Biblical women come alive in leadership lessons

by Linda Post Bushkofsky

Our familiarity with women in the Bible is often cursory. After all, women do not generally feature prominently in most biblical stories. Only a handful of women are actually named. Little study was given to these named and unnamed women until the second half of the last century. But now Dr. Jeanne Porter helps us all look to these same women for leadership training in her newest volume,  Leading Lessons: Insights on Leadership from Women of the Bible (Augsburg Books 2005). These are “women who inspire us and remind us that God created us, too, to lead. And each and every one of them beckons to us to be all that God calls us to be—women who lead,” Porter offers in her introduction.

This accessible book combines thought-provoking biblical study with contemporary stories to present eight lessons on the God-given gift of leadership. Leading Lessons themes are unlocking leadership potential, being a healthy leader, empowering women as leaders, discovering internal value, leadership formation, leading change, pioneering leadership, and partnering in leadership.

Leading Lessons contains eight well-designed lessons. Each lesson has three segments: a section presenting the lesson, drawing on biblical texts and personal insights; a summary of “leading lessons” from the texts; and a series of reflection and discussion questions. Those questions can be used for personal reflection, journaling, or group discussion.

Leading Lessons is an ideal eight-week study. It would serve wonderfully for a weekend retreat. It also makes a great study for elected leaders, such as a synodical board. At the same time, it is a great study for all women for, as Porter reminds us, all women are leaders.

Dr. Porter, a popular inspirational speaker and retreat leader, is founder and president of the TransPorter Group, a Chicago-based consulting firm. She is also an ordained minister and currently serves as the Dean of Ministerial Leadership for the Sacred College of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World.

Linda Post Bushkofsky is executive director, Women of the ELCA.

How to use this information

• Purchase Leading Lessons for your church library and write a review for your church newsletter.

• Plan to use this book in an eight-week leadership forum or at a retreat this year.

Reprinted with permission from Interchange by the Women of the ELCA