Readers' Choice Award Winner

Outreach Magazine's Resources of the Year

It's increasingly clear that leadership should be shared—for the good of any organization and for the good of the leader. Many churches have begun to share key leadership duties, but don't know how to take their leadership team to the point where it thrives. Others seriously need a new approach to leadership: pastors are tired, congregations are stuck, and meanwhile the work never lets up.

But what does it actually mean to do leadership well as a team? How can it be done in a way that avoids frustration and burnout? How does team leadership best equip the staff and bless a congregation? What do the top church teams do to actually thrive together?

Researchers and practitioners Ryan Hartwig and Warren Bird have discovered churches of various sizes and traditions throughout the United States who have learned to thrive under healthyteam leadership. Using actual church examples, they present their discoveries here, culminating in five disciplines that, if implemented, can enable your team to thrive. The result? A coaching tool for senior leadership teams that enables strugglingteams to thrive, and resources teams doing well to do their work even better.



Ryan T. Hartwig currently serves as provost and vice president of academic affairs at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California. He is also the author of Teams That Thrive (with Warren Bird) and Leading Small Groups That Thrive.







Warren Bird is research director for Leadership Network and has authored or coauthored over twenty books for ministry leaders, including Teams That Thrive (with Ryan T. Hartwig).



Preface



Part I: Why Read a Book about Leadership Teams?

1. Myths We Believe: How Many of These Did You Think Were True?

2. Your Vantage Point: How Is Your Church Being Led Right Now?

Expert commentator: Jim Tomberlin



Part II: Why Do Leadership Teams Make Sense?

3. The Bible Speaks: Scriptural Foundations for Senior Leadership Teams

Expert commentator: Matt Carter

4. Passing Fad or Here to Stay: Ten PracticalReasons for Senior Leadership Teams

Expert commentator: David Fletcher



Part III: How Well Is Your Team Thriving?

5. Reality Check: Eight Common Reasons Teams Fail

Expert commentator: Geoff Surratt

6. Our Survey Says: The Collaborative Disciplines of Teams That Thrive

Expert commentator: Ed Stetzer



Part IV: What Are the Collaborative Disciplines of Teams that Thrive?

7. Discipline 1: Focus on Purpose, the Invisible Leader of Your Team

Expert commentator: Will Mancini

8. Discipline 2: Leverage Differences in Team Membership

Expert commentator: Morgan McKenna

9. Discipline 3: Rely on Inspiration More than Control to Lead

Expert commentator: Crawford Loritts

10. Discipline 4: Intentionally Structure Your Decision Making

Section 1: Collaborating While Seeking God?s Voice

Expert commentator: Ron Edmondson

11. Discipline 4: Intentionally Structure Your Decision Making

Section 2: Collaborating in the Midst of Conflict

Expert commentator: Tony Morgan

12. Discipline 5: Build a Culture of Continuous Collaboration

Expert commentator: Jenni Catron



Part V: What?s Your Best Next Step?

13. Six Ways to Avoid Sabotaging Your Team

Expert commentator: Sam Chand

14. Catalyze Your Team?s Growth

Expert commentator: Mark DeYmaz



Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Author Index

Subject Index

Scripture Index