"Jesus indicates that it is possible to gain the whole world but lose your own soul. If he were talking to us Christian leaders today, he might point out that it is possible to gain the world of ministry success and lose your own soul in the midst of it all. He might remind us that it is possible to find your soul, after so much seeking, only to lose it again.”
“How is it with your soul?” Have you ever asked that question to someone in leadership, or perhaps had it asked to you? If we’re honest, rarely do we stop to reflect on the health of our soul, the place of our own encounter with God. In Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership, Ruth Haley Barton engages us with this question, “What would it look like for me to lead more consistently from my soul- the place of my own encounter with God-rather than leading primarily from my head, my unbridled activism, or my performance-oriented drivenness? What would it be like to find God in the context of my leadership rather than miss God in the context of my leadership?”
Barton walks us through this question by examining the leadership of Moses. Moses’ story is one of “hard-won strength of soul forged in his private encounters with God which gave him the staying power he needed for the long haul of leadership.” Moses’ countless challenges in leading the Israelites led to a reliance on God that had to be personal. He sought the Lord first, and then he did His will. Moses’ greatest strategy for leadership was to first seek God in solitude and then do the work. Using this as the backbone for strengthening our souls, Barton uses multiple encounters of Moses’ life to examine how his soul was strengthened through solitude.
Barton begins by asking the question of what lies beneath the surface of our leadership? Moses’ story begins with anger leading to murder and subsequently running away into solitude. For the readers, we need to start here. We begin by examining our hearts in solitude in God’s presence and “solitude will do its good work whether we know what we are doing or not.” From here Barton has the reader move through our moments of conversion, practice paying attention, spiritual rhythms, finding God’s will and so much more. Each chapter is a beautiful reflection on Moses’ leadership and how we can encounter God in the same way.
This book is best read slowly and thoughtfully. Barton invites the readers to engage with the text by providing a “Practice” section at the end of each chapter. In this section we can ask ourselves the practical questions for our own souls. It is a slow and deliberate time to meditate, reflect and sit quietly before God to examine your hearts. Each chapter ends with a stanza of a poem written by Ted Loder as a beautiful prayer before God, to use this to change our hearts and to strengthen our souls.
By the end of the book I found myself filled with the same longing as the author to have a relationship with God the way that Moses did. Barton writes, “It is a longing to be a certain kind of person. A person who knows God. A person who is faithful against all odds and does not shrink back. A person through whom God can perform whatever deeds need to be done-mighty or otherwise- but also a person who can be just as content settling down beside a well or sitting on the side of a mountain in God’s presence.”
No matter where you find yourself in your Christian walk, this book is a beautiful resource to help guide your leadership. A group study guide is included at the end which can lead to a great study within a ministry setting or friendship. Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership has proven to be a blessing in my own life and in many others, may you be encouraged by it!
Questions to consider
How is it with your soul?
Do you have space in your life that is quiet enough and safe enough for the soul to be as honest as it needs to be?
Is there a time that you can incorporate into your day to be still before God?
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