Leading God’s People: Wisdom from the Early Church for Today
Overview
Using the wisdom of the past to address the challenges of the present, Christopher Beeley’s Leading God’s People presents key principles of church leadership as they were taught by great pastor-theologians of the early church, including Gregory of Nazianzus, Ambrose, Augustine, Chrysostom, and Gregory the Great.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
Interested in similar titles? Be sure to check out Eerdmans Pastoral Resources Collection (8 vols.).
- Presents key principles of church leadership
- Provides insight from great pastor-theologians of the early church
- The Leadership of the Church
- Spirituality for Leadership
- The Cure of Souls
- The Ministry of the Word
Top Highlights
“Above all, pastoral leaders are moral and spiritual guides in the Christian life, and it is they who are chiefly responsible for leading people toward God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. If the appointed leaders of the church do not maintain this primary focus, the spiritual state of the community will languish.” (Page 24)
“In the early church a ‘bishop’ was first and foremost a pastor, not an administrative official.” (Page 7)
“To attempt to lead others in the Christian life without having advanced in that life is not merely unadvisable or difficult; it is in fact impossible, not to mention hypocritical and destructive of the faith of others. Yet how easy it can be, in the busyness of active ministry, to overlook our most central work, which is to know and love God, so that we may adequately feed others.” (Page 30)
“In every period of history Christians have had cause to reflect on what may seem an obvious fact: the effectiveness of the church’s leadership is crucial to its vitality and faithfulness, its spiritual health, and its fulfillment of God’s mission in the world.” (Page 1)
“the candidate’s inward sense of calling is much less important compared to the discernment of the community.” (Page 20)
In a religious climate where language about leadership is often regarded as basically a matter of secular managerial intrusion into theology, it is wonderful to have a book like this that roots our thinking about the calling of the Christian leader in the wisdom of the early church. This learned, readable, and very timely book deserves a very warm welcome.
—Rowan Williams, archbishop, Canterbury
A foundational and systematic description of the model of leadership in the early Christian community. The author weaves throughout his book excerpts from the epistles of St. Paul and the writings of the church fathers to illustrate that these early theologians understood the essential need for pastoral virtue, humility, holiness, and inspired preaching for effective church leadership. In particular, St. Augustine’s insights are very compelling. Leading God’s People serves as an instructional and meditative companion for clergy members, seminarians, and lay ministers who desire to faithfully exercise their church authority in the most representational manner of Christ’s pastoral shepherding of his flock.
—Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, archbishop, Galveston-Houston
This is a wonderful book, based upon Christopher Beeley’s deep love and knowledge of the great fathers of the church, East and West, as well as the practice of ministry within the church. . . . Provides solid guidance to all who are interested in the practice of Christian leadership, both lay and ordained.
—John Behr, dean and professor of patristics, St. Vladimir’s Seminary
- Title: Leading God’s People: Wisdom from the Early Church for Today
- Author: Christopher A. Beeley
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Print Publication Date: 2012
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Pages: 161
- Era: era:Contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Christian leadership; Pastoral theology; Christian leadership › History of doctrines--Early church, ca. 30-600; Pastoral theology › History of doctrines--Early church, ca. 30-600
- ISBNs: 9780802867001, 0802867006
- Resource ID: LLS:LDNGGDSPPL
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:11:53Z