Emotional Intelligence for Religious Leaders

I can think of no other subject more essential for spiritual and religious leaders today than what is written in this book. How grateful I would be if I had read this at the beginning of my ministry. If you are considering becoming a spiritual or religious leader or you already one, please: read this book. -- Erin Gilmore, Rocky Mountain Conference United Church of Christ As a pastor and professional counselor, this book does an excellent job in describing emotional intelligence both theologically and psychologically. The authors have a great understanding of the proper balance of what God expects of leaders and the unrealistic expectations we can place on ourselves. Each chapter contains in-depth analysis and practical applications for all leaders. -- Ken Pott, LPC, executive director, BridgePoint and Transition Counseling Centers As I finished reading Emotional Intelligence for Religious Leaders, my first thought was how valuable this would have been more than twenty years ago when I started ministry. I was equipped with Biblical knowledge, but I was clueless of the internal demands and stresses of ministry. My degrees were beneficial, but all three were sorely lacking in the area of emotional intelligence. -- Barry Park, senior minister, University Christian Church For decades, we have mistakenly downplayed the importance of pastoral leadership. And yet, congregations succeed or fail in their mission, oftentimes, in direct relation to the effectiveness of their pastors. Emotional Intelligence for Religious Leaders recognizes not only the importance of pastoral leadership but emotionally intelligent and healthy pastoral leadership. It is a must-read for any pastor seeking to maximize her or his potential as a spiritual leader. -- John Wimberly, congregational consultant C.S. Lewis said, in reference to his writings, Until the theologians and the ordained clergy begin to communicate with ordinary people in the vernacular, in a way that they can understand, Im going to have to do this sort of thing. Thanks to libraries, bookstores, and websites we have Lewis. Thanks to John West and his fellow writers, whom I strongly suspect already see through the wry scholars eyes, there is added hope for our generations of clergy and lay professionals. Emotional Intelligence for Religious Leaders offers no less than collaborative brilliance. It serves up fresh insight and access to tools already at work in the helping sciences. Some in the clergy cringe at the mere mention of psychology. They shouldnt. The word originates in the Greek, and psych translates as soul and suffix logy or logos translates as premise, discourse, or opinion. Discourse of the soul is shared territory for pastors and psychologists alike. Its the same turf. Clergy moves in these arenas just as ably the behavioralists. Perhaps even more so, for a fire burns in the souls of pastors and lay leaders alike, a fire unrestrained by limits of reason, hypothesis, or the scientific method. Clergy should know that wisdoms lay on the other side, answers that address the ordinary, irksome issues that confront faith professionals almost daily. The writers share their own stories. They share how added skills in communication, sensitivity, and emotional intelligence worked for them; how theyve shed administrative weights. Theyve separated the wheat from the chaff for us, and, in doing so, served the readers with a rich menu of ideas. They offer an approachable, understandable frame of reference that serves the cause of our faith without undermining any of the orthodoxy in its mission. Please, check it out. -- Mark Sellers, founder, New Covenant Soul Care When I read the title of one chapter, Religious Organizations are not Families, I was instantly sold on this book. It is a much needed resource at a time when emotional intelligence is crucial to the success of any leader and any congregation. -- Greg Rickel, Bishop of

John Lee West served as a Baptist pastor and has also treated pastors as a licensed professional counselor. He has held the position of university dean and currently serves as a higher education consultant and faculty member. His unique combination of education and experiences, combined with his own successes and failures in ministry, provide the motivation for his research and authorship regarding emotional intelligence and religious leaders. Roy M. Oswald is an ordained Lutheran (ELCA) pastor who is emeritus executive director at the Center for Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations Skills. He served as a senior consultant for the Alban Institute for thirty-one years after serving as a church pastor. He is author or co-author of sixteen books on churches and ministry, including his most recent The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus: Relational Smarts for Religious Leaders. Nadyne Guzmn is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Her ministry includes service as a hospital chaplain and as a consultant and coach for international organizations, developing programs for leadership development, inclusivity, transformation, and spiritual care. She has served as a professor of leadership, a researcher, and as an administrator in public schools and higher education.

Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Emotional Self-Awareness as a Foundation Chapter 3: Developing Self-Awareness Chapter 4: Utilizing Emotional Self-Control Chapter 5: Gaining Empathy Chapter 6: Learning Organizational Awareness Chapter 7: Establishing Influence/Assertiveness Chapter 8: Embracing Conflict Management Chapter 9: Spirituality of the Emotionally Intelligent Pastor Chapter 10: Conclusion