"A transition will be one of the greatest tests of your leadership, but it will also serve as one of the greatest rewards and testimonies of your legacy." --Tom Mullins Successfully handing off the leadership baton to the next leader is essential to give our organization the best opportunity to thrive after our time of service. A smooth handoff requires meticulous planning and forethought. Yet most leaders put off even thinking about leadership transition until they are faced with a situation where they have no choice but to make a change. The results of not planning ahead can be devastating for both you and your beloved organization. Passing the Leadership Baton will help you manage the emotional transition yourself while fully supporting the next leader. Creating a seamless succession can be a challenge, but done successfully, it may very well be one of the greatest rewards you'll experience as a leader.

The demand for quality leaders constantly outstrips the supply. If you’re a pastor, team leader, staff member, or board member, you’re always challenged with a leadership shortage. But what can you do about it?More than you’ve ever imagined. The Leadership Baton equips you with a solution that’s time-proven and right at hand: church-based leadership development. More and more churches are adopting it, and no wonder—the principles that made the early church such a spiritual powerhouse are just as effective today. Leadership was never a matter of institutional learning or professional expertise. Rather, starting with Jesus and his apostles, it involved seasoned leaders passing the baton to ordinary people right within the local body of believers. That same approach can help ensure your own church is never at a loss for dependable men and women to enter the leadership race with wisdom, vision and passion.Drawing on the field-tested expertise of the Center for Church Based Training, The Leadership Baton will help you get the leaders you need up and running, developing leadership qualities they can in turn hand off to other up-and-coming leaders. Part 1 casts a vision for church-based leadership training—not merely a program, but a leadership development culture based on biblical and historical foundations. Part 2 presents a whole-life approach to leadership development that is wisdom-based (through courses), relationship-based (through the church community), and personal (through mentoring). Part 3 describes a comprehensive plan for leadership development, then breaks it down to target the needs of governing boards, emerging leaders, pastoral staffs, and interns. With discussion questions at the end of each chapter, this book concludes with two appendices, including a self-inventory for church leaders to help them assess their personal strengths and weak areas that need development. Put the principles in The Leadership Baton to work with patience, and in time your church will never lack the right people at the right time to help it fulfill its kingdom mission.

Packed with new research, new interviews, and practical solutions, this updated and expanded edition of Next will equip pastors, ministry teams, and Christian organizations to navigate leadership changes with wisdom and grace. While there is no simple, one-size-fits-all solution to the puzzle of planning for a seamless pastoral succession, Next offers church leaders and pastors a guide to asking the right questions in order to plan for the future. Vanderbloemen, founder of a leading pastoral search firm, and Bird, an award-winning writer and researcher, share insider stories of succession failures and successes in dozens of churches, including some of the nation's most influential. The authors demystify successful pastoral succession and help you prepare for an even brighter future for your ministry. Includes a foreword by John Ortberg and an introduction by Eric Geiger and Kenton Beshore.

“A transition will be one of the greatest tests of your leadership, but it will also serve as one of the greatest rewards and testimonies of your legacy.” —Tom Mullins Successfully handing off the leadership baton to the next leader is essential to give our organization the best opportunity to thrive after our time of service. A smooth handoff requires meticulous planning and forethought. Yet most leaders put off even thinking about leadership transition until they are faced with a situation where they have no choice but to make a change. The results of not planning ahead can be devastating for both you and your beloved organization. Passing the Leadership Baton will help you manage the emotional transition yourself while fully supporting the next leader. Creating a seamless succession can be a challenge, but done successfully, it may very well be one of the greatest rewards you’ll experience as a leader.

Taking the Music Room beyond Engagement All too often the music classroom stifles students with one-size-fits-all curricula and repertoire. In Pass the Baton, authors Kathryn Finch and Theresa Hoover turn that paradigm on its head, offering a vision of music education that empowers students as critical thinkers who exercise voice and choice to question, discover, connect, and play like never before-in and out of the classroom. Pass the Baton offers readers a comprehensive guide to crafting engaging music lessons that transform students from passive consumers to vibrant creatives. Whether you're looking to rethink general music or overhaul your ensemble groups, Pass the Baton is chock-full of generative, actionable, and impactful tools. Finch and Hoover have drawn on deep research and years of experience in the music room to provide a guide for all music educators to create a learner-centered environment and give students the opportunity to truly own the creative process. This book is a must read for teachers who want to empower students to become self-sufficient lifelong learners. It is a guidebook for creating a vibrant classroom where student learning is the first priority. Kristin Gomez, MA, director of orchestras at Jefferson Middle School and Abingdon Elementary School As I watch my daughters grow up and be inspired by music in their lives, I read this thinking, "this is the type of music education I want for my own kids." This is a great book that reminds us that music education should be in every school in the world. George Couros, educator and author of The Innovator's Mindset Music teachers are often required to attend professional development that does not seem to relate to our performance-driven classes. We are left to figure out the applications on our own. Pass the Baton makes the connections for us in a way that empowers not only music students but music teachers. Mari Schay, editor of Activate! Magazine and early elementary music teacher

What makes the difference between a winner and a wannabe? Winning coach and pastor Tom Mullins sums it up in one word: confidence. Taking lessons learned on the playing field and wisdom learned from the Word of God, Mullins shows how to create a life worth living, even in the toughest times. This thoughtful guide helps you find the courage to face the challenges of life and then shows you how to overcome them. Packed with insight and inspiration, The Confidence Factor empowers you to develop the winning edge in the game of life. "Tom Mullins greatly impressed me when I met him in person, and I pray that his devotional book will be a blessing to you." - Dr. Billy Graham "Helping people feel more confident is a tremendous gift that few leaders pass on to others. Tom Mullins has that ability. Every day I watch him uplift people. Now it's your turn. Read this book and give your confidence a boost." - Dr. John C. Maxwell

Leaders everywhere, in arenas big and small, struggle with the desire and, frankly, the need to make sure their vision for the organization they have created or grown continues regardless of circumstances. And the question "what will be my legacy?" is a question all people ask themselves. Myles Munroe has observed that the tendency among leaders is to deal with this question as serious circumstances or retirement loom. Further, it is his belief that this is one of the most important decisions a leader will ever make. This book is a wakeup call. Myles Munroe wants all leaders to focus on building the right team for the future and to make it a top priority because the process is not a quick one. Properly mentoring the right people to ensure the continuation of an organization is actually a process that must be woven into that organization over a span of years or even decades. Chapter topics discussed include The Chaos of Transition The Leadership Dilemma Living Beyond Your Generation The Principles of Mentoring PASSING IT ON shows how to use the concept of mentoring within an organization to value the distinct talents and abilities of the individuals. Mentoring is the pathway to developing leaders from within; leaders who are in line with the goals of the organization; leaders who are most likely to adopt and carry a vision forward.