Everyone in a position of responsibility knows the tension of leadership. It may be between tasks or people, money or mission, the present or the future. One often neglected tension is between our inner spiritual longings and the outward needs of the group we lead.But we need not feel forced to choose between the two. Leadership has more in common with an ellipse with two focal points than a bull's-eye with a single target. The Leadership Ellipse is designed to help Christian leaders embrace both halves of the tension--our internal relationship with God and our external relationship with others--to find a truly authentic, integrated way to lead.If you find yourself in a lonely, isolated place of leadership, this book can be your companion. If you find yourself longing to lead in a way that is truly Christian, this book can be your guide. And if you are simply exhausted, then this book can offer you a new way to find refreshment. There is life beyond the bull's-eye.

Robert A. (Bob) Fryling is publisher of InterVarsity Press (Westmont, Illinois) and Vice President of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (Madison, Wisconsin). He writes, speaks and teaches in the areas of spiritual formation, leadership, Christian faith and culture. He lives in Illinois with his wife, Alice, an author and spiritual director. Together they have co-authored three books.Peterson, now retired, was for many years James M. Houston Professor of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. He also served as founding pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland. In addition to his widely acclaimed paraphrase of the Bible, The Message (NavPress), he has written many other books.

Introduction
Part One: Shaping Our Inner World
1 A Weaned Soul: The Practice of Sabbath
2 A Growing Strength: The Practice of Pruning
3 A Renewed Mind: The Practice of Humble Thought
4 A Dancing Heart: The Practice of Involvement
Part Two: Shaping Our Outer World
5 In a Frenzied World: The Perspective of Prayer
6 In a Lonely World: The Promise of Belonging
7 In a Fragmented World: The Pursuit of Shalom
Part Three: Shaping Our Leadership
8 As More Than a Grasshopper: The Practice of Wholeheartedness
9 As an Organizational Ecologist: The Practice of Attentiveness
10 As a Grateful Creature: The Practice of Clarity
Epilogue
Appendix: InterVarsity Press Purpose and Values Statement
Questions for Contemplation and Action
Acknowledgments
Notes
Recommended Reading