The Tortoise Usually Wins

Author: Brian Harris
Publisher: Authentic Media Inc
ISBN: 1780783027
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 248

Book Description
The Tortoise Usually Wins is a delightful exploration of the theory of quiet leadership. Written for reluctant leaders, it interacts with three key biblical images of leadership - the leader as servant, shepherd and steward - and links them with some of the key virtues of quiet leadership - modesty, restraint, tenacity, interdependence and other-centeredness. Exploding the myth that the good is the enemy of the best, it argues that the reverse is more often true, with images of unattainable perfection crippling competent people from getting on with the task of doing genuinely good things. The book strips leadership of some of its mystique, arguing that the bulk of leadership is about helping groups decide the right things to do and then getting on and doing them in an atmosphere that brings the best out of others. Brian Harris is the principal of a highly regarded theological seminary and also pastors a thriving local church, so the book carries the wisdom of both professor and pastor, satisfying the reader both intellectually and practically. These insights are supplemented by interviews with significant quiet leaders from around the world, ensuring a rich feast for prospective and current reluctant leaders. 'Books on leadership are today two a penny. Just occasionally, however, one of these books might stand head and shoulders above most of the others, and to my delight The Tortoise Usually Wins falls into that category. Furthermore, so many books on leadership are written for natural leaders; whereas, as the author makes clear, most churches are led by "quiet leaders" who know they are not great, but nonetheless, are "tenacious and committed to the task and willing to work co-operatively with others to achieve it". I can see many church leaders benefitting from this book. I warmly commend this unusual book.' Paul Beasley-Murray, Senior Minister, Central Baptist Church, Chelmsford; Chair of Ministry Today UK

Trinity and Humanity

Author: Uche Anizor
Publisher: Authentic Media Inc
ISBN: 1780783353
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 311

Book Description
This remarkable and intriguing work is the only single author and introductory treatment of Colin Gunton's significant theology currently available, tracing the key theological themes, major contributions and continuing criticisms of his work. The book highlights throughout the Trinity and the concept of humanity and mediation as critical to understanding Gunton's theology. A chief aim of the book is to recommend Gunton to an evangelical audience, while providing a general introduction and overview to all who are unfamiliar with his work.

The Big Picture

Author: Brian Harris
Publisher: Authentic Media Inc
ISBN: 1780783426
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 284

Book Description
This book is an accessible exploration of the big building blocks of the Christian faith, differentiating between the important contours of a Christian worldview and secondary concerns imposed by culture and tradition. "Skilfully bringing together biblically-informed theology and the everyday world, Brian Harris unpacks themes of grace, creation and Christian hope in an engaging conversational manner. The result is a book that empowers us to live out our faith wherever we are." Stephen Garner, Laidlaw College, Auckland, New Zealand.

Managing Yourself In A Week

Author: Martin Manser
Publisher: Teach Yourself
ISBN: 1473607574
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 110

Book Description
Managing yourself just got easier One of the most important aspects of being a manager is being able to manage yourself and the first step to doing this effectively is becoming aware of yourself and evaluating your strengths and weaknesses. In Managing Yourself In A Week you will learn about good time management and organization skills including planning and setting priorities, dealing with time wasters, and practical steps on maintaining a diary and to-do lists. You will explore techniques such as managing your mind and learn about the power of positive thinking in developing strategies and making good decisions. You will learn about managing emotions, increasing confidence, dealing with nerves, motivating yourself and building strong relationships by applying good listening skills. The final chapter, on managing stress, looks at what produces stress in you and discusses ways of dealing with its consequences. Managing Yourself in a Week gives handy guidelines that will enable you to take a grip on yourself and re-evaluate your way of working and your priorities in life. It is a quick and reliable guide to the basics of self-management in the world of work. Over this week-long course you will cover: - Sunday: Know yourself well - Monday: Manage your focus clearly - Tuesday: Manage your time effectively - Wednesday: Manage your mind decisively - Thursday: Manage your emotions carefully - Friday: Manage your relationships successfully - Saturday: Manage stress thoroughly

The Ultimate Productivity Book

Author: Martin Manser
Publisher: Teach Yourself
ISBN: 1473689457
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 397

Book Description
If you want to be the best, you have to have the right skillset. From effective time management and efficient speed reading to managing yourself and stopping stress from slowing you down, THE ULTIMATE PRODUCTIVITY BOOK is a dynamic collection of tools, techniques, and strategies for success. Short, punchy chapters mean you can read up quickly and start applying what you've learned immediately. Discover the main themes, key ideas and tools you need and bring it all together with practical exercises. This is your complete course in being more productive. ABOUT THE SERIES ULTIMATE books are for managers, leaders, and business executives who want to succeed at work. From marketing and sales to management and finance, each title gives comprehensive coverage of the essential business skills you need to get ahead in your career. Written in straightforward English, each book is designed to help you quickly master the subject, with fun quizzes embedded so that you can check how you're doing.

When Faith Turns Ugly: Understanding Toxic Faith and How to Avoid It

Author: Brian Harris
Publisher: Authentic Media Inc
ISBN: 1780783418
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 265

Book Description
Following the huge success of The Tortoise Usually Wins, 2012, and The Big Picture, 2015, in When Faith Turns Ugly Brian Harris explores why the Christian faith sometimes wears two masks - usually life-serving and transforming, but occasionally escapist, illusionary and even poisonous. What are the warning signs that faith is at risk of turning toxic? What do we mean by the conviction that the gospel liberates? Brian Harris' take on what constitutes life-serving faith is refreshing and will be appreciated by all who would like to be sure that their obedience to Jesus the Christ will help to build a world with a better name.

An Uncertain Certainty

Author: Graham Buxton
Publisher: Lutterworth Press
ISBN: 0718843835
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 299

Book Description
Many people in Christian ministry are tired of simplistic certainties; what they need is permission to live with uncertainty, with mystery, ambiguity, and paradox. Because we live in a world that is far removed from the modernist version of reality,with its rational, clinical, and superficial presentation of life, we need the courage and wisdom to embrace the presence of uncertainties in the midst of certainty. In this book, the author offers snapshots of a number of central Christian topics-God, the gospel, the church, salvation, ministry-inviting us to treat them as features of a landscape to explore rather than a set of propositional statements to sign up to. Each chapter-short enough to provoke interest and curiosity-will be a catalyst for deeper reflection and enquiry, inviting us to discover a new freedom in ministry as we embrace a more generous both-and perspective in place of a more narrow either-or interpretation of the Christian faith. In the process, we may find ourselves rediscovering the Life we have lost in living as we imaginatively participate in the life, ministry, and mystery of the triune God of grace in our midst.

Pastor Paul (Theological Explorations for the Church Catholic)

Author: Scot McKnight
Publisher: Brazos Press
ISBN: 149342002X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 237

Book Description
Being a pastor is a complicated calling. Pastors are often pulled in multiple directions and must "become all things to all people" (1 Cor. 9:22). What does the New Testament say (or not say) about the pastoral calling? And what can we learn about it from the apostle Paul? According to popular New Testament scholar Scot McKnight, pastoring must begin first and foremost with spiritual formation, which plays a vital role in the life and ministry of the pastor. As leaders, pastors both create and nurture culture in a church. The biblical vision for that culture is Christoformity, or Christlikeness. Grounding pastoral ministry in the pastoral praxis of the apostle Paul, McKnight shows that nurturing Christoformity was at the heart of the Pauline mission. The pastor's central calling, then, is to mediate Christ in everything. McKnight explores seven dimensions that illustrate this concept--friendship, siblings, generosity, storytelling, witness, subverting the world, and wisdom--as he calls pastors to be conformed to Christ and to nurture a culture of Christoformity in their churches.

Dancing in the Dark, Revised Edition

Author: Graham Buxton
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1498221165
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 337

Book Description
Christians are often tempted to encapsulate God in their own little boxes, as if God could be tied down to our finite way of thinking. But we can neither domesticate nor fully understand God, for theology has a lot to do with coming to terms with the mystery of God. This revised edition of Dancing in the Dark--shaped, as in the first edition, by the two overarching themes of God as Trinity and a theology of participation--embraces the notion of mystery in presenting a compelling vision of seeing all things finally united within the inner life of God. As we engage in Christian ministry, we are summoned to participate as grace-filled faith communities in the triune God's immeasurably loving and healing work in the world, leading those who are in darkness into an awareness of the God who imparts life in all its glorious abundance, that which is so . . . and a journey into the mystery of that which is to come. The liberating ministry of the gospel is both a declaration and an invitation--an invitation to the dance!

Sophie's World

Author: Jostein Gaarder
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 1466804270
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 599

Book Description
A page-turning novel that is also an exploration of the great philosophical concepts of Western thought, Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World has fired the imagination of readers all over the world, with more than twenty million copies in print. One day fourteen-year-old Sophie Amundsen comes home from school to find in her mailbox two notes, with one question on each: "Who are you?" and "Where does the world come from?" From that irresistible beginning, Sophie becomes obsessed with questions that take her far beyond what she knows of her Norwegian village. Through those letters, she enrolls in a kind of correspondence course, covering Socrates to Sartre, with a mysterious philosopher, while receiving letters addressed to another girl. Who is Hilde? And why does her mail keep turning up? To unravel this riddle, Sophie must use the philosophy she is learning—but the truth turns out to be far more complicated than she could have imagined.