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Book 1: Shepherds and Servants: Sketches of Leadership for Those Seeking to Make a Difference

Chapter

Title

Passages

Sketch #

1

God as Shepherd

Psalm 23; John 10:1-5, 10-15

1

2

The Call of a Shepherd

John 21:15-19; Ezekiel 34:1-6

2

3

Shepherds Appoint Shepherds

1 Peter 5:1-4

14

4

Shepherd Leadership Without Authority

Acts 27:21-28:10

60

5

A Leader Leads By Serving

Mark 1:40-44, Mark 5:24-34

3

6

A Leader Serves by Leading

John 13:1-17

4

7

The Servant’s Question

Mark 10:32-52

 103

8

Servanthood and Power

2 Kings 2:1-22; 1 Kings 19:19-21

152

9

Ambition to Serve

Matthew 6:31-33; Mark 10:41-45; Luke 14:7-11; 1 Timothy 3:1; James 3:13-16

15

10

Why Be a Servant?

Mark 10:41-45

 5

A look at the two most common images the scripture uses for leadership and how Jesus teaches and models these classic leadership images for us. He calls us to be like him, shepherding the flock of God as he did and serving those in need, just as he did.

Book 2: The Master Who Serves: Sketches of Leadership for Those Who Need God

Chapter

Title

Passages

Sketch #

1

Our Sacrifices and God’s Glory

Exodus 23:19; Leviticus 1:1-3; Proverbs 3:9-10; Psalm 50:7-15

11a

2

Who Works for Whom?

Isaiah 64:4; Luke 12:35-38; Acts 17:22-25; Mark 2:16-17             

11b

3

Freedom to Fail

Matthew 14:22-33

48

4

Motivation for Discipleship

Mark 8:34-38; Mark 10:28-31; Mark 10:41-45

12

5

Why Did Jesus Go to the Cross?

Mark 10:41-45; Hebrews 12:1-2; Philippians 2:1-11; Mark 15: 6-15, 20-22

13, 109

6

Distraction and Focus

Luke 10:38-42

84

7

The Lost Boys and the Searching Father

Luke 15:1-2, 11-32

71

8

One Warrior, Two Kings, Three Servants, and Elisha

2 Kings 5:1-19

154

9

The Master Who Serves

Luke 12:22-38

77

Leaders can be tempted to believe they are working for God, which makes them God’s heroes. We don’t work for God—he works for us. He’s not our slave—he’s the master! But he is the master who serves! We don’t feed him, we don’t serve him: he has no needs. We get into trouble; he gets us out.  That makes him the hero of our lives, and he likes it that way.

Book 3: Wise and Gentle Words: Sketches of Leadership for Humble Influencers

Chapter

Title

Passages

Sketch #

1

Asking Good Questions

Mark 5:9; 8:22-30; 9:14-29; 10:35-37; 10:51

34

2

Wisdom and Influence

1 Kings 3:5-28; James 1:5-8

35

3

Gentle Exhortation

Ezekiel 33:1-9; Hebrews 3:12-14

8

4

Sin and Conflict

1 Samuel 25:14-36

9

5

Influence by Telling Stories

Luke 10:29-37; 12:13-21; Mark 4:10-12, 21-25

74, 76, 94

6

Have Salt in Yourselves

Mark 9:30-10:16

 

7

Putting It All Together: Hearably Debunking Sin’s Lies

Luke 7:36-50

72

8

Engaging the Hearers

Nehemiah 8:1-12

31

9

Confusion and Discernment

Luke 24:13-35

32

10

Doers of the Word

James 1:17-27; Luke 8:4-18

33, 73

Studies on verbal influence, asking questions, addressing sin and conflict, reconciliation, and forgiveness. It also includes three studies on leading people into inductive, transformative Bible discussions in small groups.

Book 4: Focus on the Few for the Sake of the Many Developing Disciples and Reproducing Leaders

Chapter Title

Passsage/s

Sketch #

Preparation for the Kingdom

Mark 1:1-20

90

The Healing Touch of God

Mark 1:40-2:17

91

New Wineskins for Fresh Wine

Mark 2:18-3:6

92

Concentric Circles of Intimacy

Mark 3:7-19

93

The Secret of the Kingdom

Mark 4:1-34

94

Fear and Faith: The Two Storms

Mark 4:35-5:20

95

Fear and Faith: The Two Daughters

Mark 5:21-43

96

Ministry and Rest

Mark 6:30-52

97

Second Chance Ministry

Mark 6:35-44, 8:1-10

98

Listen to Him!

Mark 8:21-9:8

99

Only By Prayer

Mark 9:9-29

100

Have Salt in Yourselves

Mark 9:30-10:16

101

Wealth and the Kingdom of God

Mark 10:17-31

102

The Servant’s Question

Mark 10:32-55

103

The Fig Tree and the Temple

Mark 11:7-25

104

Render to Caesar, Render to God

Mark 11:27-12:17

105

Acceptable Offerings

Mark 12:38-44; 14:3-11

106

Birthpangs and Death Throes

Mark 13:1-37

107

The Two Trials

Mark 14:53-72

108

The Ransom and the Model

Mark 15:1-39

109

The Faithful Women

John 20:1-18, Mark 16:1-8

110

Developing Disciples and Reproducing Leaders. Studies in the Gospel of Mark on the methods, model, and message of Jesus regarding how we grow as disciples and multiply our ministry and character in others.

Book 5: Becoming Rich Toward God: How to Store Up Treasure in Heaven

Chapter

Title

Passages

Sketch #

1

The Lost Boys and the Searching Father

Luke 15:1-2, 11-32

71

2

The Two Debtors

Luke 7:36-50

72

3

The Sower and the Soils

Luke 8:4-18

73

4

The Lawyer and the Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

74

5

Teach us To Pray

Luke 11:1-13

75

6

The Cheated Brother and the Rich Fool

Luke 12:12-21

76

7

The Master Who Serves

Luke 12:22-38

77

8

Parties and Priorities

Luke 14:1, 7-24

78

9

Count the Cost

Luke 9:57-62; 14:25-35:

79

10

The Shrewd Manager

Luke 16:1-9

80

11

The Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19-31

81

12

How to Pray So that God Hears You

Luke 18:1-14

82

13

The King’s Business

Luke 19:11-27

83

Developing Disciples and Other Treasure in Heaven. Studies on the surprising and surprisingly relevant Parables of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. A meditation on prayer, money, friendship, honor, and investing in things that last.

Book 6: Personal Leadership: Navigating Life’s Turns and Disappointments

Chapter

Title

Passages

Sketch #

1

Fear and Faith

Mark 4:35-5:20

95

2

Successful Failure

Matthew 14:22-33

48

3

Temptation in Transitions

Luke 4:1-13; Mark 8:27-38; John 13:25-30; Mark 14:32-42

 

4

Resisting God

John 13:1-17

49

5

Creed in Crisis

Psalm 73

131

6

Ministry and Rest

Mark 6:30-52

98

7

Second Chance Ministry

Mark 7:24-28; 8:1-10

99

8

Burnout

1 Kings 19:1-18

18

9

Disappointment

1 Samuel 1:9-18; 2:1-11

 

10

Suffering

Romans 8:18-39

128

11

Life and Death

John 11:1-7, 17-44

114

12

The Lifelong Journey

Mark 1:17-20; 1:35-38; 8:29-38; John 13:3-8; Mark 14:26-31; John 21:17-22

69

13

Navigating Life’s Turns

 

 

A look at burnout, failure, resistance to God’s work, disappointment, disillusionment, temptation, anxiety, fear, suffering, loss, and death. A meditation on becoming an excellent learner of the (hard) lessons of one’s own life: overcoming, avoiding, going through difficulties and navigating these turns with skill and hope. Whether it is adult development or deep discipleship, failure, disillusionment and suffering have much to teach us.

Book 7: Visionaries and Team Leaders: Sketches to Mobilize the People of God

Chapter

Title

Passages

Sketch #

1

The Leadership and Vision of King David

1 Chronicles 29:1-19

21

2

Leading with Vision

Haggai 1:1-15

23

3

Standing in the Gap: Prayer and Planning

Nehemiah 1:1-2:8 

22

4

Recruitment and Resentment

Nehemiah 2:9-3:11

161

5

Opposition to Change

Nehemiah 4:1-23

162

6

Leaders Share and Lift Burdens

Nehemiah 5:1-19; 6:15-16   

163

7

Delegation and Empowerment

Exodus 18:13-26; Acts 6:1-7

61

8

A Capable Team Leader Who Can Find?

Proverbs 31:10-31

143

9

Preparing for Growth

2 Kings 4:1-7

26

10

Leadership Styles

Mark 1:17-20, 35-38; 4:10-13, 24-25; 6:6-13, 30; Matt 28:18-2

10

11

New Wineskins for Fresh Wine

Mark 2:18-3:6

91

12

The Developmental Organization

 

 

 A look at the leadership wisdom of Moses, David, Solomon, Haggai, Elisha, Nehemiah, and Jesus regarding mobilizing teams and groups to accomplish the mission.

Book 8: Surprising Choices in a Crisis: Sketches of Leadership for Such a Time as This

Chapter

Title

Passages

Sketch #

1

A Crisis of Idolatry: Aaron and Moses

Exodus 32:1-29

16

2

A Crisis of Succession: Touch Not the Lord’s Anointed

2 Samuel 1:5-16; 2 Samuel 16:5-14

63

3

A Crisis of Sin: Nathan Confronts David

2 Samuel 12:1-15; Psalm 51

64

4

A Crisis of Rebellion: The Wasted Potential of Absalom

2 Samuel 14:25-26; 15:1-12; 18:9-15

65

5

A Crisis of Confidence: David Flees Absalom

2 Samuel 15:13-31; 18:33

66

6

A Crisis of Perspective: Calamities Large and Small

2 Kings 6:1-23

154

7

A Crisis of Wisdom: Leading When You Don’t Know What to Do

2 Chronicles 20:1-30

155

8

A Crisis of Ethical Influence

Esther 4:10-17; 5:1-7; 7:1-10

 

9

Geopolitics and Idolatry Hezekiah 1

Isaiah 7:1-14; 2 Kings 16:1-9; 2 Chronicles 28:22-25

156

10

The Great Restoration Hezekiah 2

2 Chronicles 29:1-30, 36

157

11

The Great Passover Hezekiah 3

2 Chronicles 30:1-27

158

12

God’s Great Commitment to his Name Hezekiah 4

2 Kings 18: 36-37; 19:1-20, 32-37

159

13

The Legacy of Success Hezekiah 5

2 Kings 20:1-21:2

160

14

The Humility of Moses

Exodus 32:7-14; Numbers 12:1-16

164

A look at leadership choices when your original plan isn’t working or when facing internal or external opposition: leading when you don’t know what to do, and leadership without authority. This Bible study sequence was inspired by the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it useful in preparation for any crisis.

Book 9: Missional Leadership: Sketches for Life on the Frontier

Chapter

Title

Passsages

Sketch #

1

Apprentice Apostles

Mark 6:1-13, 30

41

2

The Secret of the Kingdom

Mark 4:1-25, 33-34

94

3

The Accidental Missionary

Genesis 12:1-4, Jeremiah 29:1-14; Mark 10:29-31

43

4

Plan B Ministry Vision

Acts 15:35-16:15

57

5

Discernment, Chaos and Plan B Ministry

Acts 16:16-34

58

6

Paul’s Mission Statement

Acts 26:1-32

59

7

Leadership Without Authority

Acts 27:21-28:10

60

8

Cross-Cultural Entry Posture

Acts 10

70

9

Apostolic Incarnation

Gal. 2:11-14; 1 Cor. 9:19-27; 2 Timothy 2:1-9

62

10

The Missionary Task

Matthew 28:16-20

128

What principles can we glean from the teachings of Jesus and the stories of Peter and Paul in the book of Acts? How do we prepare for cross-cultural mission as servant leaders? How can we faithfully incarnate the gospel in our words and deeds?

Book 10: Justice and Deep Mercy: Sketches of God's Work and Our Response

Chapter

Title

Passages

Sketch #

1

Realms and Rulers

Genesis 1:1-2:3

132

2

The Groundling and His Lifesaver

Genesis 2:4-25

133

3

The Fall and Its Consequences

Genesis 3:1-24

134

4

Cain and the Lord’s Regard

Genesis 4:1-16

135

5

The Flood and the Promise

Genesis 6:5-22; 7:1; 8:18-22; 9:1-17

136

6

Towers and Altars

Genesis 11:1-9; 12:1-9; Mark 10:29-30

137

7

Judgment and Mercy

Genesis 3:8-13; 4:8-10; 6:11-13; 8:20-22; 11:1-9

138

8

How Long, Oh Lord?

Habakkuk 1:1-2:1

140

9

Mocking Riddles and Worshipful Silence

Habakkuk 2:2-20

141

10

In Wrath, Remember Mercy

Habakkuk 3:1-19

142

Studies in the first 11 chapters of Genesis, from the creation to the calling of Abraham at the beginning of chapter 12, and in the book of Habakkuk. Looking at God’s intentions with creation and the corruption of human nature due to the fall. This is a clear-eyed but surprisingly hopeful and relevant message for disciples today.

More Topical and Biblical Sequences

The Sketches of Leadership are modular and flexible and do not need to be delivered in any particular order, so an experienced trainer can use them in their own context with maximum flexibility. However, some sequences of Sketches have a logical progression and topical continuity.​