Leading the Team-Based Church: How Pastors and Church Staffs Can Grow Together into a Powerful Fellowship of Leaders A Leadership Network Publication / Edition 1

by George Cladis

Overview

A Leadership Network Publication

In Leading the Team-Based Church, George Cladis issues a clarioncall for ministry teams to embrace a fresh leadership model that isnot based on hierarchy, but on a process of collaboration thatmirrors the relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hereminds us that today's cultural environment—where authority hasbasis in trust, innovation reaps rewards, and spirituality takesroot in life and work—has matured past the need for the hierarchyof traditional church leadership where the pastor had the finalsay. Through down-to-earth stories from his own experience andthose of clergy in both mainline and evangelical churches, Cladisoffers an exciting alternative to the traditional forms of churchleadership, enabling pastors, congregational leaders, and staff tobreathe new life into their ministries and unleash the fullpotential of the entire ministry team.

Cladis, pastor of a fast-growing mainline congregation,demonstrates how cultural changes affecting all ourinstitutions—not just the church—are making it easier to adoptthis new model of leadership. Cladis's practical advice will enableministry teams to work together in ways that both embody theChristian message and call forth the full creativity and love ofthe entire team.

"Just when it seems that all that can be said has been said on thesubject of 'teams', just when one has tired of the gumming of thelabel 'team' on everything in sight, along comes perhaps the mostsignificant religious book on teams yet published. Cladisjuxtaposes the theological and cultural context for team-basedministry in a model presentation of what a conversation betweenBible, theology, and culture should look like."—Leonard Sweet,dean, The Theological School and vice president, Drew University

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780787941192
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	05/12/1999
Series:	Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series , #11
Edition description:	1 EDITION
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.44(w) x 9.13(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

GEORGE CLADIS is senior pastor and team leader of Noroton Presbyterian Church in Darien, Connecticut. Previously he pastored Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas during eleven years of dramatic growth when membership doubled and attAndance tripled.

Table of Contents

THE BIBLICAL CASE FOR TEAM-BASED MINISTRY: REFLECTING THE GOD WESERVE.

Learning the Circle Dance of God.

Building on a Receptive Cultural Environment.

THE DANCE OF LEADERSHIP: BUILDING GRACEFUL MINISTRY TEAMS.

The Covenanting Team.

The Visionary Team.

The Culture-Creating Team.

The Collaborative Team.

The Trusting Team.

The Empowering Team.

The Learning Team.

Epilogue: A Word of Encouragement.

Resource: Two Examples of Staff Covenants.

References.

Index.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Just when it seems that all that can be said has been said on the subject of 'teams', just when one has tired of the gumming of the label 'team' on everything in sight, along comes perhaps the most significant religious book on teams yet published. Cladis juxtaposes the theological and cultural context for team-based ministry in a model presentation of what a conversation between Bible, theology, and culture should look like." (Leonard Sweet, dean, The Theological School and vice president, Drew University)

"I really like the way [Cladis] ties the Trinity to teams. His unique approach-explaining the role of teams through the eyes of the Holy Trinity-offers a new way of understanding how teams can function in the church." (Bill Easum, president, 21st Century Strategies, Inc., and author, Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers)

"Books on leadership tend to run off the road into either the ditch of theory-heavy counsel or the ditch of practice-only ideas. George Cladis avoids both. He stays on the road because he has built successful church leadership teams and he has studied church leadership theory. For him, team leadership is the key to a faithful church." (Terry C. Muck, professor of religion, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary)

Editorial Reviews

"Just when it seems that all that can be said has been said on thesubject of 'teams', just when one has tired of the gumming of thelabel 'team' on everything in sight, along comes perhaps the mostsignificant religious book on teams yet published. Cladisjuxtaposes the theological and cultural context for team-basedministry in a model presentation of what a conversation betweenBible, theology, and culture should look like." (Leonard Sweet,dean, The Theological School and vice president, DrewUniversity)

"I really like the way [Cladis] ties the Trinity to teams. Hisunique approach-explaining the role of teams through the eyes ofthe Holy Trinity-offers a new way of understanding how teams canfunction in the church." (Bill Easum, president, 21st CenturyStrategies, Inc., and author, Sacred Cows Make GourmetBurgers)

"Books on leadership tend to run off the road into either the ditchof theory-heavy counsel or the ditch of practice-only ideas. GeorgeCladis avoids both. He stays on the road because he has builtsuccessful church leadership teams and he has studied churchleadership theory. For him, team leadership is the key to afaithful church." (Terry C. Muck, professor of religion, AustinPresbyterian Theological Seminary)

From the Publisher