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Societal Emotional Process, Emotional Reactivity, And Their Increasing Challenge For Ministry Leadership, Douglas U. Schonberg

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

The increasing anxiety and reactivity across society witnessed in elections, responses to COVID-19, and even within personal posts on social media platforms is a phenomenon that is growing invasively and pervasively present in ministry leadership. Murray Bowen’s family systems theory (1978) seminal concepts of societal emotional process and emotional reactivity describe the phenomenon with acumen. This article outlines these two concepts and provides current examples of how they are being experienced by ministry leaders. Biblical examples demonstrate that the phenomenon has always been present in ministry leadership. Practical guidance is provided for ministry leaders to address this growing challenge by …

Leadership Development And Succession: A Review Of Best Practices With Insights For Mission Leadership, Boubakar Sanou

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Leadership development and succession planning are of critical importance to any organization’s performance and long-term sustenance. Unfortunately, the need to plan for leadership succession remains a challenge to most organizations, both secular and faith-based. This article explores the risks of not having a succession plan in organizations, the inhibitors of successful leadership transition management, and best practices for leadership development and transition. The last section explores ways to prepare the next generations for missions. The emphasis is on how intentional mentoring can help address the challenge of leadership development and succession at all levels of an organization.

Prolegomena To A Theology Of Eschatological Leadership: 13 Leadership Principles For The End Time Gleaned From The Book Of Revelation, Gregory Pierce Whitsett

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Jesus entrusted his disciples with leadership. That leadership was to be exercised on behalf of his mission to seek and save the lost in all the world before his return. This mission work will reach a climax during the time of the end before Christ’s promised return. This article explores the book of Revelation for clues concerning leadership qualities required for this task. The article will support the discussion of these leadership qualities with contributions from contemporary authors on the topic.

Developing a theology of eschatological leadership is a daunting task and will require a broader discussion than what one …

A Review Of The Historical Roots Of The Union Conference Organizational Structure In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church And Inter-Structural Accountability, Eric Louw

Andrews University Seminary Student Journal

Over the last few years, a debate regarding the inter-structural relationship of each level of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has grown to the point where it can be polarizing, regardless of which side of the debate one is on. This tension has likely come about, at least in part, as a response to the ongoing gender role debate, which has given rise to the emergence of an “us vs. them” mentality between those who agree and disagree with the decisions of the General Conference Sessions and its Executive Committee. This paper looks at some of the historical data related to …

A Call To Relational Leadership Arising From A Shared Eschatalogical Vision, Skip Bell, Gyeongchun Choi, Stanley E. Patterson, David K. Penno

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

The book of Revelation contrasts two distinct approaches to leadership. This article describes these approaches and concludes how Christians should practice leadership today. The two approaches are traced from the rebellion in heaven, through creation, and the life of Jesus, with a focus on Scripture’s apocalyptic messages. This study is needed because leadership in the church profoundly affects the church’s witness and accomplishment of mission. Faithfulness among God’s people in the last days can only be experienced when leadership is practiced according to God-honoring principles. This article concludes that the loving, non-coercive, relational dynamic—demonstrated by the Lamb’s leading during the …

Leading With Integrity Under Pressure: The Activist Leadership Model, Akinwumi Oke, Jay Brand, Shirley Freed, Erich Baumgartner

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

This article proposes that an effective activist leadership model has important significance for leaders in ethically challenging contexts. Findings from the grounded theory study present activist leadership theory and competencies or qualities exhibited by “activist leaders” in the public sector. These support the achievement of “above-the-norm” organizational performance despite the constraints of weak governance institutions within their specified contexts. Activist leadership rests on leaders’ (a) managerial and personal approach; (b) cognitive disposition to achieving good governance outcomes; and (c) pragmatic leadership approach to resolving leadership challenges in weak institutional contexts. These leaders can deliver effective leadership despite weak institutional/governance frameworks, …

A Tale Of Two Books: The Relationship Between John Harvey Kellogg’S Living Temple And Ellen G. White’S Ministry Of Healing, Thomas Rasmussen

Andrews University Seminary Student Journal

In contemporary society John H. Kellogg is more known for his medical inventions, than he is for the book The Living Temple, which was published in 1903. However, within Adventism the name Kellogg denotes crisis and controversy. The thesis of this paper is that Ellen White responded to the Kellogg’s publication in three ways: personally—to John Kellogg; prophetically—to the Seventh-day Adventist Church; and publicly—with the book The Ministry of Healing, which was published two years later in 1905. It is the public response that is of primary interest to this paper. Ellen White wrote many personal letters to Kellogg leading …

Crucibles Of Christian Leadership: An Exploration Of Bennis's And Thomas's "Crucible" Concept As It Relates To Christian Leaders, Alan Wilson

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Among terms used to describe the events and experiences that contribute to the shaping of leaders is Warren Bennis’s and Robert Thomas’s “crucibles.” Their use of the term emerged from a series of interviews with leaders who referred to a transformative experience that had contributed to their leadership. This paper describes a research project whose aim was to explore the significance of such experiences in the development of Christian leaders. The experiences of fourteen leaders were examined, and analysis of the experiences demonstrated how they had a part to play in shaping both the character and calling of a leader; …

Leadership In The Creation Narrative, Jacques R. Doukhan

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

In the very first verses of the Bible, we see God set an example of leadership through his creation of the world. In this article, the author examines different elements of leadership exemplified in the Genesis account of creation; he maintains that this account demonstrates that to lead is to initiate, relate, serve, communicate, share, and create. While divinely exemplified in the story of creation, each of these traits has application to human leadership— namely the servant leadership style.

Servants And Friends: A Biblical Theology Of Leadership, Erich Baumgartner

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"In this groundbreaking volume published by andrews University Press, some 20 scholars examine the sacred text of the Old and New testaments, as well as a selection of six biblical leadership narratives, to lay the foundation for a biblical theology of leadership. Each of the first three sections is composed of six chapters, providing an array of fascinating studies of leadership in the Bible. the fourth section attempts to integrate the multiple facets of leadership insight unearthed throughout the various contributions into what the editor, Skip Bell, claims to be “the most complete biblical theology of leadership available.”

The End Of Leadership, Richard Aparecido Teixeira Figueredo

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"Barbara Kellerman urges readers to consider the “other side” of leadership. the thesis of The End of Leadership is that leadership has changed and that today we must embrace a leadership marked not by commanding or controlling but by a focus on helping people (servant leadership) to achieve their goals. this is the “end” of the traditional leadership style. But Kellerman’s accompanying concern is that the “leadership industry” is more interested in making money on this issue than in providing real solutions for leadership. as such, chief among her recommendations is that readers learn more about leadership instead of how …

Beyond The Barriers Of Discipline And Culture, Erich Baumgartner

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"culture sometimes prevents us from appreciating the very gifts offered to us, at least at first. in one place i learned a dimension of friendship that my culture does not allow me to experience easily. it happened when i was teaching Leadership Development to teachers and administrators of religious organizations in India. the first thing i noticed was their eagerness to learn in the classroom and their desire to share the beauty of their city and cultural sites with me. i enjoyed both, the classroom and the time outside the classroom. But i was unprepared for a gesture of friendship …

The Need For Spiritual Leadership, Morris Thompson

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"Leadership comes in different shapes and sizes within our society. Some leadership practices are characterized as good, and other forms are toxic. however, within the 21st century, spiritual leadership is necessary as christian leaders focus on growing the next generation of leaders. this article focuses on the importance of the spiritual leader within today’s society, and will first discuss the need for dedicated spiritual leaders. it will then discuss how spiritual leaders affect the spiritual growth of others. Finally, it will discuss the need for spiritual accountability."

The Intersection Of Leadership And Spirituality: A Qualitative Study Exploring The Thinking And Behavioral Attributes Of Leaders Who Identify As Spiritual, D. S. Goldberg

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"the primary question was does spirituality influence leaders’ thinking and behaviors. the secondary questions included an exploration around ways spirituality influences thinking and behaviors. it also explored the questions as to spirituality informing the ways leaders can be challenging within their organizations, and if acknowledging one’s spirituality publically helps or hinders building effective teams. the highlights of the research include the finding that spirituality does indeed influence everything a leader does and is, whether thinking or behavior attributes, and the process of a leader’s questioning."

The Role Of Spirituality In The Leadership Style Of Organizational Leaders, A. S. Koko

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"the transcendental phenomenology research design was used to investigate the essence or meaning of these leaders’ experiences regarding their spirituality and leadership style as they were currently experiencing it. the knowledge obtained from this study explained spirituality, consciousness, and cognition’s role in leadership style, which can be applied to the fields of sports, politics, organizational management, coaching, mentoring, leadership, employee recruitment, and other areas of society or within any organization where leadership performance is important. the conclusion from this study was that organizational leaders who self-identified as being spiritual demonstrated compassion when relating with their employees and others. these organizational …

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit Of Less, Bradley D. Cassell

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"he utilizes three steps in discovering and embracing what is most important: explore, eliminate, and execute. intertwined in these steps are practical stories of corporate executives who discovered their niche and priorities by following these principles. the author gives practical counsel such as getting plenty of sleep, taking time to play, gathering the courage to eliminate things that are not important even if it offends others, and even getting into a flow or routine of doing a few things well while cutting out the non-essential priorities that others place in our path."

On Growing Leaders And Leaders Growing, Petr Cincala

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"Reading through this issue you will encounter and reflect on a number of leaders from the biblical times such as Nehemiah, Barnabas, Paul, timothy. Our goal is to connect theory and practice in life and ministry in the hope that they will open new insights towards more effective leadership development. as Bob Logan says in his article, “Just like you cannot learn to swim in a classroom, so you cannot learn to do ministry in a classroom.” So how then does it work? are some people born leaders and some not? What makes a good leader? how can one obtain …

Work With Me: How To Get People To Buy Into Your Ideas, Deeann Bragaw

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"The strengths of this book include the concept that true buy-in means people have a genuinely voluntary choice and say “yes” because they want to, not because they have to (loc 385). Real buy-in is not manipulation or coercion. Real buy-in wins devotion and energy as advocates."

The God Dimension In Leadership, Erich Baumgartner

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

One of the most challenging insights of the servant leadership approach for christian leaders is the fact that god himself chose to approach humanity that way. Christian theology has long maintained that who god is determines how he acts. Jesus dying on the cross for humanity reminds us of the inexhaustible mystery that by his very nature god is a servant. the nature of god—more specifically his Trinitarian nature—is the central paradigm of thought in this issue of JACL. Does God’s Trinitarian nature have anything to say to Christian leaders about leadership? Get ready for some meaty reading.

The Decision Maker. By Dennis Bakke, Tom Stone, Charity Stone

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

THE DECISION MAKER. By Dennis Bakke. Seattle, WA: Pear Press (2013). Hardcover, 218 pages.

Bakke argues that the long-standing view of leadership has been that of a dictator—the boss makes the decisions and tells the underlings what to do and how to do it. The underlings grudgingly do exactly what the boss wants (eliminating creativity but supposedly increasing productivity and quality). In the traditional model, the boss micromanages the employees (which in actuality can lead to hurried, half-hearted, busy work). This model is not always (if ever) ideal. If decisions are made at the top by people who do not …

Leadership As Practice: Theory And Application. By Joseph A. Raelin (Ed.), Herman Leon Davis Sr.

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

LEADERSHIP AS PRACTICE: THEORY AND APPLICATION. By Joseph A. Raelin (Ed.). New York, NY: Routledge (2016). Paperback, 310 pages.

... practice leadership, as described in this text, relies heavily upon integrated communication, such as is reflected in shared, distributed, and relational leadership. Such interaction, dialogue, collaboration and shared learning reflect what the text refers to as holarchy, which is an ethically grounded relationship between unity and diversity. In such a context, the whole and the parts are equally valued.

Boundaries For Leaders. By Henry Cloud, Osei Daniels

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

BOUNDARIES FOR LEADERS. By Henry Cloud. New York, NY: HarperCollins (2013). Kindle Version, 272 pages

This book has solidified for me the almost terrifying but freeing truths of leadership, that i am “ridiculously in charge,” and it’s up to me to get the team going where it needs to go. I’m still learning how to shift my mind from the worker-bee to that of the leader, putting first things first in establishing the goal of what we’re trying to accomplish, and developing a road map for each step of how we’ll be getting to our destination. I’ve learned that my …

Influencer: The Science Of Leading Change. By Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield, Ron Mcmillan, & Al Switzler, Gabriel Gutierrez Jr.

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

INFLUENCER: THE SCIENCE OF LEADING CHANGE. By Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, & Al Switzler. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education (2013). Paperback, 299 pages.

The five authors demonstrated that true leadership has primarily to do with change. Being able to change personally and helping others to change are at the heart of true leadership. It was clear that anyone with the desire to influence others toward positive change is able to accomplish this. The key is in following the three main ideas undauntedly and consistently—focus and measure, find vital behaviors, and engage all six sources of influence—as …

Learning Leadership: The Five Fundamentals Of Becoming An Exemplary Leader. By James M. Kouzes & Barry Z. Posner, Stefan Dinu

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

LEARNING LEADERSHIP: THE FIVE FUNDAMENTALS OF BECOMING AN EXEMPLARY LEADER. By James M. Kouzes & Barry Z. Posner. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley (2016). Hardcover, 272 pages.

The central theme of this great book orbits around the message that leadership is everyone’s business, pulverizing the five myths that keep people from boarding the vessel of leadership: talent, position, strengths, self-reliance and it-comes-naturally. “Leadership potential isn’t something that some people have and other people don’t”.

Leadership Pain: The Classroom For Growth. By Samuel R. Chand, Melissa Silva

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

LEADERSHIP PAIN: THE CLASSROOM FOR GROWTH. By Samuel R. Chand. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson (2015). Kindle edition, 250 pages.

First, he looks at the main causes of pain in leadership— namely, external sources, personal unrelieved stress, and a growing organization. But he does not stop there. He spends a good deal of time looking at how to analyze and recognize the painful experiences that we have and how they help us grow. This is important because, without it, a lot of pain we suffer can be in vain. Finally, the author encourages leaders by reminding them that there are privileges …

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together And Others Don't. By Simon Sinek, William K. Koomson

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

LEADERS EAT LAST: WHY SOME TEAMS PULL TOGETHER AND OTHERS DON’T. Simon Sinek. New York, NY: Portfolio/Penguin (2014). Hardcover, 244 pages.

The author discusses multiple points of views, from political leaders, business leaders, and military leaders to society in general, employees, and managers. According to Sinek, many organizations are failing because their work has become a numbers game, rather than shifting their focus toward developing and understanding the needs of people who work in the organization. “If the leaders of organizations give their people something to believe in, if they offer their people a challenge that outsizes their resources but …

Biblical Foundations Of Christian Leadership: Part 1, Stanley E. Patterson Phd

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

The Biblical foundations of leadership begin to be laid in the first chapter of Genesis and conclude with the declaration of a kingly leadership position (Rev. 1:5, 6) for God’s people in Revelation. These books and those in between reveal the deeds and misdeeds of leaders throughout. We see the massive deterioration of leadership behavior in the rebellion of Lucifer against God, but we also observe the incredible demonstration of leadership in the descent of the Messiah into the greatness of transformational service. The model demonstrated by Christ is a model of service. The followers of Jesus are called to …

Developing Leaders For Effective Cross-Cultural Christian Leadership In East Asian Ccontext, Scott Seong-Cheon Bang

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Dissertation Notice

Full Text of the Thesis available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global

Will the increased understanding of effective Christian leadership practices in the East Asian context increase the confidence of leaders who intend to lead within that culture? In order to discover the answer, leaders of Los Angeles United Church were invited to participate in a training seminar which focused on strengthening theological understanding of Christian leadership and raising anthropological awareness of culture in a leadership situation.

A Theology Of Missional Leadership In The Book Of Revelation, Gyeongchun Choi

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Dissertation Notice:

Full Text of Dissertation

This study aims to establish a theology of missional leadership through motifs inherent in the cosmic conflict between God and Satan in the Book of Revelation, examining the Apocalypse and comparing it with relevant leadership theories. The Book of Revelation is a valid source of understanding pastoral and missional leadership because it contains leadership terminologies and concepts and reveals the Lamb’s leadership behavior and exposes the counterfeit leadership of the Dragon.

For The Flock: Impetus For Shepherd Leadership In John 10, Nathan H. Gunter

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Following the prophets’ declarations concerning the need for right-hearted shepherds, the four Gospels portray Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Shepherd to save Israel (Ezek. 34:23). John’s Gospel extends the pastoral imagery of the Old testament, most notably in the Good Shepherd discourse (John 10:1-21). John’s development of the shepherd motif presents Jesus both as the Good Shepherd who will lay down his life for his sheep and as the model after whom other shepherds ought to pattern their leadership. contrary to contemporary conversations concerning christian leadership, though, John’s gospel places greater emphasis on the shepherd’s …