When we think of “leadership” today, we have too many examples of the type of leadership the Pharisees practiced, and few examples of the type of leadership Paul explains in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12. With a careful exegesis and practical application, this book will help you know what kind of character a leader needs. Some of those characteristics are courage, compassion, and integrity. A study guide is included to help you develop the biblical character of a leader.
"The church of our Lord is like a body with Christ as the Head. Since only the Head is perfect, the body, which is the church, is subject to illness or disorderliness--just like a human body." The body of Christ is composed of people of diverse social, cultural, and spiritual maturity backgrounds, so friction amongst each other is most likely to occur. There is no such thing as a "trouble-free church" because all local churches are being led by people who have their own imperfections. In some cases, these leaders walk in Spirit with pure godly motives, while others are controlled by fleshly desires with selfish motives. The body of Christ needs godly human leaders to support and maintain its orderliness. The victory or failure of a church ministry depends on the church leaders' "character, maturity, mindset, and practices." This book gives the philosophies that every church leader should possess and offers biblical and practical solutions to some of the most common problems that every local church face, based on the many years of experience of the author.
The book you hold resonates with this conviction: that leaders such as you have the potential to be the most influential forces on planet Earth. Yours is the staggering responsibility and the matchless privilege of rallying believers and mobilizing their spiritual gifts in order to help people who are far from God become fully devoted followers of Christ. Life transformation and the eternal destinies of real people depend on the redemptive message entrusted to the local church. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to lead your church effectively so God’s message of hope can change the world? Then this book is for you. Courageous Leadership is Bill Hybels’ magnum opus, a book far too important to be written before its time. Only now, after nearly thirty years leading his own church from a handful of people with a burning vision into a globe-spanning kingdom force—only after almost three decades of victories and setbacks, of praying hard and risking big—is Hybels ready at last to share the lessons he has learned, and continues to learn, about Christian leadership. Too much is at stake for you not to maximize your spiritual gift of leadership, insists Hybels. In this passionate, powerful book, he unpacks the tools, tasks, and challenges of your calling. You’ll discover the power of vision and how to turn it into action. You’ll gain frontline insights for developing a kingdom dream team, discovering your leadership style, developing other leaders, making decisions, walking with God, embracing change, staying your God-given course, and much, much more. Drawing on his own richly varied life experiences, Hybels fleshes out vital principles with riveting firsthand stories. This is far more than another book on leadership strategies and techniques. You’ll find those topics in here, to be sure. But beyond them, you’ll find the very essence of one of today’s foremost Christian leaders—his fervent commitment to evangelism and discipleship and his zeal to inspire fellow church leaders even as he seeks to keep growing as a leader himself. If unchurched people matter to you . . . if you love seeing believers serve passionately with their spiritual gifts . . . if God’s heartbeat for the church is your heartbeat as well . . . then this book is a must. Courageous Leadership will convince you to lead with all your might, all your skill, and all your faith. And it will give you the tools to do just that.
Understanding Christian Leadership offers an examination of a distinctly Christian understanding of leadership offering a critical appraisal of insights from secular theories of leadership, exploring biblical and other theological insights into the nature and practice of leadership.
Building and maintaining an effective team is no easy task. Even people who lead great teams will tell you they have difficulty getting their leaders to think alike. Formation Leadership is part of the Discipleship Programme in which both young and mature believers can be taught the heart of the senior pastor. It comprises a series of seminars to transfer the spiritual DNA of the local church to those who are called to leadership. Leaders need to develop their understanding of the ‘how to’ of church life. This book provides the answers and attitudes that can springboard any leadership team into formation. The Discipleship Programme is a series of three interactive studies designed to support believers in the local church at every level – from new Christians to senior leaders.
John Howard Schutz's milestone analysis of Paul's authority shaped a generation of thought about Paul. This insightful work continues to be relevant to Pauline scholarship. The New Testament Library offers authoritative commentary on every book and major aspect of the New Testament, as well as classic volumes of scholarship. The commentaries in this series provide fresh translations based on the best available ancient manuscripts, offer critical portrayals of the historical world in which the books were created, pay careful attention to their literary design, and present a theologically perceptive exposition of the text.
Millions have been inspired by the Bible’s spiritual lessons. Now, Lorin Woolfe provides a unique way to view the Bible . . . for leadership lessons that can be applied to our modern business world. Consider David’s courage and innovation in slaying Goliath with just a stone and a sling; Moses’ outstanding ""succession planning"" in picking Joshua; Joseph and the political skills that brought him to the seat of power; and of course, Jesus’ compassion, communication skills, and vision that launched Christianity (a long-term success by any measure). These are leaders among leaders. Their achievements -- and their inspired methods of achievement -- offer a wholly different perspective on business leadership. For the dozens of Biblical stories presented, the book provides: * A concise retelling of each story * One (or more) leadership lessons suggested by each story * Examples of contemporary business leaders who exhibit some of the inspired traits of these ancient leaders, including: Fred Smith of FedEx, Howard Shultz of Starbucks, Tom Chappell of Tom’s of Maine (a “toothpaste with a mission”), Roy Vagelos of Merck, and many more. The chapters cover these universal topics: Courage * Purpose * Communication * Honesty and Integrity * Power and Influence * Performance Management * Team Building * Humility * Compassion * Justice * Encouragement and Consequences * Wisdom * Creating the Future Each topic concludes with a list of key points to keep in mind as readers continue on their own leadership journeys.
"The Anatomy of Sexual Integrity" is a practical guide offering a thoroughly biblical strategy for personal wholeness and a pathway to genuine discipleship for believers in the 21st century. (Christian)
This work comprises new insights into two Biblical passages. The first study, titled 'The Anatomy of a Prohibition,' uses the TLG computer database to offer a new interpretation of I Timothy 2:12. The author provides insight that the TLG computer, with its data selections from 200 BC/BCE to 200 AD/CE, supports the interpretation of one of the key words 'authentein' as 'committing violent action,' not 'having authority.' It then explores the effect of this interpretation on exegesis, gender pronouncements, hermeneutics, tradition, theology, and relevance. As a supplement, it offers a history of traditional translations, mistranslations, and interpretations. The second insight study discusses seeing the 'suffering servant' of Isaiah 40-55 as the city of Jerusalem. This 'Servant City' study is based upon a comparison with the material outside the songs and with other ANE city descriptions that are also in the first millennium.
