LEADERSHIFT

Quote from the Book

“The expression of biblically defined leadership results in the equipping of others for the work of service” (p.35)

The Author

This book was written by Don Cousins. For more than 30 years, Don Cousins has been engaged in building the body of Christ. He spent his first 17 years on the staff at Willow Creek Community Church where he played a leading role in the development of more than 90 internal ministries and the leadership for each. He also taught regularly throughout the life of the church. Don left the staff at Willow Creek in the fall of 1992 and has been working to equip others in the broader body of Christ ever since. His ministry is now expressed primarily through teaching, writing, consulting and coaching. He is the coauthor of the Medallion award-winning, gifts-based curriculum study Network. Don resides in Holland, Michigan, with his wife, MaryAnn, and their three children.

Insights from the Book

Leaders play a critical role in any endeavor and this includes the work of God’s Kingdom. Leading as God outlines in His word is absolutely essential. Who is qualified and equipped to lead? What is the role and responsibility of a leader? How is their effectiveness and success in ministry measured? Author Don Cousins addresses these questions and many others. He points out the stark differences between God’s definition and understanding of leadership and the world’s. Spiritual leaders are called to equip others for the work of service. This role as an equipper of others is life and ministry changing.

Fueled by the drive to be bigger and better, today’s church has adopted principles and practices created by the corporate world. The result is a toxic mix of the spiritual and the secular, where success is measured in numbers, and pastors are encouraged to become CEO superstars. In short, the world is influencing the church. How do we get back to a biblical foundation for leadership and church development? It is on a quest to answer these questions that Don Cousins penned down the words in this book in three major sections: A departure from the truth; A return to truth; and Applying the truth. Of course, the subtitle of the book is, “Letting go of leadership Heresies.” Don, therefore, addresses four major heresies that the church is struggling with today that has lead to the wrong expression of biblical leadership namely: success heresy; serving heresy; credit heresy; and organizational heresy. He insists that if anyone follows God’s blueprint for leadership and ministry, he will surely experience faithful, fruitful and fulfilling service that makes God famous.