Joseph M. Stowell - Redefining Leadership: Character-Driven Habits of Effective Leaders

A revolutionary and life-shaping book on kingdom leadership, one rooted not in outcome-based theories about leadership but in theology a kingdom-saturated and gospel-based theology where the leader is first a follower whose character is transformed by Gods grace. The revolution of this book is that Gods transformation of us makes us Gods kingdom leaders, and this is just the kind of leadership we need today. Five stars!

S COT M C K NIGHT , Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary

Joe knows leadership. And he knows what the Bible says about leading. Hes a guide worth following.

J OHN O RTBERG , Senior Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church and author of Who Is This Man?

This book is powerful. It exposes the eternal consequences of having earthly applause for our Christian leadership and service, while receiving Heavens silence. And it is incredibly encouraging because it also reveals that leaders and ministries that seem to have earths silence may one day be the very ones who receive Heavens applause. After reading it, I re-examined my leadership, repented of my desire for outcome, and recommitted my followership to more clearly reflect our Servant King. Thank you, Joe Stowell.

A NNE G RAHAM L OTZ , Speaker and author of Wounded by Gods People

My soul needed this book. Redefining Leadership offers the profound reminder that our legacy is formed by who we are, and not merely by what we accomplish.

J EFF M ANION , Senior Teaching Pastor, Ada Bible Church in Ada, Michigan, and author of The Land Between

I am so grateful to God that my dear friend, Joe Stowell, has written Redefining Leadership. Not only is Joe a portrait of what he has written, but he has also spent much of his life and ministry shaping the next generation of Kingdom leaders. He writes not just from experience and what he has observed, but from a life and ministry marked by godly integrity. This book is a treasure and should be required reading for every Christian leader and all who have been given the gift and privilege of influencing others. Thanks, Joe, for the clear, compelling reminder that we are to lead according to the ways of the Kingdom and the will of our King, Jesus Christ.

D R . C RAWFORD W. L ORITTS J R ., Author, speaker, radio host, and senior pastor of Fellowship Bible Church, Roswell, Georgia

Other Books by Joseph Stowell

Following Christ

Loving Christ

Radical Reliance

Revelation

(Great Books of the Bible Series)

Simply Jesus and You

The Trouble with Jesus

ZONDERVAN

Redefining Leadership

Copyright 2014 by Joseph M. Stowell

ePub Edition February 2014: ISBN 9780310515067

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stowell, Joseph M.

Redefining leadership : character-driven habits of effective leaders / Joseph M. Stowell.

p. cm.

ISBN 978 0 310 21565 3 (hardcover jacketed)

1. Leadership Religious aspects Christianity. I. Title.

BV4597.53.L43S77 2014

658.4092 dc23 2013030217

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English StandardVersion, copyright 2001 by Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc . Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Cover design: Studio Gearbox

Cover photography: Veer

Interior design: Ben Fetterley and Greg Johnson/Textbook Perfect

Interior composition: Greg Johnson/Textbook Perfect

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Please note that footnotes in this ebook may contain hyperlinks to external websites as part of bibliographic citations. These hyperlinks have not been activated by the publisher, who cannot verify the accuracy of these links beyond the date of publication.

To Joe, Matt, and Rod...

My sons and son-in-law, whose lives exemplifythe best of character-driven leadership

A wise son brings joy to his father.

(P ROVERBS 10:1)

I am well aware that without supportive influencers in my life, a book like this or anything else for that matter would be impossible. At the top of my list of influential people in my life is Martie, who has graciously shared her life journey with me. Martie has been a constant source of encouragement and support. Her wise and discerning insights have guided and groomed me in so many productive ways. In fact, those of you who know her will hear her voice in many of the thoughts in the book. I am forever thankful that she is such a faithful friend.

Beth Longjohn, my executive assistant, organizes my work life with class and efficiency. Her gifted partnership helps me clear space in my life to pursue the ministry of writing. Thanks, Beth!

I am grateful as well for the good folk at Zondervan who kept after me to get these thoughts in print and their Job-like patience with how long it took to finish the manuscript. The Z team is a great example of how publishers should partner with authors. Thanks to Ryan Pazdur, who early on encouraged and guided me in the development of my thoughts, and to Jim Ruark for his excellent work in helping to wrap up the project.

Mostly, I am thankful to our Lord, whose Word gave me a foundation from which to write and who by his grace gave me gifts that empowered the process. To him be the glory!

I n conversations about leadership, I am most frequently asked, Whats your biggest challenge?

My answer is always, Me!

Thats not to say that I havent faced other daunting challenges. Its just to admit that even in the midst of those challenges, the most important issue is, How am I managing myself through the situation? Will anger, manipulation, compromise of integrity, plotting for self-preservation, pessimism, despair, shifting the blame, self-pity, or covering up be valid options? Or, in good times will posturing myself to take the credit, seeking the affirmation and applause of others, thinking too well of myself, or ignoring the contribution that others have made characterize my response?