What an awesome book!

Henry Nouwen is neccessary reading for any believer in Christ. I have been so blessed through the processing of his teaching and introspection. ^M

Practical Leadership

Faced with the task of explaining the role of a twenty-first century Christian leader, Nouwen explains it practically. He basically states Jesus is our model. The three main points are shown through Jesus' three temptations. The first: to turn stone into bread. The author explains that instead of becoming an important figure of ministry we are "called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but... [one's] vulnerable self. That is the way Jesus came to reveal God's love." Second: to throw himself of a temple. "The second temptation to which Jesus was exposed was precisely the temptation to do something spectacular, something that could win him great applause." Third: to rule the world. Finally, "Jesus... did not cling to his divine power but emptied himself and became as we are. The temptation to consider power an apt instrument for the proclamation of the Gospel is the greatest of all." Nouwen emphasizes through this that it is not relevance, grandeur, or power that creates successful leadership. It is the ability to relate to people as Jesus did. This is to show modern leaders the necessity to meet peoples needs not impress them. That is how one becomes a successful leader.

Revolutionary look at how following Jesus is.

This book explains how Jesus humbled an extimeed theologain to trust and live in Jesus. This book is an revolutionary thesis on what it truly means to be a leader of Gods people and will change the typical view of the leadership role.^M