-garden-project-flourishes"> <span>A new garden of Eden: Eden Theological Seminary’s Gleaning and Garden Project flourishes</span> </a> <div class="byline simple-list hide-title"> <span class="author-list-item"> <span>Chelsey D. Hillyer</span> </span> </div> </li> <li class="simple-link"> <a class="title" href="/growing-flora-and-faith-churches-embrace-native-plant-gardens"> <span>Growing flora and faith: Churches embrace native plant gardens</span> </a> <div class="byline simple-list hide-title"> <span class="author-list-item"> <span>Leslie Quander Wooldridge</span> </span> </div> </li> <li class="simple-link"> <a class="title" href="/loving-our-neighbors-including-the-leafy-ones"> <span>Loving our neighbors, including the leafy ones</span> </a> <div class="byline simple-list hide-title"> <span class="author-list-item"> <span>Sarah E. Forsyth</span> </span> </div> </li> <li class="simple-link"> <a class="title" href="/faith-partners-fight-against-heat-islands-how-coalition-works-lower-temperatures-and-decrease"> <span>Faith partners fight against ‘heat islands’: How a coalition works to lower temperatures and decrease flooding in cities</span> </a> <div class="byline simple-list hide-title"> <span class="author-list-item"> <span>Leslie Quander Wooldridge</span> </span> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div id="block-promotionalbanner" class="block block-block-content block-block-contentdc53d674-f70c-45f8-b80f-6144a5f83da2"> <div class="grid-container padded hide-for-print"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--promo paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-x grid-margin-x"> <div class="cell medium-4"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/1280x640_holy-week-resource-guide%20%281%29.jpg" width="1280" height="640" alt="Holy Week painting" /> </div> <div class="cell medium-8"> <h3><a href="https://worship.calvin.edu/resources/articles/holy-week-resource-guide">Resource guide for Holy Week</a></h3> <p>This guide from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship includes art, music, devotions, liturgies, books, sermons and other resources to help you plan worship for Holy Week. </p> <a class="button" href="https://worship.calvin.edu/resources/articles/holy-week-resource-guide">Learn More</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <footer id="footer"> <div class="grid-container hide-for-print"> <div class="grid-x"> <div class="cell medium-12 medium-order-1 small-order-2 social"> <div class="float-right"> <nav aria-labelledby="footermenu"> <p id="footermenu" class="show-for-sr sr-only visuallyhidden">Footer Menu</p> <ul class="menu"> <li class="menu-item menu-item--level-1"> <a href="/about" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/17">About</a> </li> <li class="menu-item 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