Gifted to Lead: The Art of Leading as a Woman in the Church

"No mistake was made in heaven when God gave you the gift of leadership or teaching. Every gift you have came from the hand of a loving Father who crafted you."—Nancy Beach

You were created to lead and your calling is unmistakable. You have a passion to make a difference. And you know how hard it is to live out your calling and tackle the difficult challenges unique to women who lead in the church. Perhaps you are the first or the only woman on the team. There may be resistance to your leadership or questions about your right to lead. You don't want to quit, but it's hard sometimes and lonely.

Nancy Beach understands what it's like. In this practical and inspiring book, she shares the challenges and joys of her own thirty-year journey as a leader and teacher in the church. She offers guidance on such issues as:

• Earning respect
• Finding your unique voice for leadership and teaching
• Managing work and personal life
• Forming an intentional support network, and more.

Rich in wisdom and humor, Nancy's message offers heartfelt encouragement that you are not alone, your gifts are not a mistake and that God has exceedingly important work for you to do. She writes: "My prayer is that you will fully engage in the dangerous and thrilling adventure of using your leadership gift to advance the kingdom of God. The path won't be easy . . . but God will never leave you alone. So trust him. And don't forget to enjoy the ride!"

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nancy Beach is executive vice president of the arts for the Willow Creek Association and a teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church. She is the author of An Hour on Sunday. Nancy lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband Warren and daughters Samantha and Johanna.
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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT GIFTED TO LEAD

Getting to know and learn from and work alongside Nancy Beach has been one of the great gifts of ministry. I am so glad you get to meet her here. God has much to say to all of us through her words. May he give us ears to hear.

John Ortberg

Author of Faith and Doubt

Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

Nancy Beach is one of the most influential leaders in today's church. Her experience, vulnerability, and authenticity will empower women to courageously step into their God-given role with confidence.

Craig Groeschel

Author of It

Senior pastor, LifeChurch.tv

Nancy's honest, godly leadership wisdom makes Gifted to Lead a must-read for women who desire to make the most of their gifts in church leadership—and the single-most important book for helping men understand the unique challenges female leaders face in the church. This book empowers all of us to better lead Christ's church!

John Burke

Pastor and author of No Perfect People Allowed

Regardless of gender, the waters of leadership often get a little choppy. As a woman, sometimes the crashing waves can take your breath away in a unique way. Thank goodness for Nancy Beach! She provides wisdom, guidance, and a good dose of humor to help every woman in leadership set course with a steady rudder. She fills our sails with hope, and anchors us in the truth of who God has created us to be—reflections of his image. This is a must-read for every woman in leadership.

Margaret Feinberg

Author of The Organic God

This is a wonderful book! Any woman who has been the first, the only, or one of the token few, will resonate with Nancy's experiences and benefit from her hard-earned wisdom.

Ruth Haley Barton

Co-founder and president, The Transforming Center

Author of Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership

Who better to write about women in leadership than Nancy Beach? Gifted to Lead brims with wisdom and insight based on Nancy's experience "in the trenches" of church leadership. As someone who has benefitted from Nancy's gifted leadership, I can attest to her godly character and integrity. And this is not a book solely for women; every man needs to read this book as well.

Rory Noland

Director, Heart of the Artist Ministries

Drawing on the same grace and vision with which she leads, Nancy Beach writes a powerful book to help women navigate leadership roles in a ministry world. Her depth of experience along with her great relational skills make her a leader worth listening to . . . and the church will be the richer for it.

Nancy Ortberg

Author of Unleashing the Power of Rubber Bands: Lessons in Non-Linear Leadership

Women in leadership will discover a treasury of wisdom in Nancy Beach's thoughtful discussion of the everyday challenges they face. Men—those who fully embrace women's gifts and those who do so with reservations—will find much to ponder on these pages. Even if you don't share her perspective, please keep reading. This is an important book that actually models the kind of wise, winsome leadership Nancy advocates.

Carolyn Custis James

Author of The Gospel of Ruth

Nancy Beach, who is as articulate and transparent on the page as she is on the platform, provides a much-needed guidebook for all leaders-both female and male.

Kelly Thomas Ballard

Founder, BeyondWorship

Anyone who has worked with her knows that Nancy Beach "wrote the book" on women in church leadership—and now she's actually put it on paper. Nancy's wisdom, grace, character, and warmth shine through each page and each story, making Gifted to Lead as beautiful and rich as it is important.

Shauna Niequist

Author of Cold Tangerines

Wife, mom, pastor, friend, leader, visionary, creative force . . . Nancy Beach excels at all of these! With great transparency, humility, and clarity she opens the doors of her own life—and hopefully our minds and hearts—with the gift of this important book.

Mike Breaux

Author of Making Ripples and Identity Theft

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