By: Sam Stephens on October 25, 2013
The present post modern age presents many new challenges for leaders and leadership. Old paradigms and definitions that were generally accepted are not as readily and willingly embraced as they used to be. In a world that is increasingly interrelated and rapidly moving forward, there is the pressure on leadership to adapt and change more…
By: Carol McLaughlin on October 25, 2013
In explaining to the student on “How to Use This Book,” Alister McGrath asserts, “Christian theology is one of the most fascinating subjects it is possible to study.”[1] After three weeks of reading about theology from different entry points each presenting compelling perspectives, I agree. The last of the three[2], Christian Theology: An Introduction is…
By: Sandy Bils on October 25, 2013
In the last books I read for my DMin program, I came across concepts of leadership and parameters to measure and interpret responses of members to certain leadership actions or problematical situations. It is interesting, that in Jim Collins book „Good to great. Why some companies make the leap and others don’t“ aswell as in…
By: John Woodward on October 25, 2013
While reading Alister E. McGrath’s Christian Theology: An Introduction, I was reminded of a conversation I had with Bible college student named Chad. After a good discussion about the seismic and painful changes over the last forty years in how we do church in the USA (including worship styles, women’s roles, attire, social concerns, etc.),…
By: Michael Badriaki on October 25, 2013
It seems to me that all the readings about theology I have studied in the past and present have turned out to be academic and devotional. The attempt to learn about the doctrine of God and how it is relevant for life has required the application of both the left and right brain activity and…
By: Telile Fikru Badecha on October 25, 2013
When reading Christian Theology: An Introduction. Fourth Edition, by Alister E. McGrath, I appreciated how McGrath presents succinctly all the basics of Christian theology that one needs to know to understand the stages of development that Christianity has gone through.Despite the fact that most of the history of Christian theology in this book and others…
By: Mark Steele on October 25, 2013
Businesses must change to thrive in this global world we live in. Kets de Vries in his book The Leadership Mystique talks about global leadership from a Psychoanalytical viewpoint. He talks about the “Mussel Syndrome”. The mussel is mollusk that makes one existential decision in its life, where to settle down (Kets de Vries 2001).…
By: Julie Dodge on October 25, 2013
Where does one begin an honest journey of exploration? McGrath, in his work Christian Theology: An Introduction, [i] starts at the beginning. Sort of. He starts at the beginning of Christianity as a forming religion. McGrath provides a crash course through the history of Christianity (post Christ) and its formative ideas, then quickly moves through…
By: Richard Rhoads on October 25, 2013
During my seminary years I worked as a trauma MRI tech at a University Hospital here in the States. On one of my first days at work, my mentor which was assigned to me shared with me that one of the greatest assets in saving patients lives was our human imagination. She was so right! …
By: Bill Dobrenen on October 24, 2013
As I read Alister McGrath’s Christian Theology[1] (2011), I was struck by many thoughts. But one theme that kept rising again and again was the notion that we cannot forget those who came before us. This is especially true for people of faith. We Christians often think of our faith as being personal, but it…
By: Ashley Goad on October 24, 2013
“Hakuna Matata. What a wonderful phrase! It means no worries, for the rest of your days. It’s a problem free philosophy! Hakuna Matata!” So sing characters Timon the Meerkat and Pumbaa the Warthog to Simba the Lion while dancing through the African plains in the movie The Lion King. It finally hit me! For years,…
By: Mitch Arbelaez on October 24, 2013
Ready! Set! Go! From the Patristic Period through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Hurry now, round the loop through the Age of Reformation and a lickety-split finish at the Modern Period and present day. And that was just the first of three sections (97 pages) of the 464 page 5th edition of Alister E.…
By: David Toth on October 24, 2013
The Leadership Mystique by Manfred Kets De Vries is one of the best practical books on leadership that I have read. In the book he covers the full range of leadership aspects, from the ‘inner life’ of a leader, to dealing with change, understanding failure, characteristics of effective leadership, to global leadership profile, and leadership…
By: Garrick Roegner on October 24, 2013
Two questions: Where was tempura invented? Where was the Caesar salad invented? If you answered Japan and Italy, you are of course wrong. The correct answers are Portugal and Tijuana, Mexico. Portugese missionaries brought tempura to Japan in the 16th century. Meanwhile, the Caesar salad was birthed by American-Italians who opened a restaurant in Mexico during…
By: Phil Smart on October 24, 2013
The Leadership Mystique and Play-doh – Manfred Kets De Vries I’m sitting in an “Inspire Justice” advocacy conference put on by a partnership between World Vision and our church. The attendance isn’t what we had planned and hoped for, but key leaders are here and for that I’m grateful. But as I listen to the…
By: Chris Ellis on October 24, 2013
The Leadership Mystique by de Vries is a thorough psychoanalysis of leaders, followers and organizations and reads like a companion guide to the DSMV IV. Though this kind of leadership book is probably not read by many (it’s the first of its kind for me), I think many would find it interesting. It gives an…
By: Deve Persad on October 24, 2013
Sunday afternoon, while in London, at our recent Advance, a choice was set before me. I could use the time I had remaining to immerse myself in one or two historic landmarks (i.e. museum, aquarium, palace) or I could get a quick overview of almost everything historically significant. I chose the latter, paid my thirty…
By: Sharenda Roam on October 23, 2013
In his writing “The Leadership Mystique” Manfred Kets de Vries explains, “My main objective in studying leadership is to bring the person back into the organization.”… He continues and states that too many organizations leave the human element out and focus more on structures and systems. Instead, he suggests that focusing on the individual brings…
By: Fred Fay on October 23, 2013
Imagine with me the following scenario. You are part of a large organization. The organization has transitioned from an iconic longtime leader to a young, take-the-bull-by-the-horns leader who is working to revitalize it. There is a huge pressure to bring about health change to an organization that was stagnated and dying. Signs were hopeful, change…
By: Stefania Tarasut on October 18, 2013
It is hard to place “theology” and “short” in the same sentence because just hearing the word theology stirs in us a plethora of feelings, images and complexities. In his little book “Theology: A very Short Introduction” David Ford does a pretty good job of not only being short, but being pretty objective as he…
