Leadership for a Changing Church: Charting the Shape of the River

by Robert D. Dale

Drawing on a metaphor from Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi, Robert Dale claims that religious leaders must know, as never before, the "shape of the river" of religious and social change. Change, he argues, is the primary context in which Christian ministry now takes place. Pastors and other congregational leaders must embody the timeless values of the Christian message, yet do so in ways that are constantly flexible and open to revision. Fundamental to religious leaders in this new era will be adaptability rooted in character. Leadership for a Changing Church will enable readers to look ahead in anticipation, as they welcome the new challenges presented by ministry in an ever-evolving era.

132 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1998

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

READ MAR 2011

Nice piece focusing on the role leaders play in making and interpreting meaning for organizations. Best quotes, "It is important for meaning-making leaders to peer into the purposiveness of God's kingdom in order to escape the distracting chaos of the moment" (p. 29), and "When organizations, including churches, try to be and to do everything for everybody all at once, they make a common discovery. They are aiming at too many targets simultaneously and, consequently, are apt to miss the bull's-eye on all of them" (p. 82).