Stirrers and Saints, by Brian Harris
 

'An interesting combination of insights on leadership and discipleship'

Stirrers and Saints - Forming spiritual leaders of skill, depth and character
By Brian Harris
Paternoster
ISBN: 978-1-78893-3605
Reviewed by Jeannie Kendall 

On receiving this book for review, I had two initial thoughts. The first was ‘Oh dear, another book on leadership’. The second was what a striking cover it has. I retained the second opinion, but a few pages in I needed to rethink the first.

Brian Harris is writing from the premise that church leaders all too often are either a stirrer or a saint – in other words a magnetic leader but with a superficial internal life which all too often results in a headline-grabbing fall from grace, or a person of great spiritual depth and integrity who lacks leadership skills.

In parallel to this, there are numerous books on leadership, and an equal number on spiritual formation, discipleship etc. In this book however he looks at some of the aspects of both.

In the first section he looks at a selection of the things which form us as people and disciples: not just the expected topics of scripture and prayer but, among others, community and conflict.

He then looks at three biblical leaders – Moses, Daniel and Mary. Yes, Mary – the chapter title is ‘Leading from the second chair’.

In the third section, he reflects on some leadership practices to follow including the seven ‘S’ inventory – stirrer, saint, servant, shepherd, steward, see-er and sage. He ends with chapters on leading quietly and leading without all the answers.

The book perhaps does not contain anything which cannot be found elsewhere, but it is the way he brings them together which makes it particularly interesting. This brings a combination of insights that are, I think, particularly engaging and – especially read in conjunction with the questions for reflection at the end of each chapter – challenging.

One for every leader’s bookshelf and , more importantly, to be read and reflected on.
 

Jeannie Kendall is a ‘retired’ Baptist minister, a current co-leader on the Pastoral Supervision course run by Spurgeon’s College, a speaker and trainer. She is currently writing her fourth book on Psalm 23: her third, Heroes or Villains? was published in 2023