An Excellent Resource for Your Leadership Team

If you are looking for a way to strengthen your leadership team in 2009, consider purchasing a copy of Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership, by Ruth Haley Barton, for each team member. Many books are written to sharpen our leadership skills, but this one brings challenging insights to strengthen our souls which will transform our leadership. 

Barton describes the soul as "the ‘you' that exists beyond any role you play, any job you perform, any relationship that seems to define you, or any notoriety or success you may have achieved. It is the part of you that longs for more of God."

Is it possible to have success in our ministries and loss in our souls? It seems we can, for Jesus warns us against gaining everything and yet losing our souls. Performance-oriented drivenness or simple activism will leave us empty and longing for more.  From the first chapter, "When Leaders Lose Their Souls," Barton challenges us to lead from the soul-the place of personal encounters with God.

This book takes an in-depth look at Moses' private encounters with God, and how his soul was strengthened in solitude. Moses led from that strength, and his leadership strategy consisted of seeking God in solitude, and then obeying what God revealed to him. While this may seem like a simple plan, you will discover the profundity of its simplicity. You will be challenged to new depths of:

• experiencing solitary, transforming times with God
• paying attention to God's work in and around us
• understanding our calling
• living and flourishing within your God-given limits
• recognizing the signs of being depleted
• establishing healthy rhythms of work and rest, silence and word
• leading through intercessory prayer
• facing the loneliness of leadership
• cultivating spiritual leadership community
• discerning God's will together

If your leadership team meets regularly, simply assign a chapter or a portion of the book to be read and discussed at each meeting. If your team meets less often, send them the book to read on their own. Use e-mail to discuss the material in the first eight chapters. The last five chapters are specific for leadership teams, and would be great to use as the foundation for a leadership retreat or an extended meeting.

Once you discover the amazing impact of these principles, you'll want to do more than simply read this book-you'll want to discuss, process, and apply it. For this reason, your team will benefit from the spiritual practices included in each chapter. What a powerful way for your leadership team to start 2009!

KERRY CLARENSAU has served in ministry with her husband, Mike, for over 20 years. She has held a variety of ministry positions in the Kansas District and in the national office. Currently she and Mike serve as pastors at Maranatha Worship Center in Wichita, Kansas, where she teaches an adult Sunday school class and oversees ministry to women. Kerry also serves as Leadership Development Coordinator for the National Women's Department.

Live Right. Live Well. Love God.

Try the simple and life-changing practice of memorizing one verse each week.

Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God." Memorize this verse slowly and deliberately, as there is much to learn in these eight words. Imagine how much better your day would be if indeed you took time to be still. Why not five minutes right now? And in that five minutes, think about the word know and the depth of meaning in that word. And if we understand the word know, then follow it by the statement I am God. Your life could change this morning if this verse became the center of your day. God can do anything, God knows everything, God loves, God cares, God understands. Why would I worry today?

Carol Showalter, author of Your Whole Life: The 3D Plan for Eating Right, Living Well, and Loving God, featured in "Ministering to Women in 2009" magalog. For more information, visit www.3DYourWholeLife.com.

To enter the weekly drawing for a free copy of Your Whole Life, e-mail jennyl@paracletepress.com with your name and address.