Explore the things that really matter for a successful ministry.
“Well done, good and faithful servant." Every ministry leader wants to hear these words when they meet their Lord. But what does successful ministry look like?
There are many books on leadership strategies and church structures, but this one looks at what matters most: the character and attitude of church leaders. It recognises that the spiritual health of the church leaders in large part determines the spiritual health of the congregation and therefore the success of the ministry.
In this short, punchy, challenging and at times surprising book, Rico Tice draws on decades of experience in church leadership to call fellow pastors and others with oversight of areas of church ministry to define success biblically, fight their sin, lead themselves and serve their churches.
A must-read on pastoral leadership for pastors, elders, worship leaders, youth leaders and anyone else with a leadership role in church ministry.
Introduction
1. Define Success
2. Fight Your Sin
3. Lead Yourself
4. Serve Your Church
| Contributors | Rico Tice, Alistair Begg |
|---|---|
| ISBN | 9781784985882 |
| Format | eBook |
| First published | March 2021 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | The Good Book Company |
This book is timely, realistic, honest, searching and relentlessly biblical. Above all, I found it searingly challenging in a way which moved me to take action in my own life. We don’t just need to read Faithful Leaders but to live it.
I suspect many of us, not just church leaders, spend too much time chasing after success in the eyes of the world (whatever that might be) instead of pursuing faithfulness in the eyes of the Lord. This book is a helpful and much needed corrective.
Faithful Leaders focuses on two of the most neglected yet most crucial dimensions of leadership: character and godliness. In the plethora of ‘how to’ books, this book offers a compass—or a lifeline—to active Christians struggling with discouragement and defeat.
The book begins with Tice reminding us that it is easy to get caught up in with the worlds definition of what success looks like. i.e how big your church budget is, publishing deals, congregation size etc. and showing that what success looks like to the world is not necessarily how God defines success. I enjoyed the section on godly character and ‘correctly handling the word of truth’ and not just handling the Word but living it out, stressing that you must lead by example.... continue reading
He primarily writes to an audience of fellow pastors, but the core messages apply to anyone in a leadership position, regardless of their background and specific duties. For that matter, the majority of what he writes applies to any Christian, and I especially appreciated his stern and loving warnings against secret sin.... continue reading
Although I’m not a pastor—Rico Tice’s primary audience for his book, Faithful Leaders—I found this quick read to be helpful in thinking about my own spheres of family and personal ministry. The book’s subtitle, “and the things that matter most,” is related to four specific areas.... continue reading
I knew about this book for sometime now but only recently read it. I am so glad I did.
This book is certainly suitable and very helpful for Pastors and church leaders. The principles talked about should also apply and appeal to every Christian as they live in Jesus.
More and more secular (worldly) ideas and principles are influencing and super-imposing themselves over church ministry and efforts. It is very helpful of Rico Tice to emphasise that church ministry should be different and in fact unique, as our motivation, conviction, purpose and measure of “success” is very different.
What Rico has highlighted is that before anything is preached, taught, expounded upon to others, the truths in God's Word must firstly touch, convict and transform us. And when we consider what church is, that is people who are current followers of Jesus and future believers in Him, our focus changes. Rico identified many choices we have to make in light of this critical, challenging and accountable role of dealing with souls of people, which include : self-serving or self-sacrifice, power or service, security or suffering, The right choices lead to honouring God and joyful leadership. The right choices lead to putting effort into what really matter and to please Jesus and to be like Him.
We are all fickle human beings who, left to ourselves, will become the opposite of Jesus, doing what is easy and “safe” and what we are ultimately not responsible for or accountable to. Working with people is difficult. Working with people “we like” and who simply “follow along” is easy.
Praying this book will keep helping every reader to rediscover the importance of correctly handling the word of truth, to be transformed in our character by that truth, to know that our own sin does matter, to make choices towards obedience to Him and to serve God’s church for His glory and the extension of His kingdom.
Great book for Christian leaders. It points out the things a leader must get right before he trys to lead others and keep right before the Lord as he grows. Must read for deacons, elders, heads of household.
This book has spoken to me in a fresh way. I’ve been a women’s Bible study leader for many years. It’s easy to fall into a kind of routine. I’m so grateful for Brother Rico Tice for this reminder to define success, fight your sin, lead yourself, and serve your church!
Excellent book written with honesty and integrity. This book encourages accountability for leaders and prayers for them as they carry this important responsibility of leadership for the flock.
I have been in lay leadership at different times since becoming a Christian over fifty years ago and commend this book as compulsory reading for anyone in Christian leadership roles. It is honest, biblical, challenging and written with humility and warmth. If anyone things they are being called to leadership this will tell you to check your motives and inform you of the servant heartedness you will require.
