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Leadership for Mission
Leadership for Mission Resources
Written resources
The Equipping Pastor: A Systems Approach to Congregational Leadership
by R. Paul Stevens and Phil Collins (Alban Institute, 1993). Full of great material on the role and art of the leader as one who equips. The focus is on healthy systems and ways leadership contributes and sustains health. Practical help in cultivating independence, developing vision, understanding leadership styles, exercising servant leadership and building just community. This approach draws on and helps readers understand the importance of systems in church life. This book offers some keys to liberating congregations for mission.
Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge
By Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus (2nd edn) (HarperBusiness, 1997). Very helpful and practical for understanding the role and skills of leadership. It is about "transformative leadership"; leadership that leads to action, converts followers into leaders and converts leaders into agents of change. Based on extensive interviewing and investigation of 90 outstanding leaders from a range of sectors, this book isolates and discusses four areas of skill for leaders; attention through vision, meaning through communication, trust through positioning and the deployment of self through positive regard.
[This book appears to be out of print: contact Mike Crowl at the National Mission office if you would like to source a copy.]
Insights on Leadership - Service, Stewardship, Spirit, and Servant-Leadership
ed. by Larry C. Spears (1998). Includes essays by Peter Block, Ken Blanchard, Margaret Wheatley, all inspired by Robert Greenleaf's ideas on servant leadership. This excellent collection applies Christian teaching and integrates it with corporate practice. The Greenleaf Foundation promotes 'servant-leadership' and its website has superb resources and reflections. Books by Greenleaf include Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness, On Becoming a Servant-Leader and Seeker and Servant: Reflections on Religious Leadership.
Effective Church Leadership
by Kennon Callahan (Jossey-Bass, 1990). Callahan outlines an understanding of leadership for the church in our setting today. His work guides the emphasis of leadership away from professional provision of services to- ward missionary leadership. A solid text on leadership values and church development. The key to this book is the move away from professional pastor to mission leader.
Encouraging the Heart - A Leader's Guide to Rewarding and Recognising Others
by James M. Kouzes, Barry Z. Posner (Jossey-Bass, 1999). This is an excellent book which recognises leadership is about 'heart'. It offers superb practical suggestions for exercising leadership through encouragement. The two authors have written two other very good books about organisations.
[This book appears to be out of print: contact Mike Crowl at the National Mission office if you would like to source a copy.]
Growing in Authority, Relinquishing Control: A New Approach to Faithful Leadership
by Celia Hahn (Alban Institute, 1994). Hahn sheds new light on the dilemmas clergy and laity, men and women experience as they seek to be mature leaders who are authoritative but not authoritarian. Brings together the experiences of interviewees with the picture of authority in the Gospels to produce a ground-breaking understanding of how to grow toward faithful, integrated authority. Each chapter ends with questions inviting you to reflect on your own experiences and grow in faithfulness and competence.
Web Sites
Alban Institute [ www.alban.org ]
The Alban Institute is an ecumenical, interfaith organization founded in 1974, which supports congregations through consulting services, research, book publishing, and educational seminars. Publishes 'Congregations' which has a variety of articles about congregations
Easum, Bandy, and Associates [ www.easumbandy.com ]
William Easum and Tom Bandy provide some helpful material on leadership in changing situations. Issues 'Netresults', a monthly report on the forces transforming ministry in the 21st century.
The Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership [ www.greenleaf.org ]
The Greenleaf Center offers resources about Servant Leadership including access to networks, conferences and programmes and membership of the Center. It also provides a range of references to books and articles. This Christian organisation relates well to our context and recommends some excellent books. They also run conferences in New Zealand and Australia.
Institute for Servant Leadership [ www.servleader.org ]
The Institute for Servant Leadership is an educational ministry grounded in the understanding that the servanthood of God was manifested in the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. The Institute's mission is to provide opportunities for the spiritual formation and leadership development of people who are called to be servant leaders. Its work and focus is that of convener, teacher and nurturer through conferences, retreats, pilgrimages and publications.
World Vision's Leadership Letter [ www.carey.ac.nz/leadership ]
Letters reflections on leadership written by Gordon Miller of World Vision. Subscribers receive 5 letters a year.
LeadershipJournal.net [ www.christianitytoday.com/leaders/ ]
Published by ChristianityToday.com this website and magazine has a range of content on many aspects of ministry and building leaders.
The Saffold Connection [ www.saffold.com ]
The website of Dr. Guy Saffold, with access to teaching and resources in the area of leadership, church leadership, and leadership for Christian ministry