Craig Johnson - Lead Vertically: Inspire People to Volunteer and Build Great Teams that Last

Lead Vertically goes straight to the heart of leadership: others before self, people before mission, and God above all. Craig brilliantly unpacks the process of building into people as the gateway to effective teams and the key to a dynamic ministry. Compelling, insightful and rich with ready-to-implement ideas.

Bill Baumgart

President and CEO, KIDMO

Craig Johnson knows how to lead! Ive seen firsthand the impact of his philosophy at Lakewood Church, where he is creating a culture of intentional families, passionate volunteers and effective staff. I encourage every leader to glean inspiration from his vision and to learn from his experience.

Kurt Bruner

Executive Director, The Strong Families Innovation Alliance
Author of It Starts At Home

I am thrilled that this book, Lead Vertically, has ended up in your hands. Craig is an exceptional leader, and he understands that the greatest way to build our lives is by helping to build the lives of others. This book will inspire you to dream and lead from Gods perspective and will equip you with the tools to do it.

Christine Caine

Author of Stop Acting Like a Christian, Just Be One

Ive seen the way Craig Johnson leads, and I can honestly say that hes living out exactly what hes written! I am so impressed with his level of humility, wisdom and creativity in leading teams. Reading this book will help you learn how to really inspire people in your church to volunteer for the long term.

Amy Dolan

Childrens Ministry Leader and Founder of Lemon Lime Kids

Craig Johnsons leadership impacts Lakewood Church every day in the teams hes built, in the staff he oversees, and in the growth it has brought. The proven principles Craig outlines in Lead Vertically will give you a look at leadership at a whole new level. Through this book, you will experience hope, encouragement, good stories and practical insights and will be inspired as you enlarge your own vision of leadership from Gods perspective!

Dr. Paul Osteen

Associate Pastor, Lakewood Church
Houston, Texas

If you are in the wings waiting for God to place you in a leadership role, put down whatever else you are reading and read this book! Craig has done a masterful job of getting down to the basics of Christian leadership by laying the bedrock of what it takes to be a great leader in the eyes of God. Great leadersvertical leadersare those who understand their position in Christ and through His guidance humbly help others do the same. Dont waste another minute... take the principles in this book, put them into practice, and let God take your leadership to places you never thought imaginable.

Mike Johnson

Executive producer of Elevate and Elevate Family Curriculum
Director of FCKids, Fellowship Church
Grapevine, Texas

Craig Johnson is uniquely qualified to write on vertical leadership for one primary reason: he has lived his life and led others from the perspective of heaven. This is needed now more than ever. During times of economic troubles and global dangers when many experts are talking about a slow and painful recovery and redefining success as lowered expectations, Craig reminds us that the most important question to ask is, How does God see me and my situation? Both as his pastor and his friend, I have witnessed firsthand how God uses Craig to encourage and inspire leaders and growing believers to throw off limitations and fulfill their divine destiny. Through this book, I believe He will do the same for you.

Dr. Jim Reeve

Senior Pastor, Faith Community Church
West Covina, California

Craig Johnson is an inspirational leader. Those of us who have the privilege of working close to him can testify to his unique ability to motivate and inspire people to follow the vision he articulates. This book is a wonderful tool for all who read it. You will find the help you need to become a better leader.

Marcos Witt

Composer, Singer, and Author
Spanish Pastor, Lakewood Church
Houston, Texas

How do we as Christian leaders mark success? Is it by achieving fancy programming or getting through intense to-do lists? Is it by making grand profits at any cost? In Lead Vertically, Craig Johnson refocuses a leaders values and vision... ultimately bringing everything back to the truth about success, what it means, what it takes, and how to implement these heart ideas through your team. Be inspired as you read.

Darlene Zschech

Singer and Songwriter
Co-Senior Pastor, Hope Unlimited Church
New South Wales, Australia

2010 Craig Johnson

Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com

Baker Books edition published 2014

ISBN 978-1-4412-2394-4

Previously published by Regal Books

Ebook edition originally created 2012

Ebook corrections 10.01.2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Other versions used are:

THE MESSAGE Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE . Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson, 1993, 1994, 1995. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

NKJV Scripture taken from the New King James Version . Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NLT Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation , copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Thank you to Samantha, Cory, Courtney and Connor,
who are Gods masterpiece placed in the center of my life.
I love you. Keep Dreaming BIG!

by Joel Osteen

Many times God puts big dreams in our hearts, only to see our accomplishments limited because of our small thinking and low expectations. In order to remove those limits and get to that next level in life, we need a new way of thinking, a new perspective. If we want to lead effective lives and effective ministries, we have to lead from Gods perspective.

This is just what David wanted when he prayed, [Lord], Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I (Psalm 61:2). What was David asking for? David was asking God to give him a new perspective, to take him higher so he could see things from Gods perspective.

This higher-level approach to leading and team building is just what Craig Johnson describes in his new book Lead Vertically. In it, he will show you how to partner with God to take your ministry, business and family higher, and give you Gods perspective on how to grow your organization, how to expand your team and, most importantly, how to build people Gods way with dreams, inspiration and hope.