Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership Development

Concepts are strategically and systematically introduced, clarified, and guided for practical application in a balance that is simplistic and encouraging.

Designed to Lead is an extremely practical book for any pastor or ministry leader desiring to create a culture of leadership development within his/her ministry. Grounded in deep theology, the authors demonstrate how the development of leaders who create good, God-honoring culture and who multiply God's image through discipleship is ingrained into God's robust plan for the world from the beginning. They not only offer the theology behind leadership development, but also bring it to ground-level by offering helpful frameworks for examining holistic leadership development within your church (convictions, culture, and constructs) and the pathways for that development to take place (knowledge, experiences, and coaching).I personally found their comments on creating a culture and developing constructs to be the most helpful. Without a culture of leadership development, where people are expected to grow, where people are given opportunities to try (and fail), and where this is taking place at all levels of an organization, leaders won't emerge. Alongside culture, the appropriate constructs and pipelines are critical for leaders to grow. For someone (like me) who tends to camp out in the abstract/theological parts of ministry, the constructs in this book have been a huge practical resource as we think through how to shape groups, volunteer teams, and other leaders development environments at our church.The one thing I would have loved to see a bit more of, is more specific comments or examples of how to develop leaders for the market place within the church. They did a great job of raising the importance of the church's role in not only raising leaders to lead within the church, but raising leaders within the church to lead for the world in government, business, art, etc. It would have been great to have had some more concrete examples of how to do this in the book. Obviously, raising leaders to lead in the church and in the culture are not mutually exclusive, but I'd love see some additional writing in the future (from them or others) applying the frameworks they use specifically to the task of raising leaders within the church to lead in the market place.Highly recommend!

Designed to Lead offers a clear argument for the importance of leadership development in the church. In addition, simple and strategic step are given to turn leadership theory into practice.No greater responsibility exists than the mandate to go and make disciples of every nation.Designed to Lead presents this opportunity as the most important privilege one can ever receive. What a gift! Highly recommend for every level of leadership development in any profession.

Geiger takes scripture and biblical leadership practices and incorporates modern secular leadership wisdom to form a complete overview of how discipleship and leadership are inseparable in church growth and the building of God’s kingdom.

I've been in pastoral ministry now for seven years, and I wish this book existed seven years ago, and I wish that I had read it seven years ago. It would have saved me a lot of fruitless thrashing around, trying out various practices of discipleship that were neither scalable, nor deeply grounded in a robust theology and philosophy of ministry. There are many other books around this topic—classics written by Robert Coleman, Greg Ogden, and others—but nothing quite like this. This book gives you a strategic roadmap for how to actually go about making disciples who make disciples in the local church in a way that is scalable, systematic, and sustainable. If you long for the vision articulated in Ephesians 4 to be increasingly true of your local church and your ministry endeavors, where the pastors/elders are not primarily *doing* the work of the ministry, but primarily *equipping the saints* to do the work of the ministry, then this is a must-read book for you. I read an average of 50 books a year, with many more stacked in my office and vying for my attention. This one went to the top of my list. The authors are good and godly men who practice what they preach in these pages. Truth that is lived becomes truth that is concretely and passionately articulated, and that's what you will find here.

Designed To Lead addresses one of the most overlooked and malnourished aspects of Christianity. Leadership and leadership development. We have far too long allowed titles to be what determines what or who a leader is. Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck have done the Scriptural research to present a book that is founded on the truths of Scripture regarding leadership rather than grind an opinion strung together with proof texts.Geiger and Peck don't just grind away at "what's wrong with the church" either. They offer practical input and guidance into ways to approach leadership development instead of leaving it as a problem "you must deal with on your own."The research they provide, illustrations for their points and recommendations to get started in making leaders will refresh you.I am thankful for another book from Geiger that offers real insight rather than trying to sell a "magic bullet."

I found this book to be a very helpful and concise to reminder for me of the weighty task of leading and developing other leaders and providing clarity in moving forward.

My Husband purchased this book because he is a leader of the church and he told me it gave him great insight to what to look out for.

This has been a very challenging reading... at each page I have been challenged to improve, to rethink values and convictions regarding leadership.I do recommend it for all Pastors.

Love this book

This book is a great tool in helping with the development of Christ like leaders. The world needs Jesus and He wants his under shepherds as equipped as possible in leading others to Him. This books helps with this in a major way.

A fresh approach into leadership development.

Good read that lifts the clouds on how leaders are developed. Instead, the book synthesizes the biblical principles of leadership with the best practices of other leaders throughout the US, and shows how to systematically guide, cultivate and produce people who take initiative for Christ in their spheres of influence.Main IdeasThe health of a church is indicated by its volunteers.–Are the church volunteers bought in?–How well do volunteers lead and take initiative?–Does the church inspire and equip them to become leaders in their spheres of influence?Good book and I will likely revisit it again to dig more out of it. I recommend it to all those who are trying to better steward the people God has entrusted to you.