Alban at Duke Divinity School

09/14/2026

Seminaries don’t teach you how to plan meetings, but how you run them matters.

Mapbox / Unsplash As church leaders, we convene a lot of meetings. Unfortunately, however, most of us are not trained in how to organize and manage meetings so that they keep everyone engaged and purposefully move the church’s mission forward. Seminaries do not typically offer courses in how to pl...

09/08/2026

Congregations are never conflict-free, so it's essential for leaders to learn how to respond well

Arisa Chattasa / Unsplash People often seem surprised by congregational conflict. But when was the last time you read the New Testament?  Take 1 Corinthians. The Corinthian community was divided over its loyalties to different leaders. Members disagreed about the authenticity of Paul’s apostleshi...

08/31/2026

“Generosity” shouldn’t be limited to meeting the church’s operational budget.

G + L / Unsplash As congregational leaders, we often think about giving and generosity — or at least, we should. Congregations have mortgage payments to make and payrolls to meet, and we need money to fulfill these obligations. We need people to give generously. For some pastors, however, talking ...

08/24/2026

Leaders are at risk of confusing commitment with over-functioning. https://alban.org/2026/08/24/the-danger-of-heroic-leadership/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alban_facebook

08/03/2026

Good stories are the lifeblood of great leadership.

Joyce Hankins / Unsplash This summer, families will gather in groups large and small for reunions and vacations. Eventually, after a satisfying meal, someone will say, “Do you all remember when…?” That’s the beginning of a story everyone probably knows — yet it will be retold, and people w...

07/27/2026

Delegation requires both humility and discernment

Rodeo Project Management Software / Unsplash Good leaders are often rewarded for their efforts with the opportunity to take on more responsibility. When they learn to excel at those additional responsibilities, they receive more opportunities to do more good work. This positive feedback loop generat...

07/21/2026

Am I laboring at something permanent and enduring? https://alban.org/2026/07/20/graveyard-wisdom/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alban_facebook

Get more practical wisdom on how to lead congregations today when you subscribe to Alban Weekly: https://app.e2ma.net/app2/audience/signup/2011774/1922102/

Image from A. Trevor Sutton Prince is away this week, but will be back in your inbox next Monday, July 27. This week’s guest contributor is the Rev. Dr. A. Trevor Sutton, who serves as the senior pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Lansing, Michigan. His newest book is “Between Hurry and Heave...

07/13/2026

Understanding how to use good friction to your advantage can help you lead. https://alban.org/2026/07/13/good-friction-bad-friction/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=alban_facebook

Get more practical wisdom on how to lead congregations today when you subscribe to Alban Weekly: https://app.e2ma.net/app2/audience/signup/2011774/1922102/

Sandeep Singh / Unsplash When you were a kid, did you ever rub two objects together to create static electricity? Did you rub your hair against a balloon to watch your hair cling to it? If you touch a metal doorknob after walking across a carpet, you might feel a small zap in your finger. Science te...

07/06/2026

Leaders must sit with failure long enough to see what it has to teach us.

Luis Quintero / Unsplash In case you haven’t noticed, World Cup euphoria is everywhere. Devoted fans are brimming with pride. You can’t miss the colorful flags painted on their faces, the pure joy in their voices as they sing their national anthem and the exuberant roar when the ball hits the ba...

06/08/2026

How do you care for your soul while making hard decisions?

Dina Makhmutova / Unsplash If you read this newsletter, you are probably familiar with tough questions about leadership and strategy. In one form or another, we ask them in almost every administrative meeting. Should we continue to support, or should we finally eliminate, the legacy program that is....