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    Leaders Who Last
    Leaders Who Last
    Leaders Who Last
    Ebook150 pages2 hours

    Leaders Who Last

    By Dave Kraft

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    If the Christian life is like a race, we must admit that too many Christian leaders stumble, burn out, or veer off the track. Clearly it is not automatic that a leader will finish well.
    Based on Dave Kraft's thirty-five years of leading, teaching leadership, and coaching dozens of Christian leaders, Leaders Who Last moves through three stages of leadership: foundations, formation, and fruitfulness. Concise, anecdotal, and packed with wisdom, this book will help you aim your ambitions, refine your character, and position yourself to be an effective leader who endures.
    Kraft's brief, down-to-earth guide to Christian leadership will inspire readers to finish the race well-to hit the tape in full stride with an energetic burst of speed and receive their commendation from God.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCrossway Books
    Release dateFeb 3, 2010
    ISBN9781433524172
    Author

    Dave Kraft

     Dave Kraft served with the Navigators for thirty-seven years and currently runs his own coaching practice. He and his wife, Susan, have four adult children and seven grandchildren. More about Dave can be found at DaveKraft.org. 

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    Reviews for Leaders Who Last

    3.5/5

    26 ratings3 reviews

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    • 3/5
      It was a good book. Great on practical discipleship and leading. It serves as a general summary of most other leadership books one will encounter. The author mixes in many personal accounts and general maxims and stories which highlight the role of leadership. This was at times fascinating, entertaining, and also predictable. Nonetheless, a good quick read for any leader, especially a leader in ministry. I recommend it.
    • 4/5
      Dave Kraft obviously has a passion for leadership and the desire to see passionate leaders developed within the church. I cringe at his obvious assumption that the pastor is (and ought to be) the main leader within the local church body. I believe that pastors can be leaders, but I think that pastors can also be teachers, preachers, counselors, etc... What I take away from this book is the truth that what the church needs most is to make disciples, followers of Christ, who will then turn around and make more disciples. In this way we see that our primary goal is the development of leaders, not only followers. This responsibility does not lie only on the pastor, but on the congregation as a whole. And so I see this not only being a book for full-time pastoral staff, I believe that this is a book that any church leader, any Christian, can read and learn from.
    • 5/5
      Very challenging for the pastor who is trying to do it all on his own.

    Book preview

    Leaders Who Last - Dave Kraft

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    Dave Kraft has written a thorough and enlightening book on leadership that is easy to read and practical, full of great illustrations and stimulating quotations. This is a book for leaders who want to keep growing in their understanding of leadership, finish strongly, and lead with passion.

    Mike Treneer, International President, The Navigators

    "I love it when a practitioner, not a theorist, writes a book on leadership. I have known Dave for many years and his personal as well as his professional life is exemplary. He is someone you want to follow. He is a leader that knows how to last. He leads from conviction and character. He is a leader that understands how to place Christ at the center of his world and lead with purpose, passion, priorities, and proper pacing. Leaders Who Last is a powerful tool written by a respected leader who knows how to finish well."

    Greg Salciccioli, Founding President of Ministry Coaching International

    "Leaders Who Last is filled with practical principles to develop leaders who will influence others."

    Scott Thomas, Founder, Gospel Coach

    This book carefully constructs a scriptural approach to leadership in a manner that is both accurate and practical. When you combine Dave’s sound scriptural basis with his many years of successful leadership, you get a book that should become a handbook for Christians who are serious about learning to lead well. Christians at all levels of responsibility in their organizations will find this information invaluable to their personal growth and effective leadership.

    Keith McGuire, Instructor at the University of Southern California’s Aviation Safety Program

    Dave Kraft is a proven leader, but he’s also a keen observer of leaders and leadership principles. In this valuable book, Dave passes on foundational lessons that will help any leader continue growing, learning, and adapting to our rapidly changing world—a world desperate for what true leaders have to offer. He challenges leaders to live with passion and vision flowing from their God-given design and calling—essentials for those who hope to serve and influence others for a lifetime.

    Pete Gerhard, Professional coach of emerging leaders

    I could have used this book when I began volunteering at Saddleback Church in the Children’s and Jr. High Ministry. I believe this book to be an essential tool for any church volunteer starting to serve in their prospective ministry.

    Dave Makela, Director of Marketing, Ministry Coaching International

    I must say that this book is exceptional. It is superbly written—very readable, great flow, one thought building on another, excellent use of Scripture and illustrations, some very practical ideas that the reader is sure to remember, apply, and pass on. Thanks for being in my life, Dave, and for all that you have added into my life as a Christian leader.

    Mike Coppersmith, Lead Pastor, Our Savior’s Community Church, Palm Springs, CA

    LEADERS

    WHO LAST

    ...............

    Dave Kraft

    Leaders Who Last

    Copyright © 2010 by Dave Kraft

    Published by Crossway

    1300 Crescent Street

    Wheaton, Illinois 60187

    All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

    Art direction and design: Patrick Mahoney of The Mahoney Design Team

    First printing 2010

    Printed in the United States of America

    Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible

    (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are from The Message. Copyright ©

    by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by

    permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

    Scripture references marked TLB are from The Living Bible © 1971.

    Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189.

    All rights reserved.

    Scripture references marked PHILLIPS are from The New Testament in Modern English, translated by J. B. Phillips © 1972 by J. B. Phillips. Published by Macmillan.

    Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-1318-3

    PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-1319-0

    Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-1320-6

    ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-2417-2

    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

    Kraft, Dave, 1939–

    Leaders who last / Dave Kraft

    p. cm.

    Includes bibliographical references.

    ISBN 978-1-4335-1318-3 (tpb)

    ISBN 978-1-4335-1319-0 — ISBN 978-1-4335-1320-6

    1. Leadership—Religious aspects—Christianity. I. Title.

    BV4597.53.L43K73 2010

    253—dc22                                                           2009020444

    Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

    To

    ROY DAVIS,

    who significantly influenced me to become a Christian.

    He also introduced me to The Navigators.

    Roy has helped hundreds of people through the years,

    and I am thankful to have been one of them.

    And to

    WARREN MYERS,

    who passed away in April 2001.

    Warren believed in me, encouraged me, mentored me,

    and inspired me by modeling godly leadership.

    Contents

    Acknowledgments

    Prologue

    Introduction

    Part One: Foundations

    CHAPTER 1. The Leader’s Power

    CHAPTER 2. The Leader’s Purpose

    CHAPTER 3. The Leader’s Passion

    CHAPTER 4. The Leader’s Priorities

    CHAPTER 5. The Leader’s Pacing

    Thinking Things Through

    Part Two: Formation

    CHAPTER 6. The Leader’s Calling

    CHAPTER 7. The Leader’s Gifts

    CHAPTER 8. The Leader’s Character

    CHAPTER 9. The Leader’s Growth

    Thinking Things Through

    Part Three: Fruitfulness

    CHAPTER 10. The Leader’s Vision

    CHAPTER 11. The Leader’s Influence

    CHAPTER 12. The Leader’s Legacy

    Thinking Things Through

    Epilogue

    Notes

    General Index

    Acknowledgments

    I have been the recipient of lots of help. The following individuals gave me ideas: Keith McGuire, Cheryl Meredith, Pete Pagan, Erick Goss, Pete Gerhard, Ron Bennett, and Adam Holtz. Louie Platt devoted many hours to proofreading and making needed corrections. Lastly, I want to thank author and church consultant Bill Easum, who first planted the seed in my heart to write a book on leadership.

    Prologue

    Bill Broadhurst entered a 10K race in Omaha, Nebraska. When he was younger, he suffered an aneurysm in the right side of his brain. It resulted in a partial paralysis on the left side of his body. Nonetheless, he was determined not only to enter but to finish the race because his hero, Bill Rogers (a world-class marathoner), would be in that race. Rogers won the race, finishing in twenty-nine minutes. It took Broadhurst two and a half hours. He was teased by children, became numb, experienced great pain, had to avoid cars (after they opened the race course up to traffic when they thought everyone had finished), and fought the desire to quit most of the way.

    As the sun began to sink in the western Nebraska sky, Broadhurst could barely see the finish line. Approaching the end of the race, consuming the last fumes in his tank, Broadhurst saw Rogers suddenly step out of a darkened alley and welcome him, the partially paralyzed runner, as he stumbled across the line.

    Rogers embraced him. Then he took the gold medal from around his own neck and placed it over Broadhurst’s head, saying, Broadhurst, you’re the winner. Take the gold.¹

    Broadhurst finished the race. It was difficult and full of obstacles, but he made it to the end and received the gold medal from Rogers.

    In 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 and 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul compares the Christian experience to a race. (The same comparison is also found in Hebrews 12:1–2.) The Christian journey is akin to a race—a marathon, not a short sprint. The key is not how you start the race, but how you finish it. Finishing well is what this book is all about.

    Introduction

    This book is about finishing your leadership race. It is a marathon, not a hundred-meter dash. Like Bill Broadhurst, you will encounter many obstacles and setbacks. But as a leader, your goal is to finish well—and not just to finish by yourself. You must aim to influence others so they can join you in your race and reach their fullest potential as they travel with you on your leadership journey.

    The premise of this book is that you can learn how to be a good leader and finish your particular leadership race well. Finishing well can include (but is not limited to):

    • maintaining a vibrant and rich walk with Jesus.

    • having a solid relational network that includes at least one good friend with whom you can bare your soul.

    • making a lasting and God-honoring contribution in your areas of passion and gifting.

    My prayer and hope is that after reading this, you will have insight, motivation, discipline, and confidence. I trust that you will experience the grace of the Lord in such a way that, at the end of your journey, you will hear the Lord say, Well done, good and faithful servant.

    Why is this topic so close to my heart? So many leaders are not doing well and are ending up shipwrecked. Professor Bobby Clinton at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California, is

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