• Directories
    • Business Directory
    • Church Directory
    • Organization Directory
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Help
  • Log In
MENUMENU
  • Learning
        • Leader’s Edge
          • Author Interviews
          • Book Summaries
        • Book Reviews
          • Book Look
          • EMQ Book Reviews
        • Publications
          • Anthology
          • Evangelical Missions Quarterly (EMQ)
          • Missiographics
        • Podcasts
          • The Mission MattersNew
          • Missio Nexus
          • People First HR
          • Members Only Feed
        • Blogs
          • Global Issues Updates
          • Member Highlights
          • Mission Advisors
        • Topics
          • COVID-19 ResourcesNew
          • Diaspora Missions
          • Mobilization
          • Muslim Missions
          • Support Raising
        • Media Library
          • Conferences
          • Global Issue Updates
          • On Mission
          • Thought Leader Briefings
          • Webinars
          • Workshop
          • View All
  • Programs
    • Accreditation
    • Alliance for Benefits
    • Bible CertificateNew
    • Church Missions CoachingNew
    • Cohorts
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Leaders
    • Mission Jobs
    • OnBoard
    • RightNow Media
    • The Mission AppNew
    • Women’s Development
  • Events
          • Calendar
          • In-Person Events
          • Virtual Events
          • Event Recordings
          • Awards
        • Upcoming Events

          • Webinar: Through the Wall
            Thu Jan 28 2021, 02:00pm EST
          • Three Steps to Kickstart Your Fund Development Program
            Tue Feb 16 2021, 03:00pm EST
          • Webinar: Innovating Theological Education: How BibleMesh can Prepare your Staff for Ministry
            Thu Feb 25 2021, 02:00pm EST
        • View All Events
  • Research
          • Missiographics
          • Mission Handbook
          • Research Reports
        • Popular Research
          • Compensation Reports
          • COVID-19 ResourcesNew
          • Field Attrition Report
          • View All Reports
        • Contribute
          • Current Research Projects
          • Submit Data for Mission Handbook
          • Volunteer
  • About Us
        • Who We Are
          • Our Contribution
          • Meet the Team
          • Board Members
          • History (1917–present)
        • Our Beliefs
          • Statement of Faith
          • Community Standards
        • Awards
        • Partner with Us
          • Advertise
          • Donate
          • Sponsorships
          • Volunteer
        • Help
          • Contact Us
          • Advertising Specs
          • Branding Guidelines
  • Join
        • Learn
        • Learn what you cannot learn anywhere else.

        • Meet
        • Meet people you otherwise won’t meet.

        • Engage
        • Engage in a community like none other.

          • Benefits
          • Benefits for Churches
          • Pricing

Sponsored Content

Upcoming Events

  • Webinar: Through the Wall
    Thu Jan 28 2021, 02:00pm EST
  • Three Steps to Kickstart Your Fund Development Program
    Tue Feb 16 2021, 03:00pm EST
  • Webinar: Innovating Theological Education: How BibleMesh can Prepare your Staff for Ministry
    Thu Feb 25 2021, 02:00pm EST
  • Association Leaders Gathering
    Tue Mar 2 2021, 08:30am EST
  • Innovation Labs - Session 1
    Tue Mar 2 2021, 10:00am EST

View all events »

Topics

author interview Canada CEO Church Church Missions Church Mission Team Church Planting Coaching Conference Proceedings COVID-19 Cross Cultural Skills Diaspora Evangelism Focus Future Globally Engaged Churches Islam Justin Long Leadership Management Missiology Missionaries Mission Finance and Administration MLC2019 MLC2020 Mobilization muslim Muslim Diaspora Networks Partnership Personal Productivity Podcast Presenter Research Security Short-Term Missions Spirituality support raising Training Trends Unengaged Unreached unreached people groups Weekly Roundup Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Leading with Story: Cultivating Christ-centered Leaders in a Storycentric Generation

Posted on October 1, 2017 by April 5, 2019

by Rick Sessoms

William Carey Library Press, 2016.

—Reviewed by Benjamin Espinoza, PhD student, Michigan State University.

 src=

Story has become a topic of interest for many scholars, pastors, and missionaries. As Christians, we are called to be par

ticipants in the greatest story of all time, the gospel. Rick Sessoms estimates that eighty percent of the world’s people are “story-centric learners,” meaning they learn through storytelling (drama, art, music, etc.). This provides a unique opportunity for us to ponder how we can take the gospel to the ends of the earth using story-based methods and leadership approaches. Sessoms has written an insightful volume on story-centric, Christ-centered leadership which will equip a new generation of Christian leaders to share the greatest story of all time.

In Part 1, Sessoms explores the prominence of storycentric learning in today’s society. Story possesses the power to change the minds and hearts of people in ways more powerful than one can imagine. Unfortunately, modern educational approaches remain apprehensive about story, despite the fact that story can change people’s behaviors and enhances one’s literacy. A story-based approach is a biblical one, not only because we are caught up in the story of the gospel, but also because Jesus and the Apostle Paul embraced story-based teaching methods.

In Part 2, Sessoms explores leadership development in Christian perspective, detailing the history of Christian leadership development and positing a process for effective leadership development. Developing Christian leaders should be an urgent priority for the Church, but a lack of good role models, methods, and an absence of commitment hinder the realization of this vision. 

Sessoms posits four overlapping spheres of Christian leadership development: (1) character formation, (2) biblical literacy, (3) contextually relevant skills, and (4) ministry development. Together, these spheres serve as a powerful seedbed for effective Christian leadership development. He posits that feedback, challenge, and support are all necessary components in leadership development. These three facets are then complemented by a combination of training, experiential learning, mentoring, and on-the-job assignments. 

Part 3 establishes a Christo-centric approach to leadership, arguing for an overhaul of Christian leadership theory and practice. Unfortunately, as Sessoms highlights, Christian leaders often prioritize their success at the expense of the gospel. This is contrary to the model of Christ, who exhibited selfless humility and served others unconditionally. Moreover, Christ remained a contextually relevant leader whose message is timeless. Sessoms encourages leaders to undergo a process of character development in preparation for leadership, modeled by the life and ministry of Jesus and those who emulated his example.

The last section of the book discusses The Garden Project, a leadership development initiative that exemplifies Sessom’s approach. The book is a worthwhile investment for any person seeking to cultivate his or her skills as a leader and developer of leaders. Sessom blends personal insight with a firm grasp on leadership theory and biblical theology. I highly recommend this book to Christian leaders who desire a Christo-centric and culturally relevant approach to leadership. 

Check this title:

Geiger, Eric and Kevin Peck. 2016. Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership Development. Nashville:
B&H Books. 

. . . .

EMQ, Vol. 53, No. 4. Copyright  © 2017 Billy Graham Center for Evangelism.  All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMQ editors.

 

GoToOlder PostNewer PostAll PostsBook ReviewsEMQSectionVolume 53 - Issue 4

Write a Comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Keep up to date with our community.

Menu

  • Join
  • Directories
  • Events
  • Donate

About

  • Who We Are
  • Statement of Faith
  • Awards
  • Resources

Help

  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Cookies Policy

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Google+

PO Box 398
Wheaton, IL 60187-0398

Phone: 770.457.6677
678.392.4577

© Missio Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Membership website powered by MembershipWorks