Book review: In the name of Jesus – Reflections on Christian Leadership

Henri Nouwen provides some thoughts about Christian leadership in this book, noting especially about how he changed from the active and important academic world to living a chaplain in a L’arche community in Toronto for disabled children.

Nouwen compares the temptations of Christ in the desert to temptations that Christian leaders might feel today. The first temptation is to be relevant. When he first moved to L’arche his previous academic fame had no relevance to the disabled community and he could not rely on his talents in order to assert his identity. He talks of the discipline of contemplative prayer and how essential this is for ministry. He says a mystic is a person whose identity is deeply rooted in God’s first love. Theology as a word originally meant union with God in prayer before it became an academic discipline among many. He strongly calls for Christian leaders to have a strong, living relationship with Jesus Christ for their work to bear true fruit.

The second temptation is to be spectacular. Rather than shepherding and being led, Christian leaders can become authoritarian and dictatorial in demanding efficiency and control. A mutual ministry is found through the discipline of confession and forgiveness.

The third temptation is to be powerful. Nouwen says that the irresistibility of power offers a substitute for the hard task of love.  The discipline of theological reflection will prevent Priests and religious from becoming pseudo-psychologists or social workers. He defines theological reflection as reflecting on the painful and joyful realities of every day with the mind of Jesus and thereby raising human consciousness to the knowledge of God’s gentle guidance. An excellent read – very short I would recommend it to every Christian leader.