Spiritual Preparation for Christian Leadership

This book by Dr. E. Glenn Hinson is a must for church leaders seeking to develop a spiritual life. It is especially good for those of us not coming from a Catholic background. Dr. Hinson is keenly aware of how Protestants look upon spiritual formation, and he gives a good discussion of this in his book. He does a great job of weaving Thomas Merton and Douglas Steer into chapter after chapter. This book deserves our attention if we are interested in developing a strong spiritual life. As Dr. Hinson writes, "The spiritual formation of Christian leaders has been a matter of prime importance throughout the history of Christianity, but it has not always received the kind of conscious consideration it is getting today." Having been a student of Dr. Hinson a number of years ago, I am happy to recommend an excellent book for your reading and consideration. It is a book you will read more than once.

Many Christian Leaders, lay or ordained, professional or volunteer, want to enrich their Spiritual Lives, but do not know how. They read books and attend seminars, but are still hungering for a complete answer to their questions, whether formulated or still lingering at the unconscious level. E. Glenn Hinson's new book " Spiritual Preparation for Christian Leadership" seems to have satisfied this void. In his usual simple but very profound style, Hinson faces Christian Leadership's main problem squarely in the eye: a problem of leadership burnout, a spiritual exhaustion due to a very stressful vocation, and extremely high expectations imposed on them as well as by them. His miracle remedy: Be attentive to God, develop a relationship with God, and learn to know God, not just about God. An encompassing view of Church History teaches us how the Church has previously dealt with this issue. Hinson then goes on to the issue of misuse, under-use and over-use of time and the need for collectedness in order to maintain a balance of experiential, intellectual, social, and institutional elements. Hinson insists on the dire need to be sustained spiritually because "by not paying enough attention to self-care, you may become a casualty of wounds self-inflicted from your dedication". The first step towards the sustenance of spiritual life is made by being accountable of its progress. He explains the many rewards of keeping a journal. He devotes three chapters to the sustenance of the spiritual life per se. One explains the sustenance through `spiritual reading, listening and seeing'. Grace, he explains, is much more than the traditional Protestant view of unmerited favor. It is "God's gift of Godself, God's presence, the Holy Spirit" which first can be found in the Scriptures but also in various Spiritual classics, which he lists. Grace can also be found through the mediums using `seeing' such as art, architecture and contemporary movies, or in mediums using `touching, tasting and smelling'. Another sustaining option is retreats of which he describes the various possibilities, as well as a retreat plan he himself practices. The last offered sustenance method is through spiritual friendship, or the sharing of one's journey. His concluding chapter states that what the world and the church need most are Saints: Those `persons whose lives have been irradiated by Grace'. Merton once stated that books could "speak to us like God, like men or like the noise of the city we live in". This book is about Grace, the one that leads you home!

This book offers very practical formational teaching in Christian spirituality. Hinson approaches spiritual formation from the very best sense of classic Christian praxis and the academe. His passion and energy communicate throughout the narrative. I'd call it "cutting edge" but Hinson stays within the great and forgotten traditions of the church universal.Perhaps most telling is the way in which Hinson illustrates spiritual practices by writing of his own experience. For example, in writing about keeping a spiritual journal Hinson excerpts from his journal two very different responses as they illumine his spiritual journey: the first entry concerns the horror and revulsion experienced in a visit to Auschwitz and the questions concerning suffering and God; the second entry concerns an ecumenical gathering in Jerusalem. Throughout the book, Hinson weaves praxis and theory, offering the best kind of spiritual teaching.His work is gentle. His teaching is kind. This book is a treasure for any who would lead the church.

Glenn Hinson cuts through the partisan fights concerningtheological "correctness" and other battles over doctrineand examines what needs to be at the core of church leadership: spirituality. He invites readers to open their lives to God and to the new directions that God offers. Instead of the effort to control God that so many in the church seem to have, Hinson reminds readers that life in God's community is one filled with surprises. Hinson's book bridges a gap between a popular piety and a more academic perspective. His scholarship is evident. His own devotional life is recorded in the book by way of example. His work may not be popular because of his decidedly liberal stance concerning sexuality and yet, Hinson's book deserves a wide reading within the church.