The challenges, isolation, and relentless demands of leadership can inspire a variety of fears in the heart of a leader; among them fear of failure, fear of mutiny, fear of criticism, fear of disappointing people. However, the greatest fear leaders face is not something that might happen to them, but something that can happen in thema€”a degeneration of the heart that robs them of their calling and leaves a deep soul dissatisfaction in its place.John Ortberg describes this menacing fear in terms of mission and shadow mission. A mission is the highest purpose to which God calls us; a shadow mission is an authentic mission that has been derailed, often in imperceptible ways. Ortberg writes, a€œPart of what makes the shadow mission so tempting is that ita€™s usually so closely related to our gifts and passions. Ita€™s not 180 degrees off track; it is just 10 degrees off track, but that 10 degrees is in the direction of hell.a€Every leader has a missiona€”and a shadow mission. Even Jesus had to battle a shadow mission; it was to be a leader without sufferinga€”to be the Messiah without the cross. Ortberg writes, a€œIf we fail to embrace our true mission, we will live out our shadow mission. We will let our lives center around things that are unworthy, selfish and dark.a€ Using characters from the remarkable Old Testament story of Esther, Ortberg demonstrates the disastrous consequences of succumbing to shadow mission, and the stunning rewards of whole-hearted commitment to mission. With characteristic humor and insight, the author invites us to follow Esthera€™s example and courageously choose to embrace the mission God gives. Like Esther, we can lead without feara€”even in threatening circumstancesa€”because we know God is always at work in unseen, unknown and unlikely ways.
Many of the church leaders we talk to are seeking an escape from the not-so-simple life. // "Relax. This book is not about another church model. If you are a church leader, you have been exposed to plenty of models, and most of them are on your shel...
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In his first book published as Pope, and in conjunction with the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis here invites all humanity to an intimate and personal dialogue on the subject closest to his heart&md...
In YOU CAN, YOU WILL, Joel Osteen shares eight undeniable qualities of winners that can help you to reach your potential and achieve new levels of success in your life. You are created to be a winner. Get these eight principles deep down on the i...
No one wants to see a church die. And yet, far too many churches are dying. For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Thom Rainer has helped churches grow, reverse the trends of decline, and has autopsied those that have died. From this experience, he ha...
Being a leader means working with people, and that's not always easy! Whether in your office, church, neighborhood, or elsewhere, your interpersonal relationships can make or break you as a leader. That's why it's so important to be a "people pers...
A vision. You as a leader may have it, but has your organization caught it? If a leader's vision is all about what could be and what should be, why are you buried under what is? Noted author and pastor Andy Stanley points out that if followers don't...
Lift Your Vision High Vision is a preferred future. A destination. Vision always stands in contrast to the world as it is. Visioneering, according to bestselling author Andy Stanley, is “a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the c...
"This book will be one of the most, if not the most, pivotal leadership books you'll ever read." - Andy Stanley"If you're ready to lead right where you are, this book can show you how to start." - Dave Ramsey"Read this book! The marketplace is full ...
Pastor, preacher, and New York Times bestselling author of The Prodigal Prophet Timothy Keller shares his wisdom on communicating the Christian faith from the pulpit as well as from the coffee shop.Most Christians—including pastors—strug...
