Shelf Life
This edition of Shelf Life first appeared in the Fall/Winter 2007 edition of In Touch Magazine. For reprint permission contact the Director of Public Relations at 1-800-251-6227.
Recommended Reading for Leadership Development from Anne Friesen. Anne is Associate Director of Ministry Quest, a program that helps young adults nurture their call to leadership.
Summoned to Lead, by Leonard Sweet (Zondervan, 2004).
Sweet asserts that leaders are neither born nor made. Leaders are summoned. They are called into existence by circumstances. Those who rise to the occasion are leaders. This book explores the dynamics of providing leadership by bring together the voice of God and voices of the people. Sweet weaves examples of Ernest Shackleton’s leadership style into each chapter.
The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry, by Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster (Upper Room Books, 1998).
This is a great guide for any youth worker or pastor who wants to do more with youth ministry than entertain students. Through the lens of spiritual practices, this book addresses issues of personal spiritual care, team building and ministry to youth.
Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture: Bridging Teen Worldviews and Christian Truth, by Walt Mueller (IVP Books, 2006).
This book is a great start for understanding current youth culture and postmodernism. Mueller’s insights into the realities of youth culture have helped me navigate the troubling and confusing terrain of youth worldviews. Understanding our youth is key to communicating the gospel.
Transforming Discipleship, by Greg Ogden (InterVarsity Press, 2003).
Ogden addresses the pressing need in the Church for intentional disciple making. He points out that Jesus invested in a few disciples and then commanded them to continue the work of making more disciples. This book lays out a strong argument for mentoring with a leadership development component. The result is 3-4 able leaders ready to mentor others every 12-18 months. The accompanying mentoring guide, Discipleship Essentials, is currently used as the mentoring curriculum for the Ministry Quest program.
Spiritual Mentoring: a guide for seeking and giving direction, by Keith R. Anderson & Randy D. Reese (InterVarsity Press, 1999).
This is a great book for mentor and protégé alike. Anderson & Reese have done a fine job of outlining what is needed for effective life-on-life transformation.