by Dan R. Dick
Mindfulness by Ellen Langer, Perseus, 1990.
This is a great book for educators, pastors, or any other leaders who strive to help people grow, learn, and improve. Langer's thesis is that much of our lives are lived mindlessly — we go through the motions with little critical thought about implications or outcomes. She emphasizes how much of life we miss through inattention and how we are negatively affected when we do not use mindful processes.
Mindfulness is more than just paying attention, although that is a big part of it. Mindfulness means living life by an active strategy, where the decisions we make are founded on conscious thought and where personal improvement is a central commitment. Mindfulness is about taking control of our thoughts, actions, and intentions.
Full of information on thinking, learning, and brain research, Mindfulness is a challenge to live a more fully developed, fully actualized life. A Christian education team would find reading Mindfulness together time well spent.
Spirit Matters by Michael Lerner, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2000.
The title, Spirit Matters, says it all. Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun magazine, offers this apologetic on the need to honor the spiritual side of life. Lerner calls for an awakening to the reality that all life is one — that the healing of the universe depends on people making spirit a top priority.
Societal construct by societal construct, Lerner illustrates the need to live by spirit. Education, law, business, and medicine are just a few of the disciplines that Lerner redefines as spiritual matters. Heralding an "Emancipation Spirituality," Lerner paints a picture of a world where people care for God, neighbor, the environment, and the world as much as they care for themselves. "Emancipation Spirituality" is a celebration of the wonder of God and the glory of creation. It is the pathway to loving that which is most important in life. While not introducing any new or innovative thinking, Lerner reminds us powerfully that faith without works is death — not only for the individual, but often for the community as well.
Spirit Matters is a wonderful book for a small group or class to read and discuss together.
Leadership on the Other Side by Bill Easum, Abingdon Press, 2000.
Bill Easum is one of the most widely known personalities in church growth and congregational renewal. Leadership on the Other Side makes me wonder why. Employing a "Star Trek" understanding of wormholes is the only thing twenty-first century about this book. In it, Easum finally arrives at conclusions championed by George Linbeck in the 1970's, Robert Wuthnow in the 1980's, and Loren Mead in the 1990's. There is nothing new here, and many of the observations about leadership lack substantiation and a historical perspective. Easum is entitled to his opinion, but his opinion is often couched as research.
There are good points about the book and some helpful insights, but they are already so well covered elsewhere. For people who have done reading in the field, it comes across as hackneyed. For newcomers, this book may yield some provocative challenges, but the weaknesses remain. (For example, a main theme throughout the book is "Life Metaphors," which has nothing to do with metaphor at all.)
Leadership on the Other Side rehashes old ideas, but generally with no improvement or insight. Bill Easum is a smart man who has a lot to offer the church. Seek his wisdom through other sources, and spend your reading time with a copy of The Once and Future Church by Loren Mead and Leadership Without Easy Answers by Ron Heifetz. While both these books are from the last century, their message is light years ahead of Leadership on the Other Side.
(originally posted September 18, 2000)
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