Organizational Leadership: Foundations and Practices for Christians

by Jack Burns (Editor), John R. Shoup (Editor), Donald C. Simmons Jr. (Editor)

Overview

Kingdom leadership does not begin and end at the church door. Christians are called to conduct leadership in government, commerce, schools, neighborhoods, families, para-church ministries and a myriad other contexts. God has given us many gifts, and our responsibility is to be stewards of those gifts, and use them to do the King's work. In that context, this comprehensive text explores key facets of leadership from a Christian worldview so as to equip people to conduct leadership more authentically than would be possible under alternative paradigms. The book begins with the seldom considered theological foundations of leadership while also tracing the historic roots of management, organization and leadership theories. All of this leads to a robust discussion of five essential challenges and practices—communication, negotiation, decision-making, financial stewardship and personal development.The combined efforts of these experts in the field provide a practical theology of leadership from a Christian worldview for emerging and established leaders. Here is the foundation needed for those who want to conduct leadership in a manner consistent with their faith in both religious and nonreligious organizational contexts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780830840502
Publisher:	InterVarsity Press
Publication date:	05/15/2014
Pages:	287
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

John S. (Jack) Burns is professor of leadership studies at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, where he coordinates the Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies Program. He has been teaching leadership studies since 1985 and has developed leadership studies programs at two universities. He has been director of an Eisenhower Leadership Program Grant, and has published several articles and book chapters on leadership pedagogy, organizational theory and leadership theory. He received his Ph.D. in higher education administration and M.A. in counseling from Washington State University.

John R. Shoup serves as the dean of the School of Education at California Baptist University in Riverside, California. He teaches leadership and educational history and policy at the graduate level, and has presented and conducted research and workshops on leadership development and best practices and educational policy. Shoup has also served as a school principal and in various social service settings. He has a Ph.D. in education with an emphasis in institutional leadership and policy studies from the University of California, Riverside. He also has a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in counseling psychology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.

Donald C. Simmons Jr. is an internationally recognized leadership consultant, pastor for Christ Lutheran Church in Cullman, Alabama, and Director of Pastoral Care for one of the largest rural hospital systems in the US. He teaches graduate courses in leadership for the University of Nebraska-Omaha and was the founding dean of the College of Leadership and Public Service at Dakota Wesleyan University. He is the editor of Organizational Leadership and the coauthor of the textbook Leadership and Service: An Introduction with Senator George McGovern and Dan Gaken. He is most recognized in academic circles as producer of the public television documentary Hungry for Green: Feeding the World Sustainably, which premiered at Harvard University Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment in 2009 and aired nationally. Dr. Simmons holds a certificate of ministry from Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in history and international studies from The University of Denver. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in ministry at Christ School of Theology in Brookings South Dakota.

Table of Contents

Preface

Section 1: Theological Foundations for Christian Leadership

Chapter 1: Called to Lead: How do I Know?
Timothy G. Dolan

Chapter 2: Leadership in the Context of a Christian Worldview
Gayne J. Anacker and John R. Shoup

Chapter 3: Towards a Biblical Theology of Leadership
Rick Langer

Section 2: Theoretical Foundations for Christian Leadership

Chapter 4: The Leadership River: Historical Currents of Management and Leadership Theory
John S. (Jack) Burns

Chapter 5: The Sea of Complexity: Emerging Understandings of Management, Leadership, and Organizations
John S. (Jack) Burns

Section 3: Key Skills and Practices in Christian Leadership

Chapter 6: A Christian Context for Interpersonal and Organizational Communication
Ronald K. Pyle

Chapter 7: Conflict and Negotiation
John S. (Jack) Burns

Chapter 8: Decision-Making Theory, Strategies and Skills
John R. Shoup, Chris McHorney

Chapter 9: Christian Leadership and Financial Integrity: Temptation, Transformation and Transparency
R. Scott Rodin

Chapter 10: Sustaining the Leader
Timothy G. Dolan

PostScript
Contributors

What People are Saying About This

Paul A. Kienel

"Organizational Leadership is the outcome of godly writers whose commitment to biblical authority provides a refreshing, theologically sound perspective to the vast field of leadership literature. It is a brilliant confluence of practical advise, moral boundaries for decision makers and fascinating examples of good and bad practices of leadership. I heartily recommend Organizational Leadership to all those aspiring to be Christ-honoring leaders."

Mark Labberton

"What I love most about this book is its weaving of Scripture, devotion to Jesus Christ, leadership history and theory, and grounded experience. Its authors provide a marvelous resource that can be read both as a primer and as an advanced study in leadership that is biblically responsible, developmentally accessible, academically engaging and practically valuable."

J. Stanley Mattson

"Does Christian faith have anything to contribute to understanding the theory and practice of leadership? Most assuredly, yes! This book offers a much-needed practical theology on organizational leadership, providing perspectives and principles for readers to be 'salt and light' and 'as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves' in their formal and informal leadership roles."

Jim Singleton

"While the list of leadership books seems to grow almost daily, very few of them will offer the scope and the synthetic approach that this volume provides. The ten essays in this book will assist readers in visiting the broad landscape of the Christian leadership genre and in sampling the best of secular resources. I will be excited to put this book into the hands of my students."

Editorial Reviews

"Overall, the authors offer sound wisdom for conducting leadership effectively. Because of its dual emphasis on leadership constructs and leading from a Christian perspective, the book is an ideal text for undergraduate or graduate level courses on leadership. It could also serve leaders of religious and non-religious organization who want to develop themselves and their team members to be more effective leaders."

Michelle Vondey

"Organizational Leadership is the outcome of godly writers whose commitment to biblical authority provides a refreshing, theologically sound perspective to the vast field of leadership literature. It is a brilliant confluence of practical advise, moral boundaries for decision makers and fascinating examples of good and bad practices of leadership. I heartily recommend Organizational Leadership to all those aspiring to be Christ-honoring leaders."

Paul A. Kienel

"What I love most about this book is its weaving of Scripture, devotion to Jesus Christ, leadership history and theory, and grounded experience. Its authors provide a marvelous resource that can be read both as a primer and as an advanced study in leadership that is biblically responsible, developmentally accessible, academically engaging and practically valuable."

Mark Labberton

"Organizational Leadershipis a well-researched and well-written anthology on leadership by eight contributing authors. Filled with practical anecdotes, the authors address leadership issues, including calling, theological and theoretical foundations, communication, conflict, negotiation, decision-making, financial integrity and sustaining leadership. . . . The first and last chapters by Tim Dolan are worth the price of the book."

Larry Lindquist

"[Organizational Leadership's] topical comprehension and biblical grounding provide considerable food for thought for Christians at the helm of organizations, whether secular or Christian."

Gerald Wisz

"God has inspired scientists, theologians and theorists to offer tools for leading in profound and Christ-like ways. By introducing substantial theory, theology and best practices, Organizational Leadership shows the depth of knowledge, wisdom, discernment and strategy available to Christian leaders."

Damon M. Seacott

"Does Christian faith have anything to contribute to understanding the theory and practice of leadership? Most assuredly, yes! This book offers a much-needed practical theology on organizational leadership, providing perspectives and principles for readers to be 'salt and light' and 'as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves' in their formal and informal leadership roles."

J. Stanley Mattson

"While the list of leadership books seems to grow almost daily, very few of them will offer the scope and the synthetic approach that this volume provides. The ten essays in this book will assist readers in visiting the broad landscape of the Christian leadership genre and in sampling the best of secular resources. I will be excited to put this book into the hands of my students."

Jim Singleton

"Organizational Leadership is the outcome of godly writers whose commitment to biblical authority provides a refreshing, theologically sound perspective to the vast field of leadership literature. It is a brilliant confluence of practical advise, moral boundaries for decision makers and fascinating examples of good and bad practices of leadership. I heartily recommend Organizational Leadership to all those aspiring to be Christ-honoring leaders."

--Paul A. Kienel, founder and president emeritus, Association of Christian Schools International

"Organizational Leadershipis a well-researched and well-written anthology on leadership by eight contributing authors. Filled with practical anecdotes, the authors address leadership issues, including calling, theological and theoretical foundations, communication, conflict, negotiation, decision-making, financial integrity and sustaining leadership. . . . The first and last chapters by Tim Dolan are worth the price of the book."

--Larry Lindquist, Preaching, May 2014

"Does Christian faith have anything to contribute to understanding the theory and practice of leadership? Most assuredly, yes! This book offers a much-needed practical theology on organizational leadership, providing perspectives and principles for readers to be 'salt and light' and 'as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves' in their formal and informal leadership roles."

--J. Stanley Mattson, founder and president of the C. S. Lewis Foundation and director of the C. S. Lewis Study Centre at the Kilns, Oxford, England

"God has inspired scientists, theologians and theorists to offer tools for leading in profound and Christ-like ways. By introducing substantial theory, theology and best practices, Organizational Leadership shows the depth of knowledge, wisdom, discernment and strategy available to Christian leaders."

--Damon M. Seacott, CCCU Advance, Fall 2014

"[Organizational Leadership's] topical comprehension and biblical grounding provide considerable food for thought for Christians at the helm of organizations, whether secular or Christian."

--Gerald Wisz, CBA Retailers + Resources, June 2014

"Overall, the authors offer sound wisdom for conducting leadership effectively. Because of its dual emphasis on leadership constructs and leading from a Christian perspective, the book is an ideal text for undergraduate or graduate level courses on leadership. It could also serve leaders of religious and non-religious organization who want to develop themselves and their team members to be more effective leaders."

--Michelle Vondey, Religious Studies Review, March 2015

From the Publisher