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The Soul Care Leader: Healthy Living and Leading
How do we live a healthy life and lead others into spiritual, emotional and relational health and wholeness?
That is the focus of this book.
Trying to help others find freedom and wholeness is draining work. What do we do to become healthy and maintain our well-being? What are the practices and rhythms we need to engage in to be effective Soul Care practitioners? How do we create a culture where life-change flourishes? How do we minister in the power of the Spirit so that we can lead others into breakthroughs?
Too often people are talking about the same problems that they were talking about several years ago but they aren’t finding a path to freedom. We need to help people get to the roots and not merely manage their dysfunction and sin. These are the questions and topics that this book will seek to equip you in as you seek to live and lead people into freedom and fullness in Christ.
That is the focus of this book.
Trying to help others find freedom and wholeness is draining work. What do we do to become healthy and maintain our well-being? What are the practices and rhythms we need to engage in to be effective Soul Care practitioners? How do we create a culture where life-change flourishes? How do we minister in the power of the Spirit so that we can lead others into breakthroughs?
Too often people are talking about the same problems that they were talking about several years ago but they aren’t finding a path to freedom. We need to help people get to the roots and not merely manage their dysfunction and sin. These are the questions and topics that this book will seek to equip you in as you seek to live and lead people into freedom and fullness in Christ.
308 pages, Paperback
Published November 29, 2022
54 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 27, 2024
Okay, first, he's specifically addressing individuals, hence the underwhelming amount of work done in ecclesiology in this book. Lines like "it seems to me that most life change occurs alone with God," highlights this inclination toward the individual's relationship with God without the nuance of community.
Second, you've gotta gut the evangelical inclination to drop theological trusism that make you cringe. Eg. "Theology 101, God is smart, he knows things I don't know..." Yuck.
Third, you have to hope that things didn't happen exactly like he tells the stories. Stories where he asks people point blank "you've been abused, haven't you?" Or "you're a homosexual, aren't you," because "the Holy Spirit prompted me" just confuses and makes me, as a pastor, thoroughly uncomfortable. There's a tenderness, gentleness and level of trust to ask people questions of that nature, and I don't think the approach he takes does that. (I give him the space to nuance that, but as it stands in the book, that's how he's articulated it.)
However
You never know where healing is going to come from, and although he's got a dozen things in here that leave me shaking my head, there were a number of stories and directives that challenged and hit me in very meaningful ways. Although I've had a personal hesitance to working with soul care resources (I've seen this stuff go horribly wrong) I found myself putting the book down to have a cry once or twice as I read.
Regardless of your opinion of Reimer, he's someone who is constantly seeking intimacy with God and is willing to do the work he needs to abide in God.
Do I thoroughly, disagree with a number of things he says, absolutely, but I agree with a number of things he calls for you to do like:
-finding your roots of bitterness and dealing with them so you don't live out of them
-figuring out your identity, and living from a place of belovedness
-learning what it means to actually process your emotions rather than just talking about them
-encouraging systemic and cultural health
-continuously challenging us to identify and deal with our insecurities
(My gosh if I had a nickel for every time I witnessed someone ministering or teaching from a place of insecurity, myself included)
-seeking intimacy with God as a central, not peripheral, part of the faith
"The church in the West has adopted a largely knowledge-based discipleship approach. It isn't adequate and it isn't working." (6)
What I appreciate is, unlike so many right now, Reimer doesn't just name something like this and walk away from it; he challenges you to use your intellect and knowledge to seek intimacy with God. He proposes a model of discipleship that takes confession, repentance and vulnerability. In other words, he tells you to get some skin in the game.
So while Reimer has gone in several directions I find questionable, and some reprehensible, something like this book that says, "hey, you're loved by God, deal with your trash in his loving embrace and learn what it means to love the world" is a great place to start and to come back to throughout a life of faith and ministry.
I'd love to see him, or someone else in the Alliance, write a book on communal formation and discipleship. While this largely pushes individuals to God, I'd love to see something that equally pushes individuals together toward God.
Second, you've gotta gut the evangelical inclination to drop theological trusism that make you cringe. Eg. "Theology 101, God is smart, he knows things I don't know..." Yuck.
Third, you have to hope that things didn't happen exactly like he tells the stories. Stories where he asks people point blank "you've been abused, haven't you?" Or "you're a homosexual, aren't you," because "the Holy Spirit prompted me" just confuses and makes me, as a pastor, thoroughly uncomfortable. There's a tenderness, gentleness and level of trust to ask people questions of that nature, and I don't think the approach he takes does that. (I give him the space to nuance that, but as it stands in the book, that's how he's articulated it.)
However
You never know where healing is going to come from, and although he's got a dozen things in here that leave me shaking my head, there were a number of stories and directives that challenged and hit me in very meaningful ways. Although I've had a personal hesitance to working with soul care resources (I've seen this stuff go horribly wrong) I found myself putting the book down to have a cry once or twice as I read.
Regardless of your opinion of Reimer, he's someone who is constantly seeking intimacy with God and is willing to do the work he needs to abide in God.
Do I thoroughly, disagree with a number of things he says, absolutely, but I agree with a number of things he calls for you to do like:
-finding your roots of bitterness and dealing with them so you don't live out of them
-figuring out your identity, and living from a place of belovedness
-learning what it means to actually process your emotions rather than just talking about them
-encouraging systemic and cultural health
-continuously challenging us to identify and deal with our insecurities
(My gosh if I had a nickel for every time I witnessed someone ministering or teaching from a place of insecurity, myself included)
-seeking intimacy with God as a central, not peripheral, part of the faith
"The church in the West has adopted a largely knowledge-based discipleship approach. It isn't adequate and it isn't working." (6)
What I appreciate is, unlike so many right now, Reimer doesn't just name something like this and walk away from it; he challenges you to use your intellect and knowledge to seek intimacy with God. He proposes a model of discipleship that takes confession, repentance and vulnerability. In other words, he tells you to get some skin in the game.
So while Reimer has gone in several directions I find questionable, and some reprehensible, something like this book that says, "hey, you're loved by God, deal with your trash in his loving embrace and learn what it means to love the world" is a great place to start and to come back to throughout a life of faith and ministry.
I'd love to see him, or someone else in the Alliance, write a book on communal formation and discipleship. While this largely pushes individuals to God, I'd love to see something that equally pushes individuals together toward God.
April 3, 2023
amazing book
This book is a must read for leaders who are serious about stewarding “wholeness” in their areas of ministry. What a great resource!
This book is a must read for leaders who are serious about stewarding “wholeness” in their areas of ministry. What a great resource!
January 9, 2023
I have purchased the paperback book (still in transit since I live overseas), as well as the Kindle and Audible versions (read by the author). It really is THAT GOOD. Soul Care was transformational for my life and ministry as was Spiritual Authority, but in this book, Soul Care Leader, Rob Reimer really bridges the gap between introducing the concepts primarily for personal application and leading others, particularly a congregation, in Soul Care. We have been implementing Soul Care in our church for a couple of years now, but this book has really brought the concepts to a practical application. I also appreciate the care for the leader, how we as leaders need to be in the Presence of God, developing authority through a solid identity in Christ, through intimacy with Him and through stepping out in faith. For those of us who are in the middle of it with those we lead, this book also has practical encouragement for health for the long term. I am so grateful for this book, for its application to me personally, for how it's already impacting those who are being raised up as leaders in our church plant and its implementation in our church.
July 11, 2023
Deeply thankful for this book that has ministered to me. This will likely be a book I’ll come back to again and again, that I may grow as a soul care minister, bringing others to the Father’s beloved.
January 21, 2023
As someone who was taught by Dr. Rob in seminary, has read his books, been through Soul Care ministry in different capacities, experienced deliverance and healing and has served as part of Dr. Rob's deliverance ministry, I am in awe of how God continues to use Rob to be a blessing to so many people around the world. His authentic humility, love of God and passion for seeing people set free from the bondage of sin and Satan are simply refreshing and soul-stirring. Touching on some of the key concepts from some of his other important work such as Soul Care, Pathways to the Kingdom and Spiritual Authority, the Soul Care Leader is yet another fantastic resource and tool that can be used for Christian leaders of any capacity to lead effectively, but especially in leading as soul care practitioners in different contexts. Emphasis on intimacy with God, the leader's own care and development of a healthy soul and cultivating spiritual authority are just a few important topics Robs touches on. Once again his masterful use of illustrations, personal stories and easy-going writing style makes the book digestible and easy to read. Yet just as powerfully, if you listen closely God certainly speaks through this writing and challenges you to draw nearer, go deeper and sacrifice fully for Him. Once again Rob has written an impactful work that brings hope in some difficult times, reminds us that God is still indeed at work and emboldens us to truly believe that God's Kingdom can and will be manifest here on earth. With the Soul Care leader as yet another tool, we can be active participants in that manifestation of the Kingdom. I highly recommend purchasing this book. Thank you and God bless you Dr. Rob Reimer!
March 28, 2023
I have been to several Soul Care Conferences. As as pastor of a Mennonite church attempting to create a “Culture of Grace” I am extremely thankful for The Soul Care Leader as a high level resource to accomplish this.
I admit that I am one of the guys who wanted to use Rob’s Soul Care PowerPoint slides - thinking that I could duplicate his ministry to lead others to freedom in Christ through a “deliverance model.” Rob would say that we have to live into the spiritual authority that Christ Jesus gives us. This is a hard road that simply copying slides would only hinder.
In the Soul Care Leader every chapter is complete as it integrates the demand for me to walk in the transforming work of God’s presence for kingdom fruit. My intimacy with God is strategically challenged in each chapter as the Holy Spirit tears my lifelong misunderstandings of what being a follower of Jesus really means.
I have used these chapters out of order many times and the Holy Spirit moves independently of my sequencing. I believe that God downloaded this template for Rob to give to the church. Deliverance is for today - in the culture that we are living in.
Holy Spirit, help me to walk in the light, anointing, and authority of my Christ.
I admit that I am one of the guys who wanted to use Rob’s Soul Care PowerPoint slides - thinking that I could duplicate his ministry to lead others to freedom in Christ through a “deliverance model.” Rob would say that we have to live into the spiritual authority that Christ Jesus gives us. This is a hard road that simply copying slides would only hinder.
In the Soul Care Leader every chapter is complete as it integrates the demand for me to walk in the transforming work of God’s presence for kingdom fruit. My intimacy with God is strategically challenged in each chapter as the Holy Spirit tears my lifelong misunderstandings of what being a follower of Jesus really means.
I have used these chapters out of order many times and the Holy Spirit moves independently of my sequencing. I believe that God downloaded this template for Rob to give to the church. Deliverance is for today - in the culture that we are living in.
Holy Spirit, help me to walk in the light, anointing, and authority of my Christ.
January 28, 2023
Having worked thru Soul Care a couple of times, Father God continues to bless me with being able to minister and support others taking that journey. This book, The Soul Care Leader, has been such a huge help already .. and this is only my first read thru.
We've got a lot of work to do in supporting others, and ourselves, regarding Soul Care .. don't miss this valuable resource.
We've got a lot of work to do in supporting others, and ourselves, regarding Soul Care .. don't miss this valuable resource.
May 28, 2025
Excellent. Spirit led.
November 5, 2025
A lot of similar things to his soul care book but just more in detail. Still a helpful read but soul care is his gold standard
September 2, 2025
Reading Soul Care Leader was both a challenge and a gift for me. Dr. Rob Reimer doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of leadership—he reminds us that if we want to lead others well, we must first allow God to deal with the broken places in our own souls. That truth hit home for me. Too often, I’ve tried to push past my own struggles and “get the job done,” but this book made me realize how essential it is to lead from a place of inner wholeness and intimacy with Christ.
I really appreciated Reimer’s honesty. He doesn’t write as if he has it all figured out, but as someone who has walked through his own battles and experienced the healing power of Jesus. The practices he shares—things like confession, forgiveness, and listening prayer—were not just ideas on a page, but invitations for me to slow down, let the Holy Spirit search my heart, and allow God to do deeper work within me.
The central point that spoke to me is this: we can do nothing without intimacy with Christ. His presence must be our #1 priority. We need to do whatever it takes to remain in His presence, to encounter Him often, and to press in deeper in our relationship with God. To be a healthy leader, we must believe what the Father says about us, repent when we sin—not just once, but continually—and maintain healthy boundaries. We cannot meet every need, only the ones God assigns us, or we will burn out. We must also process what lies beneath our struggles, problems, and issues if we genuinely want to get free. God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. That means we have to manage our expectations when life doesn’t go according to our plans, trusting that intimacy with Christ will lead us into greater wisdom and freedom. Our true spiritual authority comes not from position or title, but from expanding our intimacy with the Lord.
I recommend Soul Care Leader to anyone in ministry or leadership. It’s not a quick-fix leadership book—it’s a call to live free, whole, and rooted in Christ, so that our leadership naturally flows out of who we are in Him.
I really appreciated Reimer’s honesty. He doesn’t write as if he has it all figured out, but as someone who has walked through his own battles and experienced the healing power of Jesus. The practices he shares—things like confession, forgiveness, and listening prayer—were not just ideas on a page, but invitations for me to slow down, let the Holy Spirit search my heart, and allow God to do deeper work within me.
The central point that spoke to me is this: we can do nothing without intimacy with Christ. His presence must be our #1 priority. We need to do whatever it takes to remain in His presence, to encounter Him often, and to press in deeper in our relationship with God. To be a healthy leader, we must believe what the Father says about us, repent when we sin—not just once, but continually—and maintain healthy boundaries. We cannot meet every need, only the ones God assigns us, or we will burn out. We must also process what lies beneath our struggles, problems, and issues if we genuinely want to get free. God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. That means we have to manage our expectations when life doesn’t go according to our plans, trusting that intimacy with Christ will lead us into greater wisdom and freedom. Our true spiritual authority comes not from position or title, but from expanding our intimacy with the Lord.
I recommend Soul Care Leader to anyone in ministry or leadership. It’s not a quick-fix leadership book—it’s a call to live free, whole, and rooted in Christ, so that our leadership naturally flows out of who we are in Him.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews