Synopses & Reviews
" . . . Many women and men provide real spiritual leadership. These leaders are masterpieces in too short a supply. They are genuine works of heart. They don't develop overnight, though it might seem they appear 'out of nowhere.' They always come from somewhere—the heart of God. They are carefully crafted, faithfully shaped."
—From the Preface
In this updated edition of his bestselling book A Work of Heart, Reggie McNeal proposes that effective spiritual leaders must become experts in matters of the heart—particularly their own. Keeping heart for the demanding work of ministry hinges on leaders' ability to discern God at work in their own lives, shaping their hearts to embrace the particular ministries to which they are called. This process of finding heart depends on an interactive partnership with God. God introduces the storyline—but the leader's responses affect the development of the drama.
To demonstrate the book's key points, McNeal leads readers on an excursion into the heart-shaping drama of four major Biblical leaders: Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul. He identifies the influences God used to shape them: Culture—the times and the environment in which a leader is raised; Call—the leader's personal call by God to mission; Community—the people who shape and sustain the leader; Communion—the leader's personal relationship with God; Conflict—the leader's engagement of destructive forces in life and ministry; and Commonplace—the daily choices of living.
Using illustrative stories of contemporary church leaders who opened their hearts to God's guidance, McNeal shows how God is still using these same influences to shape the hearts of religious leaders today. God creates leaders in order to share his heart with his people.
Synopsis
Revised and updated edition of the classic work on spiritual leadershipIn A Work of Heart, bestselling author and missional expert Reggie McNeal helps leaders reflect on the ways in which God is shaping them by letting us see God at work in the lives of four quintessential biblical leaders: Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul. McNeal identifies the formative influences upon these leaders, which he sees as God's ways of working in their lives: the same influences at work today forming leaders for ministry in our times. He explores the shaping influence of culture, call, community, conflict, and the commonplace.
- Offers guidance for church leaders to let God shape their hearts from the inside out
- Reggie McNeal is the author of the bestselling book Missional Renaissance
- Gives reassurance for maintaining perspective while doing the demanding work of ministry
The book includes illustrative stories of contemporary leaders opening their hearts to God's guidance.
Synopsis
Praise for the Original Edition of A Work of Heart"It is not just the skills of ministry that are important. The heart-sculpting work of God creates quality ministries. A Work of Heart explains how God is shaping each of us for future service."
—Bob Buford, founding chairman, Leadership Network
"We've read leadership manuals ad nauseum. We've attended every high-powered conference imaginable. We've bought the T-shirts, the three-ring binders, and all the right soundbites. But if we're honest, we're in serious drift mode, and we know it. . . . In A Work of Heart, Reggie McNeal has given us nothing less than CPR for the leader's soul, a book that moves us beyond leadership 'how-tos' to the lifeline of genuine influence—our own intricate, passionate journey with God."
—Sally Morgenthaler, author, Worship Evangelism
"Everyone committed to developing leaders must study Reggie McNeal's understandings of heart shaping, and in doing so, will experience their own hearts being sculpted."
—Donald O. Clifton, past chairman, The Gallup Organization
"This is a must-read for present and emerging leaders who desire to balance practical leadership techniques with a heart shaped by God. In typical McNeal fashion, this book makes the connection between the truths of Scripture and the real world the leader lives in."
—Tim Schroeder, pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Kelowna, BC, Canada
"Don't lose heart! Reggie McNeal helps us look under the hood, at the engine of our lives and leadership—our heart—and shows us what it takes to lead with increasing clarity and confidence and live with greater peace."
—Dieter Zander, church planter, San Francisco, California
About the Author
Reggie McNeal is the missional leadership specialist for Leadership Network. Drawing on twenty years of leadership roles in local congregations and his work over the last two decades with thousands of clergy and church leaders, McNeal counsels local churches, denominational groups, seminaries and colleges, and parachurch organizations in their leadership development needs.
Leadership Network, a division of OneHundredX, seeks to accelerate the impact of 100X leaders. Since 1996, Leadership Network Publications has presented thoroughly researched and practical concepts from leading thinkers, practitioners, and pioneering churches. www.leadnet.org
Table of Contents
About the Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series ix
Preface to the Updated Edition xi
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction: Looking for God in All the Right Places xix
PART ONE How God Shaped Moses, David, Paul, and Jesus for Leadership 1
1. Moses: A Heart on a Mission 3
2. David: A Heart After God 21
3. Paul: A Heart Captured by God 36
4. Jesus: The Heartbeat of God 51
PART TWO Recognizing God’s Shaping Work in Our Own Lives 71
5. Culture: Meeting the World 73
6. Call: Figuring Out Why We Are Here 94
7. Community: Connecting with Others’ Hearts 114
8. Communion: Rehearsing for Eternity 137
9. Conflict: Learning to Die So We Can Live 154
10. Commonplace: Discovering That the Ordinary Is Extra-Ordinary 175
Conclusion: Collaborating with God’s Heart-Shaping Project 187
References 193
The Author 195
Index 197