"This book is such a valuable resource--not just for leaders but for anyone longing to make a difference in the world." - DAVE RAMSEY

"Clay helps you move beyond the distractions to a moment-by-moment awareness that will help you regulate the way you think, act, and feel." - IAN MORGAN CRON

"In this book Clay provides leaders with practical ways to turn down the noise personally and organizationally." - ANDY STANLEY

Maximize your influence by turning down the noise.

While many leaders have learned to tune out distractions that keep them from being productive, they remain deaf to their inner desires and emotions. In How to Lead in a World of Distraction, Clay Scroggins teaches leaders four simple habits that create space for emotional evaluation and exploration. These helpful practices will empower leaders to replace the chaos of their busy days with emotional competence and awareness that leads to a calmer, more fulfilling life.

You'll learn how to incorporate four noise-cancelling habits into your daily life--finding simplicity, speaking to yourself, getting quiet, and pressing pause--that will make you mindful and aware of the vital inner desires that need your attention. Transforming the toxic cocktail of emotional distraction starts with emotional awareness--being able to identify and understand your emotions--which ultimately leads to emotional healing and transformed leadership. And it all starts here.

How to Lead in a World of Distraction

• Teaches leaders four simple habits that create space for emotional evaluation and exploration
• Empowers leaders to replace the emotional chaos in their increasingly busy days with an emotional awareness that will lead to a calmer, more fulfilling life
• Encourages leaders to fully embrace tangible steps each day until emotional distractions--the numbing nature of entertainment and social media and the urgency of the daily grind--are permanently replaced by calm, effective, and gratifying leadership

One explores the personal journey of Steve Clifford, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance. It explores the challenges of unity as outworked both in his day-to-day marriage and home life, and national and international relations. Unity is what drives him - but not just for unity's sake. In bringing people together, we are following the John 17 mandate to show the immense love of God, who sent his Son for us. We connect to a shared mission, whether it's nurturing a church culture which is increasingly confident in the gospel, getting involved in community action or lobbying the government for a better society. The Church is the key to long-lasting change in the world - by working in unity we can transform our communities with the good news of Jesus.

The Council of Chalcedon in 451 divided eastern Christianity, with those who were later called Syrian Orthodox among the Christians in the near eastern provinces who refused to accept the decisions of the council. These non-Chalcedonians (still better known under the misleading term Monophysites) separated from the church of the empire after Justin I attempted to enforce Chalcedon in the East in 518. Volker L. Menze historicizes the formation of the Syrian Orthodox Church in the first half of the sixth century. This volume covers the period from the accession of Justin to the second Council of Constantinople in 553. Menze begins with an exploration of imperial and papal policy from a non-Chalcedonian, eastern perspective, then discusses monks, monasteries and the complex issues surrounding non-Chalcedonian church life and sacraments. The volume concludes with a close look at the working of "collective memory" among the non-Chalcedonians and the construction of a Syrian Orthodox identity. This study is a histoire evenementielle of actual religious practice, especially concerning the Eucharist and the diptychs, and of ecclesiastical and imperial policy which modifies the traditional view of how emperors (and in the case of Theodora: empresses) ruled the late Roman/early Byzantine empire. By combining this detailed analysis of secular and ecclesiastical politics with a study of long-term strategies of memorialization, the book also focuses on deep structures of collective memory on which the tradition of the present Syrian Orthodox Church is founded.

Sticky Leaders begins with the topic that most books about innovation avoid altogether: failure. Most books on leadership make it sound as if successful innovation is the end result of a carefully followed formula. But you can't have innovation without change. The simple fact is that when it comes to any new venture, failure is the surest result of the inevitable change process. Respected pastor and author, Larry Osborne, explains how understanding this dirty little secret behind innovation can bring both stability and creativity to organizations, especially those with teams of people that focus on innovation, creativity, new ideas, and problem-solving. In Sticky Leaders, you'll learn: How to encourage innovation's most powerful igniters and accelerators How to avoid the most common killers of innovation How to recognize and break through ceilings of complexity and competency The six pitfalls of growth and what you can do to avoid them The three questions every leader needs to ask before launching any new endeavor The counterintuitive practices that successful change agents and serial innovators use to greatly increase their odds of success. Using the wisdom and principles found in this book, you will be prepared to lead dynamically without causing uncertainty or insecurity in your organization or ministry.

Complete in two volumes, the records of the Manx convocation cover the period from the 13th century to the present day. Largely unpublished hitherto, the materials contained in The Records of Convocation have been drawn from a variety of sources. They make available, for the first time, the fullest possible account of the convocations which stood at the very heart of the nation's life throughout most of the medieval and early modern period. The Records of Convocation contain the minutes of clergy synods, the legislation passed by them tax assessments imposed by the king onthe clergy, and accounts of the great debates about religious reformation and reform. The two volumes of records of the Manx convocation cover the period from 1229 to the present day, but they are of particular interest forthe eighteenth century, where they provide a remarkably full and detailed account of a vigorous period of ecclesiastical reform.

This book considers the work of Charles Taylor from a theological perspective, specifically relating to the topic of ecclesiology. It argues that Taylor and related thinkers such as John Milbank and Rowan Williams point towards an "Aesthetic Ecclesiology," an ecclesiology that values highly and utilizes the aesthetic in its self-understanding and practice. Jamie Franklin argues that Taylor's work provides an account of the breakdown in Modernity of the conceptual relationship of the immanent and the transcendent, and that the work of John Milbank and radical orthodoxy give a complementary account of the secular from a more metaphysical angle. Franklin also incorporates the work of Rowan Williams, which provides us a way of thinking about the Church that is rooted in a material and historical legacy. The central argument is that the reconnection of the transcendent and the immanent coheres with an understanding of the Church that incorporates the material reality of the sacraments, the importance of artistic beauty and craftsmanship, and the Church's status as historical, global, and eschatological. Secondly, the aesthetic provides the Church with a powerful apologetic: beauty cannot be reduced to the presuppositions of secular materialism, and so must be accounted for by recourse to transcendent categories.

Revised and updated edition of the classic work on spiritual leadership

In "A Work of Heart, " bestselling author and missional expert Reggie McNeal helps leaders reflect on the ways in which God is shaping them by letting us see God at work in the lives of four quintessential biblical leaders: Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul. McNeal identifies the formative influences upon these leaders, which he sees as God's ways of working in their lives: the same influences at work today forming leaders for ministry in our times. He explores the shaping influence of culture, call, community, conflict, and the commonplace.Offers guidance for church leaders to let God shape their hearts from the inside outReggie McNeal is the author of the bestselling book "Missional Renaissance"Gives reassurance for maintaining perspective while doing the demanding work of ministry

The book includes illustrative stories of contemporary leaders opening their hearts to God's guidance.

We know leadership isn't exclusive to corner offices and multimillion-dollar budgets--some of the best leaders are the mentors and technicians who are more comfortable behind the scenes. But what if being an effective leader isn't just about having innovative ideas and high levels of productivity? What if becoming a great leader is more about prioritizing self-awareness and people skills than production and performance? Help! I Work with People is not a book about leadership theory, but rather a handbook on how to connect with people and influence them for good. With his signature transparent and relatable storytelling, Chad Veach uses modern research and biblical principles to encourage you to lean into your leadership potential regardless of your level of influence or experience. In short and easily digestible chapters, he addresses the three phases of becoming a quality leader: * learning to lead the hardest person you will ever be in charge of--yourself * recognizing the power of becoming a people person * creating a culture and environment where the team's shared vision can grow People are the most important part of life. Let's learn how to lead as if we like each other.

K. H. Ting (1915-2012) was an important Christian leader and theologian in China. Indeed, since the late-1970s, he has been seen as the spokesperson for Christianity in China. Many stories surround his life, but it is sometimes unclear which ones are true, making him a mysterious figure. K. H. Ting became the principal of Jinling Theological Seminary in 1952 and remained in this position until his death, making him the longest-standing principal of any theological seminary in the world. He experienced many difficult times in his 97 years, and in any ways the history of Christianity in China is reflected through the ups and downs he experienced. In Incorruptible Love: The Story of K. H. Ting, the authors offer Christians, as well as people of other spiritual beliefs, intellectuals, and the general public, a greater understanding of K. H. Ting's life and beliefs. This biography will help people learn not only about K. H. Ting, but also about the fundamentals of Chinese Christianity. Written in a blend of creative and academic writing styles, Incorruptible Love makes the story of K. H. Ting vivid and convincing. This text can be used in courses on Christianity in China, the Chinese Church, religion in China, and modern Chinese history.

For 2,000 years the pope has been the acknowledged head of the Roman Catholic Church. As the direct successor of St Peter, he holds a unique position, ruling over millions of Catholics worldwide. This comprehensive guide to the 266 men who have been pope provides a timeline of the history of the papacy, and details each pope's life, influence and the way they have shaped the church. Divided into three historical sections in chronological order - the First Popes; the Crusades and the Reformation; and Into the Modern Era - this lavishly illustrated reference book will fascinate and inform anyone interested in the history of Catholicism.

Strategic planning here is an interactive process in which leaders, managers, and followers create a common goal together. Ebener and Smith, using their years of experience as consultants and teachers, have distilled their knowledge into a simple step-by-step process that can be used in the three types of organizations: business, not-for-profit, and public. The importance of planning and preparation, prioritizing needs, communication, and accountability in implementation are highlighted. Introduction: Strategic Leadership Chapter 1: Set the Stage-Initiate the Interactive Process Chapter 2: Do Your Homework Chapter 3: Name Your Culture Chapter 4: Frame the Questions Chapter 5: Answer the Questions Chapter 6: Take Action Chapter 7: Lead the Vision Chapter 8: Hold Yourself Accountable

Experts on congregational life tell us that ministry in the next century will depend more on called, trained, and committed lay leadership than it has since the days of the early church. But how will congregations recruit these lay leaders? How will they develop new models for training and equipping them for all the ministries of the church? What will the role of clergy be in adopting this new partnership that Leonard Sweet calls ancient-future ministry ? Equipping the Saints seeks to help congregational leaders answer these and other questions related to mobilizing lay ministry in the years ahead.

The chapters include: Shall We Abolish the Clergy or the Laity?" by Michael Christensen; Team Building Through Spiritual Gifts" by Brian Bauknight; The Loss and Recovery of the Biblical Basis for Ministry by Russell Moy; Out of the Pew, Into the World by Jessica Moffat; The Seeker Service in the Mainline Church" by Eric Park; Circuit Riding in the 21st Century" by Rob Duncan; and, Life Together: Reclaiming the Ministry of Small Groups by Christine Anderson.

Key Features: Responds to emerging trends that promise to be determinative of the shape of ministry in the next century Addresses an important practical need in congregations Offers help in formulating new models for congregational ministry

Key Benefits: Readers will understand the important emerging need for called, trained, and committed laypersons to engage in ministry Readers will learn how to recruit and train lay leaders Readers will identify a new model of clergy/lay ministry partnership "

Despite its physical comforts, Jennie's life under the critical eye of her tyrannical mother is hard, and she grows up desperate for a love she has been denied. As she blossoms into a young woman World War II breaks out. Life is turned upside down by the vagaries of war, and the charming, urbane Charles comes into her life - and he loves her ... doesn't he? ... On the other side of the scarred mountain, in the wake of a disaster that tears through his family and their tight-knit mining community, Harry finds the burden of manhood abruptly thrust upon his young shoulders. He bears it through the turmoil of the Depression years, sustained only by his love for Megan. But his life too takes many unexpected turns, and the onset of war brings unimaginable changes. ... Nothing is as it was, or as it seems ... Blaenavon and Abergavenny surge to life in this vibrant, haunting, joyful masterpiece - a celebration of the Welsh people from the 1920s to the 1940s. It's the saga of two families and their communities, and the story of two young people who should have found each other much sooner. It's the story of the people of the mountains and the valleys who formed the beating heart of Wales. The Mountains Between immediately became a regional best-seller. Now in its 3rd edition, it was author Julie McGowan's first book, and is based in her much-loved homeland of Wales. Her second book, Just One More Summer, is a wonderfully intricate read based in Cornwall, while her newly-released third book, Don't Pass Me By, is also a Welsh spectacular.

Why did bishops turn to the papacy for advice in late Antiquity? And what does the reception of these decretals reveal about the legal and religious culture of the mid-thirteenth century? This interpretative volume seeks to explain the first decretal age of late antiquity, placing the increased demand for papal jurisprudence - long before it exerted its influence through religious fear - within its social broad context. D. L. d'Avray then traces the reception of this jurisprudence through to the mid-thirteenth century, and the post-Gratian decretal age. Along the way he explores the role of Charlemagne and 'Pseudo-Isidore', which included many genuine early decretals alongside forged ones. Similarities between the Latin world c. 400 and c. 1200 thus help explain parallels between the two decretal ages. This book also analyses decretals from both ages in chapters on pagan marriages, clerics in minor orders, and episcopal elections. For both ages the relation between canon law and other religious genres is elucidated, demonstrating many fascinating parallels and connections.

This challenging book sets out what is involved in being a Christian minister - its joys and difficulties, its responsibilities and privilege. It discusses the call to and the work of ministry; the breadth and nature of the task. How to Be a Church Minister will prove to be immensely useful across a wide spectrum of church traditions, both to those already in ministry and to those contemplating the vocation.

This book provides the first in-depth case study of 'Renew' - a pastoral programme of religious revitalization. The programme originated in the United States in 1976 and has been widely adopted throughout the Roman Catholic world. Initiated from the top down in a hierarchically-structured church, it can be seen as an example of clerical attempts to stimulate and control lay spirituality in an organizationally controlled manner (as opposed to grass-roots movements, such as those associated with liberation theology). The authors look at the history of religious organizations in the Roman Catholic Church and the affects of modernity on religious practice, and the decline in the latter which prompted the diocese to adopt 'Renew'. Their findings show that the effects of 'Renew' were limited and short-lived, an inevitable consequence of the ambiguous and often contradictory aims. In analysing these findings they suggest some ways in which the church might reform itself - by decentralization and a reform of the papacy, for example - to meet the challenges of the modern age.

First full-length study of the life and career of John Henry Williams, one of the most fascinating figures of the eighteenth-century church. John Henry Williams was the vicar of Wellesbourne in south Warwickshire from 1778 until his death some fifty years later. A dedicated pastor, displaying an `enlightened and liberal' outlook, his career illuminates the Church of England's condition in the period, and also a clergyman's place in local society. However, he was not merely a country parson. A `political clergyman', Williams engaged fervently in both provincial and national political debate, denouncing the war with revolutionary France between 1793 and 1802, and published a series of forceful sermons condemning the struggle on Christian principles. To opponents, he appeared insidious and blinkered, but to admirers he was 'a sound divine, and not a less sound politician'. This book, the first to examine Williams' career in full, is a detailed, vivid, and sometimes moving, study of a man who occupies an honorable and significant position in the Church of England's history and in the history of British peace campaigning. Dr COLIN HAYDON teaches in the Department of History at the University of Winchester.

Throughout the nineteenth century the relationship between the State and the Established Church of England engaged Parliament, the Church, the courts and - to an increasing degree - the people. During this period, the spectre of Disestablishment periodically loomed over these debates, in the cause - as Trollope put it - of 'the renewal of inquiry as to the connection which exists between the Crown and the Mitre'. As our own twenty-first century gathers pace, Disestablishment has still not materialised: though a very different kind of dynamic between Church and State has anyway come into being in England. Professor Evans here tells the stories of the controversies which have made such change possible - including the revival of Convocation, the Church's own parliament - as well as the many memorable characters involved. The author's lively narrative includes much valuable material about key areas of ecclesiastical law that is of relevance to the future Church of England.

Hay muchos lideres solitarios, marcados por la dureza del ministerio, pero sobre todo por la imposibilidad de compartir con la gente que les rodea sus alegrias y sus penas.

Los lideres necesitan momentos de soledad con Dios, pero tambien necesitan una comunicacion fluida con su familia, sus colaboradores, su congregacion, con otros pastores y con sus mentores. Cuando los puentes de comunicacion se rompen, surgen el aislamiento, la depresion, el sentimiento de culpa, frustracion, desanimo y soledad. Quien cuida al cuidador? Muchas veces nadie. Cada dia cientos de lideres abandonan el ministerio, son expulsados de sus denominaciones o quedan rotos por el peso de su soledad.

"La soledad del liderazgo" aborda este dificil tema con sencillez, sin prejuicios y ofrece una guia practica mostrando personajes biblicos que tuvieron estos mismas retos y como los superaron.

There are many lonely leaders, marked by the ministry harshness, but especially by the inability to share their joys and sorrows with people around them.

Leaders need time alone with God, but they also need good communication with their families and colleagues, with the congregation and other pastors and with their mentors. When communication bridges are broken, there are isolation, depression, guilt, frustration, discouragement and loneliness.

For several years now, the Roman Catholic Church and the institution of the priesthood itself have been at the center of a firestorm of controversy. While many of the criticisms lodged against the recent actions of the Church--and a small number of its priests--are justified, the majority of these criticisms are not. Hyperbolic and misleading coverage of recent scandals has created a public image of American priests that bears little relation to reality, and Andrew Greeley's "Priests" skewers this image with a systematic inside look at American priests today.
No stranger to controversy himself, Greeley here challenges those analysts and the media who parrot them in placing the blame for recent Church scandals on the mandate of celibacy or a clerical culture that supports homosexuality. Drawing upon reliable national survey samples of priests, Greeley demolishes current stereotypes about the percentage of homosexual priests, the level of personal and professional happiness among priests, the role of celibacy in their lives, and many other issues. His findings are more than surprising: they reveal, among other things, that priests report higher levels of personal and professional satisfaction than doctors, lawyers, or faculty members; that they would overwhelmingly choose to become priests again; and that younger priests are far more conservative than their older brethren.
While the picture Greeley paints should radically reorient the public perception of priests, he does not hesitate to criticize the Church's significant shortcomings. Most priests, for example, do not think the sexual abuse problems are serious, and they do not think that poor preaching or liturgy is a problem, though the laity give them very low marks on their ministerial skills. Priests do not listen to the laity, bishops do not listen to priests, and the Vatican does not listen to any of them. With Greeley's statistical evidence and provocative recommendations for change--including a national "Priest Corps" that would offer young men a limited term of service in the Church--"Priests" offers a new vision for American Catholics, one based on real problems and solutions rather than on images of a depraved, immature, and frustrated priesthood.

Esta guia practica y concisa sobre el liderazgo cristiano efectivo llevara su liderazgo rapidamente a un nivel superior. "El arte del liderazgo"comienza en uno mismo con un enfoque en el liderazgo propio, y transiciona a la habilidad de liderar a los demas. El libro propone a los lideres el desafio de desarrollar su propio potencial y despues ocupar su vida en la de otros.

Esta obra ha sido disenada para el estudio individual o grupal, con actividades y medidas concretas que se centran en la transformacion de la vida, y cuyos resultados le mantendran ocupado en la lectura y en la practica. Ademas, puede usarse como herramienta de capacitacion para otros lideres.

Algunos de los capitulos incluyen:

Primera parte: Liderarse usted mismo

1. El lider entiende el liderazgo
2. El potencial del lider
3. El lider y La vision
4. El lider y Los objetivos
5. El lider y El tiempo
6. El lider y Las prioridades

Segunda parte: Guiar a otros

7. El Lider y Las habilidades de la gente
8. El lider y El elegir a otros lideres
9. El lider y La personalidad

This concise, practical guide to effective Christian leadership will quickly take your leadership to a higher level. "El arte del liderazgo "begins on the inside with a focus on self-leadership and then transitions to the skill of leading others. The book challenges leaders to develop their own potential and then invest their lives in others.

Designed for individual or group study, the practical action assignments focus on life transformation and the results will keep you reading and practicing. The book can be easily used as a teaching tool for training other leaders.

Sample Chapters include:

Part One: Leading Yourself

1. The Leader Understands Leadership
2. The Leader's Potential.
3. The Leader and Vision
4. The Leader and Goals
5. The Leader and Time
6. The Leader and Priorities

Part Two: Leading Others

7. The Leader and People Skills
8. The Leader and Choosing Other Leaders
9. The Leader and Personality

What does it mean to preside like a woman at the Eucharist? Do women do it differently, or should they? How do lay women and men experience women's priestly ministry? This is an accessible, broadly popular book, pushing the boundaries in new and unusual ways, and making a serious contribution to feminist and liturgical debate. Contributors: Alistair Barrett; Andrea Bieler; June Boyce- Tillman M.B.E.; Veronica Brady; Barbara Darling; Susan Durber; Alison Green; Mary Grey; Gillian Hill; Ann Loades C.B.E.; Dorothy McRae-McMahon A.M.; Rachel Mann; Anita Monro; Julia Pitman; David Pluss; Natalie K Watson; Val Webb.