Quietly Courageous: Leading the Church in a Changing World

by Gil Rendle

The changing dynamics of contemporary church life are well-known, but what's less well-known is how leaders can work most effectively in this new context. In Quietly Courageous, esteemed minister and congregational consultant Gil Rendle offers practical guidance to leaders--both lay and ordained--on leading churches today. Rendle encourages leaders to stop focusing on the past and instead focus relentlessly on their mission and purpose--what is ultimately motivating their work. He also urges a shift in perspectives on resources, discusses models of change, and offers suggestions for avoiding common pitfalls and working creatively today.

Genres: Leadership, Church, Christianity

379 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2018

Reviews

[Lisa Lewton · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a church person asks why there aren’t enough ushers, why the church looks older, why it isn’t like it was before, now I can better understand these questions. Rendle is a voice of wisdom for today’s church leaders. He has walked congregations through difficult and changing times for decades. These pages contain good stories, history, and research. There are chapters that would really benefit a church board. The end of the book seemed a bit long, but he does find many ways to say the same thing and emphasize his point of quietly courageous leadership. I would say Rendle pushes leaders to seek “loose unity” for the church, letting the institution’s guard down to do the welcoming work of Jesus.

[Tom Greentree · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about the assumptions and temptations facing leaders today in a culture that has moved from convergent to divergent. Written out of the institutional church world of United Methodism in the US, it has broader applicability to any church leader navigating the learning, leading journey in a chaotic, liquid culture.

I read this as part of a pastor’s roundtable discussion group, and it provides great conversational fodder.

[Roy Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gil Rendle has a distinguished reputation for outstanding consultation with churches and religious institutions. His books have long been essential for pastors and leaders seeking guidance for how to navigate change. None is more valuable than this collection of essays for what Rendle calls a “non-aberrant time.” Ironically, this non-aberrant time in which we are living is “normal” in contrast to the aberrant time of an earlier era of the forties and fifties in which all churches thrived. What is necessary now is leaders with quiet courage willing to change, in order actually to lead communities in this period. The old lessons of that well-known aberrant time no longer work. Leaders are called not to improve what they know. They are called to step into “unknowing” and learn what is needed in this radically shifting culture. This is difficult and demanding work, hence, courage is the virtue most needed. Rendle has an astonishing grasp of sociological theory, along with organizational development, and contemporary leadership studies that he brings to bear on his analysis. His stories from the field are perfectly chosen to illuminate what is required for leaders to do the hard work of learning. He returns frequently to a prayer of William Sloan Coffin that has informed and sustained him throughout his courage. From this prayer, he has gained considerable courage of his own to press forward challenging the underlying assumptions that block courage. He reminds us of Augustine’s conviction that hope has two daughters: anger (over what is) and courage (to change.) This is a remarkable book. I cannot recommend it highly enough. When the Covid-19 crisis is over, there will be wise people necessary to help leaders navigate the waters. Gil Rendle is one of them and this book is among the best.

[Kelly Brill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I realize this won't be a five-star book for everyone, but it was just the right read at the right time for me. I found Rendle's writing to reveal a thorough understanding of life in the mainline Protestant church at this present moment, as well as the nuances of life within the congregation. He speaks about the way a pastor is called to lead a church towards change (you change or you die) while caring deeply for the people who feel left behind when the church changes. He understands the way a pastor feels torn between the priorities at the denominational level and the priorities at the congregational level - which are sometimes diametrically opposed. He has his finger on the pulse of the millennial generation when he encourages churches to have a laser-beam focus on purpose.

“In most settings leaders don’t need to win the day; they just need to know to be more afraid of easy answers and safe responses that do not lead to change than to be afraid of displeasing the person who comes with the easy answer or a need for attention.”

“…quietly courageous leaders must learn how to stand with some confidence in the anxiety of the present moment - between the already insufficient past and the clearly uncertain future.”

My tiny quibble is that he seems to assume that all congregations are in decline. Fortunately, that's not entirely the case.

I can't recommend this book highly enough to my colleagues.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offers some very helpful advice in transitioning the church in a time of drastic change. Particularly helpful is the way it frames the aberrant time of vast growth in the 1950s, and the long period of decline. There are several nuggets of wisdom beyond this, but so much of it is couched in business management data that much of the book is a slog to get through.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really great takeaways for church leaders. We read this as a staff (some of us). There is a lot of theology in it, so I would need them to explain things to me since that is not my background. Helped us to continue to put into perspective the changing society and how we need to lean into that as leaders to keep our church growing.

[Margaret D'Anieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone in church leadership (and easily applicable to other arenas if you can get past the clergy focus) as we figure out how to be in what he calls a “liquid” as opposed to “solid” culture.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 2/3 of this book absolutely blew my mind with insight into the church today and how the church got to this place in time. I came out with some ideas for leadership but found that part of the book to be so much more theoretical than practical, while also being very repetitive.

[Daniel Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

A helpful and thoughtful book about the challenges facing congregations and leaders today.

[David Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think there are important lessons to learn here -- and more to explore

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinarily well researched and thought out, Rendle offers insights and encouragement to leading in the 21st century.