Attentive Church Leadership: Listening and Leading in a World We’ve Never Known

by Kevin G. Ford; Jim Singleton

Publisher:

IVP

, 2024

Overview

The world has changed. The changes around us present daunting challenges to the church, and we minister in places we have never been in before. But there are no one-size-fits-all solutions because every church needs to attend to its specific situation and calling. We need to listen for not only what to do but also what not to do. In a world screaming in a thousand directions for our focus, it’s essential for us to become attentive to God, our congregation, and our community.

Kevin Ford and Jim Singleton call for attentive churches with attentive leaders who can discern cultural and organizational change and pivot accordingly. Healthy transformation starts with a posture of attention. We need to see what God is already doing in our midst: in our own soul, in our people, and in the communities and culture around us. Chapters explore key questions that attentive leaders ask and offer case studies of attentive churches that have navigated the issues and transitions facing them. As we practice habits of attention, God leads us through the highs and lows of change into the exciting adventure of being on mission with him.

Key Features

• Explores key questions that attentive leaders ask
• Offers case studies of attentive churches that have navigated the issues and transitions facing them
• Calls for attentive churches with attentive leaders who can discern cultural and organizational change and pivot accordingly

Contents

• Introduction: What Does It Take to Thrive in a World We’ve Never Known?

Part One: Becoming an Attentive Leader

• 1. How Did We Get to a World We’ve Never Known?
• 2. How Do I Become an Attentive Person?
• 3. How Do I Manage Anxiety?
• 4. How Do I Increase My Trust Quotient?

Part Two: Leading an Attentive Church

• 5. Is the Tail Wagging the Dog?
• 6. How Do We Create Community in a Narcissistic World?
• 7. What Is Our Ethos?
• 8. Are We Entitled or Engaged?
• 9. How Do We Facilitate Real Transformation?
• 10. How Do We Pass the Torch?

Praise for the Print Edition

The world today is a strange place indeed. In this book, Kevin Graham Ford and Jim Singleton describe our reality and then provide a wealth of wisdom for listening and leading in a fresh, Christ-centered way. Full of real-life pastoral experiences and proven insights, this one book can serve as a reliable guide for both the ministry leader and the church to faithfully make a difference and thrive as a community in this rapidly changing world. It should be read by every pastor and elder.

—MaryKate Morse, author, leadership mentor, and professor at Portland Seminary

Pastors will be encouraged and educated to understand and respond to real-world situations. This is not a book of theory but of the practical realities of church life. It lays out for the reader a number of valuable constructs to help deal objectively and personally with the diverse challenges leaders currently face. I encounter more leaders than ever who give more time and attention to conflict resolution, leading themselves, and the specific challenge of developing community in a polarized world. You will find honest and vulnerable help here.

—Ed Stetzer, dean of Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, from the foreword

Kevin Ford and Jim Singleton are faithful, experienced leaders in Christ's church who bring unique, insightful understanding into the rapidly changing nature of today's cultural landscape. For the overwhelmed pastor with little time for grasping a wider view of the world, this book provides a wonderful grid for asking the right questions and responding biblically to the churches they lead.

—David D. Swanson, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando

Product Details

• Title: Attentive Church Leadership: Listening and Leading in a World We've Never Known
• Authors: Kevin G. Ford, Jim Singleton
• Publisher: IVP
• Print Publication Date: 2024
• Pages: 256
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• Resource ID: LLS:TTNTVCHRCHNKNWN
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2023-10-16T17:55:56Z