Leaders need the support of followers to succeed in their areas of calling. This book attempts to help the followers to know what to do to help their leaders to succeed and also to assist the leaders to know how to raise effective followers. Good leadership/followership relationship is a major factor for church growth and the growth of any human organization. Leaders are not supposed to suffer in the midst of abundant human and material resources in the lives of the followers.

Over the last 20 years it has become chic to use the term “follower of Christ.” I have heard pastors stand in the pulpit and ask people to raise their hands if they want to be a follower of Christ. All across the room hands go up. Those hands are then summarily counted as converts to the Christian faith.

We live in a leader-centric culture. But what if leadership isn't our goal? Can we use our skills to perform with excellence—as followers? In Embracing Followership, Allen Hamlin Jr. showed that you don't need to be a leader to make a difference. In this 16-part study guide to the book, you'll discover what following well looks like in your own life—unpacking key themes from Embracing Followership and looking to role models in the Bible for guidance on how to thrive as a follower. Additional discussion questions will also spark conversation among leaders and followers walking through the guide in a group setting. Embrace your role as a follower more fully with the Embracing Followership discussion guide!

"This book illustrates best practices for how leaders and followers should work together in churches"--

Have you ever felt in over your head? When Eric Peterson became the pastor of a brand-new church, he quickly and wisely turned to his dad for guidance. Eugene Peterson, author of more than thirty books including his bestselling memoir The Pastor and his groundbreaking Bible The Message, here reflects on pastoral ministry in all its complexity--from relationships to administration to the sheer audacity of leading God's people in a particular place. This is Eugene Peterson at his best--lifelong wisdom written with deep love. As the reader, you will glimpse into the tender, witty, personal side of Eugene mentoring his own son. These intimate letters will be treasured by all who read, and applicable to church leaders around the globe. Purchase individually or together with Letters to a Young Congregation as a memorable gift for a church leader or seminary graduate.

Followership teaches leaders how to replicate effective, biblical leadership qualities. CEOs, managers, parents, clergy, and students alike gain insight from the practical principles presented. If you lead, serve, or want to build a motivated, innovative, and successful team, you will receive outstanding results as you apply these teachings. Followership: • Teaches principles for both leaders and followers and can be practiced in any aspect of building an organization. • Declares and supports the fact that followership is what makes or breaks leadership, leadership is what makes or breaks an organization. • Is your resource book for developing a dynamic followership culture within your life and organization. Most likely you’ve been taught how to lead, but do you know how to follow? The true art of leadership is followership. There are many resource materials on leadership, yet little if any resources on how to follow your leader. Followership is designed to infuse your person and organization with the motivation, heart, and intention that every successful and lasting team is built upon. Leaders of every type and level can use Followership as a training manual to build healthy, happy, high performance teams. Because of the character development aspects, it is an asset to network groups, support groups, and church home groups.

This book brings the best of leadership theory and research together with biblical reflection and examples of leadership in action to offer a practical guide to Christian leaders. Combining expertise in leadership studies and biblical studies, Justin Irving and Mark Strauss explore how leadership models have moved from autocratic and paternalistic leader-centered models toward an increased focus on followers. The authors show how contemporary theories such as transformational leadership, authentic leadership, and servant leadership take an important step toward prioritizing and empowering followers who work with leaders to accomplish organizational goals. Irving and Strauss organize their book around "nine empowering practices," making it accessible to students, church leaders, and business leaders. Integrating solid research in leadership studies with biblical and theological reflection on the leadership ideas that are most compatible with Christian faith, this book is an important resource for all Christian students of leadership.