Ebook
Adversity often comes without warning. Bad news is shocking. Betrayal is heartbreaking. It’s natural for a church leader to feel defensive and want to fight back. But fear and anger make for poor strategies when it comes to resolving conflict and thriving afterward.
Is it possible to rise above the storm and even thrive despite it? Ordained minister and leadership consultant Alfred Ells says yes, it is. Through stories of leaders who have suffered the traumas of betrayal, conflict, and failure, he provides insights, wisdom, and instruction on how to leverage adversity to become a resilient leader skilled at repairing any breach.
“Author Samuel Chand wrote, ‘Before God promotes us, he takes us through pain to purify our hearts, deepen our dependence on him, and impart spiritual wisdom.’” (source)
“David knew the first rule of resilience: allow your present crisis to refine you, not define you.” (source)
“Paul shows us that resilience is a learning process that always starts with God and then requires us to respond rightly.” (source)
“Many efforts to make change are hindered because the common principles of sound communication, preparation for transition, and team leadership have been ignored.” (source)
“In most conflicts, each party quite easily sees the misbehavior and sin of the other. We tend to create inner narratives that magnify the other person’s weaknesses and minimize our own contribution to the dispute. We can become so focused on the other person that we fail to see our own complicity and we totally miss what God wants us to see about ourselves. The path to God’s favor always requires self-examination and a right heart before God (Ps. 139:23–24).” (source)