Book Bio
Some argue that there is a crisis of leadership among believers in the marketplace. Not enough believers are engaged in the fight to be the best versions of themselves that they can be. They accept the lies the world tells us about leadership: that a leader’s power comes rom hierarchical, contractual, and transactional positions. The truth is that Jesus redeemed power and leadership when He commanded His followers, “Not so with you.” Leadership for believers is based on spiritual, servant, covenantal, transformational, and loving relationships. The SWORD of Leadership is the heart of a model that explores the disciplines that lead to a life of this kind of leadership from leaders who are engaged in the daily struggle to be the leader that are meant to be.
Testimonials
“If you have time to read only one chapter, read Chapter 2 – The Citadel of Peace – it will change how you see God and his purpose for your life.”
Jeffrey Ganthner, AIA, Principal, Burns & McDonnell and Founder, leadershiphunt.com
“Dr. Owens has articulated his great vision of stable and mature leadership, with images of a solid structure that defines the type of person who will remain true to their leadership values no matter the obstacles.”
Dr. Joseph Bucci, Associate Professor and Department Chair, Regent University
“Thom demonstrates a masterful understanding of true Christian Leadership and provides the biblical infrastructure necessary for believers to live out their purpose.”
Joseph Perry, Pastor, Remnant Ministries; Author, The Go Book: Foundations
Target Audience
WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK
- business leaders
- business owners & entrepreneurs
- ministry leaders
- personal development coaches
- human resources professionals
BOOK BENEFITS
- develop as a leader
- uncover your purpose
- embrace your calling
- move from frustration to fulfillment
- learn the disciplines that make a difference
- engage a guide for your journey of meaning
Book Excerpt
Chapter 2: The Citadel of Peace
Are you holding on to the promise of God from Jeremiah 29:11 where He promises that He has a plan for you, a plan not to harm you but to prosper you, to give you a hope and a future? Are you excited by the idea that there is a God-sized purpose for you in this life that should fuel your God-sized hopes and dreams? How many of us really have any idea how big is a God-sized dream?
If you are still waiting for God to deliver on that plan to prosper you, have you ever considered that He loves you too much to give you a God-sized dream all at once if you don’t have the life infrastructure in place to handle it? That was where I was and that is what this model represents – an infrastructure to handle a God-sized dream.
As mentioned earlier, this system is born out of my own challenges as a leader. I was at a point where I was holding on to Jeremiah 29:11 and the promise that God had a plan for me to give me a hope and a future. As I was not so patiently waiting for this plan to materialize I finally in desperation asked the question “When?” As I have already said, the answer I got to that question was, “the God-sized plan I have for you would crush you if I gave it to you now and I love you too much to do that to you. You don’t have the life infrastructure in place to hold up the plan I have for you.” I was too busy focusing on the fact that there was a plan and I did not know what it was. How can I execute the plan if I don’t know the plan? God is focused on me and my reliance on Him for the plan.
However, holding on to Jeremiah 29:11 and knowing that the Lord has plans for you is only half of the formula. Our part in this arrangement is to call upon the Lord in prayer and He will listen to us. The rest of the formula requires us to listen to Him. We must seek Him with all of our hearts. Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) tells us that when we seek Him with all of our hearts, then we will find Him. Cerca Trova – Seek and You Shall Find. Finding is reserved for those who seek. Be a seeker of God and do so with all of your heart and you will find Him and be a part of His plan to fulfill His promises for you and your life.
Even after a career in the military, after over 10 years in the corporate world, I was not ready to step into my purpose and walk worthy of my calling. I still had work to do. I set out on a journey to build the life infrastructure to handle the God-sized hopes and dreams for my future; an infrastructure that focused me not on asking the right questions, but rather how to better listen for the answers. From those efforts came this model – the Citadel of Peace.