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Kingdom Collaborators: Eight Signature Practices of Leaders Who Turn the World Upside Down
MP3 CD Format "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too," (Acts 17:6, NKJV). When Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica, they changed the community. How? By collaborating with God to bring his kingdom on earth. Will you collaborate on God's kingdom work in your community? If you're ready to see God move in all areas?business, education, media, arts, healthcare, spiritual growth, and more?this is the book for you. Leadership expert Reggie McNeal offers eight signature practices for leaders who want to partner with God and others for kingdom growth. Readers will gain practical advice to help people experience life as God intends.
- GenresLeadershipChurch
1 pages, Audio CD
Published March 1, 2021
17 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Reggie McNeal
30 books15 followersReggie 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.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 5, 2018
Summary: An affirmation of kingdom-centered rather than church-centered leadership and a description of eight signature practices that characterize such leaders.
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.
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.
December 10, 2018
I purchased this book after seeing Reggie McNeal speak at a conference I attended last spring. I started reading, then summer hit and I began traveling...and I lost track of the book. I completed it six months later.
I really like the book. Reggie comes from a different background, and a different theological world view than I. However, many of the leadership issues he wrote about were things I had thought and wondered about for years. Reggie was able to put them into language that I could wrap my mind around.
It is a book about ecclesiology. It is a book about pastoral ministry. It is a book about leadership. It is a book about justice.
Mostly, it is a book about how the lens the church looks at the world through changed...but nobody told the church. The world has shifted, and so the practices of the church and its leaders need to change. The book reveals the way God is working in the world now. I love the phrase on p. 163: "Every time we pray "thy kingdom come" we're pressing the fast-forward button in God's agenda."
A side note: Normally I shy away from "Kingdom" language because of the militant, imperial and gender dominant language. However Reggie has reframed the language for me and in the context of this book, it works.
I really like the book. Reggie comes from a different background, and a different theological world view than I. However, many of the leadership issues he wrote about were things I had thought and wondered about for years. Reggie was able to put them into language that I could wrap my mind around.
It is a book about ecclesiology. It is a book about pastoral ministry. It is a book about leadership. It is a book about justice.
Mostly, it is a book about how the lens the church looks at the world through changed...but nobody told the church. The world has shifted, and so the practices of the church and its leaders need to change. The book reveals the way God is working in the world now. I love the phrase on p. 163: "Every time we pray "thy kingdom come" we're pressing the fast-forward button in God's agenda."
A side note: Normally I shy away from "Kingdom" language because of the militant, imperial and gender dominant language. However Reggie has reframed the language for me and in the context of this book, it works.
March 20, 2018
Nine years ago, I was in the room with a group of leaders and Reggie said to us, "I believe this is the next movement of God in America," this Missional, now, City Transformation Movement. With Reggie's new book "Kingdom Collaborators" Reggie is still proving he is THE voice for this movement. He is champion-ing, inspiring, challenging and mentoring the Church, the Kingdom and with us and others, even our Corporate and Civic leaders. We literally have purchased 200 copies to distribute to key stakeholders, pastors and those in those Public / Private Sectors!
February 23, 2019
Great book for leaders who are looking to lead in such a way that sees impact go beyond their immediate circles of influence! This book presents how we can practically live out the leadership principles of Jesus to see His Kingdom come in our cities.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews