Tyler Reagin - The Life-Giving Leader: Learning to Lead from Your Truest Self

I want to say thank you to a million people. My story and belief system have been built by the leaders God has put directly in my life and by those Ive never met but who have influenced me with their books and ministries. Leadership is contagiousgood and bad. Im thankful to the men and women whose shoulders Im standing on who have helped shape my faith and leadership.

Thank you to my wife and boys for being the most life-giving leaders in my world. You three are why I do what I do. I believe we are in this together to serve the church for the rest of our lives, and Im grateful for the opportunity to learn from you. I love you fiercely.

Thank you to my mom, dad, and Jason. You guys made life fun and had an impact on my leadership. Ill meet you at Ryans or Golden Corral! Love you.

Thank you to Ray, Peggy, and all of the Boohers for loving and supporting me.

Thank you to my team at Catalyst. I have never truly understood why God would gift you to me to lead. To Chrissi, Daniel, LVZ, the management team, and the staff: I dont deserve a team with such passion, love, and fire for leaders who love the church. You inspire me to be life giving by how you love the leaders we serve. You are Catalyst embodied. Thank you.

Thank you to my Browns Bridge SPD team who helped me define my leadership in the early days and who helped me fight through all the principles in this book. You gave me grace when I needed it. Hopefully you became better leaders as a result of our time together.

Thank you to all the leaders whove hired me, invested in me, evaluated me, and spoken life into me. Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, Lane Jones, Bob Goff, Robert Coleman, Archbishop (with great hats) Foley Beach, Julie Arnold, Fran LaMattina, Clay Scroggins, Todd Vander Velde, Brad Lomenick, Dionne van Zyl, Franklin Scott, and countless others.

A huge shout-out to Tom Tanner and all our Wesley crew. Who knew that twenty-plus years ago God was growing a tiny community that would make such an impact in the world? God did. Maybe thats what the whole dark globe with lights on it meant that Melissa kept telling us about!

To some of my best friends in the world who have stood with me for decades. Thank you for being life for me when I needed it and occasionally laughing at my jokes! Steve Hambrick, Ashley Hill, Elliott Moon, Ryan Shove, Chris Priestaf, Kane Lester, and Brain (thats rightBrain!) Cole: You guys have been some of the greatest friends any man could ask for. I dont have enough words to say thank you.

A big thank-you to some of the key leaders who helped me make this project happen! Ana Munoz (my amazing assistant and proofreader extraordinaire), Erin Blonshine (for reading this way too early on), Lindsay van Zyl (for caring as much about getting the word out for this as I do), and Corinne Kutz (for designing this incredible cover)your friendship and hard work on this book will never be forgotten. You are each legends in my eyes, and your work will influence leaders all over!

Thank you to my editorand now friendAndrew Stoddard for helping make this a book Im proud of. Thank you to the Yates & Yates crew for representing me so well throughout this process. Thank you, WaterBrook, for the chance to publish this project. It has been a gift to me.

Thank you to all the believers that are fighting day in and day out to lead well and make the biggest kingdom impact possible. Im honored to serve alongside you as we lift the name of Jesus together.

Praise for

The Life-Giving Leader

Tyler is a good friend of mine. He doesnt just think like a leader; he lives like one. He dropped everything to drive an hour and be at my side, simply because he knew I needed a friend. When he arrived, he didnt tell me what to do but instead reminded me of who I am. This is what great leaders doits what this book is about, and its written by a guy who services what he sells.

B OB G OFF , New York Times best-selling author of Love Does and Everybody, Always

This book will absolutely set your soul on fire to become the most authentic, determined, and impactful leader you can be. If you need a fresh wind or are simply looking for a dynamic leadership resource, you should read The Life-Giving Leader.

L YSA T ERKEURST , New York Times best-selling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Fresh. Important. Helpful. Whether youre guiding one person or a massive organization, leadership can be a heavy load. When we try to take the responsibility of carrying all that weight ourselves, well eventually be crushed under it or burned out by it. In The Life-Giving Leader, Tyler Reagin affirms Gods design for leaders by removing undue burdens and pointing you to the essentials that will multiply your impact. Youll be relieved to know that this resource wont give you another checklist to accomplish. Rather, it will give you a deep breath of the fresh air from Gods Word. It will shift your focus back to His sufficiency to carry out the good work that He began in you. As you consider resources to help you become a better and more whole leader, I hope youll add this one to your short list.

L OUIE G IGLIO , pastor of Passion City Church and founder of Passion Conferences

In my many years of interacting with leaders, I have yet to see a person who understands the dynamics of leadership better than Tyler Reagin. He exemplifies the love of Jesus perfectly. His wisdom and useful applications will allow readers to shatter outdated paradigms and rebuild their philosophy about leadership. Readers must make time to absorb Tylers knowledge and immediately apply it to their lives.

B UZZ W ILLIAMS , Virginia Tech basketball coach

The Life-Giving Leader is more than a book; its a powerful blueprint that shows us how to truly lead as God calls us toso that we can positively influence others and the world. Trust me, this is not just another leadership book. Tyler shows us how to lead with true power so we can energize, encourage, inspire, and give life to others. I guarantee it will be one of the most powerful leadership books youll read this year.

J ON G ORDON , best-selling author of The Power of Positive Leadership

The Life-Giving Leader is the book we have all been waiting for! Tyler offers inspiring, thought-provoking, and powerful lessons in unlocking the truest and best version of yourself! This is a must-read.

D E V ON F RANKLIN , producer and New York Times best-selling author

Tyler, a passionate lover of Jesus, has focused his life on nurturing the potential within others. He is also an extraordinary example of servant leadership, possessing personal understanding of the cost and value of the leadership journey. The Life-Giving Leader is a thought-provoking rendering of Tylers unique insights into what it means to be a life-giving leader who lives for a purpose far beyond self. To quote Tyler: The pursuit of life-giving leadership begins and ends with Jesus.

B RIAN H OUSTON , global senior pastor of Hillsong Church and author of There Is More

I cant think of a better person to write on life-giving leadership than Tyler Reagin. His approach to leading the people around us is not only refreshing, but it is also Jesuss model. And when we lead with God, instead of for God, we can step back and let Him go crazy through us.

J ENNIE A LLEN , author of Nothing to Prove, and founder and visionary of the IF:Gathering

There are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who walk into a room and say, Here I am! And there are those who walk into a room and say, There you are! In this important and timely book, my friend Tyler will teach you how to become the kind of leader who notices and enhances the lives of those around you. Youll see how new levels of usefulness in your own life are unlocked in the process. The upside-down secret that will change everything is that giving, not keeping, is the key to receiving.