Review
"The Leader's Journey is a gift that issues from the authors' unflagging commitment to the ministry of the church and a love for the church's leaders who labor faithfully for the church." — J. Bradley Creed, provost and professor of religion, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama "The Leader's Journey made my brain sweat (fresh ways to think) and filled my heart with hope (the possibility of transformation). This is not a quick-fix disappointment. Enjoy the pathway— it's transforming." — Jared Roth, vice president and COO, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel "We need leaders who lead from the inside out with a life of moral integrity, personal accountability experienced in authentic community, and who call others to follow them into the journey of transformational change. This book is a must read for those who want help in taking this journey." — Dr. Jack Dennison, founder, CitiReach International, Colorado Springs, Colorado "This book is a much-needed addition to the field of pastoral leadership. It does a marvelous job of taking insights from family systems theory, fusing them with solid Biblical theology, and making these concepts practical and accessible for pastors." — Dr. Jim Jackson, pastor, Chapelwood United Methodist Church, Houston, Texas "Instead of giving us leadership techniques to be applied to others, the authors provide practical principles and personal stories of how leaders can manage themselves instead of others. This is a book pastors and congregational leaders need to read." — Bill Easum, president, Easum, Bandy, & Associates



Book Description
Many books describe elements of church leadership— what it is and how to do it— but very few focus on the process of personal transformation that is central to being able to lead well. The Leader's Journey provides a blueprint and the practical tools needed to transform the lives of pastors and congregational lay leaders so that they can become truly effective leaders. Blending the best of sound psychological research, solid Biblical principles, and proven congregational experiences— authors Jim Herrington, Robert Creech, and Trisha Taylor offer step-by-step guidance for engaging in the personal transformation journey as part of effective congregational leadership.


From the Inside Flap
Many books describe elements of church leadership— what it is and how to do it— but very few focus on the process of personal transformation that is central to being able to lead well. The Leader's Journey provides a blueprint and the practical tools needed to transform the lives of pastors and congregational lay leaders so that they can become truly effective leaders. Blending the best of sound psychological research, solid Biblical principles, and proven congregational experiences— authors Jim Herrington, Robert Creech, and Trisha Taylor offer step-by-step guidance for engaging in the personal transformation journey as part of effective congregational leadership. To lead well, pastors must first focus on managing themselves rather than managing others and learn to think in a different way about how people in living systems affect each other. As pastors learn to manage their own anxiety, they can handle themselves more calmly and lead in the midst of anxious congregations. The Leader's Journey also examines the life of Jesus and reflects on the living systems of which He was a part, observing His ability to know and do the right thing despite enormous pressure to do otherwise. To emulate His life, the authors encourage leaders to pursue a more intimate relationship with God so that they will be able to keep their lives in balance when outside influences and pressures tend to overtake us. The concepts presented in this useful volume have been successfully implemented in large and small congregations all over the world through The Leader's Edge seminars. Throughout The Leader's Journey, Herrington, Creech, and Taylor share their own stories of transformation and those of other pastors and lay leaders, and each chapter contains reflective questions for self-assessment that will engage you in your transformational journey.


About the Author
Jim Herrington is a pastor, author, and conference leader. He serves as the pastor of Harbor Church, a network of house churches in Houston, Texas— Montrose Community. He is a coauthor of Leading Congregational Change (Jossey-Bass). Robert Creech has been senior pastor of the University Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, since 1987. Trisha Taylor is a fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and practices through the Union Baptist Association Center for Counseling in Houston, Texas.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Many books describe elements of church leadership -- what it is and how to do it -- but very few focus on the process of personal transformation that is central to being able to lead well. The Leader's Journey provides a blueprint and the practical tools needed to transform the lives of pastors and congregational lay leaders so that they can become truly effective leaders. Blending the best of sound psychological research, solid Biblical principles, and proven congregational expertise -- authors Jim Herrington, R. Robert Creech, and Trisha Taylor offer step-by-step guidance for engaging in the personal transformation journey as part of effective congregational leadership. To lead well, pastors must first focus on managing themselves rather than managing others and learn to think in a different way about how people in living systems affect each other. As pastors learn to manage themselves, they can lead more calmly in the midst of anxious times.