Leadership At The Spiritual Edge

This insightful book explores the intersection of spirituality and leadership, examining cutting edge research, theory, and practices that help build healthy and long‐term effective leadership. Showcasing non‐Western views of leadership across a range of backgrounds, the book looks at leadership styles that raise and expand consciousness to enable better problem solving when addressing the complex challenges of organizations and societies. Across four sections, the book considers a myriad of themes from surrender to compassion, the dark and shadow side to the illuminating light of love, as well as offering a spotlight on individual leader development to highlight the role of the collective. Each chapter individually and collectively represents the essence of a profound shift in how leadership is approached in the 21st century. The volume offers a variety of viewpoints addressing this spiritual turn in leadership scholarship, and provides leadership tools to assist leaders in honing their practices to address contemporary challenges and unleash their full potential. In a world where the challenges are immense and multifaceted, this anthology explores leadership that transcends the mundane and ventures into the extraordinary. Leadership at the Spiritual Edge will be of use to researchers, scholars, and students of leadership studies, particularly those interested in new ways of viewing and developing leadership.

What makes one a great leader? Is it being charismatic, confident and having high emotional intelligence? Is it being able to reach out to people you lead, as well as transform their lives? Is it being able to delegate functions effectively? While all the above are some aspects that make someone a great leader, when it comes to spiritual leadership, being a leader is much more than just being charismatic and being able to influence and transform. Furthermore, with the world becoming wicked, as leaders, we may feel that we need to change the standards of God to conform to what is around us. The truth is that the word of God never changes and as Christians, if we want to live a holy life that is pleasing to God, we need to remain true to his word. Furthermore, as a leader in the church, you don't take your examples from worldly leaders but rather from the great example of Jesus Christ. How then do you lead, as Christ led? This book, "Spiritual Leadership" will teach you how to be a great leader and above all an amazing Christian by following some basic foundational principles. Here is what you will learn: Why you need to arm yourself with the word of God and be ready to suffer and be obedient even in the suffering The importance of humility as a Christian leader How to embrace humility How, as a Christian, you are to provide solutions to the people in need around you An understanding of how church leaders are at greater risk To understand that the devil will try to destroy a ministry from inside and what you need to do to deal with this The need to focus on building the community and not just the Church How and why having a vision is important in leadership How we need to seek the father in spirit and in truth The importance of co-operation and collaboration with the Holy spirit and those in leadership Some hindrances that may prevent us from moving in the fullness of a prophetic ministry How to remove torment from ministry And so much more The book breaks down the seemingly complex topic using beginner friendly language to help you to start applying what you learn right away!

How does a Christian lead? By following today's secular business models, or by simply studying the life of Christ and pursuing a servant-based style? In this insightful, practical book, George Barna has pulled together some of today's top Christian leaders to talk about the subject of Christian leadership. Articles include: The Tasks of a Leader by Ken Gangel, The Character of a Leader by Jack Hayford, Prayer in Leading People by Peter Wagner, and much more. See what today's leaders have to say about leadership, and learn what it takes to serve the Church as a Christ-centered change agent.

Over the Past few decades mainline Protestant congregations have not easily embraced the notion of spirituality. As much as any aspect of church life, spirituality has been misunderstood, misused, and resisted by both clergy and laity. Yet times are changing. Today many people feel a deep spiritual hunger and are out looking for fulfillment in a wide variety of settings. In this new context, mainline congregations need to awaken to the presence of the Spirit in their midst and equip leaders to nurture both the personal and corporate spirituality of their congregations. Beyond the Ordinary is explicitly written to help church leaders who have had no formal training in spiritual formation. Drawing from years of experience teaching Christian spirituality, Ben Campbell Johnson and Andrew Dreitcer explore the spiritual dimensions of leadership, looking in depth at the meaning of spirituality as it relates to the tasks of ministry. This friendly, inspiring book will enable readers to erase the negative stereotypes of spirituality and develop vital models and practices for the church today. The book introduces a faithful understanding and practice of the spiritual life to those who have not yet dipped into the well that is Christian spirituality. For those who have already tasted this water and still thirst, it offers a way to dip even more deeply. Chapters discuss the issues surrounding a meaningful spirituality for our changing times, the importance of holding prayer and mission in tension, and the crucial role of Scripture in the formation of our lives. The authors also underscore the importance of vision, myth, and discernment in the spiritual life of the church. And they discuss the power of spiritual practices like discernment and visioning for enhancing the spirituality of congregations and helping them become agents of social transformation. Intended for personal and group use by pastors, elders, other church leaders, and those preparing for service in the church, the book includes questions for reflection and discussion as well as journaling exercises to encourage learning and growth.

Spiritual Leadership in Action: The CEL Story is designed for thoughtful leaders working in the complexity and messiness of their daily organizational lives. It is a book first and foremost about people, about the ways they find purpose, creativity and meaning in their professional work; how they thrive in community and fulfill their deep desire to be of service to others against seemingly impossible odds and limitations. A study of how full human potential and creativity is released, how the spirit within, and without, can be experienced and manifested. It is also story of ordinary people achieving extraordinary results, individually and collectively; of people becoming more than they thought was possible; and having fun along the way. This is a practical book with reflections, legacy and “lessons learnt” to support and guide busy leaders who are looking for wisdom and to learn from the experiences and mistakes of others. Spiritual Leadership in Action: The CEL Story is the result of serious and rigorous academic research. It is a case study containing features, dilemmas and opportunities facing all leaders today. A leadership narrative of a professional community who learned to live and work together with respect and harmony. It is also the story of a CEO leader and the integration of her spiritual yearning and fulfillment manifested through her professional vocation and calling. In particular it explores how: • To create effective collaborative partnerships • To deliver outstanding value for money on limited resources in complex contexts • To develop excellent commercial practices within a public sector organization • To nurture the spirit, high energy and performance of everyone involved to ensure outstanding success on the triple bottom line This book challenges the reader to be bold, creative, reflective, trusting, even more allowing of their own spirit and leadership path, and to rise to even greater achievements; but most of all to fulfill their own deepest yearnings and potential and to become the very best of what they are meant to be, both as a leader and as a human being. An important feature in this book is that spirituality and religion are distinct, and that organizational spiritual leadership can be inclusive or exclusive of religious theory and practice. The Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) serves as a role model for maximizing the triple bottom line through both personal and organizational spiritual leadership. CEL is a stellar example of an organization that embraced organizational spiritual leadership, the values of altruistic love, employee well-being, and sustainability while maintaining high levels of financial performance. Spiritual Leadership in Action: The CEL Story chronicles how, as CEO, Lynne Sedgmore led CEL through its spiritual journey, including several “Dark Nights of the Soul,” to a place of pre-eminence in the United Kingdom’s Learning and Skills sector.

This book is about hope, and how it is sustained by the personal spirituality of school leaders. Defining this not only in religious terms but using a concept of ‘secular spirituality,’ it shows that leadership actions must rest on the foundation of a personal value system, demonstrated as ‘a lived faith in action.’ Drawing on interviews with 150 headteachers and capturing their authentic voices, it uses the metaphor of ‘reservoirs of hope’ to promote practitioner reflection on the value systems, leadership styles and sustainability strategies of headteachers, as they act as the external reservoir of hope for their schools whilst ensuring that their own internal reservoir of hope never runs dry. It also offers a theological reflection on the spiritual and moral leadership of headteachers, providing a connecting bridge between educational leadership and theology.

The revised edition of the Blackabys' "Experiencing God" encourages business and church leaders alike to follow God's biblical design for organizational success.