Forward: 7 Distinguishing Marks for Future Leaders, Ronnie W. Floyd, B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, TN, 2015
Ronnie Floyd examines seven marks that will define leaders who look to lead forward into the future. These marks will define how effective a leader can be leading into the coming years into the changing future. In brief fashion, Floyd looks at each of these seven, examining their content, why they are important, and how leaders can incorporate them into their leadership for their organizations.
Floyd's seven marks are relevant matters that have become more important for the changing landscape of organizations, and especially churches. His seven marks are areas that leaders will have to grapple with, and simply cannot be ignored as the landscape in which leaders operate change. These seven marks are Forward Truth, being Cross-Generational, being a Futuristic Thinker, being Culturally Sensitive, having a Growing Teachability, being Compelled by Compassion, and being Driven by Something More. As Christians, and especially as leaders in Christian churches and organizations, these marks will greatly define the ability to reach neighborhoods that surround congregations with the Gospel message.
This is a small book with great content and easy readability. Such a book is necessary for Christian leaders who may not always have a great deal of time to dedicate to learning leadership, as needed as such learning may be. And Floyd focuses mostly on what the content of each short chapter consists of, rather than trying to paint a picture of what it would look like. In some respects, this is a fair tradeoff, given that every circumstance of ministry will look different and will call for these marks to be practiced in different manners. He does give examples of how each one looks at the completion of each chapter, which can help give an idea of how this content comes to life in the leader.
In order to help make that content applicable for the reader, Floyd offers contemplation questions at the completion of each chapter. Such an exercise helps bring the specific content to play in the context in which the leader resides. If you read this book, I suggest taking the time think through the questions for greater reflection and applicability to your given circumstances.
For me, I appreciated how Floyd addressed the Futuristic Thinker content. Quite often, we think of a visionary leader as someone who is going to come in, paint a completely different picture of what is happening in the congregation or ministry, and has an overarching plan for making that happen. While that can be the case, more often, I would suggest that such futuristic thinking happens as Floyd suggests. It happens by looking at the context in which the church/ministry is situated, and then examines to see what is possible there. It may involve something significant that has not happened in that context before, but more often, it is simply going to involve small changes that have great impact, and does not require massive changes in focus or direction for the congregation or ministry.
I would recommend this book for most pastors, but especially for lay leadership within a congregation or ministry. I make this recommendation, not so much because I think that it would suddenly raise up more lay leaders, but because it will help lay leaders to assist with realistic vision for congregations and ministry, and can serve to bring the leadership of the ministry together. It can promote greater unity in where ministry takes place and what it looks like, and for that reason, would make a good read for all ministry leaders, whether pastoral, lay, or otherwise.
