Books

Leaders are Readers

Continue to grow in your leadership by diving into some of the titles recommended by YWAM leaders in Europe.  Don’t forget to scroll down to an ever-increasing bibliography of recommended books specifically for your leadership development. Some are available for downloading. 

Send us a message with your own recommendations as we add to this list. 

Current Books of the Month

Previous Books of the Month

Dwell: Life With God for the World

2nd November 2020

Barry teaches pastoral theology and spiritual formation at Dallas Theological Seminary and is a teaching pastor at Irving Bible Church. He received his masters of theology degree from Dallas Seminary and his PhD in theology from Wheaton College.

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The Life You’ve Always Wanted

28th October 2020

John Ortberg is a pastor near San Francisco, California. He is the bestselling author of many books, including “If you want to walk on Water, You’ve got to get out of the boat”.

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Ordering Your Private World

28th October 2020

Gordon MacDonald (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press 1984) Gordon MacDonald has been a pastor for over 40 years, and served as President for InterVarsity USA. Through

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Understanding Leadership

28th October 2020

Tom Marshall from New Zealand used to teach in YWAM schools, LTSs and conferences in the 1970 and 80ties. He had a strong prophetic teaching gift and became a blessing to many.

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Making Jesus Lord

18th August 2020

Laying down rights is a concept foreign to our culture, indeed a concept foreign to the very nature of humankind. We live in a world where the protection and exaltation of individual rights has become an obsession.

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Right Relationships

18th August 2020

Tom Marshall from New Zealand used to teach in YWAM schools, LTSs and conferences in the 1970’s and 80’s.

He had a strong prophetic teaching gift and became a blessing to many. This book, one of his last, reveals the power of relationships expressed by four dynamics: trust, love, respect & honour as well as understanding.

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Reinventing Organisations

18th August 2020

Loren Cunningham had a “download from the Lord” in 2010—Circles, Circuits and Cycles.

The circles referred to leading from and with teams. I couldn’t see how that would work locally, though we implemented it above local level. Now I think he was seeing something that was at least a decade away—as he sometimes does.

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The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham

18th August 2020

If you want direct access to the spiritual inheritance of Billy Graham and the modern evangelical movement, The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham provides key insight, how to build a leadership team and a public ministry in godly manners.

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Bibliography of Recommended Books

Servant Leadership

Relationships
  • Tom Marshall, Right relationships (Chichester, England: Sovereign World, 1989)
  • Rod E Smith, The Open Hand
Confrontation and conflict resolution
  • Kerry Patterson (Author), Joseph Grenny (Author, Reader), Ron McMillan (Author), Al Switier (Author), Crucial conversations( McGraw Hill. 2012)
  • Gary Smalley and John Trent, The two sides of love (Pomona, California: focus on the family publishing, 1990)
  • John Paul Lederach, The Journey Toward Reconciliation (Herald Press: Scottdale, Pennsylvania, 1999)
Servant Leadership and Money & Power
  • Richard Foster, Money, Sex and Power (Hodder & Stoughton, london, 1985)
  • Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (Mahwah, New York: Paulist Press, 1977)
  • Chuck Swindoll, Improving your serve (Waco: Word, 1981)
  • Denny Gunderson, The leadership paradox (Seattle, Washington: YWAM publishing)
  • Ted Engstrom and Robert Larson, Integrity (Dallas Texas: Word inc, 1987)
  • Randall Arthur, Wisdom Hunter (Sisters, Oregon: Questar publishers, inc. 1991)
  • Craig Hill and Earl Pitts: Wealth, Riches & Money (Family Foundations Publishing 1982)
Mentoring/Coaching
  • Tony Stulzfus, Leadership Coaching: The disciplines, skills & heart of a Christian coach.
  • Gary Collins, Christian Coaching: helping others turn potential into reality
  • David Benner, Sacred companions (IVP books 2009)
  • John Maxwell, Developing the leaders around you (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson 1995)
  • Howard and William Hendricks, Building character as Iron sharpens iron (Chicago, Illinois: moody press, 1995)
  • Gordon Shea, Mentoring (London: Crisp publications 1992)
  • Ron Lee Davis, mentoring: the strategy of the master (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991)
  • Paul Stanley and Robert Clinton, Connecting (Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1992)
  • Kenneth Blanchard, Leadership and the one minute manager (New York: William Morrow and company, 1984)
  • Gordon MacDonald, Restoring your spiritual passion (Crowborough, East Sussex: Highland books, 1986)
  • Gunter Krallman, Mentoring for missions (Hong Kong: Jenson Ltd. 1992)
  • Timothy Jones, The Friendship Connection (Tyndale 1993)
  • Harold L. Longenecker, Growing Leaders by Design (Kregel Resources 1995)
Marriage
  • Barry& Lori Byrne. Love after marriage. (Regal 2012)
  • Emerson Eggerichs, Love & Respect (Integrity publishers, Nashville, focus on the family, 2004)
  • Robin Skynner, John Cleese& Bud Handelsman, Families and how to survive them (Vermilion, 1997)
Member Care
  • Dr. Henry Cloud, Necessary Endings, Harper Collins 2010)

Strategic Leadership

Vision

 

  • Christian Schwarz: The Three Colors of Leadership (NCD Media 2012)
  • Christian Schwarz: The Three Colors of Community (NCD Media 2012)
  • John Maxwell, Developing the leader within you, (Thomas Nelson 2005)
  • Bob Buford, Halftime
  • Andy Stanley, Visioneering, (Multnomah books 2005)
  • Darrow Miller, Discipling nations (Seattle WA: YWAM publishing)
  • David Hamilton & Howard Malmstadt, Courageous leaders (1990)
Phases of life/timeline
  • Richard Rohr, A spirituality for the two halves of life (Josset-Bass 2013)
  • Robert Clinton, The making of a leader (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Navpress, 1988)

Self-surrendered Leadership

  • David Benner, The gift of being yourself, (IVP books 2015)
  • Wayne Cordeiro, Leading on Empty
  • Stephen Covey, The seven habits of highly effective people
  • Stephen Covey, First things first
  • Gregory Boyd, Repenting of Religion, (Baker books, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004)
  • Rick Warren, The purpose driven life, (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002)
  • John Maxwell, Developing the leader within you (Nasshville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson 1993)
  • Edward Dayton and Ted Engstrom, Strategy for living (Ventura California: Regal books, 1976)
  • Zig Ziglar, Top Performance (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming Revell Company, 1986)
  • Richard Bolles, The three boxes of life (Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press, 1978)
  • Gordon MacDonald, Ordering your private world (crowborough, East Sussex: Highland books, 1984)
  • Dr David Cormack, Seconds away (Kent: Marc Europe 1986)
  • John Ortberg, The life you’ve always wanted (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1997)
Understanding your gifts
  • Keirsey & Bates. Please understand me. (Del Mar, CA:Ggnosology Books Ltd, 1984)
  • Peter Wagner, Your spiritual gifts (Ventura, California: Regal books, 1979)
  • Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton, Now discover your strengths (London: Simon & Schuster, Gallop organisation, 2001). (StrengthFinder)
  • Donald Clifton & Paul Nelson, Play to your strengths (Chattam, Kent: BCA 1992)
  • Arthur Miller & Ralph Mattson, the Truth about you (New Jersey: Fleming Revell Com 1977)
  • Ken Voges & Ron Braund, Understanding how others misunderstand you (Chicago: Moody Press 1990)

Spiritual Leadership

  • Larry Warner. Discernment, God’s Will & Living Jesus (2016)  
  • Dallas Willard. Renovation of the heart
  • Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy
  • Dallas Willard, Hearing God
  • Graham Cooke, Developing your prophetic gift (Kent, England: Sovereign World Ltd. 1994)
  • Mike Bickel, Growing in the prophetic (Orlando Florida: Creation House, 1996)
  • Jack Deere, Surprised by the Voice of God
  • Jack Deere, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit
  • Gary L. McIntosh & Samuel D. Rima, Overcoming the Dark side of Leadership
  • Wesley L.Duewel, Ablaze For God, (Zondervan 1989)
  • Andrew Murray: The Prayer-Life (Morgan & Scott LD.)

Spiritual Formation

  • Richard Rohr, The Universal Christ (Maybe controversial)
  • Richard Rohr, Just this
  • Richard Foster, Streams of Living Water  
  • Ruth Haley Barton. Sacred rhythms (IVP 2009)
  • Ruth Haley Barton. Strengthen the soul of your leadership (IVP 2008)
  • Richard Foster, Celebration of discipline (Kent, England: Hodder and Stoughton Ltd. 1980)
  • Adele Ahlberg Calhoun. Spiritual disciplines handbook (IVP 2005)

Shared/Team leadership

  • Frederick Laloux, Reinventing organisations. (Nelson Parker 2016)
  • George Barna, The power of team leadership, (Waterbrook press 2013)
  • Simon Sinek, Leaders eat last, (Penguin group 2014)
  • Simon Sinek, Start with why, (Penguin group 2009)
  • Daniel Goleman, Primal leadership, (Harvard business review press 2013)
  • Patrick Lencioni, The advantage, (HB printing 2012)
  • Ruth Haley Barton, Pursuing God’s will together (IVP books, 2012)
  • Patrick Lencioni, The five dysfunctions of a team, (Jossey-Bass 2010)
  • John Adair, Effective strategic leadership (Chatham Kent: Pan Books, 2002)
  • Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton, ‘First, Break all the Rules’ (London: Simon & Schuster, Gallop organisation, 2001).

General leadership

  • Marshall Goldsmith, What got you here, wont get you there.  (Profile books 2012)
  • James Smith, You are what you love (Brazos Press 2016)
  • Bobb Biehl Increasing your Leadership Confidence.  (Sisters, Oregon: Questar Publishers, Inc. 1989)
  • Tom Marshall, Understanding Leadership (Chichester, England: Sovereign World, 1991).
  • Howard Hendricks, Teaching to Change Lives (Portland: Multnomah, 1987)
  • Walter Wright, Relational leadership (Cumbria: Paternoster publishing, 2000)
  • Ted Engstrom, The pursuit of excellence (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan pub, 1982)
  • Oswald Sanders, Spiritual leadership (Chicago: Moody Press, 1967)
  • Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan)
  • Harold Myra / Marshall Shelley, The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham (Zondervan 2005)

Cross Cultural Ministry

  • Marvin Keene Mayers, Christianity Confronts Culture: A Strategy For Cross cultural Evangelism (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1974, 1987).
  • Philip Harris and Robert T. Moran.  Managing Cultural Differences (Houston, Texas: gulf Publishing Company, 1991).
  • Sherwood Galen Lingenfelter and Marvin Keene Mayers.  Ministering Cross-Culturally (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book Houses, 1986)..
  • Tina Stolzfus Horst. Dancing between cultures: Culturally intelligent coaching for missions and ministry
  • Stephen Hicks. Explaining Post Modernism

The gospel

  • Dr Jordan Peterson, Twelve Rules for Life
  • Gregory Boyd, Letters from a Sceptic
  • Gregory Boyd, God of the Possible
  • Gregory Boyd, God at War
  • William Paul Young, The shack

Missional

  • Exiles – Michael Frost
  • Organic Church – Neil Cole
  • Futureville – Skye Jethani
  • Mission Shaped Church – CofE
  • The Book that made your World – Vishal Mangalwadi

Biographies

  • Eric Metaxis, Bonfoeffer
  • Hudson Taylor in Early Years: The Growth of a Soul (R & R Clark Limited Edinburgh)
  • Hudson Taylor and The China Inland Mission (R & R Clark Limited Edinburgh)
  • Wilbur Chapman: The Life & Work of D.L.Moody (James Nisbet & Co., Limited) • A.Skevington Wood: The Burning Heart, John Wesley, Evangelist (Cliff College Publishing)
  • Richard Collier: The General, Next to God (1965)
  • Charles Finney: Finney’s Autobiography (All Nations Missionaries Union)
  • Billy Graham: Just As I Am (Autobiography) HarperCollinsPublishers Zondervan 1997
  • Brian Kolodiejchuk MC: Come Be My Light (The Mother Teresa Center 2007)
  • Austen Ivereigh: The Great Reformer – Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope (2013)

Downloadable Material

Of all these resources have been graciously offered to us free of charge. Enjoy browsing them and allow them to go deep.

Resources for Small Groups & Team Building

The main content of this booklet is a set of topics and exercises for discussion in small groups.

Creative Leadership

Ice-breakers, application, prayer and ideas to use your senses in a creative way to grow as a leader

40 Day Leadership Devotional

A 40 day devotional through the book of Philippians on topics from the leadership development course or LDC

Leading from the Inside Out - Self Leadership

Understanding my Relationships, my Work & my Priorities as I embrace maturity and adulthood in my calling

Your Top 10 Leadership Needs - Book 1

The Top Ten Leadership Competencies as voted for by hundreds of current and emerging YWAM leaders across Asia

Catch the Wave 2 - a Call to Eldership

A collection of papers and documents from YWAM's eldership detailing thoughts, impressions and what they sense from the Lord regarding eldership in YWAM

Your Top 10 Leadership Needs - Book 2

The 11-20 Leadership Competencies as voted for by hundreds of current and emerging YWAM leaders across Asia

Screenshot 2022-11-05 at 3.54.24 PM

God’s Eye View On Tension

This fun comic ebook will give you a new way to look at tension. It is Matt’s journey to discover how to understand tension from God’s perspective.

Further Information

We love to recommend books and other resources for you to enjoy. We want to point out that many – if not all – of the resources we recommend are written by individuals and may not necessarily reflect the views of YWAM directly. Therefore, please browse these resources, but be mindful of this disclaimer.

Have something you want to recommend to this page? Please get in touch…

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