This book brings the best of leadership theory and research together with biblical reflection and examples of leadership in action to offer a practical guide to Christian leaders. Combining expertise in leadership studies and biblical studies, Justin Irving and Mark Strauss explore how leadership models have moved from autocratic and paternalistic leader-centered models toward an increased focus on followers. The authors show how contemporary theories such as transformational leadership, authentic leadership, and servant leadership take an important step toward prioritizing and empowering followers who work with leaders to accomplish organizational goals. Irving and Strauss organize their book around "nine empowering practices," making it accessible to students, church leaders, and business leaders. Integrating solid research in leadership studies with biblical and theological reflection on the leadership ideas that are most compatible with Christian faith, this book is an important resource for all Christian students of leadership.

'Team leadership is the exercise of one's spiritual gifts under the call of God to serve a certain group of people in achieving the goals God has given them toward the end of glorifying Christ.'How is your church or organization governed? Does it have an authoritarian, top-down administration? Is the ministry vision developed by a few top officials, with little input from staff or volunteers? Today the definition of an effective leader has changed. No longer does the model leader manage like the Lone Ranger - either do it his way or no way. Today the model leader shares responsibility with fellow team leaders and seeks to serve them. In this complete revision of his earlier work, Building Leaders for Church Education, Dr. Gangel carefully lays a biblical foundation for the team leadership model. This leadership is not dogmatic control or personality worship. It has no room for political power plays. Instead, it is Paul gently nurturing young Christians in his epistles. It is Barnabas willingly thrusting others into situations where they develop their own gifts. It is Christ, choosing not one, but twelve men to carry on His ministry. It is servant leadership. With examples, illustrations, and suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter, Dr. Gangel prods and encourages the reader to move beyond the safety net of autocratic leadership into the rewarding, effective practice of leading with and through others.

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. Whilst arguing for a form of leadership which is widely dispersed and collaborative, the book seeks to explain the distinctive role of leaders within such a leadership economy. It also seeks to establish a proper relationship between sacred and secular leadership thinking, tackling some of the common philosophical and theological reservations to do with leadership discourse, whilst offering a critical framework for discerning the suitability for the Church of different sources of leadership thinking. Designed as core reading for leadership modules currently taught by the author across a large number of training contexts in the UK, this book is an indispensable text for those taking undergraduate or postgraduate-level qualifications in Christian leadership as well as those in other less formal leadership training contexts. Foreword by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

Leadership today is no easy task. Too often our models of leadership are shaped more by culture than by Christ. John Stott rejects popular models of leadership and holds up instead the servant leadership exemplified by Paul in his ministry to the church in Corinth. Stott reassures us that God is at work even in the midst of human weakness.

How can African American church leaders maximize their leadership potential? What are current models for effective leadership in the African American Christian community? This book answers those questions and more with up-to-date research and current best practices regarding leadership principles and strategies. African American church communities and those who interact with and work with these communities will find this book particularly useful. ParkerBooks are written to equip and encourage African American ministry leaders.

Focusing on pastoral leadership within local churches or groups of churches, Derek Tidball provides a comprehensive survey of the variety of ministry models and patterns found in the New Testament with applications for today's ministry.