Leading with the Spirit: A Handbook on Leadership and Management for Clergy ed. by Thomas Ries and Bruce Corrie (review)

In their introductory chapter, the editors of this book thank Leonard Flachman, late publisher of Lutheran University Press, for assembling a diverse group of leaders who could share their leadership insights with clergy. This book is the fruit of their efforts. Over two dozen authors contribute chapters. Notably, they write from disciplines outside of theology—from marketing to criminal justice—but add a "spiritual dimension" to their remarks.

The first section focuses on the pastor, with a chapter that emphasizes the pastor's devotional life, and another which recommends self-assessment tools. The second section deals with multi-cultural communication, with separate chapters from an African-American and Hmong perspective. The third section suggests methods of developing church mission statements and strategies. The fourth covers a variety of practical topics such as social media and financial stewardship.

At times, one finds useful advice in this book. At other times, one finds confusion about basic theological principles, not to mention basic editing: typos appear throughout the book, and a page worth of material appears to be missing from pages 85 to 86.

Most of the authors are faculty or administrators at Concordia University in St. Paul, and none of them serves on the theology faculty. The cross-disciplinary approach is intentional, as the editors believe that pastors have something to learn from specialists other than theologians. The point is well taken, but the authors often miss the unique character of the church; one author refers to people in the church as markets and ministry services as products (159).

The editors anticipate this concern: "Pastors and members of congregations sometimes resist the notion that the congregation is an organization like a business or other corporately structured entity" (9). In response, they suggest that churches are employing business practices already. Inviting neighbors to Vacation Bible School is marketing. Presenting treasurer's reports at council meetings is accounting. Calling a pastor is human resources.

These comparisons contain an element of truth, but business strategies prove inadequate for interpreting the mission of the church. The editors claim, "Every organization constructs its vision, mission, and strategies" (11), and subsequent chapters offer advice for discerning that mission. Scriptural study is recommended here, but so are "vision quests" involving spiritual retreats and fasting. A pastor is quoted saying that the ground under him is wet "from the breaking waters of the vision's birth" (110). One author suggests that creating a strategic plan requires lots of data collecting, and he quips that without such effort, finding a plan is unlikely, short of "specific divine revelation" (124). The author refers to divine revelation as a joke, but Lutherans believe that churches have their mission and plan precisely because of divine revelation. Christ commanded the preaching of forgiveness, and he instituted Baptism and the Lord's Supper. We do not construct our mission and strategies, so much as receive them from Christ. The editors might have created a more fruitful dialogue and helpful volume by inviting a few theologians into the conversation, especially ones who take Articles IV–VII of the Augsburg Confession seriously in their expression of the church's mission.

Some of the best material comes from experts in their own fields who are willing to share their wisdom, but also respect the church's unique character. A police sergeant and criminal justice professor, for example, do not try to rewrite the church's mission, but they do provide good counsel about anticipating and preventing violence in one's church. A former President of the American Lutheran Church along with a Presbyterian colleague, surely old hands at running church meetings, suggest how to chair meetings effectively.

In order to reach those helpful pieces, one has to wade through too many phrases like "missional virtuosity," "spiritual entrepreneurship," and "Epicenter of Destiny." Having coffee with the police officer down the street or the accountant...