Pastoral/ministry leadership is one of the most complex types of leadership there is. It combines personal holiness (hopefully), with theological wisdom, and the ability to guide a team toward defined goals. During my time in leadership with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and now as a senior leader at First Presbyterian Church, I have repeatedly come back to these books to help me to develop as a leader:
- Leading Change – If change isn’t happening then you’re not leading; you’re managing. John Kotter’s book provides an excellent overview of the change process and how to move through it. [buy here]
- The Advantage – I’ve read this book twice as well as outlined it in the front leaf. Patrick Lencioni shows how organizational (congregational) health trumps everything else. He also provides a road map toward better health. [buy here]
- Good to Great – Jim Collins shows why some companies are able to make while others continually struggle and eventully fail. This is helpful in terms of identifying limiting patterns in the life of a congregation and/or its leadership. [buy here]
- The Power of Full Engagement – As a leader as much can be gained by managing your energy as by managing your time. Tony Schwartz provides helpful strategies for managing your energy level so that you always have sufficient focus to deal with the strategic decisions and projects that are central to your work. [buy here]
- The Generals – This masterpiece traces American military leadership from World War II to the present. By profiling key military leaders Thomas Ricks teaches timeless lessons about what good leadership looks like. [buy here]
Resource: If you prefer to read these titles electronically and don’t have a Kindle, make sure you download the Kindle App for your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices for free. You can download it here.
Jeff Gissing 