Book Review: Synergy

Information about the book
Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers  by Ann A. Michel.   Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2017 (Cokesbury Link)

Summary

From the Cokesbury website:  Author Ann Michel presents a more inclusive, collaborative understanding of ministry, affirming the gifts and calling of both clergy and lay servants. Using the concept of “synergy,” Michel provides practical advice on the day-to-day skills of a mutually responsible ministry, showing you how to engage others, build teams, and manage effectively.  "Synergy is both a practical and deeply spiritual resource that helps provide a more collaborative way of thinking about ministry shared between clergy and laity.  Ann has captured the challenges that can present themselves as laity serve in ministry not only from her research but also from her personal experience as a lay person and respected Seminary theologian, and she offers practical ways to equip laity to fully live in this call of lay servants and lay staff members. As a lay person who has served on a church staff for more than 23 years, understanding this synergistic energy articulated so well in Ann’s writing has reignited my passion and affirmed my call." - Debi Williams Nixon, Managing Executive Director, The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection

Impressions

We are using this book in our CLM course as a guide for discussions about Leadership.  Thanks to the MonValley CLM Course for using it - that's where I found it.  Each session, we'll take a chpater of the book and discuss thoughts around a leadership topic.

I was impressed by the practical approach taken to the team approach in church leadership, and think it is very appropriate for the work of a CLM.  I love how it begins with the  idea off call - that everyone is called and that ministry is service.  I'm looking forward to the discussions our group will have over the topics covered.

Posts about book
Posts about this book can be found here