Are you looking for something more than leadership tips, tricks, and techniques? Are you longing for a perspective on leadership that is developed from the rich story of the Scriptures? Storied Leadership offers just that. Jensen and Martel take their readers on a journey through the biblical narrative, drawing out rich and poignant ways that the scriptures help us to understand the world—and enable us to live and lead more authentically. Storied Leadership offers an encounter that will help anyone—from the pastor to the stay-at-home-mom to the CEO to the college student—influence more faithfully in a world groaning for redemption. Every practice emerges from a story about reality. The question is: What story is your leadership influenced by?
In Storied Leadership, Brian Jensen and Keith Martel reflect on their years of teaching in many different ways with many different people. Their conversation ranges across the whole of life— from family interactions to philosophical perspectives, inviting those with ears to hear into a conversation with consequences, thinking as we must about why we lead and how we lead. Reading widely, they are as familiar with leadership theory as they are with biblical theology, and offer a seamless, story-formed vision of what a good life looks like, and therefore what good leaders look like. I hope that people read it, and read it again.
Steven Garber, The Washington Institute, author of Visions of Vocation
Jensen and Martel helpfully move the leadership conversation beyond techniques and strategies to what’s most important: the foundational narrative from which faithful, biblical leadership emerges. The book is insightful, accessible, and peppered with illuminating illustrations and anecdotes that bring key concepts to life. This will be a valuable resource for anyone seeking to develop leaders but especially to those working with college students and young professionals.
Dr. Amy L. Sherman, author, Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good
Our current conversation on leadership suffers from "mile-wide-and-inch-deep" syndrome. Martel and Jensen have addressed the deeper, more foundational questions of why we lead and toward what end. They are helpfully challenging us to consider the back-story that informs every leadership move we make, big or small. Storied Leadership will help you carve a deeper, more enduring channel in your exercise of leadership.
Dan Dupee, President & CEO, Coalition for Christian Outreach
Storied Leadership unveils the deepest layers of a leader's vocation through a discovery of cultivation and renewal. This foundational and collaborative work points to the Kingdom vision by taking leaders on a journey through storytelling.
Victoria Trapanick, student leader, Geneva College '15
I love reading books when it quickly becomes clear that the authors have almost bled their words onto every page--writers so passionate to offer a resource or story to the world because they believe in it, because it is needed and because there is nothing else like it thus far. Storied Leadership is such a book. Jensen and Martel not only understand leadership, they believe in the power of story, and they passionately tell us how storied leadership can reshape the future for generations to come. I loved this book!
Nicole Braddock Bromley, author, international speaker, founder of OneVOICE and OneVOICE4freedom
“Biblical, practical, encouraging. What a valuable tool for teaching and mentoring student-athletes on the simple/profound foundations of leadership. With thirty ‘leadership’ books on my shelves, this is my ‘go to’ tool for teaching and recalibrating my own leadership. Jensen and Martel have a gift for helping us understand bedrock biblical principles wedded with tried and tested (that is so obvious-why-didn’t-I-think-of-that) leadership practices, which transcend any role we influence. This is a seminal resource as well as a fresh approach to understanding our role in the Kingdom of God.”
Dr. Steve Connor
Bestselling author, Sporting Guide to Eternity
Director Sports Outreach International
Chaplain, Indiana University Football
It is sometimes said that Christians should “live a better story.” This book, which is fabulous for anyone wanting to live into the truest story of all, understands that. It explains the biggest themes of the Bible in ways that are exciting and wise, and shows how those stories can affect your life story, especially if you are on campus. Whether you see yourself as a leader or not, you will be a better one by the time you are finished. I am grateful for this fabulous book, and you will be too. Read it and be part of the very best story. Read it and become a transforming leader.
Byron Borger, owner, Hearts and Minds Books
