This edition of Shelf Life first appeared in the Fall/Winter 2004 edition of In Touch Magazine. For reprint permission contact the Director of Public Relations at 1-800-251-6227.

Recommended Reading from Ron Toews

The Courageous Follower: Standing up to and for our leaders, by Ira Chaleff (Berrett-Koehler, 1995) Both leaders and followers sometimes complain that they are misunderstood and under-appreciated. The reality is that good leaders need courageous followers. Neither leaders nor followers thrive independently; nor can their purposes be accomplished in isolation. The Courageous Follower proffers that there are five dimensions of courageous followership: the courage to assume responsibility; the courage to serve; the courage to challenge; the courage to participate in transformation; and the courage to leave.

Transformational Leadership: A new model for total church involvement, by Phillip V. Lewis (Broadman and Holman, 1996) Nearly a decade after it was published, Transformational Leadership remains a good read. Though it is wider than deep, the volume raises issues of significant importance for young leaders, with the result that their own foundation is strengthened in practical ways.

A Work of Heart: Understanding how God shapes spiritual leaders, by Reggie McNeal (Jossey-Bass, 2000) Heart shaping is interplay between God and his people that occurs chiefly in six areas: culture, call, community, communion, conflict, and the commonplace. McNeal traces each of these themes in the lives of Moses, David, Paul, and Jesus. While this is not a how-to book, it does stimulate searching for a real and practical expression of spirituality.

D.L. Moody on Spiritual Leadership, by Steve Miller (Moody, 2004) God uses ordinary, faithful people to accomplish his purposes. Moody was both. Despite his limitations, he leaned into God’s call. Moody’s life was not marked by the external features that so often attract us to significant people but rather by the inner qualities that God was pleased to use. No bigger than a pocket novel, this little volume ups the ante for the rest of us who feel like unremarkable clay.

Decoding the Church: Mapping the DNA of Christ’s body, by Howard A. Snyder (Baker, 2002)
Snyder argues that certain biblical and theological DNA define the nature and purpose of the church. These DNA are organic, not institutional. Once these DNA are discovered, churches can get on with living accordingly, their biblical and theological self understandings shaping their behaviors, actions, and structures. Study questions at the end of each chapter, as well as the interweaving of a fictional story through the book, make this a good project for a church leadership group.