Principled Ministry: A Guidebook for Catholic Church Leaders

When writing Principled Ministry, Brother Sofield and Sister Juliano targeted readers interested in becoming more competent and compassionate Christian leaders. Two "umbrella principles" encompass all of the 30 leadership principles elaborated in Principled Ministry: "Leaders must be people of vision" and "leaders must have a passionate and energizing commitment to that vision." The authors have incorporated elements of psychology, systems theory, Biblical spirituality and their professional experience to develop practical applications for ministry leaders.These principles range from the simple to the complex. The authors categorize the principles under the sections "The Self-Defined Leader," "The Discerning Leader," "Tasks, Functions, Roles and Skills," and "The Leader as Change Agent." Readers will find all of the topics relevant and the authors as seasoned professionals in the areas they discuss. For each area of leadership, the authors follow a pattern of definition and elaboration using examples and illustrations. They also provide a section for each principle on negative and positive true examples along with questions for reflection.The authors emphasize the goal of Christian leaders to be faithful and continually striving to grow and do their best as leaders. The book has in mind leaders functioning in the Body of Christ and pursuing personal spiritual growth and the spiritual growth of their followers. These principles are congruent with what the Bible reveals as kingdom of God principles. I think the authors could have taken the liberty to expand more on some of the principles; however, they keep each topic to a few pages and make the book accessible and helpful for all readers - lay and ordained, Roman Catholic and Protestant.

Great book, not to easy to read, but great to go along with the class material, well prepared for class, great condition, shipped on time, nice price.