A Work of Heart : Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders

by Reggie McNeal

A Leadership Network Publication

Spiritual leaders must become experts in matters of the heart. They must learn to discern God at work in their own lives, shaping their hearts to embrace the particular ministries to which they are called. A Work of Heart shows how God prepares leaders today just as he did in biblical times-and how God creates these leaders in order to share his heart with his people.

Genres: Leadership, Christian, Faith, Religion, Theology, Christian Living, Church

176 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2000

About the author

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 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.

Reviews

[Želimir Stanić]

This book brings the spiritual reality of leadership and the process of becoming a leader closer to the reader in remarkably simple language. Instead of focusing on specific outward qualities or leadership techniques, the author continually reminds us that spiritual leadership is ultimately a matter of the heart.

It is clear from his writing that he speaks from personal experience. The book is filled with profound insights that are also practical and relevant to everyday life. One chapter that particularly stood out to me is the one about encountering God in ordinary, everyday experiences. It makes the book especially valuable for anyone who wants spirituality to become a genuine part of their daily life and leadership.

[Spencer Falk]

Probably could have dropped the first 1/3 of the content and the message would have been the same, but at the same time it felt like McNeal's main point was vague throughout the book anyways. Some good points and reminders, but could have been much more concise.

[Daniel]

McNeal, in his admirable attempt to observe and identify the qualities of great spiritual leadership biblically employs the narrative of Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul as case studies for behaviors, circumstance, and disciplines worthy of interpretive emulation. The success of this projected is unfortunately undermined by what I perceive to be preconceived notions and characteristics of leadership that McNeal too often imposes onto the characters he is using as evidence. Eisegesis creeps in far too often given that he seem to want to use the Biblical witness as the primary source of the nature and practice of spiritual leadership. For example, he creatively imagines that Jesus took on the family carpentry business from Joseph upon Joseph’s death. This he uses as an example that Jesus has organizational acumen predating his ministry. McNeal employs this with without mentioning that he is engaging in creative imagination—which is not a particularly thoughtful practice given the state of Biblical-illiteracy in the regular church community. Not to mention that it seems to use this otherwise harmless speculation as though it is an authoritative piece of evidence for nature of a good leader.

The strength of the text lies in the questions it asks at the end of the chapters. These questions invite helpful self-reflection and good opportunities to reorient the practices and course of their leadership. For instance “What is the culture around me and how have I transcended that culture?” is a great and important question any leader should ask of themselves from time to time.

In sum, I recommend that if you would like to read this book that you simply borrow it from a library and write out the best questions for regular self-reflection.

[Andrew Roycroft]

This is a stimulating and thought-provoking examination of the internal work required for leaders to live and lead effectively. The key strong points are the author’s original and compelling character portraits of biblical leaders, along with the chapters to conflict and commonplace. There are fresh and stunning nuggets of wisdom scattered right across the book. One weakness is an insistence on the ‘apostolic’ model of leadership, which felt a bit monotone, but this is more a matter of emphasis than anything else. I learned a lot from this book, and will revisit it regularly for its heart-searching and heart-building ministry.

[Israel Desta]

The author does a good job of highlighting key areas with amd through which God moulds us to be spiritual leaders. There are insightful and biblical comments on each area. I would have liked to see more sysytematic look of these area within the bible stories he shared. Furthermore, i was hoping that the author concludes by saying that spiritual leadership is for every christian. It seems like the author believes it is only for select people, which i don't agree with.

[Ingrid O.]

Quote: “Leaders in touch with heaven can move earth”
― Reggie McNeal, A Work of Heart: Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders

What I liked most: The author’s challenge to leaders! It really pushes and stretches the reader to step out of their comfort zone and really evaluate their motives for service! I love how he used the lives of Moses, David, Paul and Jesus to us as a model we should follow.

What I liked least:

Rating: 5

[Thomas Christianson]

Written in 2000, it has some insights which are useful today, and other parts which have not aged well (the comparisons between Baby Boomers and Generation Xers are a notable example). As a bonus, I found the enormous humblebrag in his preface hilarious since the whole book is about being a spiritually and emotionally healthy leader.

[Jason Canfield]

Good book on leadership and the various facets God uses to shape our hearts. The author uses the biblical figures of Moses, David, Paul and Jesus as a narrative backdrop. Not as Christocentric and gospel oriented as I had hoped, but worth the read.

[Logan Augustine]

This was a really good thought-provoking book!

I liked the introductory sections focused on biblical characters and the second half (all the C’s of ministry) gave me a lot to think about and a great deal to apply. When you read this, be prepared to write stuff down!

[Tyler Timmer]

A great explanation of what changes our leadership and how as well as how to overcome that and serve God.

[Belle Schaffer]

I enjoyed this book— practical applications to your leadership. I really enjoyed and will revisit the reflective questions at the end of each chapter and at the end of the book.

[Kathy Rohrs]

Great read for practical and meaningful ways to grow in spiritual leadership, this books ends the false dichotomy between discipleship and leadership.

[John Gardner]

In theory, this should have been a good book. It had endorsements from a lot of prominent leaders, and it’s premise is very interesting. The author breaks the book up into two parts. In the first, he examines the leadership style and qualities of four Biblical leaders: Moses, David, Paul, and Jesus. In the second, he applies what was gleaned from these leaders to our own lives, breaking these qualities down into six alliterative (he is Baptist, after all) categories: Culture, Call, Community, Communion, Conflict, and Commonplace.

Unfortunately, A Work of Heart fails to deliver on its promise. Despite a few practical and pragmatic suggestions that are genuinely good advice for leaders, the theological foundation for most of McNeal’s assumptions is terribly weak. I am not entirely sure what his gauge of “success” in ministry is, but it does not appear to be the proclamation of Biblical truth, the genuine conversion of the lost and discipleship of the saved. On the rare occasions when Scripture is used to back up the author’s assertions, it is consistently misapplied.

There are plenty of great books on leadership, both sacred and secular. A book which seeks to offer merely pragmatic advice under the guise of a vaguely “Christian” spirituality is ultimately pretty useless. Pass on this one.

[Bob]

I've read very few self-help books, but this one seemed well thought out, organized in a way that made the suggestions memorable, and posed practical exercises. Little of it was uniquely relevant to spiritual growth or leadership, as his vocabulary, often drawn from business, politics and the military, makes clear. This is reasonable enough, but what disappointed me was the American Protestant assumptions underlying the whole. McNeal assumes the reader knows what to do to follow God's plan for us, and would probably be surprised by approaches like Flannery O'Connor's or Daniel Berrigan's, though to be fair his concerns do not include, and in fact specifically exclude, do-it-yourself spiritual direction.

[Chad]

This was a great book. Had a few issues with it getting too real for me but I like books that challenge my mind and my heart.

I have a lot of earmarked pages and a lot of underlined stuff.

Reggie starts out with the stories of Moses, David, Jesus and Paul. We walk alongside them through their lives and consider all that went into preparing them to lead.

Reggie then asks us to consider their subplots: culture, call, community, communion, conflict and the commonplace and how each of these areas impacted their lives. He then challenges us to see how each of these areas has impacted our lives and how they might be preparing us.

[Doug]

Great book for anyone in leadership. I was required to read this book for my internship with Young Life, but it has been one of the most insightful books for me to read about being a leader. Specifically how God shapes the hearts of Leaders too. I would also add, that this book definetly has the voice of corporate America. I had to read some leadership books for being a CEO type and the way they talk about being a spiritual leader is almost the same as a CEO of a fortune 500 company.

[Patricia Mayer]

This book has some pretty sound theology and shows how God shaped early leaders of the church. Through the book you explore Moses, David, Paul, and Jesus and see how God shaped each of their hearts to be a leader in ministry. The last part of the book leads you as you examine the same factors and how God is shaping you to spread the Gospel.

[Stephanie]

This book gets to the heart of what it means to be a servant-leader. I really like the way the author uses Biblical leaders to help the reader understand both positive and negative traits of a spiritual leader.

[Susie]

A great book on how the losses, trials, and difficulties of life and ministry are all part of what God uses to form Christian leaders into disciples of Christ who can be effective in service. A wonderful book to read and go through with fellow leaders.

[Reinhard]

This was an intriguing with good insights for any person in leadership of any sort. I especially found the section on communion very helpful in my own life. A lot of life lessons can be learned by reading this book.

[Tim]

The author demonstrates through the lives of Moses, David, Paul, and Jesus how God shapes a leader in the context of their culture, call, community, communion, conflict, and the commonplace.
A refreshing break from practical how-to books.

[Chris]

Helps Christian leaders take a look inside so they don't become another haggard.

[Amy Young]

read again Jan 09. Good stuff.
read again Jan '10 -- good reminders for a difficult season of life.

[Edward]

A must read for any Christian leader.

[Jeff Randleman]

Read my review here:http://jeffrandleman.net/2010/09/11/w...

[Courtney Huskisson]

So good! Gets to the heart, and develops the core of a leader. Highly recommend.

[Cindy Moyer]

It was a very good book. Could only read a section at a time as there was a lot to think about in each section of the book.

[Karla Renee Goforth Abreu]

McNeal writes with conviction and gives the reader more than just information. I recommend this book to those in any type of ministry.

[Jt]

good stuff.

[Gary Pettet]

Excellent summary of how the Lord uses our circumstances to shape us for ministry!