Christian leaders must continually follow Jesus and learn to lead alongside him. Where Jesus Leads draws on Scripture to prepare readers to truly follow Jesus, build communities, make and strengthen disciples, and serve others in this exciting post-Christendom, post-Modern, emergent time. The book starts by reviewing basic kingdom truths, giving leaders a solid theological foundation upon which to grow. It includes practical tips on how best to love and disciple people within the Christian community, as well as the greater communities. Finally, the book equips leaders to nurture and guide other leaders, just as the earliest disciples did.
Each chapter includes questions for personal reflection and group discussion. These pave the way for essential conversations about gospel-based objectives and effective leadership practices, both in general and in the readers’ specific communities. Leadership teams will learn to identify the ways their Christian communities are called to serve, articulate their community visions, involve others, and lead Christian transformation.
Where Jesus Leads weaves Scripture and kingdom vision into every section, so readers don’t lose sight of the big picture. But practical needs also remain at the forefront, through insights and tools for conflict resolution, organization, and ministry evaluation.
On the cover of the book, there is a Fourteenth Century painting by the artist Duccio di Buoninsegna. Two disciples are shown on the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32) with Jesus walking behind them. They're coming to an inn and are asking Jesus to join them for a meal. Jesus is already working in their hearts and we know from the Bible story that, when Jesus joins them there, he reveals himself. But the first step is the disciples inviting him to continue to be part of their journey.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT WHERE JESUS LEADS
“Clergy, lay leaders, and anyone engaged in congregational development or passionate to enliven the Jesus Movement within their church community will find this book thoughtful and thought provoking. Jim Gettel asks the right questions and carefully guides us to the fundamental reality that relationships matter— especially relationship with Jesus. In a time when “brand loyalty” seems to have no relevance, this book provides a clear and convincing argument that relationship with Jesus is the paramount statement of loyalty that will breathe spiritual life, transformation, and growth into our own lives and into the lives of others. If you want to be a better disciple and/or foster discipleship in others, you must read this book!”
THE RT. REV'D WENDELL N. GIBBS, JR., 10TH BISHOP, EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF MICHIGAN
“Jim Gettel writes from the perspective of someone who has accompanied many churches on the journey into deeper and more faithful discipleship. He believes that the fundamental method for learning to join in God’s mission is apprenticeship. We learn to follow Christ more faithfully by our companionship with others on the journey. It has been so from the beginning and in this book Jim offers us a way to practice walking that journey in the midst of the changing realities of our own time.”
THE RT. REV'D JEFFREY D. LEE, BISHOP, EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF CHICAGO
“Jim is offering a unique perspective on ministry in his book ‘Where Jesus Leads.’ Grounded in Scripture with a refreshing fullness of thought, Jim's comments lead us to a solid basis for developing our ministry. I have not finished reading his book and it seems I never will as it appears to be a foundational framework for ongoing ministry. The question and answer format is very challenging at the end of each chapter."
JOHN MESSIMER
"Where Jesus Leads articulates the importance of relationships as vital parts of Christian communities in ways that are accessible and immediately usable. Gettel insightfully weaves scripture throughout this book to underscore the core value of healthy and affirming relationships within groups of people. The questions at the end of each chapter make teaching these concepts to church leaders easy. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for resources to develop better, more effective leaders in their church communities."
THE REVEREND LAUREL DAHILL
Other Books by Jim Gettel
GOD'S LOVE, HUMAN FREEDOM, & CHRISTIAN FAITH
Jim Gettel draws on classic interpretations of Christian faith to present a fresh discussion that concentrates on the way God's love contributes to, rather than limits, human freedom and responsibility. He introduces the reader to Christian spiritual theology and evokes new understanding of Christian precepts such as repentance, prayer, and love. This book is of special interest to anyone who has struggled with difficult concepts of Christian theology and wants to understand them in a way that facilitates a personal experience of God's love.
“This book examines how we can seek the radically transforming presence of God in our personal lives’ and God's ‘particular purpose’ for each of us.... The author writes on the spiritual experience, nature of Christ, human freedom, vocation and action... His personal mystical experiences of Christ encourage readers to recognize and validate their own experiences in the face of a skeptical world.... The book contains questions for discussion of each chapter, making it useful for study groups or individual reflection.
– The Living Church
"Stressing the primacy of action in our lives, the author leads readers to a personal, experiential relation with the God who is Love – the God who is never reached by abstract, formal analysis or lived with if God is thought of as a distant rule-giver."
– The Right Reverend Arthur A. Vogel, retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Missouri
THE FUNDAMENTAL REFORM OF PHILOSOPHY
Jim Gettel introduces contemporary philosophy through a study of the works of the Spanish philosopher, Jose Ortega y Gasset.
Existential phenomenology became a predominate school of thought during the Twentieth Century but is challenging to understand through the technical works of the German and French philosophers, Husserl, Heidegger, and Merleau-Ponty. In Spain, Ortega y Gasset created a solid and readily understandable footing for this philosophy, making this important way of thinking accessible for more of us.
This book integrates a discussion of Ortega y Gasset's works to introduce the reader to this important school of thought and the limits of idealism, science, logic and rationalism.
