In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
by Henri J. M. Nouwen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Henri J. M. NouwenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1992-10-01
ISBN: 0824512596
Number of pages: 120
Publisher: The Crossroad Publishing Company
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780824512590
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Book Reviews of In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
Book Review: Great stuff (from an author I don't like very much)...
Summary: 4 Stars
Having just completed a seminary course on the life and writings of Henri Nouwen, I've come to the conclusion that I really admire and appreciate Henri Nouwen, the man, and really don't like Henri Nouwen, the author. I've read several of his books that simply didn't connect with me at all, though I know that they are hugely popular and helpful to scores of other people.
There is no question that among Henri Nouwen's books that I have read, "In the Name of Jesus" was definitely the most meaningful and helpful to me. I suspect that my resonance with this book is connected to his starting assumptions. Rather than struggles like fear and loneliness which are largely unknown to me and which were so central to several of his other books, I definitely identify with the temptations, described in "In the Name of Jesus," to be relevant, spectacular, and powerful. Each of these three is very attractive to me, so the book seemed to be speaking directly to me in ways that the other books simply did not.
The first issue that Nouwen addressed is relevance. Nouwen offers a helpful corrective to our frequent obsession with relevance, suggesting that we need to make sure that our pursuit of relevance is subservient to our pursuit of God. On page 24, he says, "The question is not: How many people take you seriously? How much are you going to accomplish? Can you show some results? But: Are you in love with Jesus?...Do you know the incarnate God?" That is a message that we continually need to hear, so that we keep focused on the most important thing of knowing God while continuing to give appropriate attention to the less important things like relevance.
The second temptation, to be spectacular, is a big one for me. Nouwen's suggested corrective to this temptation, confession and forgiveness, seems to be perfectly appropriate and all too rare in a society that prefers not to even acknowledge sin, let alone actually confess it. Though I appreciate the Protestant idea that confession does not require a human intermediary, the reality is that we simply don't confess enough. I want to continue to proactively develop the sorts of human relationships in which confession is not only accepted but expected as a regular part of meaningful friendship. That seems like a very helpful way to deal with my own internal obsession with trying to become spectacular.
The third temptation, to be powerful, is also very real to me. There is a part of leadership that appears to be appealing primarily because it leads to power and control, and I am prone to pursue that power and control at every place in my life where leadership is an option, whether in my marriage or in our small group or in my church staff role. I was surprised, quite frankly, by Nouwen's suggestion that theological reflection offers the appropriate corrective to our natural desire for power. It seems unusual for most contemporary Christian authors, especially those with a contemplative bent like Nouwen's, to give credence to the value of intellectual pursuit of God, but I appreciate his willingness to affirm that seriously thinking about God and His call in our lives is not only a viable option but an essential discipline of following Christ.
The framing story of Nouwen's "In the Name of Jesus," about bringing Bill with him from L'Arche to the speaking engagement where he originally presented this material, was a beautiful way to further develop the applications of the main ideas of the book. It was such a powerful story, filled with moments in which Nouwen struggled with the temptations of leadership, but managed to reorient around the disciplines that he described. The principles could have stood on their own, but offering them in the context of a real-life situation made them that much more accessible.
"In the Name of Jesus" is a great book. As he summarizes on page 65, "Just as prayer keeps us connected with the first love and just as confession and forgiveness keep our ministry communal and mutual, so strenuous theological reflection will allow us to discern critically where we are being led." That sentence encapsulates how I hope to continue to process through Nouwen's invaluable reflections. I suspect that this book will have much to say to many others in various places of Christian leadership.
Summary of In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
Henri Nouwen undertakes to talk about Christian leadership and provides a profile in stark contrast to worldly values. His ideal leader is a praying leader, a vulnerable leader, a trusting leader, one who voluntarily chooses a life of downward mobility.Psychology & Counseling Books
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