A Work of Heart: Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders / Edition 2

by Reggie McNeal

Overview

Revised and updated edition of the classic work on spiritual leadership

In A Work of Heart, bestselling author and missional expert Reggie McNeal helps leaders reflect on the ways in which God is shaping them by letting us see God at work in the lives of four quintessential biblical leaders: Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul. McNeal identifies the formative influences upon these leaders, which he sees as God's ways of working in their lives: the same influences at work today forming leaders for ministry in our times. He explores the shaping influence of culture, call, community, conflict, and the commonplace.

• Offers guidance for church leaders to let God shape their hearts from the inside out
• Reggie McNeal is the author of the bestselling book Missional Renaissance
• Gives reassurance for maintaining perspective while doing the demanding work of ministry

The book includes illustrative stories of contemporary leaders opening their hearts to God's guidance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781118103180
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	09/27/2011
Series:	Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series , #60
Edition description:	Updated Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

REGGIE MCNEAL is the missional leadership specialist for Leadership Network. Drawing on twenty years of leadership roles in local congregations and his work over the last two decades with thousands of clergy and church leaders, McNeal counsels local churches, denominational groups, seminaries and colleges, and parachurch organizations in their leadership development needs.

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Table of Contents

About the Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series ix

Preface to the Updated Edition xi

Acknowledgments xvii

Introduction: Looking for God in All the Right Places xix

Part One How God Shaped Moses, David, Paul, and Jesus for Leadership 1

1. Moses: A Heart on a Mission 3

2. David: A Heart After God 21

3. Paul: A Heart Captured by God 36

4. Jesus: The Heartbeat of God 51

Part Two Recognizing God’s Shaping Work in Our Own Lives 71

5. Culture: Meeting the World 73

6. Call: Figuring Out Why We Are Here 94

7. Community: Connecting with Others’ Hearts 114

8. Communion: Rehearsing for Eternity 137

9. Conflict: Learning to Die So We Can Live 154

10. Commonplace: Discovering That the Ordinary Is Extra-Ordinary 175

Conclusion: Collaborating with God’s Heart-Shaping Project 187

References 193

The Author 195

Index 197

Editorial Reviews

Leadership is less about technique or motivation than it is about the leader's own heart, suggests Southern Baptist denominational leader McNeal in this careful and readable book. Through brief studies of the lives of Moses, David, Paul and Jesus, McNeal elucidates six factors in the shaping of a leader's heart, all of which begin with the letter c. Although somewhat formulaic, this approach yields fresh fruit, thanks to McNeal's well-integrated grasp of both his biblical sources and contemporary psychology and organizational theory. Among his cs are at least three that are rarely explored in more conventional Christian writing on leadership: the role of "culture" in preparing a leader for his or her specific ministry, the necessity of having a "community" that supports and complements the leader and the importance of "commonplace" experiences that happen out of the leadership limelight. McNeal's attempts to contextualize the biblical narratives lead to some moments of ungainly jargon ("Jesus was constantly online with the Father") and questionable interpretation ("Jesus recruited his initial band of disciples from the business community"), but these are comparatively rare. Christian leaders will find this a valuable primer that invites further reflection; like many primers, however, it would have benefited from a bibliography to guide readers beyond its relatively protected waters. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

"It is not just the skills of ministry that are important. The heart-sculpting work of God creates quality ministries. A Work of Heart explains how God is shaping each of us for future service." —Bob Buford, founding chairman, Leadership Network

"We've read leadership manuals ad nauseum. We've attended every high-powered conference imaginable. We've bought the T-shirts, the three-ring binders, and all the right soundbites. But if we're honest, we're in serious drift mode, and we know it. . . . In A Work of Heart, Reggie McNeal has given us nothing less than CPR for the leader's soul, a book that moves us beyond leadership "how-tos" to the lifeline of genuine influence-our own intricate, passionate journey with God." —Sally Morgenthaler, author, Worship Evangelism

"Everyone committed to developing leaders must study Reggie McNeal's understandings of heart shaping, and in doing so, will experience their own hearts being sculpted." —Donald O. Clifton, chairman, The Gallup Organization

"This is a must-read for present and emerging leaders who desire to balance practical leadership techniques with a heart shaped by God. In typical McNeal fashion, this book makes the connection between the truths of Scripture and the real world the leader lives in." —Tim Schroeder, senior pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Kelowna, BC, Canada

"Don't lose heart! Reggie McNeal helps us look under the hood, at the engine of our lives and leadership-our heart-and shows us what it takes to lead with increasing clarity and confidence and live with greater peace." —Dieter Zander, church planter, San Francisco, CA

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