Transforming Pastoral Leadership: Reimagining Congregational Relationships for Changing Contexts
Ebook
For many congregations, change creates discomfort. Pastoral leaders are often expected to be experts who manage and control realities beyond their expertise, experience, and ability. That expectation, a product of modern approaches to leadership, views the pastor as responsible for maintaining the status quo. Transforming Pastoral Leadership responds to this context by challenging readers to rediscover key biblical themes around the shepherding metaphor as well as key theological themes steeped in our historical faith narratives. Readers are challenged to consider the origins of our dominant leadership practices and to reconsider how Christ's preeminence as the leader of his church requires us to reconstruct leadership practices that are faithful to his preeminence. To assist congregations, Transforming Pastoral Leadership suggests two processes that might help congregations discern God's missional promptings as they move forward into God's future and experience conflict as opportunities for transformation.
"Transforming Pastoral Leadership is a prescient critique
of pastoral leadership styled in the manner of executive
professionalism. Kinnison's alternative embeds leadership in the
mutuality of Triune relationship. As a full participant in the
community of faith, the pastor models leadership given to
interpretation, relationship, and implementation. This book will
challenge the church to rethink its most basic assumptions about
what it means to lead, follow, and participate in the unfolding
reign of God. Highly recommended."
--Kevin S. Reimer, School of Education, University of California,
Irvine
"In this thoughtful and provocative book, Quentin Kinnison argues
that if the local church is to regain its prophetic voice it must
restore the biblical 'bell-sheep,' 'under-shepherd' leader and
eject the Western 'expert-driven,' 'pastor-centric' ruler. This
book is Henri Nouwen's In the Name of Jesus meets Patrick
Lencioni's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and is a
must-read for pastors, seminary professors, and lay people,
preferably together."
--Maxie B. Burch, Chair and Professor, Division of Biblical
Studies, John Brown University
"Kinnison invites to use the biblical metaphor of pastor to help us
envision a new way of thinking about pastoral ministry in this
postmodern world. This book is an excellent tool for those who want
to think about pastoral leadership in a way that is biblically
framed and geared toward our rapidly changing world."
--Juan Francisco Martinez, Vice President for Diversity and
International Ministries, Fuller Theological Seminary
"Transforming Pastoral Leadership offers a penetrating
assessment of the leadership situation facing congregations today.
The vision advanced within its pages is hopeful, insightful, and
accessible. As a pastor, I am invigorated by the challenge I have
received in reading this book. As a professor, I am eager to see a
generation of emerging leaders grapple with its contents. As a
practical theologian, I celebrate it as a noteworthy contribution
to our field of study."
--Cory L. Seibel, Point Pastor, Central Baptist Church, Edmonton,
AB; Affiliate Professor, Sioux Falls Seminary
Product Details
- Title : Transforming Pastoral Leadership: Reimagining Congregational Relationships for Changing Contexts
- Authors:
- Kinnison, Quentin P.
- Branson, Mark Lau
- Publisher: Pickwick Publications
- Publication Date: 2016
- ISBN: 9781532600289
Quentin P. Kinnison, PhD, is Associate Professor of Christian Ministry & Leadership at Fresno Pacific University at Fresno, CA. He is coauthor of Welcoming Children with Special Needs: Empowering Christian Special Education through Purpose, Policies, and Procedures (2014).