What Great Ministry Leaders Get Right: Six Core Competencies You Need to Succeed in Your Calling

“There are a thousand demands on a ministry leader's time and attention. But what are the things that great ministry leaders do that make them truly effective? I'm grateful for my friends Jimmy and Renault for writing this What Great Ministry Leaders Get Right. It's an important guide for any ministry leader who wants to do great work, not for their own glory, but for the glory of God and His coming kingdom.”

“Anyone in leadership learns quickly that people are usually eager to identify what you're doing wrong. Compliments are harder to come by; solid, time-tested advice for what works best is rarer still. Whether you've been leading for years or are just starting out, you'll find treasures of wisdom in these pages that will strengthen your ministry and help you serve better.”

“What struck me most powerfully in reading What Great Ministry Leaders Get Right was its honesty. Honesty often becomes the victim of therapeutic sentimentalism. This was different. It takes standards and accountability seriously. I thought the chapter on rest, pace of life, and burnout was worth getting the book. This book will improve a lot of pastors' lives, and their families will benefit greatly.”

“When ministry leaders fall, the consequences for churches and Christians are painful and destructive. When ministry leaders lead well, churches so often thrive. Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16 to "watch [his] life and doctrine closely" (NIV). Renaut and Jimmy's new and excellent book is a clear roadmap for applying Paul's wise advice. I am thrilled to commend this book to every ministry leader. I encourage you not only to read it carefully but also to live out the excellent advice of these two veteran ministry leaders!”

“In What Great Ministry Leaders Get Right, Jimmy and Renaut intertwine practical advice and his own easy-to-follow core steps to create a must-read for anyone needing guidance on their own personal calling in life. This book will leave a lasting impression on the reader and equip you with the necessary tools to build a legacy worth leaving.”

“As one who is passionate about the experience of resiliency among pastors, I find this book incredibly helpful. It provides handles and structural considerations for a pastor to care well for himself throughout the ups and downs of ministry. It really assists a pastor in developing his own personal plan for self-care.”

“Many ministry leaders today are struggling with feelings of inadequacy as they try to live out their callings. Jimmy Dodd and Renaut van der Riet's book, What Great Ministry Leaders Get Right, presents well-rounded and practical competencies that will help pastors lead from a place of spiritual, physical, and emotional health. This book will benefit leaders and serve as an essential supplement to seminary education”

“Think of this book as the supplementary leadership training that you wish was covered at seminary or Bible college. Written by pastors and for pastors, What Great Ministry Leaders Get Right by Jimmy Dodd and Renaut van der Riet, is a well-written example of how Christ-centered ministry practices shape every part of our lives. With practical insights grounded in biblical wisdom, this book is a must-have on the shelf of any ministry leader.”

“After nearly a half century in ministry, I can honestly say that I wish I had read this book from the beginning. With profound practical insight and biblical truth, Jimmy and Renaut have identified the primary obstacles to flourishing as a pastor as well as the disciplines that will keep our hearts pure and devoted to church and family. But even now, as I approach that half-century mark, I can say that this book was a true blessing and encouragement. I need these guys to help me stay the course now no less than I needed them when I first launched out into ministry. So, whether you are just beginning in church leadership or, like me, you are in the homestretch, get this book and immerse yourself in its truths. I promise that you will not have wasted a second in doing so”

“Even a glance at the table of contents will tell any reader that What Great Leaders Get Right is rich with insights from experienced pastors. It will be a great gift for those who are working on recalibrating ministry during this most disruptive moment. Offering real examples from real leaders from the front lines of ministry, there is winsome encouragement and the wisdom of experience shining through every page. Many will find, in the words of an old hymn, "strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow" in this generous compilation of insights from some of the most effective pastors.”

“Though their load has never been greater, all too many pastors maintain their cars with more intentionality than their own lives and ministries. For pastors overdue for their ten-thousand-mile tune-up and needing a resource, this is your book. These twenty-four succinct—biblical, highly practical, and downright gripping—chapters will together give you the comprehensive self-evaluative tool you need.”

“Jimmy Dodd has devoted his life to ministering to ministers and to serving leaders. This book is another contribution by Dodd toward these noble ends.”

“In a time when a growing number of ministry leaders are getting it wrong and sowing great harm in the church, What Great Ministry Leaders Get Right is a welcome, timely, well-researched, comprehensive, and much-needed resource. Dodd and van der Riet destroy the ministry idol of leaders appearing to have it all together and restore a biblical understanding of whole-life discipleship and servant leadership deeply rooted in the gospel and example of Jesus. As president of a seminary seeking to equip students with this ethos and practice, I heartily recommend it as an outstanding tool for students before, during, and after their time in seminary”