Reggie McNeal
Autor von The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church
Über den Autor
Reggie McNeal enjoys helping leaders pursue more kingdom-focused lives. He currently serves as a senior fellow for Leadership Network and city coach for GoodCities. In his consulting and speaking, Reggie draws on his experience as a pastor, denominational leader, seminary teacher, and leadership mehr anzeigen development coach for thousands of church leaders across North America and the world. His books include The Present Future, Missional Renaissance, A Work of Heart, and Kingdom Come. weniger anzeigen
Bildnachweis: via Amazon.com
Werke von Reggie McNeal
Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series) (2009) 296 Exemplare
Practicing Greatness: 7 Disciplines of Extraordinary Spiritual Leaders (J-B Leadership Network Series) (2006) 278 Exemplare
Revolution in Leadership: Training Apostles for Tomorrow's Church (Ministry for the Third Millennium) (1808) 92 Exemplare
Kingdom Come: Why We Must Give Up Our Obsession with Fixing the Church--and What We Should Do Instead (2015) 33 Exemplare
Kingdom Collaborators: Eight Signature Practices of Leaders Who Turn the World Upside Down (2018) 14 Exemplare
Participant's Guide to the DVD Collection for The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church (Jossey-Bass… (2006) 3 Exemplare
Reach the lost: Mission of refuge, your choice 2 Exemplare
Disciplines of greatness, seven disciplines 1 Exemplar
The Alexander Syndrome 1 Exemplar
Zugehörige Werke
Getagged
Wissenswertes
Mitglieder
Rezensionen
Dir gefällt vielleicht auch
Nahestehende Autoren
Statistikseite
- Werke
- 16
- Auch von
- 1
- Mitglieder
- 2,033
- Beliebtheit
- #12,644
- Bewertung
- 3.9
- Rezensionen
- 10
- ISBNs
- 36
- Sprachen
- 1
Reggie McNeal coaches Christian leaders. One of his greatest concerns is that many have a vision that is church-centric rather than kingdom-centric. He describes the latter as "kingdom collaborators," because they are engaged in what God wants to do so that his kingdom would come in the world beyond the church walls, in every sector of society. He argues that church-centric vision comes from a vision of church as institution that is siloed off from other institutions--business, government, arts and media, the social sector, education, and health care. He argues instead for a vision of "church as movement" that encourages people to collaborate with God as kingdom agents in all of these domains, and outside the church building walls.
The book then argues for eight key practices that he sees kingdom collaborators demonstrating in their work:
1. They practice a robust prayer life that helps them listen to and look for God.
2. They foment dissatisfaction with the status quo.
3. They combine social and spiritual entrepreneurship.
4. They marry vision with action.
5. They shape a people development culture.
6. They curry curiosity.
7. They call the party in their city for collaborative initiatives.
8. They maintain an optimism amid the awareness that the kingdom has not yet fully come.
McNeal devotes a chapter to each of these practices, giving practical, step by step pointers in implementing these practices mixed with stories that exemplify each practice. I find his ideas incredibly helpful. He roots kingdom collaboration in a prayerful life. He talks about agitating to foment dissatisfaction in constructive ways rather destructive ways that lead to dismissal. He describes a combination of social and spiritual entrepreneurship that sees opportunities, that is willing to risk and fail and practices abundance thinking. His chapter on marrying vision and action has powerful insights into work with volunteers. One could expand his chapter on people development into a book. He talks about the essential character of leaders as people with a lifelong sense of curiosity, and observes how many of them are avid readers. He argues for how effective kingdom collaborators convene and collaborate with others.
His eighth practice of maintaining pain-tinged optimism speaks to the challenge of sustaining leadership over the long haul. If prayer is the foundation of the life of a kingdom collaborator, then the practices he commends to address burnout and compassion fatigue are the capstone.
He concludes with some tips for accelerating impact, whether as church leaders wanting to have kingdom impact, or those working in other domains. For church leaders, he argues that three things are necessary:
Change the storyline.
Change the scorecard.
Change the stewardship of your organization leaders.
For those serving in other domains, he suggests that while you might be tempted to address other pressing needs, leading where you are is the starting place, then networking with other kingdom leaders. Especially, he urges people to "become better at being you."
I can think of many "marketplace Christians" I've known over the years that I would have loved to give this book. Many were excited about the opportunities for kingdom impact in their sphere of influence, but felt guilty that this meant they could not do more in the church. Most found little encouragement for a "kingdom-centric" lifestyle. At worst, they often felt their work was denigrated, except for the money they could donate to the church. This book comes as a breath of fresh air for such folks, speaking a language and affirming practices many have already intuited.
It is also a critical book for church leaders who tend to measure impact in terms of what is happening within the church walls, or through the church's direct efforts. As important as these are (and the author does not dismiss them), McNeal casts a vision for what people might be engaged in for the sake of Christ and his kingdom in all the hours they devote in other domains. And the eight practices in this book suggest areas where the church might serve to equip young kingdom collaborators for maximum impact (this is where his chapter on a people development culture is so important, I think). Wouldn't it be a great vision to think about equipping people to be viral kingdom agents in the 40-50 hours many spend in their work, rather than for just a few hours a week in church functions? Reggie McNeal thinks so.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.… (mehr)